We can experience true rest when we spend time in God's presence praying or reflecting on his Word. God wants to give us rest; he wants us to have peace in his presence.
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We often think of sanctuaries as sacred buildings adorned with stained glass, but sanctuaries are any place we can retreat for refuge and renewal. Any space that speaks to our souls and places us in a posture of reverence can be a sanctuary.
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As a kid I loved stickers. Every single sticker I could get my hands on got a place of honor in my Lisa Frank sticker book. Mostly they were random “good work” stickers from school or a smiling tooth giving a thumb’s up from the dentist’s office. And 90s kids, remember the sticker boxes? They opened like a treasure chest to reveal several individual compartments filled with rolls and stacks of colorful, sparkly stickers.
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Preschoolers are a study in contrasts. They are full of energy and want to talk to their friends, stay completely engaged in everything that’s going on, and overhear every possible conversation. But their bodies need to recharge. These two opposite “needs” make naptime an interesting part of the day in a preschool classroom.
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For several months, I had been having surreal, petrifying nightmares startling me awake in utter panic and terror that something tragic was happening to my loved ones. These weren’t premonitions or ordinary “you-had-too-much-to-eat” nightmares, but I believe, were demonic attacks from the enemy in an attempt to strike inordinate fear and panic into my mind to keep me from the pursuit and surrender toward Christ.
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CONGRATULATIONS! You just landed your dream job. You’re going to dive in and start changing the world one [insert your primary task] at a time. There’s a post on your Instagram and Facebook. All of your friends know. Maybe you go out to celebrate with your family - sushi, anyone?
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Ruthie Allen is a friend, wife, mother, entrepreneur, and photographer. She began the Return to Rest Retreat in 2014, understanding that her many titles complimented her, but that they were not what her identity was built on. Return to Rest is a retreat for ALL women rooted in finding true rest through Jesus Christ. Ruthie is excited to continue to share this message of rest with others as she facilitates this retreat in a cozy cabin in New Hampshire.
Hustle. It’s become the buzzword of our time - along with similar words like grind and productivity. It seems like everyone is managing a job, plus a side project, a full social life, an intense workout routine, and an Instagram-worthy home with a fridge arranged in rainbow order. There are hundreds of articles with advice for getting more things done in less time so you can then do even more things.
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About a year ago, I decided to do my first Whole30. One of the foods you are asked to give up for the 30-day eating plan is bread. But here’s the thing: I absolutely love bread. It only took a couple of days without it to make me seriously contemplate giving up and pulling into the nearest Panera. Needless to say, that month was a hard one. But the fast made me realize just how dependent on certain foods I had become, and each day, I had to make a conscious decision to stick with it.
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Over the past few years, I have come to learn more about God and also myself. I have learned that I feel the most alive when I am outside and feel the most connected to God when I listen to worship music. I hear God’s voice and am reminded of how He feels about me when I read my Bible. Through my experiences, I feel like God speaks to me most predominantly through interactions with others or through my circumstances. I use this information about myself in order to have a deeper relationship with Christ–not to limit how God can work in my life. God has created each of us differently and, as a result, we connect with Him–just like with others–in various ways.
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Many of us have heard about the concept of Sabbath in the Christian faith. This article isn’t about telling you legalistic rules or condemning you for not Sabbathing. I am not here to argue about the validity of Sabbath after the New Testament and Jesus. I am here to encourage you about Sabbath and to point out some reasons why you may need one more than you think.
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