I didn’t want to be known for my anxiety. Or my stress.

And I certainly didn’t want to be known for my brokenness.

But, at the cusp of a lifelong dream coming true – writing my first book – I was launched into a debilitating season of panic attacks, insomnia and anxiety.

Writing triggered memories to come alive. I began reliving them. Unexpected, painful memories.

I’ve done much harder things in my life, free of panic attacks. I grew up the oldest in a single parent family, put myself through college and launched ministries and communities of faith, while working on technology in the high-tech world. I’ve even traveled halfway around the world as an overseas missionary.

But, overwhelmed by anxiety and stress, I was no longer able to cope the ways I always have: by problem solving, taking care of others, planning and doing.

God was allowing my exhausted, weary self to surface, so I could make God known in 3 unexpected ways.

1) Make God Known By Presence, Not Project

When we come into contact with stress, our natural response is to push through. We don’t want to be in need or fail to meet others’ expectations, especially our own. We beat ourselves up for not trusting God.

But, God offers us a different response. 

Rest. Kindness. Comfort.

Instead of being harder on us, Jesus whispers –

“Come to me, all those who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

We often hold ourselves back from God, when we’re most weary.  Ironically, those are the times we need God’s comforting presence the most.

When we make space to confide in God, we can offer that space in return to others — instead of trying to fix them or their problems.

We give them what God offers us: space to be real and rest.

We stop making ministry project focused. We become ministry by making God known by our presence.

2)  Make God Known By Nurturing Your Heart Rather Ignoring It…

to be continued…

Read The Rest of 3 Unexpected Ways God Makes Us Known

To  read the rest of “3 Unexpected Ways God Makes Us Known” — click here to visit with me at Catalyst: a Community for Change Makers. 

Catalyst is an annual conference for leaders in the Christian ministry.  This year’s spring theme is Known, while their theme for fall is Change.

I thought the sequence was interesting, because we often want to change things in our lives without first being vulnerable to be known.  

Somehow doing has become more important than being.  But, who we are is more important than what we can do.

Because if we’re separated from our hearts, then we are missing out on what Jesus wants most:  a relationship – a living journey with us – that we can share with others.  

So, when Catalyst invited me to share some encouragement for leaders during our 21 Days of Rest Book Launch Tour, I went straight to writing about being known. 

Please come keep me company at Catalyst.  Pull up a chair. Click to read & comment over at my post on Catalyst. I’d love hearing your voice there.

Take The Journey of Rest With Me

Take the Finding Spiritual Whitespace journey to make space to rest, despite whatever chaos and stress clutters our everyday lives.

This is a soul’s guidebook to rest for you. I’ve created journaling questions  (for you or intimate small groups) so you can take the journey of self-discovery with Jesus. Let’s live a better story of rest. Together.

Purchase a copy of my memoir-driven guidebook for yourself and your friends.  Because rest isn’t a journey we need to take alone.  We need each other.

Because some stories can’t be told on a blog.  They are so intimate, they can only echo in the sacred space of the printed page. Letters from my heart bound together for you.

Let’s be kindreds. Let’s meet between the pages of Finding Spiritual Whitespace.

Read about Whitespace from Authors You Love
{click on the endorsements below to visit my friends and read about their Whitespace}

“Why I’m Breaking Up With My Quiet Time” by Lysa TerKeurst

“Help when Your Life Feels Too Busy” by Holley Gerth

“Finding Spiritual Whitespace” by Tsh Oxenreider

Today’s post is Day 9 of my special Book Launch Blog Tour Series — {21 Days of Rest: Finding Spiritual Whitespace}.  Click here to read Day 1 and the entire series on rest.

Our special June Whitespace Thursday Linkup Badge