Taking Stock

July 4, 2014

I'm sitting here this morning thinking about life after a pretty great holiday weekend. I'm drinking ice water when what I really want is some of the cold brewed coffee I have in my fridge...Holidays mean getting together with friends and family and catching up on everything.

As I sat by the pool talking to Elaina the other night trying to explain what I'm up to these days, the frustration that I often feel disappeared.

I don't have a "career". 

I don't have a house or a family of my "own".

I don't have a plan beyond the end of the summer.

Sure, I have a lot of: "if this, then thats" to fall back on if I ever need to...But, for the most part, my life is simple and not very admirable.

Maybe you're in the same boat. Maybe life hasn't turned out like you thought it would and you're wondering "what now?!?!?!". Maybe you're making it but the pressure you feel from everyone around you has you questioning if you're really doing the right thing.

Keep your head up, your eyes on God, and your spirit set on eternity! 

Wherever you go, whatever you do, there is one thing you're called to do and that is to KNOW God and to make Him known.

Seasons come and go. Sometimes we're sure and sometimes we're barely hanging on.

The point is this...

Don't get frustrated trying to figure things out or explain yourself. Know that your life is your life and it's been given to you by God. Be wise and serve Him, but don't let the culture or the fears or the voices in your head try to take away the beauty that is NOW.

When my eyes are on God, I am sure. When my eyes are on God, hanging on is easy. When my eyes are on God, the frustration disappears.

I've shared this verse a lot on this blog and it's the verse I'm always coming back to...

"For my determined purpose is that I may know God. 
That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, 
perceiving, recognizing, and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly. 
That I may be continually transformed in spirit into His likeness..."
Philippians 3:10

What do I want out of life? Simply put, to know God, to be more like Christ, and to be led by the Holy Spirit. Wherever I go, whatever I do, I always have that to call my own. Right now, it looks like keeping a house and spreading that love to the people in the little circle that God has given me. 

 I think I'll take it.

One Phrase

We hear it all the time, "I just want God's will for my life."

Jesus Himself said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do y own will but the will of Him who sent me." (John 6:38)

He also said, "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke 2:49b)

And that makes us wonder...WHAT is the Father's will? 

Through His Word, God makes His will clear. 

Jonathan Edwards put it this way, "It appears that all that is ever spoken of in the Scripture as an ultimate end of God's works is included in that one phrase 'the glory of God.'" 

I'll give you a few examples:

Colossians 1:16 "For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through Him and for Him."

He created ALL things...For Himself. 

1 John 2:12 "I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for His name's sake." 

He forgives sins...For His name's sake. 

Isaiah 48: 11 "For my own sake, for my own sake I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another."

Here God was speaking to Israel and promising to defer His anger in order that He would not cut them off...For His own sake, so that His glory would be seen.

God acts, God sent His Son to act, God saved you to act. In all these things He is working. He has a will and that is that He would be glorified. 

Whoever you are, wherever you are, God DOES have a will for you life. He calls you to know Him and He leads you in living for His glory. 

Can your plans today be summed up in glorifying God? 

Oh, you have a floor to mop? Or maybe a letter to mail? There is good news! Glorifying God does not ONLY pertain to things that seem in themselves "holy". 

Remember that quote I shared before by Samuel Taylor Coleridge? He said, "Christianity is not a theory or a speculation, but a life; not a philosophy of life, but a life and a living process." 

Paul says it like this in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

God's will is NOT far off or unknowable!

His will is that He would be glorified.

Jesus came for His Father's glory and in His coming He made it possible for us to live with that same purpose.

We live for that glory by reading His Word and remaining in communion with Him...Our lives stay centered around Him. With Jesus we say, "I must do His will." With Jesus we shine because, "I delight in His law." 

His glory is plain to us and made known through us and THAT is His will in all that He has ever done. 

Come to the Light

The other day, Emily Freeman posted these words:

"...may I not be surprised by my own ability to mess things up. 

May I refuse to be shocked by my own, jealousy, stubbornness, impatience and indifference..."

