Andrea Mitchell
About the Author

Andrea is a wife and mom with a heart for women to know they are loved beyond measure and that they matter. Also, she likes coffee. A lot.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
Recent Posts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. This is awesome, Andrea! I have always tried to make quiet time for me. Sometimes I felt guilty thinking it was totally selfish, but the more I mature, I realize God made us to want that time alone, to reflect, reenergize, refocus, and spend time with Him.

    Thanks for sharing this. I am so excited, cuz after my crazy year I’ve had, and especially the past 3 months of work, work, work, with no down time for me…I am getting away to the beach for a whole week. wow. I am so looking forward to time alone, and all the awesome insights, discernment for decisions to be made and creativity it will restore to me.

    ((hugs))

  2. I need that reminder. Thanks! I love days where I can read a book or just sit and relax with NOTHING on the calendar. It’s those moments of peace and quiet which are so difficult to find that bring me rest. I love Saturday mornings when my husband watches the kids and I can lock myself in the bathroom wtih my Bible and a notebook. That will fill me up and I can’t remember the last weekend I had that. I need to get that on my calendar!

  3. I also long for just a few moments of quietness! I LOVE my kids, but I just need a time to be restored! I keep thinking about going off by myself to an inn in the mountains and just being…with God and me! I think it would make me a better wife, mom, children’s leader, etc—but I haven’t done it yet—maybe I will soon!

  4. Yes! This is so true and so important for young mothers to hear. As an older, gray-haired mother, I know what it is to get exhausted, frazzled, and just plain worn out. I wish someone had taught me to build in times of quiet, respite, and rest. I think we (rightly) want to pour ourselves out raising children for the Lord, but scripture reveals that sometimes even the prophets (Elijah, Jeremiah) completely exhausted themselves doing the Lord’s work. But He was gracious to them. I love the account of Elijah lying down under the broom tree and being given food and sleep by the Lord. Sometimes, that’s all we really need, isn’t it? And think how often our children’s attitude and behavior is improved just by a nap or a snack! I encourage women to go on retreats (yes, Dads, you can handle the kids for an entire weekend–you should bless your wife by encouraging her to go. For me, time spent with other women is life-giving and energizing. Great post.

  5. It is SSSOOOO amazing how God uses people from far away on a simple place such as the web to minister to our hearts!! This is so true. I am leaving today for a weekend ladies retreat with my church. And have carried such quilt and nerve racking stress all week…because I was leaving the family. When are blessings so stressful?? The enemy trying to tell us a lie. Your post was wonderful and a reminder!!!. I so need the rest….have alot of ministry work coming along, plus the everyday ministry with family. A time to have my heart refresh by our Lord. Thank you !!!!

    Shawn

  6. I love going to the beach. It’s one of those places that refreshes my soul. I don’t have the luxury of going there now that I live in Indiana. But when I travel home (to Florida) that’s the first thing I do.
    I can take on anything after sitting in the sand and listening to the waves. It’s indescribable!

    Note to me: Find a retreat place close by and regroup! I need it! 🙂

  7. I am so in need of rest today after a glorious week of ministry… but also very tiring week of ministry… thanks for the reminder for spiritual as well as physical rest being important 🙂

    btw… the ministry that we worked on this week had Mt 11.28 as it’s cornerstone scripture 🙂 love that….

  8. Well said Andrea, thank you so much for sharing this today…as a matter of fact I JUST had a time of rest. After the kids went off to school I went back upstairs, climbed into bed and went back to sleep for 3 hours. I never do that, there is always so much to do, but today I could just tell that I needed to do the very thing my body was telling me to do. Do I feel guilty about it? Nope, because I know that there’s only so much one woman can do and it’s even less if she is completely worn out and frazzled. Perfect timing my friend, perfect timing! Melissa 🙂

    PS – You asked where we usually go…we live in Ft. Lauderdale, so for us our place to retreat is the beach, there’s something truly wonderful and relaxing about sitting on the beach watching/listening to the wind and the waves.

  9. SUCH incredible advice. It’s AMAZING what rest can do (gee – ya think God knew what he was talking about maybe? LOL). I like to play FB scrabble if I only have a few minutes, or read if I have more time. GREAT post, Andrea.

  10. Hello Ladies,
    My favorite way to rest is curled up on the couch with a good book and praise and worship on in the back ground, I did that just last night and before I knew it, it was 5am!!
    When you are in the presence of the LORD, time does not natter, no greater place to be then at the feet of JESUS!!!
    PTL!!!! 🙂

  11. My favorite thing to do while i rest is either read..or watch a girlie movie…i have three boys and a hubby who are all about action packed flicks soooooo this mama gets tired of it.

    Thanks for the great post!

  12. I have come to realize the same thing in my life. If Jesus went away often to a lonely place, I am being like Him when I do that! It only makes me a better wife, mom, and friend when I get that type of soul rest!

    In fact…I need to schedule some of that right now!

  13. Tonight I had my rest with a quiet dinner with my husband at our restaurant in our small town–and then, time to read your blog. Thank You

  14. Thank you Andrea! Just this past weekend, my very dear friend and I were gifted a night out to dinner and staying in a hotel from our precious husbands. It was literally about 16 hours of time, but it was just what we needed. When I got home I was telling my husband that it doesn’t take much to refresh me~ it’s just has to be the right thing. Talking, praying and laughing with my kindred friend was just the right recipe.

    Sometimes it is a walk after dinner by myself or just going on a Sunday afternoon to get my toes done. I love my family and the time I am honored to invest into their lives on a full-time basis. I also love that they see my need to sometimes have a moment to myself and do what they can to provide that time when I really need it most.

    Jesus is a beautiful example and I love opening up the Word to see how His life reflects that kind of selfless love and devotion that I long to have flow out of me without any extra thought….Oh Father that you would wash over me with that kind of deep-rooted desire….all the time!

  15. Andrea,

    Thank you for this. I had a bit of different scenario than this happen with me.

    After the death of my son this past March, I seemed to be on auto-pilot. Taking care of those around me, making the choices in what to do with my son’s body, what type of urn, what would be in the memorial, and the list goes on. I had a month off of work, which I was grateful for. Going back to work allowed me ignore my own needs for even longer. It wasn’t until almost 4 months later, that I just couldn’t handle anything anymore. I was beaten down so low.
    After putting in my resignation at work, and finally moving out of my parents, whom opened their home and hearts for my husband and I in this difficult time. After that I was able to hide away and start to lick my wounds, start to talk to God and finally to hear what he said and to accept it. I had to get away from all, even my darling husband, to hear God and allow him to work on healing my broken heart. I can’t imagine living with God in this situation, he has been my bedrock and more.

    In His hands,
    Peggy

  16. Thanks for this word. I’ve been feeling the exact same thing lately, just really longing to get ‘quiet’ and find that solitude with God. I think we, especially as women and moms, need to slow down, learn to say ‘no’ to things we know we don’t have the time or physical & emotional energy for before we become robots enslaved to society’s ideals instead of our own and God’s! There is life after ‘no’! Let’s get our ‘quiet’ on and see how much more content, efficient, and ‘present’ our lives can be!