My heart rate started skipping. I felt run over by perfection begging for attention\u2014a whole harvest of fruit still needing picking, pruning, digging up, and watering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One hundred and fifty pages, days, weeks, months of your precious life on any given day can feel like one too many.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes it feels like we’re getting nowhere, but maybe we just need to be right here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n When my back spasms, I give it rest. Ice packs, Advil, no lifting, no bending. When my nervous system begs for mercy, I give it lip. Sluffing off its need to relax, recline, heal, take the swelling down. Here\u2019s a serious pill that needs swallowing: no part of us carries more weight than our God-made sensitivities pulsing straight down our middle. <\/strong>The part of us that’s always forgotten, left to suffer when it’s no doubt our highest calling.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n What would happen if we didn\u2019t rest that back spasm? More pain, right? Let it radiate long enough and we can park our shoes for a long winter’s nap. Nobody wants that, so we rest. <\/em>We\u2019re adamant about caring for our back, legs, feet, hands. We condition our hair and pamper our nails. But what about our anxious mind? When does our spinning head get a break?<\/p>\n\n\n\n When our Sensitivity System gets maxed out, what happens? We\u2019re easily angered, under or over eating, can\u2019t sleep, worried, anxious, can\u2019t think straight. And we question, \u201cWhy depression?\u201d \u201cWhy is everything hurting?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you know, God\u2019s hand fashioned you for rest<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re not battery operated\u2014we\u2019re sensitive image bearers. Choices like love and hate, give and take flow through our veins. We don\u2019t survive on instinct, we thrive on mercy. We grieve loss, celebrate life. We feel rejection, crave affection. Treating our mind like a multi-functioning appliance, we\u2019ll expire a whole lot faster<\/em>. And not in a disposable way, a bloody one<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Sensitivity System is wired to God in heaven. When we worry and hurry our beautification in the Son starts wilting. Jesus said it, \u201cGive your entire attention to what God is doing right now<\/em>, and don\u2019t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.\u201d (Matthew 6:34)<\/span> (MSG) [emphasis mine.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n How do we keep from getting worked up? Rest<\/span>.<\/em> Recline our mind in the company of God.<\/em><\/strong> When we rest our mind in God through prayer, or contemplating Scripture with Him our soul sits by still waters.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A memoir, a move, the project, the complaint, the mail, dinner, laundry\u2014all of that can wait<\/em>. Get soul rest first. <\/strong><\/em>Our mind needs reminding: “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” (Ps 94:19<\/span>) Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” (Ps 116:7<\/span>) Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own.” (1 Cor 6:19<\/span>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n We all resist rest when our nerves get stretched. When our mental capacity has reached its limit. We\u2019re bent over, almost breaking like a branch heavy with apples needing picking. Another hour, just two more things after this. Until our limbs quake with the weight of one more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finished another draft of the memoir I\u2019ve been writing since I can\u2019t remember when. I sent it off to the editor like a kid hoping for an A on a paper. It was handed back with tons of notes and loads of sorely needed encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My soul crying <\/em>for rest. <\/em>But my need to be finished, my want to put away what has brought pain, heartache, and hard-won healing rushed me into diving back in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My heart rate started skipping. I felt run over by perfection begging for attention\u2014a whole harvest of fruit still needing picking, pruning, digging up, and watering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One hundred and fifty pages, days, weeks, months of your precious life on any given day can feel like one too many.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes it feels like we’re getting nowhere, but maybe we just need to be right here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n When my back spasms, I give it rest. Ice packs, Advil, no lifting, no bending. When my nervous system begs for mercy, I give it lip. Sluffing off its need to relax, recline, heal, take the swelling down. Here\u2019s a serious pill that needs swallowing: no part of us carries more weight than our God-made sensitivities pulsing straight down our middle. <\/strong>The part of us that’s always forgotten, left to suffer when it’s no doubt our highest calling.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n What would happen if we didn\u2019t rest that back spasm? More pain, right? Let it radiate long enough and we can park our shoes for a long winter’s nap. Nobody wants that, so we rest. <\/em>We\u2019re adamant about caring for our back, legs, feet, hands. We condition our hair and pamper our nails. But what about our anxious mind? When does our spinning head get a break?<\/p>\n\n\n\n When our Sensitivity System gets maxed out, what happens? We\u2019re easily angered, under or over eating, can\u2019t sleep, worried, anxious, can\u2019t think straight. And we question, \u201cWhy depression?\u201d \u201cWhy is everything hurting?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you know, God\u2019s hand fashioned you for rest<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re not battery operated\u2014we\u2019re sensitive image bearers. Choices like love and hate, give and take flow through our veins. We don\u2019t survive on instinct, we thrive on mercy. We grieve loss, celebrate life. We feel rejection, crave affection. Treating our mind like a multi-functioning appliance, we\u2019ll expire a whole lot faster<\/em>. And not in a disposable way, a bloody one<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our Sensitivity System is wired to God in heaven. When we worry and hurry our beautification in the Son starts wilting. Jesus said it, \u201cGive your entire attention to what God is doing right now<\/em>, and don\u2019t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.\u201d (Matthew 6:34)<\/span> (MSG) [emphasis mine.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n How do we keep from getting worked up? Rest<\/span>.<\/em> Recline our mind in the company of God.<\/em><\/strong> When we rest our mind in God through prayer, or contemplating Scripture with Him our soul sits by still waters.