She went on to talk about being surprised by God's grace and delighted in His presence instead. 

Couple that post with the Bible study time happening with "Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically" by John Snyder where I'm currently studying how my own sin makes knowing God impossible without His help and you've got a recipe for something GOOD.

James 4:8 says something we're all familiar with:

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..."

What we may not be familiar with are the rest of the words that follow, that same verse ends like this:

"Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

When God looks at humans, He assumes sin. He knows it's there and He does not ignore it. 

Why is it that when we look at ourselves we assume goodness? Why is it that we are consumed with being surprised when sin bubbles up and then quick to shift any attention it's receiving away from it? 

Talk about DUMB. 

God is in the business of exposing sin. From there He may dole out consequences. From there, He may clean or punish...That part is really up to Him. 

As Christians, we know that exposed sin ALWAYS leads to forgiveness! Sure, we'll have to deal with consequences, but what are consequences in light of the LIFE that we have in Christ?

Why do we act surprised? Why do we hide? Forgiveness is OURS! 

Ladies...You are SINNERS. You are going to mess things up with your jealousy, stubbornness, impatience, indifference, and a million other things that are all coming from that wicked heart inside of you. That's truth. The rest of the truth is this:

"Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he had not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. Fore everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God." 

When sin comes and you're tempted to be surprised and then to make light of it, remember the light that Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and ascension have shed on it! 

Remember that because of Him and the work that God has done in making Himself known to you, that sin does not condemn you! Thank God for making a way for your hands to be cleansed and your heart to be purified and join Him in seeing to it that you are walking in the light that is His presence. 

Lately I have been captivated with the fact that the God who made ALL that exists invites His people to KNOW Him and to WALK with Him....He knows His people and leads them to become more like the Son whose name they have taken as their own. 

Christian, your life here will be over before you know it, won't you spend it in pursuit God, the very fountain of Living Water?

First Weekend of Spring

I'm writing this post on the first Sunday evening of SPRING. I made that pie (a butterscotch cream) earlier this evening and enjoyed a piece of it over a game of "Politics" with my Mom....This weekend really began on Friday.

That day was full of grocery shopping, errands, and PAINT BUYING. I'm so excited about this little project that it actually makes me feel a little silly. Lunch at Arby's also happened which is becoming a favorite of mine for every once in a while.

Saturday the goal was to get a cat house built and begin sanding my ceiling. The cat house took FOREVER so the ceiling gets to wait some more. Still, the day was super productive! I did a bunch of cleaning, dishes, clutter busting, laundry, and I detailed my car because it was super warm outside. We didn't eat until like 8pm, but by then, the BBQ ribs, beans, and cornbread HAD to happen.

Today the day started out slow with a cup of tea (I discovered Irish Breakfast Tea recently and I am really enjoying that) and some time to read. I fixed a big breakfast, went for a walk, and then gathered for Bible study with my Mom and brother. From there, I spent some time skyping with my friend Shauna...I feel like I've known her FOREVER and I forget just how much I wish we lived closer.

After skyping it was time for more food. I tried my hand at a nacho dip inspired by Ree's "Queso Fundito". It was good and definitely hit the spot, but I'm thinking freshly grated cheese might be a good idea.

The rest of the day went something like reading outside, updating goodreads, realizing just how beautiful this time of year is when the temperature actually gets above 60, baking a pie, and playing games.

That's the makings of another great weekend if you ask me.

Maybe you can't be with EVERYONE you love...Maybe you aren't feeding the poor or helping the sick...But, maybe you're enjoying God with some of the ones you love and sometimes that's just what your soul needs.

Weekends like these are certainly nice and I pray that a day will come when they include people who need a little help seeing God in their lives.

How was YOUR weekend? 

Did you try any new recipes?

Seek His Face

I wanted to share with you a quote straight out of a Bible study workbook I'm going through right now. The name of the study is "Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically" by John Snyder.

