Be Still and Put Your PJs On E-Book

BroadStreet Publishing Group LLC

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 146

Beschreibung

By the end of a long day, the circumstances of life may have us feeling overwhelmed. We find ourselves in situations that are frustrating, discouraging, or maybe even a little crazy. As we spend time with God, we begin to experience the quiet reassurance of our wonderful Creator who displays his goodness and blessings in our weakest moments. Let these restful devotions, Scriptures, and prayers cause your racing thoughts to be still as you spend the last few minutes of your day unwinding with God. Let his presence bring peace to your mind and heart so you can enjoy a restful sleep and awake with hope for the new day. "Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." Psalm 46:10 NLT  

Leseprobe

BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC.

Savage, Minnesota, USA

Broadstreetpublishing.com

BE STILL AND PUT YOUR PJs ON

© 2020 by BroadStreet Publishing®

978-1-4245-6079-0978-1-4245-6080-6 (eBook)

Entries composed by Michelle Cox and Sylvia Schroeder.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (TPT) are taken from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission of BroadStreet Publishing. All rights reserved.

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: On the Calendar

Chapter Two: The Farmer

Chapter Three: Gift of Rest

Chapter Four: Stormy Weather

Chapter Five: Perfect Pillow

Chapter Six: The Fancy Mattress

Chapter Seven: Home Alone

Chapter Eight: Better than Sleep

Chapter Nine: Rest for the Weary

Chapter Ten: Sleep Like a King

Chapter Eleven: Too Excited

Chapter Twelve: Sleep Isn’t Enough

Chapter Thirteen: Throw Troubles Away

Chapter Fourteen: Worse than Oscar

Chapter Fifteen: Surrounded

Chapter Sixteen: Raging Blizzard

Chapter Seventeen: Wide Awake

Chapter Eighteen: Even God Rested

Chapter Nineteen: A Quiet Place

Chapter Twenty: In Charge

Chapter Twenty-One: Accepting Help

Chapter Twenty-Two: Paying the Bills

Chapter Twenty-Three: Keeping the Peace

Chapter Twenty-Four: Slap Happy

Chapter Twenty-Five: Secure Feeling

Chapter Twenty-Six: Not Happy

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Be Still and Know

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Opposites

Chapter Twenty-Nine: God Who Sees

Chapter Thirty: Whose Fault

Chapter Thirty-One: My Sheep

Chapter Thirty-Two: A New Creation

Chapter Thirty-Three: Little People

Chapter Thirty-Four: Awakened by God

Chapter Thirty-Five: Lists and Lists

Chapter Thirty-Six: New in the Morning

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Crazy

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Lulled to Sleep

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Tears on My Pillow

Chapter Forty: The Midnight Hours

Chapter Forty-One: On the Road Again

Chapter Forty-Two: A Place of Rest

Chapter Forty-Three: Peace-filled Night

Chapter Forty-Four: Sick Child

Chapter Forty-Five: Attention Please

Chapter Forty-Six: Listen

Chapter Forty-Seven: Turn It Off

Chapter Forty-Eight: On His Throne

Chapter Forty-Nine: Quiet Love

Chapter Fifty: Sweet Interruptions

Chapter Fifty-One: Unnumbered Thoughts

Chapter Fifty-Two: Make It Happen

Introduction

Have you ever been in the middle of a long day and whispered to yourself, “I am so ready to put my pajamas on!” There’s something special about PJs. (Especially those cute ones with fancy shoes, cupcakes, or coffee mugs.) Jammies are an indicator that you’re home. Add some fuzzy slippers and feel the comfort of being at ease after an exhausting day.

For many of us, rest is something that is almost foreign. It’s out of reach on most days. We know better, but we fill our days with enough tasks to keep six people busy. And then we wonder why we’re tired, grouchy, or don’t feel like doing anything.

It’s time for us to use the commonsense God gave us: to realize that rest is a good thing, and that God designed our bodies to need it. For most of us, that’s going to require some changes. Are you ready?

It’s time for a “Come to Jesus” moment. Literally. It’s time to come to him for help in learning to say no. For seeking his guidance in what we need to change so our lives are in better balance.

That’s what this devotional is all about. Take a few minutes each day and see what God has to say about rest. Discover how all that crazy busyness is affecting you and those around you.

Be still and put your PJs on. It’s a good thing.

CHAPTER ONE

On the Calendar

Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!

PSALM 55:6 NLT

Back in our grandparents’ era, life didn’t seem as fast-paced as today. They actually used their front porches, visited with neighbors, family, and friends, and went on Sunday afternoon drives to enjoy the scenery. And that was despite not having all the labor-saving devices that we have today which actually don’t seem to be helping a lot to give us restful lives.

