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One Word Update: Common Phrases with the Word Rest

April 22, 2022 by Lauren 26 Comments

one wordI have been working through Lisa Hite’s 40 Day One Word Lenten Challenge – although I’m behind.  I didn’t find it and start in time for Lent.  But my guess is God will honor it and teach me through it regardless of which 40 days I observe.  Anyway, I am learning so much.

 

In case you aren’t familiar, my “one word” is the word I feel led by God to focus on for this year.  I chose “rest” which ties in to “trust” that was my first ever word focus last year.

 

Day 4 of the challenge asked us to make a list common phrases that include our one word.

  1.  eternal rest
  2. rest in peace
  3. rest on your laurels
  4. the rest of the story
  5. rest assured
  6. at rest
  7. God rest his soul
  8. I rest my case
  9. God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman (more of a title than a phrase)
  10. lay to rest
  11. no rest for the weary
  12. the rest is history
  13. R&R (rest and relaxation)
  14. RICE (an acronym for treatment of an injury – rest, ice, compression, elevation)
  15. the rest of my life

 

Some of these phrases don’t really apply since they mean “the remainder”.   A few relate to my focus for 2022 with the general idea of cessation of work, movement or striving; such as “R&R”, “RICE”, “rest assured” and even “I rest my case”.  But what stuck out to me like a neon sign?  A full 1/3 of the phrases I came up with refer to death!

 

I think many people subscribe to the “you can rest when you die” mentality.  Go big, go hard, chase the dream/ money/ adventure, etc.  Nothing wrong with hard word or even hard play.  But without rest built into our schedule, we will eventually burn out or find eternal rest entirely too early.

 

In the very first chapter of the Bible, God modeled a day of rest.

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Not because the Almighty God couldn’t keep going, but because He knew we needed the example so we would rest.  Our bodies need rest, but our mind and emotions need it too.

 

Why “Rest” Is My One Word

 

I feel called to shoot straight here.  And I can without judgement because I’m talking to myself as well.  If there is an area of your life in which you feel you cannot rest, I guarantee that you lack trust in God over that same area.  God knew we needed rest for our own physical and emotional well being, but for our spiritual health as well.

 

True rest means we are trusting God.  We don’t have to work (or worry, etc) 24/7 because God’s working on our behalf.  I realize it’s easier said than done.  Which is why I’m learning about and meditating on rest this year.  Believing I’m ultimately responsible for it all is exhausting.  Trusting that He holds it all in His control frees me to…rest.

 

“Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

 

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

Here I am again unable to pick just one feature!  Good problem to have.  I want to highlight Barbara Lee Harper’s book review because it’s a book I really need to read.  And I want to feature Grace and Truth’s own Lisa Burgess because she really made me think with Just One Roll of Toilet Paper, OK?  Happy reading!

 

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now Let’s Link Up!

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

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If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

To find some great places where I might share this post, click here.

 

 

 

 

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Word of the Year Update: Not What I Had in Mind!

March 18, 2022 by Lauren 32 Comments

Word of the YearEarlier this year I wrote about my one word focus for 2022.  Rest.  As in, rest in the Lord.  It seemed to go hand in hand with the word I still struggle with from last year:  Trust.  Plus with my husband undergoing cancer treatments, I need God’s all-encompassing peace more than ever before.

 

I bought a Faithful Life Planner.  I haven’t historically used a planner, but I love it (not an affiliate, btw).  And I have filled it with scriptures and prayers about resting and trusting.  I’m also planning my days during my time with Him and find it helps me keep Him at the forefront as I check off my to-do’s.

 

That’s what I had in mind when I chose the word Rest.  Definitely not what I have now – 2 bulging discs at L4 and L5 that sit on top of my sciatic nerve!  So guess what?  I can’t do anything.  Heavy pain meds flow through my blood stream.  I have been sitting or sleeping on a recliner for days, and I had a sedated injection.

 

So Not What I Had in Mind!

 

Before getting my prescription pain meds I had bouts of sobbing and wailing and begging my husband to take me to the ER.  I wish I was exaggerating.  It was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my life.  And I have endured many surgeries.  You can’t touch nerve pain.  No rubbing or changing of position helped.  So I am afraid to get off of the pain meds just yet.  I can’t go back to that.  Therefore, I have slept a lot.  Rested, if you will.

 

Not what I had in mind, God.  Especially right now.  It is killing me that my husband is having to wait on me and our special needs daughter between his radiation and chemo appointments.  How is this fair at all?  I need to be taking care of Chuck.  Not the other way around.

 

God gave me the word “rest”.  But He didn’t ask me how I wanted to learn about it.  So I’m back to trust. 

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Trusting that the kids and the house will be taken care of.  That Chuck’s treatments are killing the cancer cells in his body.  Trusting the doctors making the decisions for Chuck and me.  And trusting that God can heal us both – medically or supernaturally.

 

So if you need me, I’ll be in my recliner.  Reading, watching TV, praying, resting.

 

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:8-9 NASB

 

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

 

After this whiny post, you will not be surprised that Theresa Boedeker’s How to Stop Focusing on What’s Wrong With You struck me right between the eyes.  She says…

“Because when we are complaining, we are not praising.

When we are whining, we can’t be grateful.

When we are wanting, we are not satisfied.

And when we are criticizing, we can’t be thankful.”

 

I can’t stop thinking about the entire article and the adjustments I need to make personally to my attitude.  Please read it.  It may be just the gentle encouragement you need too!

 

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

TAMMY KENNINGTON – Restoring hope. Pursuing peace.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now Let’s Link Up!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

If you liked this post, do me the huge honor of using the buttons below to share it to your favorite social media accounts. And if you want to get these essays emailed to you once a week, subscribe!  Lastly, my posts may contain affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy anything from one of these links, I receive a few pennies to help offset the cost of this website at no additional charge to you. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

To find some great places where I might share this post, click here.

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About Me

I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
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