Do you ever wish you could just slow down and discover who you’d be if your life wasn’t filled with so much rush?
The other day my friend told me she felt lost: lost in the hurry of carpool and kids, deadlines and dirty laundry… and she was tired, and I shared with her some things I’ve been learning through my friend Bonne Gray’s beautiful book Finding Spiritual Whitespace: Awakening Your Soul to Rest.
In, Bonnie shares how “underneath all of the stress and expectations we put on ourselves, and the ones that others put on us, our souls long for space to breathe.” Bonnie calls it “soul rest: a place where we can rest, not in what we could be or what we should be, but just as we are. Jesus invites us to come to Him when we’re struggling and carrying heavy loads, so He can give us rest.”
Today I’ve invited, Bonnie to share a peek into her heart and inside the pages of her beautiful book, Finding Spiritual Whitespace.
“I once felt lost and tired.
Even though no one could tell. By looking at my life from the outside.
But, deep inside, in my secret heart of hearts, I’ve always wanted something I could never quite keep a hold of — not long enough to make it my everyday home. For my soul and for the me that wanted to be free.
I’ve always wanted to know who I really could be — if I was free to rest.
Do you ever wish life could be different? That somehow you could just rest?
Underneath all the stress, the expectations we put on ourselves and the ones others put on us, we all long for space.
Space to breathe.
Space to just be me.
Where we can be real.
To take care of our hearts, with the grace and kindness we often pour out to others.
We don’t want to be numb anymore.
Just doing. Coping. Surviving.
All the while, there is a part of us that longs to come alive.
The part of us who longs for beauty, even though the daily road feels rough. Or even broken.
The part of us who remembers what it’s like to have desires is hungering for quiet. For rest.
Who wants to feel more intimately connected with God.
To our dreams.
To our stories.
To who we really are deep inside.
Who doesn’t want to hide.
Who longs to be known.
With others.
A Deeper Part
There’s a deeper part of us who longs to uncover the stories we’re living in our everyday lives — hidden — so that they can be shared.
We don’t want to journey alone.
We don’t have to.
What we all long for is deeper rest.
Refreshment.
Comfort.
Real conversation.
Encouragement.
Peace.
Beauty.
As is.
What we all long for is soul rest.
Soul rest is a kind of rest we can savor — not as we should be. Nor as we ought to be.
We can enjoy rest for our souls — as we are.
This ache for soul rest is something Jesus longs to touch.
It is an ache that Jesus himself must have also felt as He journeyed in-the-the-skin through the realities of daily life.
Jesus invites us to experience this rest — by offering us an invitation.
If we dare to take the journey.
“Are you tired? Worn out?
Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.
For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Jesus’s invitation, Matthew 11:28-30
Will you dare to rest? Will you dare to be real?
To whisper —
I am tired.
But, I still carry dreams. Desires. A story.
I want to be happy.
I miss the quiet.
I want to feel.
I want to let go of who I’ve been — so I can discover who I can be — when I take the time to rest.
I want to be present.
I want to love. And be loved.
Jesus invites us on a new journey.
To pause.
To draw close.
To come into an intimate special space.
The rest we all long for really can be found.
Dare to take a new journey.
Create space in your life.
Feed your soul.
So you can care for what’s tender.
Because behind your most tired moments lie the deepest parts of who God made you — longing to be known and restored.
You’re loved.
You’re cherished.
You’re worth it.
The real you.
If you dared to rest — to uncover the real you God made — what would you want more of? What would you want less of? What can feed your soul today?”
How many of us find ourselves running on empty with no time for rest, no time for ourselves, and no time for God? Bonnie Gray knows what that’s like. On the brink of fulfilling a lifelong dream, she saw her plans shatter into a journey through painful memories and anxiety. In her search for answers, she made an important discovery: we all need spiritual whitespace.
Infused with biblical encouragement and thought-provoking prompts, Finding Spiritual Whitespace shows us how to create space in the everyday for God, refreshment, and faith—right in the midst of our stress-frayed lives. And it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time in my life personally. I’ve loved reading this book {more than once}, and I know you will too!
Order a copy here.
Enter to WIN:
What is one way you could carve out time for whitespace and rest this summer? Let’s take time this summer to let our souls be breathe. Click “share your thoughts” and leave a comment under this blog post to enter. Two winners will be selected and announced next week. {if you are reading this via email, please click here to participate in the giveaway on my blog!}
Bonnie Gray is contributor at Crosswalk.com, Relevant Magazine, and DaySpring (in)courage. A UCLA graduate, Bonnie has been missionary, ministry entrepreneur and Silicon Valley high-tech professional. Bonnie blogs at FaithBarista.com in Northern California with her husband Eric and their two sons.
