Recently I listened to a live worship experience where the drummer was on one page and the rest of the band was on another. When I explained it to my son, a drummer, I said it was like the one was playing Billy Joel’s “Pressure” and the rest were playing a praise song.

And I felt a little nudge from God.

That image was much like my past few years. I adopted the pace much like the Billy Joel song, pushing through the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. If I stopped, it was more like a pause. Emotions? I stuffed them down and kept moving.

The Lord’s pace wasn’t the same beat. Where I was insisting on living at something akin to walking through a hurricane, He was a gentle breeze, in the meadow, on a beautiful summer day.

Julie Arduini

Meshing the two together was exactly like the song I heard.

The fact is, pain has to go somewhere, and all my stuffing and running might have looked brave, but I fell and fell hard. I spent most of last year in adrenal fatigue and that was a learning experience. Where I once could tackle events and issues back-to-back-to-back, I had to say no to the easiest of tasks and rest.

Today, I feel much better. Although I’m not at the pace I once was, I’m in rhythm with Christ, and that feels like a beautiful symphony. When I have emotions, I’m expressing them through lamentations. Not the book in the Bible as much as the physical act of pouring it all at the feet of Jesus and leaving it there. No more stuffing. No more avoiding. No more running.

I sense I’m not the only one who was in need of a recalibration. The world doesn’t stop to ask if we need help or if we’re okay. @JulieArduini #WednesdayMotivation

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There’s always more work, more fires to put out, more, more, more. If you feel red flags popping up because you know you’re out of sync, I pray this post encourages you.

I know my schedule is one where I can move things around with more flexibility than those with a 9-5 job. Beyond the literal rest my body demanded, I went to the doctor for lab work and added supplements to my life. I became disciplined with bedtime and found with my hormones in a better range, I’m actually tired at that time anyway. I practice yoga, and that has helped more than I ever thought. I find myself breathing better when stressed. I also used the rest to really dive into His word and different studies.

One book that really helped me was Rhythm of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons. Studygateway is offering this study now with limited time free video sessions, and they are a great way to stay in harmony. Although the study started, it’s not too late to join.

From Amazon:

Daily struggles with anxiety and stress make it difficult to receive God’s peace. Rhythms of Renewal will help you trade your anxiety for the vibrant life you were meant to live through four profound rhythms: rest, restore, connect, and create. With encouraging stories and practical steps, Rebekah Lyons will help you begin an intentional, lifelong journey toward sustained emotional, relational, and spiritual health.

Rhythms of Renewalis your guide to daily rescue and a way forward into the peace your soul longs for. 

As a society, we are in the throes of a collective panic attack. Anxiety and loneliness are on the rise, with 77% of our population experiencing physical symptoms of stress on a regular basis. We feel pressure chasing careers, security, and keeping up. We worry about health, politics, and many other complexities we can’t control. Eventually we find our minds spinning, trying to cope or manage a low hum of anxiety, unlike ever before. 

But it doesn’t have to stay this way. 

Rebekah draws from her own battle with depression and anxiety and shares a pathway to establish four life-giving rhythms that quiet inner chaos and make room for a flourishing life. By taking time to rest, restore, connect, and create, you will discover how to: 

• Take charge of your emotional health and inspire your loved ones to do the same
• Overcome anxiety by establishing daily habits that keep you mentally and physically strong
• Find joy through restored relationships in your family and community
• Walk in confidence with the unique gifts you have to offer the world

If you feel like you’re living at the pace of Pressure, and the Lord’s calling you to slow and heal, I think you’ll enjoy this book. Stay healthy!