Rooted Productions

Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Over the last couple of months, it has seemed as though my life is on overdrive. My husband and I have both been trying to move forward in opportunities, while managing a small farm, homeschooling, homesteading, working, traveling, and making time for one another. Less than a week ago, we drove 7 hours to New York City to see my book and author photos glowing over Times Square, just to get back in the car and drive 7 hours back home the same day. Between hockey tournaments, gymnastics competitions, book signings, marketing events, business needs, my husband’s motorcycle club events, and poor sleep schedules from bad knees and trying to make the day stretch, we are tired.

In all of the exhaustion, I also lost a very dear friend. Here I am marketing a grief book, while I have to pause and hold my breath to prevent random tears from streaming from my fatigued, bloodshot eyes. There has been emotional exhaustion, physical exhaustion, and even spiritual exhaustion as my husband and I try to decipher doors of opportunity opening and closing amidst financial confusion and career path detours. There have been so many forks in the road at this point, our life is beginning to look more like a cutlery drawer than a plan.

Was that interview invite an answered prayer or more confusion?

Is this slowing down for a moment to grieve my friend an overdramatic reaction or a needed healing moment?

 Why can’t I think of words when I am speaking anymore?

In an unannounced instant, my mind goes blank mid-sentence in the middle of a live podcast or briefing a project during a business meeting. Sometimes my husband and I stare at one another blankly and just embrace as we both acknowledge the unknowns, the mental breakdown, and the lethargy.

Somehow, even in the midst of listening for God’s direction and aiming to follow His plan for our lives, we have found ourselves once again, in a season of exhaustion from taking on the world all on our own. While having an honorable work ethic is important, God calls us to give Him our burdens and weariness, so that He may provide us with rest. If we allow the stress of the day in parenting, marriage, ministry, work, and loss to distract us from the peace that God offers, then we are not truly trusting Him with everything as we claim to be.

There is going to be strife and stress as the day unfolds; however, when the sun goes down and the room is finally dark, the ability to relax the mind from what we cannot control is hinged upon truly trusting Him to take the burden and transform it into peaceful faith and new perspective with the sun’s rise in the morning.

Closing Prayer

Lord,

We thank You for the ability to rest between the demands of the day and the sufferings of age. Each new stress is proof of another gift of life on earth, and we come to You asking for the wisdom to maintain gratitude through the difficult moments, while also remaining humble enough to hand our burdens to You. God give us the ability to relinquish control and remain rooted in trust that You will work all things out for good as we rest our tired minds and weary souls. We thank You for providing our peace in the chaos and our joy in the darkest moments.