<h1 id="5f73230c-79f8-49fe-8d34-f810cabc53be" data-toc-id="5f73230c-79f8-49fe-8d34-f810cabc53be" style="font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">A Laidback Friday That I Almost Forgot</h1>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."&nbsp;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.&nbsp;<h1 id="443f07d7-bd71-49a5-8524-af886df4de14" data-toc-id="443f07d7-bd71-49a5-8524-af886df4de14" style="font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">The Busyness That Crowded It Out</h1>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.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1 id="c0ba2269-94f6-4612-9dca-51d7903c4e4d" data-toc-id="c0ba2269-94f6-4612-9dca-51d7903c4e4d" style="font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">What Jesus Did When the Demands Were Overwhelming</h1>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;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…&nbsp;"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).&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1 id="efeb20bc-a915-49ad-bc78-884d65b97422" data-toc-id="efeb20bc-a915-49ad-bc78-884d65b97422" style="font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">Jesus Invited His Disciples — and Us — to Do the Same</h1>Later Mark describes how Jesus encouraged his disciples to follow his example…&nbsp;"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)&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1 id="07602d2b-914b-4f73-a370-e04be26b8255" data-toc-id="07602d2b-914b-4f73-a370-e04be26b8255" style="font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">What I Realized About Myself</h1>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."&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1 id="6a751798-0a3f-42ac-8089-192adbe6733e" data-toc-id="6a751798-0a3f-42ac-8089-192adbe6733e" style="font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">Rest Is Not Just Self-Care</h1>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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1 id="31c24cff-7ab5-4ffa-8e70-b20a61727b21" data-toc-id="31c24cff-7ab5-4ffa-8e70-b20a61727b21" style="font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">What About You?</h1>&nbsp;What do you find are your best ways to relax and recharge? Do you approach those restorative activities with intention?<hr><h1 id="1b5267dc-2d0b-40ae-a394-43b2b38cbffb" data-toc-id="1b5267dc-2d0b-40ae-a394-43b2b38cbffb" style="font-size: 32px; line-height: 1.2;">Did you find this helpful? Would you like more — but not too much more?</h1>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.You can subscribe by <a target="" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hpaulstanleycoaching.com/stress-relief---life-balance-news-tips-opt-in/">clicking here</a>.

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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