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
So needed to hear this. Exhausted from serving others and have lost myself and dreams I once had in the process. Not sure at 41 who I am. Spending more time in his word and looking to Him for rest and fearless living.
I thought when my children grew up and moved out that I would have so much time on my hands, even working full-time. Unfortunately, I filled all that time with other useless things. I could get up early to have my quiet time instead of waiting until evening, when something always comes up. I can also cut out internet time. I can do it! Thanks for giving me that push I needed. I can’t wait for the book.
I am 41 years old.I have 7 girls been married 23 years this August have 2 grand babies and one on the way. I do not know what it is to slow down lol seems like when I try the more I find needs done would love to get this book and here some insight on how to slow down and take time for more important things.
Wouldove this book my spirits has been not what they should be and my faith is feeling.
I cannot wait to read this book! I have been struggling with finding this kind of space and need so often to “be still.” Than you fir writing this!
Having just gone through a divorce I try to not have time to think or what to do with the rest of my life. Time to really breathe
I thought I was the only one…..
I think I can find whitespace by redefining the items I put in my day each day. This would allow me to spend more time with God!!! I would love to win!
I need to spend more time with my husband ( movies, walk). Also just some me time reading or enjoying something I like to do. Love to win a copy of the book. Thanks for the chance.
Not sure where to find rest, but it is something I am desperately in need of. This sounds like it would be a good read.
Gerrard is a great player and I aptrpciaee his confident words pretty much. I also do agree Chelsea will soon recover from bad performing and will set their team to a high position. Thanks
I love to try to slow down enough to look through the eyes of the little children ( not always easy with 2 babies and four others under 4 years old). It is amazing all the great things God has given us, but we are so busy we miss the beauty.
In content creation and page layout, white space allows the beauty of the word, image, page to stand out. I love how this can also be a metaphor for life as it helps me to see that for us to live our most beautiful lives we too need that whitespace. How can we see the beauty that God pours into our life without a clutter free space, and time to just be with Him, in His Word? This summer is the first time in many years that I do not have a paying “job” to pull me outside our home. And for the first time ever I’m not freaked out about that. My white space is right now – this break to grieve the passing of our mother, our family;s move and change to a new community to care for and be with our dad, the transition of our now adult children to married life and / or university, work. It is a time to reflect and give Praise to God. I appreciate the timeliness of this reflection on whitespace – thank you!
I love to sit on my porch swing, which faces a pasture, and just take in God’s beauty and wildlife. It reminds me to stop and…
This sounds like a wonderful book. It’s hard to just find that time to spend with God but its so necessary!
I’m turning 62 next month. Retired 1 1/2 years ago from a very busy, time robbing, time demanding, family time robbing job. I gave up any free time for myself for 25 yrs at this job, because I felt I had to devote that time to family. I felt guilty for the time I didn’t spend with them, so any free time was theirs. Now what that caused was making my family feel I’m at their beckon call. They call and want my help with one thing after another. I felt they needed me, but actually all I am is a servant. now in retirement, I feel I have no purpose but to serve everyone else’s needs and desires. I feel my life doesn’t matter. I’ve asked God – was this my purpose for being here? The book sounds wonderful and wish it was a few years earlier, maybe I could have found some white space. I’ve lost years of white space and the one thing you can’t get back is time
I will turn off the phone, put aside the electronic devices, and escape to the porch . There I can swing and enjoy God’s nature as I spend time with Him.
I”ve done that recently. A social media and internet-free weekend and it was amazingly refreshing. Unplugging this weekend to, to just savor some soul rest. 🙂
Just to let you know, this coentnt looks a little bit weird from my android phone. Who knows maybe it really is just my phone. Great post by the way.
i liked the article.it should b praised.i dont have such depth info on this topic like u bt how far i know LIFE aruna’s life should’nt b judged by any court.it should b judged by humanity and mankind.if we want justice for that lady,we have to understand her pain of silence.wo 37 years se chup hai aur saayad hm bhi lekin ab nahiiiiii……..
I’m putting away my computer on Sundays starting the 5th and spending time reading all the christian books I have amassed and “mean to read.” Then I’m going to meditate on those thoughts and His glory as I spend time in my garden.
Lying in my hammock would be the perfect place.
I will write down the verses from Matthew 11:28-30 and try to remember to go to Jesus for my rest. This post was just what I needed to hear. I am so tired! Thank you!
This sounds like everyone I know! Sounds like a great book–Can’t wait to read it!