Happy New Year. Today, I welcome Erin Unger to my blog. She has some timely advice for the new year. As you’ll see, she welcomes comments and offers a chance to win a five-dollar gift card – a perfect amount for a new Kindle book. Welcome, Erin.
A Time to Rest
It’s the day after the beginning of the new year, and I bet you’re dreaming of reclining on your couch and taking a deep breath, since all the craziness of the season has finally wrapped up. Yet you won’t allow yourself to do it. You force yourself to keep the fast-paced life, no matter how badly you need a rest. You’re already thinking about the long list of to-do’s for today.
We are all guilty of this very thing. We rush to the next workday, to the next writing project, to the next child’s activity. But God says, “Take a break.” Whoa, I said it. You heard correctly. Take a break. I know this isn’t politically correct in our society. I mean, if you aren’t filling every waking hour with something, you must be doing something wrong, right? Think again.
Mark 6:31 And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
Does this sound familiar? Even in Jesus’s day, the people were way too busy. Jesus pleaded with his disciples to go away for a while and rest. To rejuvenate. To clear their minds.
As writers, sometimes doing too much means we get overwhelmed to the point of losing our ability to write. We choose activities that seem fine and good but, in the end, are just another filler in our day. That means we can’t use our gifts to the best of our ability. It often means we don’t spend time with the people who are the most important to us—like our loved ones, our church family, our writing friends.
Stop and consider. Ask yourself a few questions.
- Do you really need to do that activity?
- How can you slim down the time you spend on social media?
- If you’re called to write, should you be adding a bunch of other ministries to your work load?
- Are you making activities and not people your focal point?
- How much time do you need to relax to stay sane?
Allow yourself to slow down. Society has set this ridiculous pace of living—not God. And remember the people around you. The time you spend with them is more important than the activities you do with them. And it takes way less energy.
Have you struggled with being way too busy? What helps you take a timeout from life when necessary? Comment below for a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card.
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Erin Unger was raised in the hills of Virginia, exploring abandoned houses and reading the scariest books she could find. After marrying so young it would make a great romance novel, she has enjoyed an exciting life with her hubby. But her fast-paced life sometimes rivals the suspense in her books thanks to all her mostly grown children and a couple grandkids. Her romantic suspense novel, Desolate Paths, releases January 11, 2019. You can read more at www.erinungerwrites.com.
Hi Erin,
Great post. Congratulations on your upcoming release. Taking time to breathe and rest is something I need to do better in 2019. Thanks for the reminder.
Hi Barbara! Nice to see you here. I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions but I’m hoping to add a little more relaxation to this year.
A wonderful reminder of how we need balance in our lives. Maybe that will be my word for 2019. BALANCE
Thanks for sharing.
Balance is so hard to obtain, isn’t it! Thanks for commenting.
Hi Erin, An interesting post reminding us to take time to nourish our minds, bodies and souls with peace and quiet. It made me think of “Be still and know that I am God.”
I love that verse you gave. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Erin, such a great reminder. I do tend to “pack my days full.” Loved Desolate Paths and look forward to your next story!
You’re encouragement is so important to me, Kelly. Thanks so much for your support through this writing journey.
Good word, Erin! I find it easy to feed on guilt about not choosing to participate in certain churchy things when, really, God may not have called me to do them in the first place. What I know to be true is He’s called me to write. If that hasn’t been nurtured then those churchy things weren’t best use of the gift of time He’s given.
Several years ago, I had read a post from another author on the danger of getting too wrapped up in ministries that take us away from our writing ministry, and I still think about it today. It helps me keep some balance.
Thanks for sharing your words of wisdom. It’s been a delight having you join us today.
Thanks for having me!