Serving Out of Rest

Hey all!  Its been a while since I sat at the computer to write.  I've been in what I think has been an intensive time of growing and strengthening.  I've been learning how to apply everything God has taught me to every aspect of my life.  I feel like I am truly learning how to walk in a place of victory. Yay!  If you remember from my other writings, its been almost a year to date since we stood in front of our church family and told them we were stepping down as small group pastors and going on a 4 month sabbatical.  A year ago I wasn't sure if I would ever step in a church again.  I wasn't sure if I even believed anything I thought I believed about God, about ministry, about myself... it was the beginning of my total unraveling.  I'm sitting here remembering everything God walked me through in the last year, and am overwhelmed with gratitude.  I'm grateful to still be in fellowship with my Genesis Church family and pastoral staff.  I'm grateful to be living with a healed heart, free from past pain and bondage.  When God asked me to write this post I have to be honest, I felt unsure about it.  I've gone back and forth with God on it all week.  I've been able to share freely about my pain and healing with all of you.  I've been open and vulnerable about so much.  But this is different.  This is a post about victory.  About learning from past mistakes.  That makes me uncomfortable because I don't want the impression to be that I am "tooting my own horn".  I'm not.  I am boasting in the goodness of God, and what he's done.  Truly this is beauty from ashes.  The old me burned to the ground, and he is crafting something beautiful, in a way only he can do.  With such gentleness, patience and love.  I told God a while ago I want my life to display his goodness.  That's it.  I don't care about anything else.  God just show your goodness in and through my life.  That is the heart behind this post. 

Easter.  If any of you are leaders or volunteers at your church, you know how big Easter is.  Its a huge opportunity to reach out to the community and invite them to church.  Not just to fill chairs, but an invitation to come and encounter and experience the love of Jesus, and hoping and praying that it will grab hold of their hearts and be either a beginning place, or another part of their journey with the Lord.  It is a big service.  Lots of planning, preparation, and prayers go into a service like this.  Since Chad and I came back from our sabbatical last fall, we've been slowly immersing ourselves back in to serving.  We have been very intentional about what we say yes to, staying close to the Holy Spirit and following his lead and direction.  Its been good, no, its been great.  I have felt God calling me in a little deeper every week since the beginning of this year.  So when we began discussing Easter service in our staff meetings, I was ready.  So I said "yes".  I felt my spirit completely engaged in what the spirit of God was saying about Easter.  Before I go any further I have to tell you the most life changing lesson I've learned thus far - Rest.  Rest is more than not working.  Rest is a promise from God.  A promise available to all of us.  Simply defined, the promise of rest says you are perfectly complete in Jesus.  Rest is knowing who you are in Jesus, your identity.  Rest says you are fully equipped to handle anything God asks you to do.  Rest flies in the face of Religion.  Religion says you have to work to earn.  Religion says you are sinful.  Rest says you have, because God freely gives, now just receive and walk in it.  Rest says Jesus already covered your sins, and you are complete, you are redeemed.  Nothing is missing, nothing is lacking.  If this is a new concept to you, or you want to learn more about Gods promise of Rest, I HIGHLY recommend listening to a series my Senior Pastor, Jeff Korsen, taught at the beginning of this year.  Click here http://www.genesiscc.net/watch-listen/  scroll down to Jan 8th 2017.  Its titled "Gods Rest - Entering His Rest pt 1"  There are 6 messages total ...SOO  good.  Life changing.  Listen.  Ok, so Rest.  I've been intentional about applying this promise from God to my life, and it has changed the way I live.  It changed my perspective on so many things.  Including serving in the church.  I have always been such a doer.  A total worker.  In the past, I would work work work till I was completely spent.  I never even really asked God, "do you want me to do this?"  I would just go go go.  I would work as hard as I could for as long as I could, then completely crash from burn out.  Ready to quit.  Hating ministry.  Hating people... ummm this is not good.  And not Gods heart for serving, at all.  Back to Easter.... Rest.... I started by just saying "yes".  I didn't have to even really "press in" a whole lot.  My spirit was already engaged.  Instead of jumping in and working, I listened.  As I heard or was prompted by the Holy Spirit to do something, I would do it.  I did nothing else.  Only what He said.  Here's the beautiful thing.  I ended up being able to do quite a bit.  Between Chad and I we spent several late nights at the church the week leading up to Easter working on various things.  We spent all day Saturday at church cleaning and setting up.  We were some of the first ones there Sunday am, and some of the last to leave.  We worked hard... but from a place of Rest.  Rest told me I am fully equipped to handle everything God asks me to, and I don't have to do anything else.  Rest told me I have grace and favor.  Rest told me I am full of peace and joy.  Rest reminded me I am fully loved and accepted already, so I don't have to work to earn it.  Out of that place, serving is an overflow of that love.  Love for God, love for people.... flowing in, then out.  So even though it was a busy week, and I will add, it was still a normal week with 4 kids.  Soccer, dentist appointments, laundry, groceries, meals... that never stops.... I stayed in Gods promise of Rest for me.  Here's my testimony of victory - I never felt the burn out!  I never had a moment of wanting to quit.  In fact, it was life giving!  It was full of joy and peace!  That is a beautiful way to serve.  This is our secret weapon - Rest!  We can so easily burn ourselves out in ministry, or anything else in life.  We do it from a dangerous place called "good intentions".  But outside of the promise of Rest, its a work of the flesh, rather than faith. 

So on the way home Sunday, after a beautiful Easter service, I was tired.  My body was tired.  My heart was full, but I was tired.  So I told God, "God, I need to be here for my kids.  I can't be too tired to be here for them today.  This is a holiday, we have plans.  God I need more grace today."  We got home, ate a little, had some down time, and I was refueled, fully covered by grace, and we had a great day together as a family.  I wasn't spent, not burn out, not ready to quit.  I still loved God, still loved people.  I was full of life, peace, and joy.  This is Gods heart and plan for serving.  Did I need naps the next week?  Yep :)  Did God provide time for me to have those?  Yep :)  And I slept hard for a few nights.  My friends, if you haven't yet, grab hold of Gods promise of Rest for you.  It is for everyone, for every aspect of your life.  Marriage, Parenting, Work, Ministry, Relationships... everything.  It is a way of life.  If you want to hear more on Rest, go out and listen to Pastor Jeff's series.  I promise you won't regret it. 
Much love to all of you!  You are blessed, you are highly favored, you are fully complete in Jesus!  There is nothing lacking or missing in you!  You are in Jesus, and He is in you!