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A memoir, a move, the project, the complaint, the mail, dinner, laundry\u2014all of that can wait<\/em>. Get soul rest first. <\/strong><\/em>Our mind needs reminding: “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.” (Ps 94:19<\/span>) Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” (Ps 116:7<\/span>) Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own.” (1 Cor 6:19<\/span>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We all resist rest when our nerves get stretched. When our mental capacity has reached its limit. We\u2019re bent over, almost breaking like a branch heavy with apples needing picking. Another hour, just two more things after this. Until our limbs quake with the weight of one more. Finished another draft of the memoir I\u2019ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":143625079,"featured_media":7022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3252],"tags":[773157839],"class_list":["post-6965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anxiety","tag-anxiety"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pacmrQ-1Ol","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10159,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=10159","url_meta":{"origin":6965,"position":0},"title":"FIGHT YOUR FEARS IN PRAYER","author":"Jo Alo","date":"May 12, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"When anxiety creeps in unexpectedly, it can feel like we\u2019ll never get control of it. I do all the things: antidepressants, abdominal breathing, I stay away from caffeine, eat right, walk every day, I\u2019ve spent enough hours in counseling,\u00a0and it\u2019s all helping\u2014but let\u2019s be realistic\u2014nothing & no one has what\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Bible"","block_context":{"text":"The Bible","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=54418"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/img_7509.jpeg?fit=1112%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/img_7509.jpeg?fit=1112%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/img_7509.jpeg?fit=1112%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/img_7509.jpeg?fit=1112%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/img_7509.jpeg?fit=1112%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2578,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=2578","url_meta":{"origin":6965,"position":1},"title":"The Library","author":"Jo Alo","date":"February 17, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"What's not to love about it? When my kids were little we visited the library weekly. In fact my oldest daughter says, \"That's one of my best memories as a child.\" (Hallelujah, she has one.) Their little eyes roaming for titles, Nancy Drew,\u00a0The\u00a0Baby-Sitters Club, The Berenstain Bears, Cloudy With a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Bible"","block_context":{"text":"The Bible","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=54418"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/40e2b-s4i8pxsvtuk2iuklmxdvng.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/40e2b-s4i8pxsvtuk2iuklmxdvng.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/40e2b-s4i8pxsvtuk2iuklmxdvng.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/40e2b-s4i8pxsvtuk2iuklmxdvng.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/40e2b-s4i8pxsvtuk2iuklmxdvng.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2439,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=2439","url_meta":{"origin":6965,"position":2},"title":"We Walk By Faith: Experiencing God as we bravely and boldly surrender to Him","author":"Jo Alo","date":"May 29, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019m totally distracted in church. Levi (who recently learned to walk) is out of his seat. Attempting to hold his attention and keep him from storming the stage, his Mother breaks the seal of a small shiny bag. It\u2019s crackers. I\u2019m jealous. I\u2019m hungry. But not for food. I hunger\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "faith"","block_context":{"text":"faith","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=401"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/3f234-photo-1610822803978-d93831468927.jpeg?fit=1200%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/3f234-photo-1610822803978-d93831468927.jpeg?fit=1200%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/3f234-photo-1610822803978-d93831468927.jpeg?fit=1200%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/3f234-photo-1610822803978-d93831468927.jpeg?fit=1200%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/3f234-photo-1610822803978-d93831468927.jpeg?fit=1200%2C768&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9731,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=9731","url_meta":{"origin":6965,"position":3},"title":"Fear & How It’s Meant To Heal Not Hurt","author":"Jo Alo","date":"April 23, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"What do you fear? Cancer, bankruptcy, public humiliation? The true God who pulled us from the dirt of nothingness says, in Isaiah 10:24-25, \"Be not afraid of the Assyrians when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did. For in a very\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "The Bible"","block_context":{"text":"The Bible","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=54418"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/heather-ford-tinbs_bjkxa-unsplash-1.jpeg?fit=887%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/heather-ford-tinbs_bjkxa-unsplash-1.jpeg?fit=887%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/heather-ford-tinbs_bjkxa-unsplash-1.jpeg?fit=887%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/heather-ford-tinbs_bjkxa-unsplash-1.jpeg?fit=887%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":12308,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=12308","url_meta":{"origin":6965,"position":4},"title":"A Word About Joy","author":"Jo Alo","date":"December 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"What does it mean to have the joy of the Lord? Does it mean we wear a smile on our face when all we want to do inside is cry? Does it mean we pretend sadness and sorrow can't touch us\u2014and we're fine, it's fine, and we're all fine? That's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "joy"","block_context":{"text":"joy","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=5840"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/aaron-burden-yzgF-AQt1sQ-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C901&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/aaron-burden-yzgF-AQt1sQ-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C901&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/aaron-burden-yzgF-AQt1sQ-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C901&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/aaron-burden-yzgF-AQt1sQ-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C901&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/aaron-burden-yzgF-AQt1sQ-unsplash.jpeg?fit=1200%2C901&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2563,"url":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?p=2563","url_meta":{"origin":6965,"position":5},"title":"Everest","author":"Jo Alo","date":"November 9, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"We just went to see the movie, \u201cEverest.\u201d It is Hollywood\u2019s adaptation of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. On that day 12 individuals lost their lives during a blizzard in an attempt to either ascend or descend the highest mountain on earth. I have to admit, I\u2019ve always admired mountain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "idolatry"","block_context":{"text":"idolatry","link":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/?cat=209552"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/mount-everest.jpg?fit=1200%2C953&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/mount-everest.jpg?fit=1200%2C953&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/mount-everest.jpg?fit=1200%2C953&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/mount-everest.jpg?fit=1200%2C953&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/mount-everest.jpg?fit=1200%2C953&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/c1d236bb-b6d7-465e-bfb4-60d7e6206830.jpeg?fit=3024%2C1903&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/143625079"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6965"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6965\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20235,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6965\/revisions\/20235"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6965"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6965"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joalo.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"C1D236BB-B6D7-465E-BFB4-60D7E6206830\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/joalo.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/c1d236bb-b6d7-465e-bfb4-60d7e6206830.jpg?resize=3024%2C4032&ssl=1\")
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