Restoration happens here
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Bible Verse
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
Reflection
June, my mother-in-law, was a fiercely independent, hard-working woman. She worked into her 80s, running a business her father started in the 1950s. Her whole life revolved around The Shop. Rest was not part of her life.
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
I am blessed to be part of a church without walls, and we aspire to live by the “unforced rhythms of grace.” That’s the way the Message translation expresses Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30. When we are living from a place of rest in God’s presence, we live by the unforced rhythms of grace.
A guest post by Susan McPherson . . .
God often uses dreams to speak to me. It’s so intriguing and connects with me so well.
Here is a dream I had in 2015 which is still speaking to me in 2022. How cool is that! God isn’t bound by time. He just picks up where He left off seven years ago.
In the dream, someone took down my fence during the night. Then coffee grinds and spilled coffee were on the seat of my car.
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
A prayer inspired by the woman at the well.
Lord Jesus, I love how You show me the importance of rest. You knew when to stop and just “be.”
When I read Your story, I can feel the midday heat, the roughness of the road on Your feet, the fatigue of the journey. You knew when it was time to rest and renew. You modeled that for me.
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
Dear God, Jehovah Rapha, my healer,
Teach me what winter rest is, so I can renew my body, soul, and spirit in You, Lord. Show Yourself to me in the stillness of Your creation in the winter landscape, from the lacy branches of a majestic tree against a colorful sunrise to the hushed silence of a snowy road.
A guest post by Karen Castleberry . . .
“So God blessed the seventh day and made it Holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” — Genesis 2:3 (ESV)
Morning dawned on the 7th day, and God rested. He ceased from His labor, celebrating all that He had created. On man’s first full day on earth, God called us to rest, celebrate, and recharge. One of the Hebrew words for “rest” is shabbat, שַׁבָּת. On the Sabbath, we strengthen ourselves in God by ceasing from our ordinary tasks. We meet with Him and celebrate our relationship with YHWH Shalom, the God of Peace.
A guest post by Janet Eriksson . . .
Lord, thank You for the beauty of the autumn season. As I look at all the colors in the landscape, I am reminded what an amazing artist You are. Your beauty is beyond anything I can comprehend. But when I see the gorgeous hues of fall, I know You are so creative and You care deeply about Your creation.
If you’ve been around me for any amount of time, you’ll know that one of my favorite words is “katartismos.” This Greek word comes out of Ephesians 4:12 and refers to “fitting together in proper order” (referring to gifts, etc. in the Body of Christ).
Another definition of this word (which is my personal favorite) is “a chiropractic adjustment in the Spirit.” Many of you experienced this during our most recent retreat. You will also experience it many times during your ongoing prayer ministry sessions.
Today, however, I would like to introduce you to my new favorite word!!! “Sabbatismos!” (Ref. Hebrews 4:10.)
A guest post by Susan McPherson . . .
I have been a Christian since I was 15; and not just a “church-going Christian” but also a follower of Christ, as in, I gave my life to Him, removed myself from my friends, found new friends who were like-minded, and began a life of seeking and trusting God. Sounds like everything would be great after that, right? What more could I do?
I had daily devotions, married a man who was a follower of Christ, and had many children. God was with me every step of the way and did many miraculous things in my life, and I saw lots of answers to prayer – regularly. I had a prayer group in my home, which was amazing, and we saw lots of answers to prayer on every level. And I had a church that was as close to a New Testament church as you can get that I had the privilege of being a part of for 43 years. I homeschooled and raised my 7 children in the Lord, filling them daily with the Word and teaching them about God and His ways.
Everything was rocking along pretty well until my children became teenagers. I thought homeschooling, church, and loving and caring for them as best I could would ensure godly children. You would think so! But, no, they began acting like I did as a teenager, before I was saved! So that’s when I started on a quest/search for what was missing.
God’s plan for freedom is beautifully simple. He gives us these keys to find healing in our hearts:
Repentance
When we repent for specific ways we have judged people, and for the lies we have taken into our hearts, we find freedom. Repentance allows us to break out of the enemy’s hold on our hearts. We replace lies with truth.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is one of the most powerful healing tools God has given us. When we forgive, we release others to be who God has created them to be. And we free ourselves to step into healing of our hearts. The article Wash, Rinse, Repeat will help you learn more about the process of forgiveness.
Presence
We have the privilege every day to just sit still and be in God’s presence. Quieten yourself. It’s the hardest thing you’ll ever do for your life. Don’t expect it to get easier. It never changes. It’s always hard. But the results are life-saving. Presence. Don’t leave home without it.
Accountability
Find people, a tribe, a community that will help you when you’re good, bad, or indifferent. You can’t navigate your authenticity without it, because you lie to yourself, and the enemy reinforces those lies. You lie to yourself about yourself, so the reality is you only have the Word of God and your people to help you navigate what’s true about you.
Truth
Truth is your greatest weapon against the lies that have taken root in your heart. A lot of people avoid truth because it seems harsh. Here’s the reality: If truth can save your life, and heal you, don’t hide from it. If I went to my doctor’s office, and he discovered I had cancer, wouldn’t I want to know, so I can be healed? What if the doctor didn’t tell me because he was afraid the truth would “hurt” me? Let God’s truth do its work in your heart.
Peace
Peace is a Person (Ephesians 2:14-18; Isaiah 9:6.). As you develop the practice of peace, He, the Prince of Peace (Jesus) will walk with you and teach you how to live in the now (present), in the moment. Shalom is mind, body, spirit in complete unity and rest.
Wisdom
Wisdom is also a Person (Proverbs 1:20-33). She will take up residence and walk with you, after you search her out in God.
Sabbath
God rested on the seventh day. So should we. Not necessarily the literal seventh but at least one of every seven. One hour of every seventh hour during the day.
What does it mean to rest? Quieten yourself, do things you enjoy: art, nature, music, presence. Quiet. Fun. Adventure. Friends. Puppies. Whatever brings you joy … recalibrates you … resets you mind, body, spirit … resynchronizes you with the Creator in rest.
You have the keys to your identity. God has given you everything you need. You are ready to walk out your identity quest with Him.
This is the last article in the Identity Quest series, and I hope you have enjoyed this series. To see all of the Identity Quest articles, you can follow this link.
To read more articles on the topic of Identity (including the Identity Quest articles), you will find all of my Identity-related articles here. God bless you on your identity quest!