New Year Resolution

As 2014 approached I read Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30

 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and You will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

    After reading this passage I put on my New Year resolution that I wanted to discover what true rest in Christ means. (Keep in mind that at the same time I read this passage I was preparing for the biggest exam of my career: NCLEX, so rest was something I was seeking and could not find due to anxiety). So my New Year resolution became something of a prayer and I had no idea what it would look like but it has always been something that I crave: to let anxiety and life melt away and find TRUE rest.         
    Tonight I went to a Holy Yoga life-group and I realized when I was reflecting on those 2 hours that this is God’s answer to my New Year resolution. At tonight’s Holy Yoga we talked about how we need to put Jesus in the center of our lives. For women especially, this means slowing down. As we talked in our small group a common theme was that we like to say “yes” to everyone which makes us frantically busy leaving us feeling exhausted and having no time with Jesus. We talked about saying “no” to people sometimes to lessen our commitments and focus on what is important.

I went through this phase of craziness in high school and my first few years of college. I played sports, I was involved in about 6 different church activities, I worked multiple jobs, and I went to school. My schedule was packed and I ended up feeling exhausted with my head in a whirlwind half of the time. So I cut back. I re-evaluated my commitments and chose what was most important to me and where my passions led me to spend my time.

   Even with this cut back in commitments there is still a key piece missing: what to do with this new found time? I often consider my time catching up on Dancing with the Stars, The Voice, or Survivor my “rest” time but this is not the “rest” God has for me that He speaks of in Matthew 11. TV, movies, pinterest, and social media are forms of relaxation rooted in distraction. In contrast, I experienced Jesus’ rest and Jesus’ yoke tonight at Holy Yoga. It is time to refocus on God and place Him back in the center of my life through physical and mental rest. Holy Yoga doesn't distract me from life but rather enhances my life and relationship with God. Holy Yoga is not somehow magical in itself. It's the music, Christian instructor, and, ultimately, the focus of my heart that create the restful worship. It is all about inviting the Holy Spirit into life and rest.

   God works in mysterious ways as He answers our prayers, even when it’s in the form of a New Year resolution. I hope to explore His rest more and more and to take up His yoke daily through scripture, prayer, and Holy Yoga.

Retreat

My extended family and I were at the Ocean City for one last final vacation for the summer. My parents and I went for 3 days (1 full day) which is pretty much perfect for me since I tend to get tired of sand being everywhere.
This summer I found a sweet spot at the ocean. Its not novel, its just new for me personally. I started sitting by the water so that the water would keep me cool, but what I found was a true vacation and retreat. With the loud sound of the water and the perfect combination of sun, breeze, and cool water I was able to really dive into and focus on reading. I brought "Captive in Iran" to read while spending hours on the beach. I don't know about you, but the more I learn about the suffering, darkness, lost, and poverty in the world I question the way that I spend my time and money, including vacationing. But as I read the testimony of  Maryam and Marziyeh and their experience in an Iranian prison for being Christians, or as the law says there, for threatening the regime. It is a different world there. I read about their intense suffering, their battle against a government that knows NOTHING about justice, and yet their faithfulness to sharing the Gospel within the walls of Evin Prison to women who are truly hopeless. Every aspect of their story catches me in awe and I cannot recommend the book enough.
I stopped reading and I felt guilty as I took in my surroundings and reflected on the insane number of Christians suffering in that same moment. I know that there is nothing wrong with vacationing necessarily but I can't help but feel torn between the world that I am reading about and the world of luxury and relaxation. So what do I do? Do I pack up my bags and join them in their suffering while leaving my comfort? No. I need to pray.
So I prayed that someone, somewhere, who is being tortured, mocked, or starved for their faith in Jesus might close their eyes and feel the warm sun and cool breeze on their skin. That maybe for a minute God might pull them into a retreat from where they are and their suffering to feel what I was feeling. That God would bless them with a moment of peace that God's ocean brings.
Maybe that is how God wants me to react to books like "Captive in Iran" and the news of ISIS in Iraq. I can act by financially giving. Equally, or more importantly, He wants me to be burdened enough to pray for them every day.
I loved this blog post that goes right along with my prayer.
http://robertsfamilyhope.wordpress.com/2014/08/08/awake-oh-sleeper/

“For we don’t want you to be unaware, brothers, of our affliction that took place in Asia: we were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life.  Indeed, we personally had a death sentence within ourselves, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and He will deliver us. We have put our hope in Him that He will deliver us again while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.”  2 Corinthians 1:8-11