There are seasons in life when you don’t fully realize how much you’ve been carrying until you finally stop moving.
That’s where I found myself.
Over the last several years, life has held so much beauty, but if I’m honest, it has also held deep grief. Loss upon loss. Many heavy seasons... And even very unexpected changes... This heartache I didn’t fully process because life kept moving and responsibilities kept calling; Marriage, Motherhood, Ministry. I was always showing up for everyone else while quietly trying to hold myself together.
And eventually, my soul started asking for what my body and mind had been trying to ignore: rest.
So I stepped away for a little while…
In the beginning, it felt like I was giving up, losing faith, and had nothing left in me... but that's the beauty, right? When we have nothing left to give and we allow God to step in? And wow! Did he step in in such a beautiful way. He provided me with that peace and comfort that only he can!
I am so thankful that I stepped away because healing matters.
Somewhere along the way, many of us learned to wear exhaustion like a badge of honor. We keep going because people need us. We keep pushing because slowing down can feel lazy, irresponsible, or unproductive. We convince ourselves that resting means falling behind. And busyness is a badge of honor in our culture.
But Jesus never rushed…
When I read through the Gospels, I see a Savior who moved with intention. He withdrew to quiet places. He rested. He prayed. He noticed people. He wasn’t frantic, hurried, or driven by pressure. And if the Son of God Himself embraced rest, why do we fight it so hard?
This season taught me something important: taking a break is not weakness... It's strength. It's trust. Sometimes stepping back is the bravest thing we can do.
Healing often happens quietly and slowly... It's beneath the surface where no one else can see. Sometimes God meets us most deeply in our stillness, not in our productivity.
For me, healing in this season didn’t seem as dramatic as I have previously encountered. It has looked like long walks. It has been quiet mornings with Jesus. It has been letting me cry, grieve, and experience emotions. I have found myself saying no more often and really thinking about the weight of my yes. It's been sitting outside with coffee before the house wakes up. It's allowing space to be more present with my girls. I have found myself laughing again; breathing again. I'm learning that I don’t have to carry everything alone.
And honestly? I’m still healing...
But I’m beginning to understand that grief doesn’t always disappear. Sometimes we simply learn how to let God hold us inside of it.
Maybe you’re there too.
Maybe you’re exhausted or you’ve been surviving for so long that you don’t even know what rest feels like anymore. Maybe you’re grieving something no one else fully sees or your soul is asking for space to breathe.
Friend, you are allowed to slow down.
You are allowed to heal. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to step away for a season if that’s what your soul needs.
The world may tell us to hustle harder, push through, and keep proving ourselves, but Jesus offers something different: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
He doesn't want us to rush through. the healing. He offers us a way to grow through it WITH Him! Not adding more pressure. Not striving more. Being not doing. Rest.
This summer, I want to lean into that invitation deeply. And I’d love for you to join me.
Over the next several weeks here on the blog, we’re going to talk about slowing down, spiritual practices, healing, intentional living, and learning to walk at the pace of Jesus. I’ll be sharing encouragement from my book, A Pace of Grace, along with simple practices that have helped me reconnect with God in quieter, healthier ways.
No pressure. No perfect routines. No striving. Just a gentle invitation to root ourselves more deeply in Christ and rediscover the beauty of rest.
I’m so glad you’re here.
Reflection Question
What has your soul been trying to tell you lately?
Breath Prayer
Jesus, teach me to rest in You.
Closing Prayer
Jesus,
Thank You for being gentle with us when we are weary. Thank You that we do not have to earn Your love or prove our worth through constant striving. Teach us to slow down enough to notice Your presence again. Meet us in our grief, our exhaustion, and our healing. Help us trust that rest is holy and that You are with us even in the quiet places.
Amen.
This post is part of my summer series on slowing down, healing deeply, and walking at the pace of Jesus. Next week, we’ll talk about practical ways to embrace intentional rest during the summer season.
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