Our calendars are crammed with commitments. Our desks at work are piled so high with files that they look like mountains on the verge of toppling. We race from one place to another, annoyed that it took more than a minute at the fast food window or that the red light didn’t change as quickly as anticipated.

We awaken our children in the morning and spend the next hour calling out “Hurry! We’re going to be late.” Or “What’s taking you so long? We’ve got to go!”

Halfway through the day, we’re so tired we don’t think we’ll make it to the end of the day. We long to get home and put on our PJs and slippers. But even those moments are busy and rushed with dinner prep, clean-up, homework, tasks we didn’t get done at work, or getting the children ready for bed.

There’s no rest for the weary.

That’s where we have to get creative and proactive. We have to plan for rest just like we do everything else in our lives, because it won’t just happen. On the days that you are home, add a nap to the calendar. The world truly won’t come to an end, and you’ll awaken refreshed and ready to get back to your work.

Plug fun weekends into your schedule. Your family is a priceless gift from God. They won’t remember all the times you mopped the floor, but they will remember the moments you laughed together and made memories.

And the best rest of all? Be intentional about setting time aside to spend with God. That’s where real refreshment and strength come from, and those moments will make the remainder of your day so much better.

Dear Father, I’ll admit it. I’m tired. I stay tired. And yet I often feel so guilty about taking time to rest. Remind me that putting my PJs on and resting actually makes me a better person: wife, mom, employee, or otherwise. I don’t want people to remember me as a cranky woman, and I realize now that I can’t take care of others as well when I’m running on empty. Help me to become intentional about resting more, about carving out time to relax, and to spend time with you. Thank you for the rest that I find in you.

Do you feel guilty about taking a nap or resting? Why or why not?

Napping offers several benefits for creating healthy adults, including relaxation, reduced fatigue, increased alertness, improved mood, better performance, increased reaction time, better memory, and fewer accidents and mistakes.

CHAPTER TWO

The Farmer

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working, even during the seasons of plowing and harvest.

EXODUS 34:21 NLT

The farmer pulled his dusty cap from his head and wiped away rivulets of sweat. His hand mixed with the moisture left paths of wet dirt and grime like muddy tracks across his forehead. He held his cap’s bill in his big hand then plopped it into place again on the top of his head. He jiggled it a bit back and forth until it fit just right like a bottle-cap back on ketchup. The unconscious gesture repeated every day during harvest season when a window of time drove farmers to work themselves half dead for the gathering in of the year’s profit. Rest would come after the grain lay safe in big steel bins.

Ah yes, we may not have the same sticky grunge of the farmer in our jobs, but the insistence of those times hits us with the same urgency when projects call, children cry, or looming deadlines arrive. Calendars beg us for space. Time squeezes us for breath.

In the Old Testament law, God provided rest for the farmer, “even during the seasons of plowing and harvest.” A day of Sabbath gave release to body and soul.

Seasons of our lives will come and go with demands. Some of them simply must be met. But our busyness necessitates time set aside for rest. A vacation, a schedule-cleared weekend, or even an hour in the day for a short nap are blank slates worthy of planned forethought. This is the stuff grown-up-pajama-rests are made of—we let the tightness of mind and body unravel.

God himself initiated rest. Surely it must be valid for us as well.

The farmer put his tractors in the shed, his tools in their designated spots, and trusted God with the safety of his crops for twenty-four hours while he went to church and then slept away most of the afternoon. For someone whose livelihood depends on a few weeks to gather grain, a Sabbath from work was an act of discipline.

Rejuvenated, the farmer discovered what we all do, the rest was time well spent.

Dear Father, I have such a difficult time stopping to rest. I can’t quit until I’m done, but I am never done. Would you help me discipline myself to let go? I want to give you the hours of my day and the to-do lists on my calendar. I recognize my hold on getting things done shows I lack trust in you, that you can help me accomplish the things you want. Help me to believe you really do hold my time and remind me that you’ve got this when I am trying to do too much. I give you my lists. Thank you, because I know your plans are always best.

Do you practice times of Sabbath rest? What might need to change to give space for Sabbath?

Rest is powerful for your body and mind according to science. A pattern of regular work breaks reduces inflammation and risk of heart disease. Scientists also believe it profits the immune system.

