This week we are honored to hear from Jeanne Doyon. I met Jeanne a few years ago through several writing websites we both participate in. Her writing has been a great blessing to me. She shares about pausing to refresh yourself in the Lord. What better way to start a new year than to let go of the hectic schedules of the holiday season. Links to her website and other teaching are in her bio. Please take the time to visit these resources and you can be inspired to find refreshment for your soul.
Maybe
it's Time to Pause.
@jeannedoyon
@barbaralatta
Were
your holidays harried? Life feeling a little out of control? Too many
distractions and not enough brain cells? Can you relate? With the holidays
behind us and the new year before us, I'm hoping for some space to refresh my
spirit. This past year was challenging for me too. The winter season is the
perfect time to recharge and reflect. Maybe it's time to pause.
Here
in New England, winter is beautiful yet very stark. Daylight retreats by 4:00.
The trees are gray and bare against the blue sky. We bundle up in coats,
scarves, gloves, and hats just to get the mail. Travel becomes discretionary
depending on the road conditions. Yet the crisp beauty is unmatched when
freshly fallen snow clings to tree branches and glistens like diamonds across
the yard.
To
me, winter is the perfect time to enjoy my home while watching snow fall. It's
a natural slow-down my body needs while looking forward to porch time and my
gardens. Because in the stillness, I can hear God's voice a bit easier. My
heart can pause. My mind rest. Renewal comes.
God's
order of creation rotates through budding life, growth, fading strength, and
dormancy. The good news is, even in the sleepiness of winter, new life is
coming.
Cycles of Life
Life
is full of cycles. Busyness and rest. Being filled and pouring out. Being and
doing. Yet in our fast paced culture, we struggle with tempo. We strive to
maintain, achieve, and produce. Just like in the winter, we must be okay with
slowing down to prepare for what God has next for us.
So
if you feel the pressure, might I suggest pressing the pause button for a
time—a siesta—a time-out. Maybe take a day, or a week, or the month of January
to rest and refresh your soul. Clear your calendar. Say no whenever possible.
And scale back so that you can truly Defrag (a computer term meaning, to clear
space that are clogging your bandwidth and slowing your speed).
If
you've never taken an intentional pause before, you may be resistant, wondering
how much good can it do. I encourage you to take it slow—take a long weekend to
start. It's amazing what three days of rest can accomplish. Trust me, once you
do, you will wonder why you've never done it before.
My
experience can encourage, but even Jesus thought it was a good idea. In Mark
chapter five, the disciples were so busy they didn't take time to eat. Jesus
tells them, “Come apart to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 5:36).
We
are so good at DOING and struggle a lot with BEING. Why? Because our identity
is often wrapped up in what we do. Our culture breeds busyness. Need proof?
Finish the following statements (*answers included below):
The
early bird get the...
Time
waits for...
You
snooze...
Time
is...
Make
hay while...
And
a new one I discovered recently: He who hesitates, disintegrates LOL
Without
even thinking about it, we have internalized these thoughts into our doing.
They govern our default responses. It takes being intentional to interrupt the
treadmill life. Jesus did this—often. He went off by himself to pray and to
meet with His Father. When He made big decisions. When exhausted from the
crowds. When He felt the pressure of the cross. And He calls us to do the same.
What To Do During A Pause
Wondering
what to do during a pause? Try taking a walk. Take your camera and capture
things that get your attention. Read. Play. Be creative. Let your thoughts
wander. Journal what comes to mind. Talk to God as you go about your day. Take
tea with a china cup. Enjoy nature. And ask God for His presence with you; to
hear Him and to notice what is around you.
It's
important to minimize screen time, social media, news, and other distractions.
It's amazing how draining they can be. And for me, it helps to be somewhere
else besides home where laundry and my to-do list can war for my attention.
New Beginnings
There's
a new year ahead with a blank calendar that can be either a tool or a tyranny.
Pausing from time to time gives us a chance to reorient and reflect so we can
be energized and directed to what God has planned. I encourage you to be
intentional—plan a pause date with your Heavenly Father. He loves spending time
with you. No pressure. No agenda. Just Be.
Snow
fell overnight covering the landscape with such beauty. I think I'll pause with
a cup of tea. It's when I do my best thinking...and resting.
Before
you go, let me know what a pause might do right now for you. How can I pray for
you? Leave your comment below.
May You Find Rest and Renewal,
Jeanne
* Answers to quotables:
The
early bird get the worm
Time
waits for no man
You
snooze, you lose
Time
is money
Make
hay while the sun shines
