Do you find yourself comparing your life to the lives of others? Sometimes the way we feel about ourselves can keep us from understanding how God feels about us. The world may cause us to doubt our dreams and question who we are, but God longs to redeem your story.
In The Dream of You, author Jo Saxton shares how women often allow busyness to define their life story rather than drawing close to God during busy times.
“We have to allow Scripture to read our lives on this one. We have to look at what that means in our lives. While we may certainly have different seasons – like the season of raising young children, or the season of building a career – those seasons cannot keep us from having a relationship with God.”
“A day of rest will look different in these seasons, but we have to acknowledge that when God invites His people to a day of rest, that includes us women. While it might be complicated to figure out, it’s worth figuring out.”
Besides physically resting from our lives and work, it’s also essential to take a spiritual rest from the thoughts and commitments that fill up our minds. Jo encourages us to rest from the thinking we have to ‘do it all’. Instead, let God’s promises give you a rest from worry, burden, and doubt.
“I tell you what, I was very good at technically taking a day off, but mentally, I wasn’t sleeping at night. My mind was speeding and my heart was threadbare. It didn’t matter that I was stopping because everything else was still going.”
“I often think that as women, that mental craziness is our biggest challenge. That’s the one that we really want to pay attention to. Are you really in a place of spiritual rest? Or are you burdened by the last yes you gave or the challenges in your family and overwhelmed with those things?”
“Are you mentally okay, or are you going down a spiritual spiral of self-doubt and self-hatred, low self-esteem, and things you think you should be past by now but when you’re honest, you realize that you’re not.”
Part of the inspiration of the book was Jo encountering women who were dynamic and passionate and faithful, of all ages and stages, who had gotten off track and had forgotten who God made them to be. Finding time to process God’s Word and to realize our needs is really important.
“I’ve realized that there are certain things that I need, things that I need to do on a regular basis. I have people I need to check in with, for example. I have my good friend who knows exactly what questions to ask, and I have my husband. He and I need to make sure that we are checking in with each other and having a date night. I need time with God, time to process what He says about me so that I can let it sink in.”
An inward journey is necessary to figure out who God has made us to be so that we can make Him known and represent Him in the world around us.
Jo Saxton is a popular leadership trainer, international speaker, and author who is passionate about seeing Jesus transform lives across the globe. She has been featured at IF: Gathering, Catalyst, Thrive, and Propel conferences. Jo also chairs the board of an international discipleship organization, 3D Movements; serves on the advisory board for Today’s Christian Woman; and co-hosts the LeadStories podcast.
Following God's Dream for You
