<h2 id="5f73230c-79f8-49fe-8d34-f810cabc53be" data-toc-id="5f73230c-79f8-49fe-8d34-f810cabc53be" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>A Laidback Friday That I Almost Forgot</strong></h2><p>Recently I was looking back on newsletters that I wrote years ago. I came across one dated in 2015 – wow, that was 11 years ago! It described a day that was very different. A Friday that I can only describe as "laidback."</p><p>I didn't have any appointments. The weather was mild – not too hot and not too cold. Rather than going to my office and playing catchup, I decided to relax and enjoy the day. I sat on my back patio, listened to the birds singing, and appreciated the beauty of the outdoors. It was refreshing. Afterward I felt rejuvenated.</p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h2 id="a9b84c35-4f9d-4601-a4ed-a370ce013436" data-toc-id="a9b84c35-4f9d-4601-a4ed-a370ce013436" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>The Busyness That Crowded It Out</strong></h2><p>Since being reminded of that wonderful Friday, I have been thinking about how busy life is. There is always something I need to do – and something I'm leaving undone. And there are things that I just want to do. Those are the ones that are usually pushed completely out of my schedule.</p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h2 id="e9e8f4d5-58ca-41f7-a321-a6f312c5d4eb" data-toc-id="e9e8f4d5-58ca-41f7-a321-a6f312c5d4eb" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>What Jesus Did When the Demands Were Overwhelming</strong></h2><p>As I thought about that day, I was reminded that as Jesus's popularity increased, more people came to hear him teach. Many were sick and sought healing. After long periods of ministering to the crowds, "[He] often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16, NIV). Two of his favorite "lonely places" were mountainsides and the Garden of Gethsemane.&nbsp;</p><p>Mark tells of an evening when sick people from an entire town gathered at the house where Jesus was staying wanting to be healed. The demand was overwhelming – and yet, watch what Jesus does next…</p><p>"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: 'Everyone is looking for you!' Jesus replied, 'Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.'" (Mark 1:35-38, NIV).</p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h2 id="d3f49c5d-cee8-47fb-a9b8-b8d0bed7e0ec" data-toc-id="d3f49c5d-cee8-47fb-a9b8-b8d0bed7e0ec" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>Jesus Invited His Disciples — and Us — to Do the Same</strong></h2><p>Later Mark describes how Jesus encouraged his disciples to follow his example:</p><p>"Then, because so many people were coming and going that [Jesus and his disciples] did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" (Mark 6:31, NIV)</p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h2 id="096e4d0f-94cb-4019-a296-15084dcefe4f" data-toc-id="096e4d0f-94cb-4019-a296-15084dcefe4f" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>What I Realized About Myself</strong></h2><p>As I reflected on my Friday experience, as well as Jesus's practices, I realized how important solitude and the beauty of nature are to me. I need to spend time alone to recover from the busyness of life. I also need to spend time outdoors to recharge my "batteries."</p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h2 id="acad980f-2da7-496c-96f2-6bf5a069706c" data-toc-id="acad980f-2da7-496c-96f2-6bf5a069706c" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>Rest Is Not Just Self-Care</strong></h2><p>Reading that old newsletter and thinking about the life of Jesus, I realized that rest is not just self-care. It's obedience and stewardship.</p><p>It doesn't just happen. It's something I have to choose, just as Jesus chose it, even when there was always more to do.</p><p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h2 id="f0ad8fbe-624f-4edb-ad51-5e835eab962a" data-toc-id="f0ad8fbe-624f-4edb-ad51-5e835eab962a" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>What About You?</strong></h2><p>What do you find are your best ways to relax and recharge? Do you approach those restorative activities with intention?</p><div style="text-align: center;"><hr></div><h2 id="b5fdec43-8a53-45cb-8f1b-8b4b440f756c" data-toc-id="b5fdec43-8a53-45cb-8f1b-8b4b440f756c" style="text-align: left; font-size: 24px; line-height: 1.2;"><strong>Did you find this helpful? Would you like more — but not too much more?</strong></h2><p>Once every two weeks, I send a short, practical article focused on living a less stressful, more abundant life — helping you maintain life balance and grow mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially over time.</p><p>You can subscribe by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hpaulstanleycoaching.com/stress-relief---life-balance-news-tips-opt-in/"><strong>clicking here</strong></a>.</p><p></p>

Life is busy; rest is hard to prioritize. Drawing from a personal experience and the example of Jesus, this post explores why solitude and time in nature are necessities for functioning at your best.

What Jesus Knew About Rest (That I Keep Forgetting)

What Jesus Did When the Demands Were Overwhelming

Jesus Invited His Disciples — and Us — to Do the Same

Did you find this helpful? Would you like more — but not too much more?

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What Jesus Knew About Rest (That I Keep Forgetting)

What Jesus Knew About Rest (That I Keep Forgetting)

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