Time to Replace this Four-Letter Word

I could not believe the time.

The clock revealed that I had slept in.  As I laid in bed, I realized just how much my body needed the extra rest.   

In a world full of BUSY, it is important to be intentional about REST.

Rest is necessary for good health; yet is commonly overlooked.  With busy as our new norm, we are pushing our bodies at a record pace. 

What if we changed our thinking about rest and purposely schedule breaks into our calendars?  Below are three tangible ways to make rest a priority in your life.

1. Create margin in your life.

Adding margin into my schedule has been life changing for me.  In the past, I would schedule every minute of the day and then when unforeseen circumstances like a flat tire, traffic, or a sick child would arrive, I was sent into a frenzy.  Can anyone relate?   

It took years for me to learn that I needed to have margin in my schedule, chunks of time when I did not have anything planned.  By having some free time in my schedule, I could last minute offer to take a meal to a family that needed help or I could read longer with my kids at night before bed.  The constant pace of busy slowed down with this extra white space in my schedule.  As you plan your week, I challenge you to add white space on your calendar.  It is life changing. 

2. Recognize signs that you need more rest.

Even with margin, there will be weeks when we are living at full capacity because of our jobs, family birthday celebrations, Holidays, or unforeseen circumstances.   When this happens, it is important to recognize signs that you need more rest.  Listen to your body.  I know when I am pushing myself for too long, I start to feel it in my throat as well as my whole body is fatigued when I wake up in the morning.  This is a sign that I need to go to bed early the following evening and get more rest.  Another sign for me is my laundry; I can gage how busy I am on whether the clothes are piled dirty in the laundry room or my kids are digging through a heap of clean clothes to find something to wear versus they are clean in their closets.  Some weeks in life will be busier than others, so remember to recognize the signs, listen to your body, and get the proper rest before you are completely laid out sick. 

3. Learn to say No to good things so you can say Yes to the best thing.

One of the most important lessons I have learned is that you cannot do everything.  Sometimes you have to say no to something that you would enjoy so that you can say yes to something even better.  It is important to prioritize your time.  For me, my kids get top billing after my time with God.  I want them to know that they are the most important to me and I show that to them with my intentional time.   What gets your top billing?  I encourage you this week to exercise your “no” muscle.

Friends, it is time to replace this four-letter word, BUSY with REST. 

Praying today we can be more deliberate about scheduling rest by putting margin in our schedules, recognizing when we need to rest more, and learning to say no even when it is a good thing.  Remember Rest is your Best Yes!

Love, Jodi

2 Comments

  1. Maile on May 22, 2019 at 8:47 pm

    Thank you for this reminder! Amen to that! Also, I love the photo you shared with the quote. So serene! I look forward to reading your weekly posts of encouragement!



    • Jodi Rosser on May 22, 2019 at 9:35 pm

      Thanks Maile! The picture was taken recently at Newport Beach. It was a beautiful day! Love your encouragement! Love, Jodi



Purchase
Your Copy Now

Cover3D_Web

Depth Podcast Latest Episode

223. Walking in Peace in a Turbulent World — Natalie Atwell

Do you feel like you are walking in peace in the middle of this turbulent world? I know at Christmas time, we talk about Jesus…

Read More »

BOOK MINISTRY

I LOVE TO GIVE BOOKS AS GIFTS.

I love to get the right book into a reader’s hands! After each podcast, I will be giving away a copy of the book that I am recommending!