Rest, a Discovery?

'This life I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son, WHO LOVED ME and GAVE HIMSELF for ME. I do not set aside the Grace of God; for if righteousness comes via the law, CHRIST DIED for nothing.' Galatians 2:20/21, paraphrased.

Well I have sent out about 25 letters to friends and family asking for prayer and money, providing way too many ways to get in contact with me. The scary thing is that I am not in the same state as my mailbox, so I really am having to trust God on this one, literally, I have no other choice.

I sit here writing this at the hotel lobby computer, which makes me oh so nostalgic for South-American travelling: it feels EXACTLY like being in a hostel, except no one is speaking a foreign language. Oh, and I ordered room service the other night because I'm a sickie and have some sort infection in my face (sinuses); definitely not an option in a hostel.

Anyway, I haven't provided a very play-by-play update for anyone following this, especially for those of you receiving my letters and coming here for a resource to explain a bit more about what God's getting me into IN LESS THAN 3 WEEKS!!!

I move to Kona, Hawaii in 13 days and orientation is in 19 DAYS.

I would love for y'all to pray not only for me, but for the other students, and especially our staff! They are prayer warriors for us and I'm sure they could use some spiritual rest and fortitude!


I also think its never too early to pray for where God would have me go for my mission, which is the second half of the program (I'll be in Hawaii for 3 months of discipleship/photography coursework for the first half). I love, like absolutely adore the Latin Ameican lifestyle, the language makes my heart melt. BUT, I also could go ANYWHERE in the world, which would be equally cool. Double-but, I really want to stay obedient to God's work, so wherever He's cooking up the biggest plan is my Plan-A.

I'll be working on adding cool links to my blog, maybe it'll look like a real web-site and y'all can see youtube vids and articles etc about YWAM, DTS (discipleship training schools), and the like.

That was a long detour to get started on this entry that applies to the title.
So I have been experiencing extreme exhaustion for over a month now. It popped up in December after working 21 days straight in Aransas for end of the year inventory stuff, went away and now reappeared in February, ironically when I decided I was to rest for the entire month via no weekend activities.
I thought I was rested back up, and had a good time kicking up my heels in Phoenix last weekend with friends from college before heading out to Arkansas for one last work trip. Had to go to the dr about the giant yellow and blood booger the size of a quarter that I hacked up Thursday mornin. Gross, I know. Get over it.

Anyway, this tiredness meant not travelling the 3.5 hour drive to Little Rock, AR to see my family for the last time on these work trips. Heartbreaker. I slept 13 hours last night and discovered the peace and joy and excitement over resting, and particularly resting in God's company. I got in bed and read some Bible, fell asleep for an hour, and hit repeat. This morning I grabbed lunch at the hotel restaurant and studied the next couple chapters in Galatians for about another hour. I left the waitresses a lovely summary of the Freedom and Ease of becoming a daughter/son of God, which makes you an HEIR to all that God is: love, forgiveness, grace, power, redemption, protection...

I know I need breaking of my perfectionist tendancies that resemble too much like the 'need' to fulfil the Mosaic law. Striving for righteousness by act (rather, mostly intention is all that cuts it, and lately, not even that). This is just not even worth the stress, self-...oh whatsitcalled when you are quick to put-down yourself and criticize yourself for failure/imperfection, algo asi.

In a revealing conversation with a staffer from my DTS program, she said, "You're okay," when I was really itching to dig deeper for things like guilt and shame. And when I told of how I woke up that day from the yesterday's mistake and immediately, in wonderment, realized to myself, "You couldn't...Is grace that quick?" I had yet asked for forgiveness and Grace was already mine.

I studied Galatians (not quite done with this book) and these are the notes I'd like to engrave in my Spirit, my memory forever:

Jesus does not compel us to fulfill the law.
Jesus came to be our fulfillment of the law, because that is not something we are not able to do.
The law was meant to be temporary, a keeper of us used to make us aware of our sins, to help keep us in check, if you will.
God made a promise, by direct words/communication to Abraham (Genisis times) that all who have faith would become a son/daughter of God's (Isaiah & New Testament times).
God supplies us with His Spirit and works miracles bc of those who hear and have faith, NOT by works or human efforts
FREEDOM comes from letting go of my desire to work my way to salvation, righteousness, "good standing" with God, and picking up the Faith card.

 To finally touch upon my entry's title on rest. I rested and slept and was calm for over 12 hours, and it seemed like the discovery of the new world nearly!! I am the definition of go-go-go, I always have plans and am always thinking forward to the next thing I can work on or accomplish with zero lag time. Well, perhaps this exhaustion is God's way of saying: SLOW THE HECK DOWN!

Choose rest. Make it a priority. You will thank me (and therefore God, duh.).