If you didn’t get a chance to read my first post about building my ark, click here. Today’s words  flow from last March.

Notice the scaffolding. As I continue to learn about rest and resiliency, scaffolding is in place. Below are four more lessons that are supporting me on my rest journey.

This was our cabin, our sanctuary, five years ago. The house wrap that prevents infiltration of air and water while letting the water vapors escape preventing rot and mold inside the walls is securely adhered to the wood behind it. The longevity and the beauty of our cabin depend on it.

Learning about rest and resiliency has been a journey of paying attention to my house wrap so to prevent rot and mold. Because how I am on the inside reflects on my outside.

“Rather train yourself for godliness;
for while bodily training is of some value,
godliness in of value in every way,”
I Timothy 4:7b-8a, italics mine.

Psalm 139 speaks of God’s creating me and only speaks of my inside. You formed my inward parts; you knitted my together in my mother’s womb. My frame was not hidden from you. Your eyes saw my unformed substance (embryo); verses 13 and 14.

Noah’s ark was an amazing piece of architecture. I am too.

The inside trumps the outside.

In the midst of a full ministry schedule this summer, Mom who lives across the United States is recovering from her broken hip. Two nieces, a nephew, and our pup were all in serious accidents. What does rest and resiliency look like now?

The familiar message of Psalm 46:10 led me. Be still and know that I am God! With those words, God whispered, Sue trust me with the process. Don’t hop on a plane. Keep your words silent. Trust. Oh, so, hard for extrovert me.

Rest does not equal control. Rest flows from trust.

Writer Shelly Miller says, “As I ponder the reasons why I might be waking up feeling clear headed, full of energy and hopefulness about the day ahead, I realize Sabbath-keeping is like a river with tributaries. Rest is the life-giving stream that flows into all areas of life.”

Early on I learned the spiritual discipline of a quiet time, a daily few moments set aside to read my Bible and pray. It was good.

Over the last several years quiet time has morphed into a time to build my friendship with Jesus, to communicate with a person. It is better! It is a “life-giving stream that flows into all areas of life.” I often start asking this question, What would it look like to trust you today? As I live out the answer, I experience rest.

Time to be with Jesus fosters rest.

Enjoying God’s beauty in creation
and capturing it to share with you
promotes rest.

The pictures above are a photo journey of our summer.

“Regardless of how foolish his actions seemed to the watching world,
Noah built an ark.
God is asking us to build an ark,
a safe harbor rest constructed with hope,
a bold proclamation, saving those who are perishing in their own strength.”
Shelly Miller, Rhythms of Rest, p. 123