The quote comes from St. Anselm (I actually have no idea who he is, but these are some great words):

"Up now, slight man! Flee for a little while your occupations; hide yourself for a time from your disturbing thoughts. Cast aside now your burdensome cares, and put away your toilsome business. Yield room for some little time to God, and rest for a little time in Him. Enter the inner chamber of your mind; shut out all thoughts save that of God and such as can aid you in seeking Him. Speak now, my whole heart! Speak now to God, saying, 'I seek Your face; Your face, Lord, will I seek.'" 

At the end there, he was clearly thinking of Psalm 27:8 "When You said, 'See My face,' My heart said to You, 'Your face, Lord, I will seek.'"

Let me just say, I've had a lot on my mind lately. Don't we all? It's March, spring is slowly easing its way in, we're thinking of all the things that need doing, and beginning to be bombarded with the busy-ness that this time of year always brings along.

BUT! There is something more essential than any yard work, organizing, party planning, or whatever is on our minds.....Namely, our pursuit of God.

Christian, you must take time to pursue Him. Quiet your soul and your mind and gather around the fire that is His Word to see HIM.

God calls us to understand and know Him. Jesus made the way for us to have the same fellowship with the Father that He has. And yet, we act as if we would rather just piddle along with these joys and worries that are always in front of us.

God is showing Himself and He is calling His people to His Word. Go there. Listen. Behold your God!

Something Important

This is a quote that will stay with me for a while. I took one of my pictures from last fall and put the words over the top of it! 

WHATEVER we do, WHEREVER we are, ONE thing is always most important - we need to be able to dwell on the things of God. Dwelling on those things is ONLY possible if we are actually familiar with them.

May 2014 be the year when you gather yourself around God's Word. 

May 2014 be the year when you gather for yourself treasure from God's Word.

I cannot say it enough - time with Him is never, ever wasted. 

Happy Tuesday! 

2014: One Word

I've been writing this post in my head since Saturday while I was driving with my Mom and brother and sister to do some shopping in another town. It was a cold, foggy day and the van was quiet.

As we were driving along I suddenly realized that because of the fog I had no idea what was beyond us more than thirty feet in any direction. Sure, I could see a bit of road ahead of us along with some pieces of field to the left and right of us, but outside of those borders, I was clueless. 

That was the last Saturday of 2013, so naturally I was thinking about 2014. 

It hit me. This year, like other times in my life, I'm in a place where there is a lot of FOG. 

The fog gives me BORDERS. I really have no idea what God has in store for 2014. No amount of looking gives me even a HINT as to what lies ahead. 

Many people are quick to offer me patches of field to the left and right...Yet, I'm quite happy right where I am. I am enjoying "the ride in the van".

In other words...

2013 came to an end. The fog settled in, leaving me with no idea as to what will be ahead.  Though the fog surrounds me, I know where I am and I know what joy God gives me in that place. 

Whatever IS beyond the fog, my word for 2014 is simply this, GATHER. 

In Jeremiah 23:29 it says, "Is not My Word like fire, declares the Lord..." In the advent study, "Good News For Great Joy", John Piper wrote of this Word, "Gather ‘round that fire this Advent season. It is warm. It is sparkling with colors of grace. It is healing for a thousand hurts. It is light for dark nights."

 As far back as August, I thought my word was going to be DECLARE. Then it kind of morphed into DECLARE and DEMONSTRATE. And now, all of that is tied together in one simple word - GATHER. 

I chose gather because:

it's a call for ME to gather MYSELF around this fire of God's Word.

it's a call for ME to gather FOR myself the warmth of WISDOM that I find there.

it's a call to gather OTHERS with me by pointing them to God's Word. 

it's a call to gather WITH others in order to go TOGETHER in the ways of WISDOM. 

Love God. Love people. Fight sin. 

It's the theme, the aim, of every year that I call earth my dwelling place. 

In 2014, I have one hope and that is that God will gather His people to Himself. 

My part is to DRINK and to DECLARE and to DEMONSTRATE. 

God's Word is so many things and every single one of the things that it is can be summed up in this: LIFE giver and sustainer. 

