“Does your soul know how to breathe? Does your soul know how to cease its work? Does your soul know how to cease its work and remember God’s work? This is what is at the heart of Sabbath. Remembering God’s faithful record in your life…” - Kristi McLelland

I listened to these words on a Sunday afternoon. Someone I met on a weekend retreat that I hadn’t seen or spoken to since shared “You were the one God put on my heart Sunday morning when I was listening to the podcast.” She had no idea where I was in life, only that the Lord had told her to send the podcast and she followed in obedience. The podcast was from February of 2022. The retreat weekend where I met this person was November of 2023. Here we are in 2026. She’s listening to a podcast from 2022 and sends to a person (me) she met once and hasn’t spoken to since 2023. Amazing. What an encouragement. Also affirmation - if the Lord whispers to do something, act on it. 

The podcast centered around the Sabbath and gave the perspective of celebrating what the Lord has restored. Celebrating restoration. John the Baptist came to my mind in reflecting on this (Matt 11:2-6, Luke 7:18-23). When he had doubts while in prison and later beheaded, what did Jesus tell him to do? He told him to focus on the things being restored. What did Jesus himself do at times on the Sabbath? We are given 7 accounts, according to Google, where He healed people. He restored. In the lives of those he healed and those who witnessed, I bet they remembered and celebrated their restoration.  

I picked up a thrift store book a couple weeks ago. I actually picked it up and put it back, the cover and title not something I’d normally read, but I kept being drawn to it as I tried to find something else. I ended up getting it and it was such a refreshment. The Well Watered Woman. The author in a chapter titled “The Art of Abiding”, compares abiding to art. She references Monet's work "water lilies". His art is a personal favorite of mine. I’ve referenced Monet’s work a couple of times myself but I’ve never seen any of his paintings in real life. She states “To grasp the scope of the painting, I had to take a step back. But to appreciate the keen attention to detail, I had to take a step forward. The same is true with the art and rhythm of abiding. We need the big picture in our walk of faith - we are forgiven, free, and made whole through Christ and have an eternal home in the Kingdom of God. But we also need to abide in the daily moments, the brushstrokes of each ticking second…we need to abide in Christ moment by moment. Abiding is an art form. But most important, it’s only possible through the help of the Holy Spirit.” - Gretchen Saffles

We are given access to the gift of the Spirit when we say yes to Jesus. (Eph 1:13-14, Acts 2:38, John 16:13). He helps us in the rhythm of abiding. He can help us in the rhythm of sabbath. He can help us in remembering and celebrating. Take a step back. Take time to create the space to remember God’s work in your life. To celebrate the ways He restores and blesses. It will help shape, strengthen, and encourage you as you daily walk with Jesus. 

The word bloom has been on my heart these last few weeks. I’ve seen it everywhere. Today I remember the soft whispers and reminders of seasons. A reminder to enjoy the beauty of what is blooming now. I came home last week to these beautiful blooms on my desk at home (very first photo). The photos below are what I had planned to take pictures of that same day after work to remember the word He’s placed on my heart in this season. Remembering what He places on my heart with photos is something that is important to me. It was a beautiful surprise to see blooms on my desk when I walked in the door. 

This last photo. Driving home from a ball tournament. On a Sunday. Listening to a worship service. Still having the word bloom and seasons of beauty in my mind but also heaviness of heart in other areas. I see the cross. Somehow I'd missed it on the drive to the tournament but there was no missing it here. A totally empty highway and I slowed for a photo. The lens caught a sunbeam over the cross. So beautiful. Thankful. A church sign on the way to the tourney also a reminder. I'd later take a Sunday afternoon nap and wake up to a message in my inbox with a podcast and words "I feel like I should share with you". Still in awe. He speaks. He affirms. He is alive and active. His Spirit leads. Trust it.