When was the last time you rested—really and truly rested? I think I tried to take a nap on Memorial Day, but I made the mistake of turning the TV on. I ended up spending three hours watching a “Deadliest Catch” marathon (I don't usually watch that show, but Captain Phil thought he was dying. And I had to know what happened.) in between doing laundry and vacuuming. Sure, I might have been on the couch for part of the time, but it wasn’t a very restful day. 
Now that summer is here, I feel like I get a break. It’s amazing what freeing up just one night a week will do for your mind-set! As I was eagerly anticipating my newfound free time on Wednesday nights, I realized that if I’m not careful, I’ll end up just as busy as I am during the school year. And I clearly need a break from that busyness. I can feel my body, mind, and soul calling out for it.
Why does our culture say we’re not valuable unless we’re busy? This summer, I’m planning to confront that lie Satan’s planted in my mind. I’m going to commit to spending more time in deliberate rest and less time planning out every last minute of my day. I will thank God for the gift of unexpected free time and use those times to talk with Him, to take a nap, or to get outside and enjoy His creation (poolside, preferably).
Please know that I salute you for your tireless efforts in girls’ ministry. But whether or not your summers stay at the same frenetic pace as the rest of the year, what are you doing to guard your Sabbath time? Are you even making time to rest? I sincerely hope so. And I’m not just talking about sleep, although that’s really important. (One of my new year’s resolutions was to go to bed by 10 p.m. on weeknights. I can tell such a difference when I get enough sleep. And so can my boyfriend, who calls me every night to make sure I’m in bed on time. I guess I’m more pleasant to be around when I’m well-rested.) While sleep does wonderful things for your body and mind, the act of resting does amazing things for your soul.
I know you know that you need to rest. And I know you know that God modeled it and commanded it (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8). Do you need a break? Take it. Schedule time to rest. To connect with God. To have some fun.
May this summer be a refreshing summer of true Sabbath for all of us!
Thanks for the reminder, Emily. I think we feel better about ourselves if we're moving. We equate our level of activity with our value as people. Here are a few quotes that I think speak to this idea of rest and refreshing:
"We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always easy to penetrate. The real labor is to remember to attend. In fact to come awake. Still more toe remain awake."—C.S. Lewis
"There was a time when silence was normal and a lot of racket disturbed us. But today noise is the normal fare, and silence, strange as it may seem, silence has become the real disturbance."—Henri Nouwen
"We nee to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we care in our active life. We need silence to touch souls."—Mother Teresa