The fog may be thick, but of this I am sure, God is calling His people to GATHER; where He calls, He leads. 

GATHERING near the Word by myself and alongside God's people, I will find everything necessary to continue hoping in God. 

Hoping in God, 2014 will be a year well spent.

The fog may lift, clear, or thicken, but the fire, the fountain, the bread, will be there ready for us to gather, to drink, and to feast upon...This Word does not disappoint because it comes from the One who is the most satisfying.

Even when...

You don't know how happy I am to be linking up with Amy for Frankly Friday.  This idea that she came up with was GENIUS. Writing these posts about whatever I want with that banner flying over them letting you know that you're going to hear something frank, is perfect.

Last night I was kicking around ideas. I saw a beautiful picture of the sun and I remembered something my friend Alice told me once.

It has been GRAY here this week. Yesterday I had some driving to do, it was the middle of the day and the fog was so thick that I had could barely see ten feet in front of the car...The house has been dark and I wondered when the sun was going to come back. 

Seeing that picture of the sun shining somewhere else reminded me that the sun HAS been shining, I just couldn't see it. 

And that's where Alice comes in. A few years ago I was at her house and we were talking about something. All of a sudden, she corrected me. She said, "Remember, the sun is always shining, even when you can't see it!" 

I stopped. And I realized that Alice was right. Even on the darkest of days, when the fog is so thick you can't see more than a few feet ahead, the sun is shining. 

God created the universe and we can be sure that the sun will rise and the moon will set and the tides of ocean will come in and go out. 

For some reason, it's very important to Alice that she remember that. She rests in knowing that what God wills will stand. She rests in knowing that the rising and setting sun are reminders that God's word is sure. She knows to trust Him.

Let the sun and the fog be a reminder today. They are His. In His hand you are secure. 

You can be sure of them, just as you can be sure of Him.

 By the way, I can see the sun again today. Somehow, the certainty faith delivers is more precious than the certainty sight insures. 

God's Mission

If you take one thing away from this series that I'm doing right now it would be this: For all of our looking and listening, there is one thing we are meant to observe, namely, God Himself.

Every single person that will ever exist is going to observe the glory of God. 

God's mission is to be seen and heard. 

He is THE "bigger picture" that I've been talking about. 

Isaiah 40:5 says,

"And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, 

and all flesh shall see it together,

 for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

There are some very definitive words here...

The glory of the LORD SHALL be revealed

ALL flesh SHALL see it together

Why?

FOR the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Click ^^^ for a list of all the posts in this series.

A Bigger Picture

The other day I shared Isaiah 42:18 with you. There we saw the truth that God is CALLING us to LOOK and to LISTEN. 

There is something specific that He wants us to SEE and HEAR.

 

Isaiah 41:20 says

That they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it. 

 

The first part of Isaiah 41 is talking about all of the things that God was doing in the land to get the attention of the people. Obviously, this verse was written to them. 

 

The fact is, these same words are echoed throughout the entire Bible and all of creation. There is a bigger picture and that is WHAT God is calling our attention towards.

All around us, God has created everything and done everything He does SO THAT people will 

see and know

consider and understand together

that the hand of the Lord has done this... 

Wherever you are. Whatever is happening around you. Whatever you are enjoying. Whatever you are praying would be solved...God has done it! And He has done it SO THAT you would come to know Him.

Though we are deaf and blind, He has made a way for us to see and hear. 

 

As I read these chapters, thoughts of OBSERVING came to my mind. 

 

Today, won't you OBSERVE what God is up to? 

 

I hope you will and so does He! 

 

 

Click ^^^ to see a list of all the posts in this series.

 

Joy

If you've ever been to my "about me" tab and if you've ever read to the end of what I wrote there, you came across one of my favorite verses. The verse is Philippians 3:10. 

 

"For my determined purpose is that I may know God. 
That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, 
perceiving,recognizing, and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly. 
That I may be continually transformed in spirit into His likeness..."

