More on Rest... aka The Difference Between a Swing and a Hammock

I hope y'all still remember me! I feel like a stranger in my own little corner here.  

I have missed you and have thought of writing all kinds of things, but every time I wander over to sit in this chair the Holy Spirit beckons me back to just sitting... just soaking... just being with Him.

So, you know... as much as I love you... I love Him more and He - more than anyone else (--ask anyone!) gets to be the Boss of me!

I have felt like the lessons He keeps sowing into me are things I have been learning and living and writing about for AWHILE now... and yet, He won't let me move along already. 

He keeps asking me to sit and to be... 
to not produce anything...

I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed." ~Lloyd Dobler, Say Anything

So, "What have I been doing?" you ask.

Well... not exactly much --and yet, He assures me that there is much being accomplished!

I go back and forth with fully being okay with this season of not having anything to show for my days.  

I am a List Girl and I love me a Bossy Calendar and while I have things to do on (nearly) every day of the week, all the time... the things that I find God and I doing are not really showy-offy or tangible, per say.  

Mostly, I'm fine with that.  
But I have my days.

(Also- there is the little fact that I have been battling sickness on and off for QUITE some time. Little things... but they come and go, and force me to slow and to rest.)

I had a Sozo last week.

For those not familiar with Sozo, it is an inner healing prayer ministry, and it's purpose is to get to the root of anything that may be hindering your relationship with God and to reconnect you to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!  It's super powerful and chances are good there is a trained Sozo Team near you. I highly recommend them.

I had one because as a staff, we at Dad's House all agreed to have a Sozo.  I actually went through the Sozo training myself years ago, and when I begin to feel a bit of distance or something comes up in a relationship that is tough, I tend to Sozo myself and clean the slate, if you will.

So I went in for my Sozo without any deep wounds or hurts weighing heavy, but told the team that I was willing to go wherever God led. (Sometimes we may not know what heavy burdens we may be carrying around with us, amen?)

The theme immediately was Rest... which surprises no one, really. I mean... right?  

I'm all about Slow and Sabbath, about Finding your Rhythm and Knowing How you're Wired... and for me? Well, for me -- that is all wrapped around Resting.  

Everyone needs it... but not everyone craves it as much as I do.  

I have come to truly value how other people are wired.  When I am surrounded by people who are wired fast... (which in this season it seems as though I am quite often) it can tempt me to speed up... to push through... to put off that slowing and resetting.  

This does no one any good. 
  (See? I am learning!)

So I pray before I go in for my Sozo and the first thing that God shows up and does is this: 

I see Him kneeling down in front of me, like a Father bending down to be at eye level with his child, and He lifts my chin and meets my gaze and warmth and love pour out of Him.  

He whispers, "There are not many I trust to reach right in and touch hearts the way I trust you.  You first disarm them with your charm and then reach right on in to the tender places and speak life and breathe hope and let love flow in to bring new life.  You do this WAY more often than you know. But always, I see. I see because I take notice of you, dear one. You capture My heart and I love to see you love and laugh and live. This is my will for you: To Love! To Laugh! To Live!  Don't ever doubt it... and don't settle or be talked into less.  And, by the way, you are never, ever, EVER unseen!"

So... there is that.
 #Swoon

Not a bad way to start a prayer time, right?

We actually dove into quite a few things during our session. Much of it was confirmation and grace... but there was some unexpected healing and hope restored as well!  

Mostly, however, this is what I wanted to share with you:

This may sound strange, but I hope not. I hope that you too have a secret place that you meet with God.  

As soon as we started praying, I closed my eyes and I imagined our meeting place.  It's been the same scene for me for many years now. It's where I 'go' to meet with Him.  

He took me there in a vision years ago while in prayer and He told me I could come back any time and --as I tend to do, I took Him at His word!

There is always a Tree planted by a stream and a blanket with a picnic set out for us to relax and slowly enjoy a meal together... and there is always a Swing. The swing is tethered to the Cross.  When I am on the swing, I can look to my left and see the blanket set-up... I can look forward and see the ocean, or I can look to the right and see an Italian hillside vineyard. I can smell a hint of grapes, mixed with salty sea air! The breeze is always slight and refreshing. This is my favorite place.

On the day of my Sozo, I found myself on the swing... but I was pumping and gripping tightly, trying to go higher --or go somewhere, and the Lord simply said, "You can pump all you want, but you're not going to get anywhere like that!  I've already done all the work that needs to be done. You are WAY more productive over there," as He pointed to the left towards the Tree. 

Hmm... yeah. OK. You got me, God. 

You see how I am and how I struggle and how I want to be busy about doing something... but you also know who I am and that what I am to be about is less doing, and more being... and what I carry is Peace and Presence and pumping on a swing is not going to ever really move me forward or fill me up when I am striving. 

I get it. 

I see it now.

And suddenly, all my muscles relax.

We did some work... some uncovering of lies I had been believing (such as ministry has to be hard... a lie I began believing after a hard conversation and since then --the battle for health!)  We leaned in a bit and asked Him to replace the lies with something else and you know what He gave me?  

He handed me a Hammock!  
Can you even?  

He wouldn't even let me hang it... 
He said He would hang it and I was to just lay down and relax.  

I gently laid myself down and let the breeze sway me a bit. 
  I closed my eyes and breathed in slow and deep. 

I was suddenly aware of the warmth of everywhere the ropes touched me and I felt secure and held.  

He whispered softly, 

"I am the Hammock."

How amazing is that?  So - I may sound like a broken record when I keep talking about Rest and Waiting... but this is where He is holding me. 

And He keeps promising me and reassuring me that when I follow His lead, even when it doesn't feel like it or look like it, much is being accomplished. 

Sometimes what we produce takes root down deep beneath the surface... sometimes we are producing more than we know because it isn't visible yet, or because it is visible in another realm.

So, the difference between a Swing and a Hammock is the difference between Striving or Resting and I keep saying (and singing) "There is no striving in His Love!"

So I pray that whatever season you are in, you will find make time to lay down in His Presence... to let Him hold you like a Hammock... to stop any striving and just let Him love you. 

May you breathe Him in, slow and full... 
and let Rest find its' Rhythm in you.




After a bit of a hiatus from ALL the Link Ups, I am linking up with these lovely communities:

#FreshMarketFriday...

Kelly Balarie for #RaRaLinkUp

LORI SCHUMAKER FOR #MOMENTSOFHOPE

Barbie Swihart for #Glimpsesofhisbeauty

JENNIFER DUKES LEE FOR #TELLHISSTORY

HOLLY BARRETT FOR #TESTIMONYTUESDAY

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THE LORD SPOKE TO ME AND THROUGH ME REGARDING SABBATH REST AND I TURNED MY 31 DAYS SERIES INTO AN EBOOK ON AMAZON.  IF YOU ARE FINDING YOURSELF IN NEED OF REST (WHICH --WHO ISN'T, REALLY?) CHECK OUT THIS SHORT, DAILY DEVOTIONAL  31 DAYS OF RESTING IN GOD ...IT'S EASIER/HARDER THAN YOU THINK!  

YOU CAN PURCHASE IT BY CLICKING HERE OR GRABBING IT FROM THE SIDE BAR TO THE RIGHT IF REST IS SOMETHING YOU KNOW YOU NEED, BUT JUST KEEP PUTTING OFF!