CHAPTER THREE

Gift of Rest

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

HEBREWS 10:24 NLT

Amusement appeared on faces throughout the restaurant as the group approached the hostess stand. This wasn’t your normal group of friends out for a fun and restful night. No, it’s not every day you see five dads out for the evening with their fifteen collective children. Fifteen! Babies in arms. Toddlers clutching their daddy’s hand. And an assortment of boys and girls ranging from about three to twelve. Daddy’s Day Care had arrived complete with wiggles and giggles. Can’t you just imagine that scene?

But they made it through the evening of controlled chaos and arrived home with all their children. The main mishap of the evening came in the form of one little girl whose dad hadn’t noticed she’d had two and a half cups of apple juice and five kinds of syrup on her pancakes. She ended up sick in the bathroom and her dad had to get someone to make sure the ladies room was clear so he could check on her.

Just thinking about what that evening must have been like provides chuckles, but you know what? Those dads were there with all the kids because they had given their wives a weekend to rest. The women had two days with no children pulling on them or calling, “Mommy!” The moms shopped, enjoyed leisurely meals, and sat in the cabin in their pajamas and laughed and talked for hours.

They rested.

Rest is a gift we can give to others who desperately need it. Ask God to show you a single parent, an elderly person, a caregiver, or a weary mom who needs some rest, and then become God’s hands and feet to provide those moments for them. Maybe it’s buying their dinner so they don’t have to cook or staying a few hours with their health-afflicted loved one so they can have a time to themselves. Give someone the gift of rest and discover the blessing during the process. That night when you put your pajamas on and go to bed, you’ll also know you’ve pleased the heart of God.

Father, there are people all around me who are facing difficult circumstances. They’re exhausted physically and emotionally. Thank you for your precious promises that you will give us rest. Give me eyes that see the cares of others and give me a tender heart so I may help to ease their load and give them rest along the way. Show me ways I can help refresh them. Give them nights when they can put their PJs on and truly rest. Thank you for the blessing of being part of your plan. And thank you for all the times that you and others have encouraged me when I was going through difficult times.

Think of two people who need rest. What are some specific steps you can take to help them?

Sleep is much more than just a passive experience for your body. Although we might be resting, our body is engaged in another type of activity, a process that will bring restoration and healing to frazzled organs, nerves, and body tissues.

CHAPTER FOUR

Stormy Weather

Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake so that the waves swept over the boat.

But Jesus was sleeping.

MATTHEW 8:24 NIV

Have you ever been in a deep sleep and then been jolted awake by a boom of thunder or a bright bolt of lightning? It’s an instant awakening, and then it’s often impossible to get back to sleep. We lie there seemingly for hours, and just as we get back to sleep, another big boom jerks us awake. Might as well get up and make a cup of coffee because the night of rest is over.

Perhaps you’ve heard a frightened voice calling, “Mommy! I’m scared!” Or maybe you’ve heard little footsteps running down the hall and then a pajama-clad child jumps into bed with you and a quivering body snuggles close. They know where to run in a storm.

Storms often roll in with the leaves on the trees whipping about and wind gusts howling. Then a drenching rain begins, plastering everything in its path. Those are the storms where lightning and thunder are intense and streams overflow their banks.

You know what? We have storms in our lives as well. Sometimes they roll into our homes with the power of those intense booms of thunder and bolts of lightning. We’re hit by howling winds of adversity such as a phone call from the doctor, a financial crisis, a shattered relationship, or a prodigal child. We sure don’t like those storms, and often they hang around far longer than we want.

Those are times that it’s hard to have a grateful heart, but God wants us to praise him in the storm. In it—not after it’s over. In these moments we can pray, “God, I don’t understand, but I know I can trust you. Show me what you want me to learn from this experience.”

Just as that frightened child clings close during a storm, cling tight to Jesus. Trust him. Our Father will be with us during the storm, and there’s no safer place that we can take refuge—even if we’re not in our pajamas.

Dear Lord, the storms in my life have caused me many sleepless nights. My tears wet my pillow. My mind whirls with circumstances that I can’t fix, and no matter what I try, I can’t make the situations better. Teach me to run to you and draw close to you when I’m afraid. Help me to trust you while I’m still in the storm, knowing that you are always faithful. Remind me to place my heartaches in your hands and stand firm in my faith even while the storms of life howl around me. When the storm is over (because storms always end) help me to share with others about my amazing God.

Why do you have so much trouble turning your storm-filled moments over to God? How does that affect you, and how do you feel when you finally place those situations into God’s hands?

Gentle rain provides a calming, white noise effect at night, but noisier storms can wake you up or make it harder to fall asleep. Thunderstorms and bad weather can create plenty of anxiety as well.

CHAPTER FIVE

Perfect Pillow

Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

LUKE