Finding Rest While Tending What Is Good

Genesis 2:15 – “Then Yahweh God took the man and caused him to rest in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it” (LSB, emphasis added).

From the beginning, rest has included good work. How can we experience rest while cultivating and keeping goodness in this pasture of Safe Place member care?

The American Psychological Association has provided examples of seven types of rest, indicating that “a multi-faced approach to rest is key to restoring energy levels and improving your ability to function.”* Below I’m adapting and applying examples of these seven types of rest to our context of Safe Place member care:

Physical rest: Keeping margin in our scheduling and not overscheduling.

Mental rest: Providing times for renewing our minds together by receiving the Word and wisdom through testimony, prayer, professional development, and reflection.

Emotional rest: Keeping our communication free of obligation that feels heavy, speaking right things at right times to right people.

Social rest: Kind interactions that focus on refreshing and encouraging one another in the Lord, even and especially when facing relational and life challenges.

Sensory rest: Tasting and seeing God’s goodness through the beauty of creation.

Creative rest: Collaboration that features each one’s voice, and permissions that protect each one’s power.

Spiritual rest: Safe pasture that is secure attachment to our Good Shepherd.

May care continue that reflects such holistic rest in these ways and many others!

*Seven types of rest to help restore your body’s energy by Ashley Abramson, based on the research of Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD