Creating a Posture for Rest

I’m nearly finished with Rebekah Lyon’s newest book, Rhythms of Renewal, a book that has been a simple read but practical tool to inspire me as I start a new year and brand new decade.  By this time in February, studies show that most people have abandoned all those New Year’s resolutions, are trudging through the lull of a long winter and already out of that fresh, hopeful attitude they may have seized as the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve.  Rebekah’s book introduces the idea that instead of setting these lofty resolutions, a healthier approach is to develop rhythms in our days that can replace the stress and anxiety with life-giving peace and purpose.  She organizes the book into four main rhythms – Rest, Restore, Connect, and Create – and provides seven practical ways to introduce or rethink these rhythms into your daily life.

This week I’ve been focusing a lot on the first rhythm of REST.  I love that although she does write about practical ways to sleep better, her focus is more about creating a posture of rest that permeates in all we do.  In other words, you can’t run forty-five miles an hour through your day, balance loads of stress from the time you wake up until the time you final fall into bed, and expect to feel rested.  But if we’re intentional about “resting” through various practices in our days, limiting time on our phones (especially at night), creating some intention in our morning and nightly routines, and considering a Sabbath that’s set apart a little different than the usual pace of our days, God will bless it.  After all, it was God who created rest and honored the importance of it from the very chapter of his Word.

“From the beginning, God designed his creation to be more abundant, fulfilled, and joyful when we work from a place of rest and renewal.”

Obviously, rest looks different for every person, situation, and season of life.  I’ve been taking inventory the past couple weeks to determine the areas that I feel good about in terms of rest and rhythm, as well as the areas that could use a little work.  After reading this section, I outlined five areas of focus to find better REST:

1. Nightly rhythms:  While I’ve seemed to settle into a morning routine that feels doable and rewarding, our nightly routine could definitely use some work.  So I did the work!  I created new chore charts for the kids and had a family meeting to lay out a sort of night rhythm we can all work through together.  Ideally, this seems to be a great flow for our family:

4:00-5:00: Unpack/repack bags, reading/quiet time, homework
5:00-7:00: Dinner prep, family dinner together, and free time (not necessarily in that order depending on our night and activities
7:00-7:30: Quick family power pick up around the house – make this an experience with music and a little dance party
7:30-8:00: Something intentional as a family – a board game, a game of darts, a round of Mario Kart, etc.
8:00-8:30: Kids bedtime routine and books
8:30-9:00: My bedtime routine – wash face, make a cup of tea, grateful journal, get clothes ready for the morning
9:00-10:00: Read, Journal, hang out with Beau

This schedule will change as summer rolls around, but it’s proving to be a great way to function together at home in these longer winter months.  So often, it’s easy to let little things go – just the simple task of kids unpacking and then repacking bags as soon as we get home has alleviated stress before bed and especially before bed.  Similarly, when we commit to doing things together, like a family power pickup, we’re not only making progress but spending quality time together as a family 

2. Saying yes to Sabbath: Oh man, this is a hard one!  But when we set aside our Sundays as days to not do a million things but to simply rest, spend time enjoying the season, our people, and all the beauty of God’s world, God actually blesses it and refuels us in ways that meal prepping just won’t do!  I have found this time and time again – we need to give up our control and let God do what He actually intended to do when he created us and this world on purpose!  I love setting apart Sundays to look a little different – to get up, go to church together, say yes a long brunch with friends, take a nap, read a book, and soon, spend time outside, and always go to bed feeling refreshed, refueled, and ready for the work week. 

3. Committing to slow: I’m an Enneagram 3 which means my default is often to do more.  But I also very much need to refuel through being alone and inside my home.  This means I have to consciously make the decision to step back and slow it all the way down from time to time.  Last weekend, we purposefully made the decision to say no to everything.  From Friday night after work to Sunday night when we went to bed, we stayed home.  With nowhere to be, no expectations, no plan, and no pressure, we watched movies, made yummy breakfasts, took naps, and read books.  I believe weekends like these need to be scheduled and committed to as much as a vacation – and celebrated as much as one, too! 

4. Cutting back on social media: You know that screen time app on the iPhones?  Turns out you can set time limits of as many apps as you want.  I set a combined hour limit on all my social media apps – Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and when the hour is up they all shut down.  It’s been a great accountability check for me and it feels freeing when I hit my hour! 

5. My Daily Bread:  I attended IF:Gathering this past weekend and was reminded over and over again how important it is to find time to just be quiet.  To empty myself so I can let Jesus fill me up, and to stay in God’s word as a means to remind me of what’s true.  But as someone who can easily make something one more thing to plan or schedule or check off a list, I’m trying a new approach.  Half hour lunch dates every day, just me, my Bible, and a few verses scripture to read over and over and keep tethered to my heart throughout my week.  My first week was fittingly spent in Romans 12: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."  Pushing pause in the my day to take a few deep breaths, pray, hear the thoughts that roll through my head, and grow through what God may be trying to teach me through it is exactly how I can keep from conforming to the patterns of the world and transform my mind instead.

My hope is to share my own learning and focus areas in each of the four rhythms of the book as I go.  The process of reflecting, documenting, and remembering the things I'm learning and trying is so good for me - and maybe might inspire someone along the way.