5 ways to rest.

Welcome to Monday my friends, annnnd if you are in Australia this will be a particularly happy Monday for you... hello public holiday! A big thank you to Her Majesty The Queen for having a birthday that we can celebrate :) And not just the queen... my gorgeous Nanna Joy also celebrated her 92nd birthday yesterday... isn't she beautiful? :) xx

So my friends, how has your week been? I hope you've had a good one. :) Mine has been slightly different to say the least. I've actually spent the past six days resting, kinda like this little guy. 

Nothing serious, my body has just been exhausted due to a serious iron deficiency. Before I found out what it was I actually thought I was going crazy! Anyway, this week has consisted of mostly laying flat on the couch, taking lots of supplements and guzzling what feels like an ocean of water. But all I have to say is God knows what he is doing. "He always works all things together for those who love him and are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Isn't it funny... when you're sick you need to rest, which at the time can be annoying and a bit of an inconvenience, (um, hello?! Things to do, people to see!)... but then in the end, the rest actually winds up being a total blessing, allowing you to look at your schedule and perhaps put new things in place. 

So after running a million bazillion miles an hour, this week has actually given me a chance to slow down, stop, and listen to his still small voice again. :) So let me encourage you, today and this week, make the time and take the time to rest. Here a few little ways...

1. Slow down.

Listen to your body, and God's still small voice, and know that it's okay to slow down. Have a day (or two) with no technology (at ALL!) and just read, chill out and let your spirit be awakened from a place of rest.

2. Stop and listen.

No matter how busy or crazy we get, God is always, always speaking. Thank goodness for that hey. :) His words of wisdom are always for our good. Even now, take a moment and listen, he's saying something to encourage you today.

3. Spend time with God = and be refreshed in his presence.
Just like spending time with our friends gives us great joy -- this is how God feels when we hang out with him! He also promises us, "In my presence there is fullness of joy". So it's simple; as we spend time with him, his joy flows into us. And of course we know, "The joy of the Lord is our strength." So his Presence => Joy => Strength!

4. Refresh and awaken your soul.
What makes you feel alive? God placed dreams and passions inside you that are totally different to mine. There are things that make me feel alive that probably won't be the same as you, and visa versa. Every single day, we must, must, must awaken and refresh our soul. So do something you absolutely LOVE today. Okay? ;)

5. Be in the moment.

How easy is it for us to be somewhere absolutely beautiful, however be totttttttally distracted by a gazillion thoughts buzzing around in our head, or our phone beeping with twenty-five thousand SMSes and Instagram notifications. "Our life is a vapour" (James 4:14) -- so let us be purposeful in living it each day. When we are with people, let's really be with them. I'm definitely a "moment" girl, and so for me, rest flows through the joy of experiencing these beautiful moments. This week sometime, why don't you sit outside for ten minutes and marvel at the sky; spend time with a friend and don't touch your phone the entire time; or here's a good one... on your day off, only plan one thing with a friend/group of friends. Then spend as long as you like with them, not having to rush off to the next thing.

Speaking of moments, here's a few sweet pics from my Nanna's 92nd birthday yesterday. Here's the birthday girl with Mum, me and my sisters. :)

And here's a little something I made for her...

Have a beautiful week friends!

Love Nat xoxo

Images - Pinterest