 

Years ago that verse was part of the "old school" header I had. When I redesigned my blog, there wasn't a place for it there, but I knew I didn't want it to go away. It may be buried in a tab, but it's a verse that's central to my life. 

I just want to KNOW GOD...And I want my life to be continually TRANSFORMED by that knowing. I want people who know me, to feel like they are closer to be God because they've been near someone who has been close to Him. 

Friday I listened to a sermon by John Piper back from 1984. The sermon was on Philippians 3. As I watered my begonias, I was ecstatic at this thought -

Christian, there is more of Christ to know than you now know.

Really think about that. HOWEVER long you've been a Christian. HOWEVER much you think you know. There is STILL MORE of Christ to know. 

The sermon was about so much more than even that...But that thought really stuck with me.

As we know God, there is ALWAYS more to know. As we keep pursuing Him, He is stirring up that desire in us. As we see and savor and share what we find in Him, there is such JOY. 

We won't pursue perfectly. We won't know perfectly. The joy will sometimes seem completely gone. 

Yet, He is there. 

With that, there's one final thought I'm going to leave with you. I saw this quote and then I took this picture during my Friday morning outside. I decided to put the two together...

 

Mornings I Dream Of

It's Friday evening. The last Friday of August 2013! Where did the SUMMER go? I've got a meat loaf in the oven, potatoes boiling on the stove, and some green beans "marinating" in some garlic. 

 

I know it's been a long time since I've posted. I haven't been coming here to share my thoughts or pictures, but I have been taking the pictures and writing the words. It's been good to just go back. Back to the simple place where the words and memories are just mine. Still, I've missed this and I know I'll miss the fact that I don't have pretty posts to look back on. 

 

So, this morning, I did what I've been doing. I grabbed some paper and a pen and I wrote until I didn't have anything to write....

 

 

 **************

 

 I'm on the back patio. The sun is up and just barely beginning to take the chill out of the air. The sky is becoming a deep blue, fading slighting to a lighter shade at the horizon. It's not even eight o'clock yet, but the birds are chirping, dogs are barking, and I've heard trucks and planes heading off to do the day's work. 

 

 

I had one simple thought this morning- I've been up for several hours and yet I stayed in my room waiting for this hour to come. When things were still upstairs, I came up and began a familiar ritual of gathering and starting laundry. I love doing that "first thing". And so, doing what I love and knowing that I love it, I began to dream up my favorite mornings....

 

I dream of mornings where the house is quiet and still. A place of peace and joy awaits anyone who will rise to have it as their own.

 

 

 I dream of mornings where there is coffee to brew and some sort of breakfast ready to be warmed. I made a breakfast casserole Tuesday night and I've loved eating it here and there throughout the week. I think I've had it at breakfast time only this morning - but I love that it's there. 

 

Some mornings, I dream of baking. On Wednesday morning, that's just what I did. I made cinnamon rolls by myself for the first time. I took my time and had them ready just as my brother and sister began to stir for the day.

 

 

I dream of mornings where it's cool enough and warm enough and dry enough to begin them out on the patio. Perhaps with a book, a Bible, my breakfast, or even some paper and a pen, like today. 

 

And these morning that I dream of aren't about being alone - they are about being surrounded. They are  about feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit and basking in the delights that God has placed around me in this earth that He created. 

 

As the breeze picks up I am reminded that the quiet mornings and a quiet heart hold a peace and joy that can be shared. 

The best part about these mornings that I dream of, is that I simply have to show up. These are God's mornings and my dream is really just to join Him. 

 

 

Real Faith

Ladies, I have a question for you today....Do you pray? By this I mean, do you spend earnest time in prayer to God? 
I do and I don't. I have seen God move in specific ways in answers to my prayers over and over again. It blows my mind. It's exciting and yet it's humbling. The God who made and keeps EVERYTHING is here calling me to pray to Him, to have faith, and to watch as He works. 
I am quick to thank God. I am quick to look to God. But I'm just not quick to ASK for things. 

