With a new job, new goals, and everything changing, how can we find rest? How can we be refreshed? In 2019 God taught me to breathe through it all.
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
Exodus 31:17
That word refreshed, or naphash (H5314) in the hebrew, means to take a breath or a current of air. What happens when you stop to take a breath? Your who body relaxes, right? You mind calms down even your cells take breath and uses that to produce more energy. Which proves that when you stop and breath it can get you ready for the next step. Not everything in your life needs to be back-to-back or so fast pace that you don’t have time to breath. Even God Himself rested, perhaps, it was simply to show us, to be the example that life shouldn’t be so busy all the time that you don’t even have a chance to breathe. God made it mandatory to take time to rest to show the importance of it.
I don’t know about y’all but I know when I take a few moments or even just a deep breath to relax, it feels o so good. It leaves me feeling refreshed and ready to take on the next thing. Taking a break doesn’t make you lazy, it makes you human. It keeps you healthy.
In 2019, I have been saying that Breathe is the word God gave me for the year. And man, was it key! 2019 was the year that I went on the most adventures, had the most heartache, and made a drastic life altering change. Man, God knew what he was talking about when he told me to breath through it all!
Just a quick recap of the year:
- January: I went to the Kennedy Space Center and took my first helicopter ride
- March: I flew up to Michigan for a maker’s retreat and saw snow for the first time.
- May: I took my first overseas trip to India and Vietnam.
- June: I flew up to upstate New York to see one of my best friends get married and then we went over to Niagara Falls.
- August: I flew to France with my mom to see my cousins and also dropped by London and Brussels
- September: I left my hometown and drove across country from FL to CA with my dad.
- November: I went to a Women’s Conference called Lavished and experienced hot springs for the first time.
- December: I went to the Grand Canyon with my cousin from France and got to experience snow up close and personal.
You can’t imagine how good it feels to do nothing right now other than breath. And after I’m refreshed I’ll be planning my next trip. 2019 has opened so many doors for me. It has changed the way I think. Brought me to new places and to the end of myself. Most importantly, it has brought me to a deeper relationship with my heavenly Father. It’s taught me to allow him into everything I do. So, that I’m not being overwhelmed or panicking but trusting him fully and having faith that together we can get through it all. All you have to do is read my Road Trip Chronicles to see how faithful he is to his word.
(And for the record I would like to say I did all this with a full time job that paid only $11. No side gigs, however I did Uber every once in a while. But Uber in my town was about $40-ish a month. What I mean to say is that it’s only by the grace of God that I was able to travel so extensively, I’m serious. When I started budgeting it wasn’t because I dreamed of traveling. It was because my sister was talking to me about it offhandedly. She used Everydollar to budget so I had a look at it and thought, ‘Wow, this is easy and efficient.’ So I started planning out the vacations I wanted to take, Ie: Found out where I wanted to go, check the price for a plane ticket, found prices for an airbnb, the cost of transportation, things I wanted to do, cost of eating out etc. and check to see if they fit in the budget. It was a little extreme but you got to understand that I love creating a budget and itinerary.)
Oh, and before I forget, on my first night in Los Angeles my dad and I went to Expression 58. After service, the reality of my dad leaving the next day, and the fact that I would truly be alone, without any family or anyone I know, hit me. I could not stop crying. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t even speak. Then this sweet woman came over and hugged me. She comforted me and spoke over me. But what I remember the most is that, she taught me how to breathe: 1, 4, 2; inhale, hold, exhale. God is so intentional when he tells us things. I’ve been praying all year for him to show me how to breathe and when I needed it the most there it was. In 2018, my word was Overflow where I was setting up for 2019 which was an overflow of experiences and adventures. & before 2018 was done the Lord told me to Breathe. He knew I would need to breath through the overwhelming amount of adventures and expenses, through the heartbreak of leaving my family for the unfamiliar, through every breath taking joyful experience, and during the calm, selah, between it all.
Scriptures:
Below are some verses and songs that helped me through the year.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10
“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”
Ephesian 3:20
‘The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord .’
Proverbs 16:1
‘For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ‘
Ephesians 6:12
‘The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.’
Proverbs 18:4
‘A man’s gift makes room for him, And brings him before great men.’
Proverbs 18:16
‘The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. ‘
Proverbs 18:10
‘Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ‘
Isaiah 6:8
‘The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. ‘
Genesis 12:1
…But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
Philippians 3:13b
‘If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. ‘
Numbers 14:8
‘…For the joy of the Lord is your strength. ‘
Nehemiah 8:10b
Music:
I remember driving across Nebraska and hearing Not Afraid by MOSAIC and being filled with so much hope.
How do you take breaks in life? How do you refresh yourself? Tell me in the comments below or drop it in my inbox.
Read More: Peace | Overflow | Seeking God
References: Blueletterbible | Sciencenetlinks
0 Comments
I was curious if you ever considered changing the page layout of your blog? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or two images. Maybe you could space it out better?
Hey Anneliese! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post. I appreciate your feedback. What content are you referring to?