Sabbath Rest - August
This season has been beautiful and unimaginable. Full of grief, and wonder, and awe.
We have found our home, and it’s within the LORD and each other.
Culturally, there’s a lot happening right now. Cities across the nation are burning, literally with flames in the streets. Brokenness and sin are ravaging through, destroying the sanctity of our community. Turning to mindlessly scroll, my not-so-productive way of dealing with grief, my inbox has heard from those I once admired so much. I admit there was a ping of pain when someone close questioned my love for God and for others- over something as simple as a mask. These waters feel void of life again.
We had a lot of dreams for August.
The days we thought would be spent bouncing a baby are filled with being counseled by our Pastors instead. But we have Pastors, and that’s something we’ve longed for, for years. This season is weird, and uncomfortable, and sometimes so good that I feel guilty over it. Things that are so broken are slowly being put back together by our Maker, in a way that shimmers with light when maybe it was a little dull before.
Maybe it’s Covid, maybe it’s the baby, maybe it’s just the LORD... but I want Him to breath into all things again. I want to just squeeze my friends, spend every week seeing our families, and work hard on the things I kinda flop at.
Lessons I’m learning:
1: I can’t change anyone’s views, and that’s okay. What I can do is offer what I know to help.
2: Sabbath truly is a gift.
To lay down all the things that make me anxious, sad, frustrated, angry, or afraid. The things I cannot control. The things that grip my heart and steal away my peace. To lay these at the feet of Jesus in exchange for rest. The kind of rest that actually heals. The restoration of the soul that we sometimes hear about. The really, really. good stuff. It’s what I need, and it’s found in Him. There’s something appointed and anointed about His Sabbath offering to us. He says in His Word, Sabbath was made for man.
In Jewish culture, and Biblical culture, a day begins the evening before. You see it in the story of creation. “And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” On the sixth day of creation, God made man. And on the seventh day of creation, God completed His work by blessing and sanctifying the day. A day of rest, set apart unto Him. Our first full day of life with the Creator, full of beautiful cultivation, and He enters us into rest. Amen, hallelujah, yes- I’ll take it.
A few ideas we’re trying out to help quieten down the noise:
unfollowing and/or muting profiles and groups on social media.
unsubscribing from email lists that no longer serve a peaceful purpose.
trading online interactions for in-person community gatherings.
creating “bookends” to our day that are rooted in Yahweh.
This month’s herbal offering: MotherStrong Tincture - good for comfort, courage, and calming an anxious heart.
Meal on repeat in our house this month: Red Pepper + Coconut Curry w/ Jasmine Rice and Cauli.
Super excited about: Completing 75Hard and No-Buy July.