Even so....Every single time I have asked for something specific I've seen a clear answer to it. No spoken words, no writing in the sky, and no pretty package on my doorstep...Not even a "still small voice". What I've seen is CHANGE...Changed hearts, changed situations, growth, understanding, overcoming, and quite a number of times, something given. Usually, answers didn't come overnight, but they came. 
Last week, while I was watching Heidi's kids I decided to turn a sermon on during "nap time". I looked through my iPod and decided on a sermon Mark Dever preached last year. Check it out HERE: Real Faith...Prays. 
Dever is one of my Mom's favorite preachers and I have to say, I can see why! He brings Scripture to real life and I happen to love how he ALWAYS has some piece of history to add to the point he is excited about. 

Ladies, listen to the sermon. Examine yourself and follow Dever's advice!!! Do you pray as though you believe that God is listening and will actually MOVE? 
Pray: Boldly...Specifically...Perseveringly....and WATCH as God works. 
2013 has been about DRINKING and a huge piece of that is praying...God works through our prayers. He works today and our prayers live on long after us! 

Praying isn't mainly about talking to or hearing from or getting something from God...Praying IS about setting a pattern of FAITH. Praying is KNOWING truth, STANDING on truth, and staying FOCUSED on God. 

As I pray, I need God, I need His Word, and I make for myself a path that leads me to walk with Him....Praying is what builds and strengthens and "fleshes out" the mind of God in my own head. 
Dever says to think about what you didn't pray about yesterday and pray about it today. That's A LOT....Don't run, don't worry, don't fear: do pray, do wait, do believe....He cares and He is working and in prayer you are saying, "in faith, I believe".

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess our sins one to another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three ears and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. James 5: 13-18

God is Right There

What a morning it has been! I woke up to the sun coming in through the window and decided that I would get out of bed and head out to the patio. I love beginning my day outside in the fresh, cool air while it is still completely peaceful. 
This morning I brought out a glass of water, my Bible, and my journal. I decided to read the five Psalms of the day (take the day and keep adding thirty to it until you run out of Psalms). As I read Psalm 5, 35, 65, 95, and 125 I saw one theme:
The cause of the Lord stands. 
I was also reminded that my soul needs to KNOW that God is at work. He is my salvation. He surrounds me and keeps me walking in that salvation that He has given to me. 
Everything He made is in His hand. I can be sure of that. In Him, we have our cause. Oh that I would be led by that cause daily! 
Since then, I came inside and had breakfast and visited with my Mom. Then I settled back down to read "Knowing God" by JI Packer. I'm not one to re-read books, but there are a few books I do re-read. This book is one of them. 
If there is one book you should read this year (I hope I haven't already said this...), you should read "Knowing God"! It has been a few years since my last trip through it....I forgot how RICH it truly is! 
In the first chapter, Packer quotes Charles Spurgeon in a call to the journey through coming to truly know God, 
"Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity...Go, plunge yourself in the Godhead's deepest sea; be lost in the immensity; and you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which can so comfort the soul; so calm the swelling billows of sorrow and grief; so speak peace to the winds of trial, as a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead..."
Any of you who have spent time with God in an attempt to KNOW Him, know this to be true. Whatever questions are raised, whatever convictions are had, there is NOTHING like sitting with God. 
However strange it sounds, there you find plain truth that leads to the clearest thinking you can have about life. And what PEACE and JOY and SECURITY truth brings. 
Packer describes Psalm 119 as communicating the fact that,
"His supreme desire was to know and enjoy God himself, and he valued knowledge about God simply as a means to this end. He wanted to understand God's truth in order that his heart might respond to it and his life be conformed to it."
I promise...If you take the time to read this book you will be on your way to knowing and enjoying God and having a heart that responds to His truth and a life that is conformed to it....And there you will most certainly find REST. 
The last few weeks have been full of spending time with people who love God and to be able to know them and the God that they love is absolutely refreshing. 
I hope this spring has been this for you too! If not...It's not too late! Today, dig in. Seek Him!