Authentic Thursday | Guest post by debi Horton – REST
Message from Lori: Authentic Thursdays are here!!!
And that means it’s guest blog time! On Thursdays we will be joined
by various blogging friends who have agreed to join forces with
the purpose of simply being themselves. I cannot take credit for their
skill or gifts or natural abilities … but I am happy to say that I dig
their style and friendship and authenticity!
Introducing debi Horton… our inaugural Authentic Thursday guest blogger. Yes, “debi” with a lowercase “d”. My dear friend thinks and feels deeply, speaks truth in love and cares immensely for others. And without further adieu…
I was curious, “rest” defined? I Googled it, well, because it’s what I do with most every question that pops into my head. No surprise the first thing I read was repose, sleep… no surprise there, it’s my first thought. Upon further reading, there was relief, peace, tranquility; freedom from worries, troubles, and the list goes on.
My Mom was a worrier. I suppose I received the worry gene from her. I spent too many years in worry mode, worried about what ifs, and then I tried to find a way to control things that may cause a what if? I got to the point that if things were going well, I’d worry that something bad surely is about to happen now. Oh the drama in my head…
To my surprise I learned not to worry in what was my greatest worry: the idea of ever losing one of my parents. It was days prior to the loss of my Father that I no longer had the strength to worry, in fact I needed a rest from it! It was in the heartbreaking thought of losing him that I realized I couldn’t control a moment of it, and I was in desperate need of a God who then showed me that I could rest. I could rest because I had hope… hope and the promise I would see my Dad again. Realizing I could release something that big to a bigger God, and have peace in that? Who am I and what did I do with me? What sweet relief there was realized that night, while pacing the halls of a hospital. It was still extremely painful to let go of my sweet Dad’s hand for the last time, but oh the peace in knowing it I will be able to hold it again one day. REST
In the months, year, okay, the years following, God saw to it that I would find rest. Rest in His Word. The more I began to know God on a much deeper level, the more I grew in my faith. I realized His loving intentions for my life. I felt a very unfamiliar peace, a calmness that everything would be alright. I no longer could turn to my earthly Father, but I had constant access to my heavenly Father. The truths I studied led me to a different lifestyle, a lifestyle that did not include worry. (This is where one would do the “thank you, praise you Jesus” dance!)
This new way of living has been a long process, and it continues so long as I spend time in His Word. In one of my daily readings from Sarah Young’s, Jesus Calling, she reminds us, Do not to worry about tomorrow; it hasn’t even been released to you yet! Well if that didn’t make sense Sisters…the cherry had just been dropped into place on my now worry-free hot fudge sundae! Just enjoy the sundae, tomorrow will only take away from it!
So I choose rest, worry never changed one outcome in my life. When things don’t go as planned….well frankly I know it’s part of His plan. It’s not about me and my plan, it’s His plan. When things begin to fall apart, I just ask Him to give me rest in it. If I do that, I have a strong awareness of His presence; if I’m aware of His presence then it’s not me aware of my problems, my self-awareness, which allows self-pity to enter in.
REST. It’s what echos from my heart today.
Introducing debi Horton… our inaugural Authentic Thursday guest blogger. Yes, “debi” with a lowercase “d”. My dear friend thinks and feels deeply, speaks truth in love and cares immensely for others. And without further adieu…
debi Horton | debi-echoofmyheart.blogspot.com
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RESTI was curious, “rest” defined? I Googled it, well, because it’s what I do with most every question that pops into my head. No surprise the first thing I read was repose, sleep… no surprise there, it’s my first thought. Upon further reading, there was relief, peace, tranquility; freedom from worries, troubles, and the list goes on.
My Mom was a worrier. I suppose I received the worry gene from her. I spent too many years in worry mode, worried about what ifs, and then I tried to find a way to control things that may cause a what if? I got to the point that if things were going well, I’d worry that something bad surely is about to happen now. Oh the drama in my head…
To my surprise I learned not to worry in what was my greatest worry: the idea of ever losing one of my parents. It was days prior to the loss of my Father that I no longer had the strength to worry, in fact I needed a rest from it! It was in the heartbreaking thought of losing him that I realized I couldn’t control a moment of it, and I was in desperate need of a God who then showed me that I could rest. I could rest because I had hope… hope and the promise I would see my Dad again. Realizing I could release something that big to a bigger God, and have peace in that? Who am I and what did I do with me? What sweet relief there was realized that night, while pacing the halls of a hospital. It was still extremely painful to let go of my sweet Dad’s hand for the last time, but oh the peace in knowing it I will be able to hold it again one day. REST
In the months, year, okay, the years following, God saw to it that I would find rest. Rest in His Word. The more I began to know God on a much deeper level, the more I grew in my faith. I realized His loving intentions for my life. I felt a very unfamiliar peace, a calmness that everything would be alright. I no longer could turn to my earthly Father, but I had constant access to my heavenly Father. The truths I studied led me to a different lifestyle, a lifestyle that did not include worry. (This is where one would do the “thank you, praise you Jesus” dance!)
This new way of living has been a long process, and it continues so long as I spend time in His Word. In one of my daily readings from Sarah Young’s, Jesus Calling, she reminds us, Do not to worry about tomorrow; it hasn’t even been released to you yet! Well if that didn’t make sense Sisters…the cherry had just been dropped into place on my now worry-free hot fudge sundae! Just enjoy the sundae, tomorrow will only take away from it!
So I choose rest, worry never changed one outcome in my life. When things don’t go as planned….well frankly I know it’s part of His plan. It’s not about me and my plan, it’s His plan. When things begin to fall apart, I just ask Him to give me rest in it. If I do that, I have a strong awareness of His presence; if I’m aware of His presence then it’s not me aware of my problems, my self-awareness, which allows self-pity to enter in.
Matthew 11:28 ~ Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”Thankful I can now do life, frankly speaking, with a cherry on top!
REST. It’s what echos from my heart today.
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BIO - debi Horton
has a heart for people… blessed with the gifts of mercy and
encouragement she is drawn to those who need someone to come alongside
them or could benefit from a refilling of the heart.
debi loves family, authentic and transparent friendships and her
faith. She enjoys blogging especially about what echos from her heart;
sharing what she’s learned in her life experience thus far, the good,
the bad and the ugly; and especially her personal “ah ha” moments. debi
enjoys her book club of nearly 16 years, random photography and road
trips with her husband, but most of all being “Namaw” to their seven
grandchildren.
Good post, debi!
ReplyDeleteWe would all live better if we heeded Debi's words.
ReplyDeleteI know I would. :)
This was a really good post and one that I too am VERY familiar with. Worry WAS something I'd learned to do very well. But did it EVER do me one little bit of good? Well the answer is an obvious, of course not. Resting in the peace of Jesus, and knowing He has everything little thing in His control was a lesson it took me a LONG LONG time to learn, (and sometimes I still need refresher courses) but honestly it's something I bask in. How grateful I am for His Mercy, and His forgiveness, and His Peace, it would be hard to explain. Rest....loved your thoughts on it!
ReplyDelete