{"id":4793,"date":"2014-10-14T17:41:46","date_gmt":"2014-10-14T17:41:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oshetablogs.wordpress.com\/?p=2858"},"modified":"2014-10-14T17:41:46","modified_gmt":"2014-10-14T17:41:46","slug":"open-when-youre-told-to-rest-for-a-few-days-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/shalominthecity\/2014\/10\/open-when-youre-told-to-rest-for-a-few-days-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Open When You’re Told to REST For a Few Days"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"31daysbigger\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hey Lovlies,<\/p>\n

Sorry for going MIA there for the past four days.\u00a0 On Thursday, I was in what seemed like simple fender bender, a driver distracted by his phone rear-ended me and my kids.<\/p>\n

\"photo-5\"<\/a>
Yep, that\u2019s my busted up bumper.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next day I was sore all over, dizzy, and nauseous.\u00a0 I was so sure I had a concussion, but thankfully, my doctor ruled it out, she did tell me to REST, apply heat, take my meds (I really, really hate taking medicine), and REST (she seriously stressed this twice.\u00a0 I love my doctor, she knows me well).\u00a0 So, I\u2019ve been semi-bedridden these past few days, only leaving the house for the grocery store and church.<\/p>\n

So\u2026what have I been doing?<\/p>\n

Reading:<\/h1>\n

\"photo-6\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A Table In the Wilderness by Preston Yancey<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019m nearly halfway through this book and I wish, oh how I wish, I had this book when I was younger.\u00a0 At the beginning of my Freshman year of college, my Christians Essentials teacher named, Mrs. Edwards gave some of the absolute best advice zealous and idealistic young believers could have ever received, \u201cAt some point in your Christian walk you will, not you may, but WILL have something called the \u2018dark night of the soul\u2019.\u00a0 God will seem far from you.\u00a0 He will seem silent and you will pray loud, emotive prayers at the ceiling and they\u2019ll fall back on you.\u00a0 At least, you\u2019ll think they are falling back on you.\u00a0 This is completely normal and expected for you to grow.\u00a0 Keep walking through the dark night of soul because eventually day will break and you\u2019ll see God was there all the time.\u201d This was such good advice, I wrote it down and memorized it. It served me well two years later when I found myself heartbroken and confused when the man I thought, and prayed over, and\u00a0 was going to be my husband, broke up with me. I wish I had these words from Preston though:<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re like me, you read Scripture only when you can\u2019t bear not to, because your best friend is going to ask if you\u2019ve been keeping up and you can\u2019t lie to him.\u00a0 And you\u2019ve already stopped praying, because it feel like the most pointless and unproductive use of your time. You look around and see all the shiny happy people you seem to be hearing God\u2026and wonder if you\u2019re the crazy one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preston\u2019s book is full of wisdom and gracious candor and I have, \u201cMe too!\u201d written on the edges to too many pages.<\/p>\n

Watching:<\/h1>\n

The Voice.\u00a0 I know.. I know\u2026every year I say I\u2019m not going to then they suck me back in with their heartfelt back stories of the contestants or the judges\u2019 witty banter or the promise of an epic battle.\u00a0 This year Pharrell and Gwen Stefani are judges so how could I not<\/em> watch.\u00a0 This is my favorite girl right now:<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fLlFhDEGJFU<\/a>\nohmygoodness, her breath control and tone!!! I can\u2019t wait to see what Pharrell does with that voice.\n

Planning:<\/h1>\n

After my post, \u201cSaving my Daughter From the Single Story\u201d <\/a>went live over at A Deeper Story something really unexpected happened:<\/p>\n