Learning to value rest in the fast lane

 

One of the many lessons I have learned from living in two of our world's biggest cities (Johannesburg and Los Angeles) is the value of rest. In a transient world with unlimited technology and opportunities to connect we have to be intentional to step away from that and rest. Life is not meant to always be lived in the fast lane. 

Graham Cooke says it brilliantly:

"Rest is something that we receive, so we must be willing to allow rest to displace the opposite. I think that is where we partner with God. You can’t trust the Lord and be anxious, because those two things are incompatible.  They can’t exist in the same space at the same time; one of them has to go, and you get to choose!"

(from The Practice Of Rest)

Rest has come for me this week with my some of my family in Hilton Head, South Carolina. It has been great to step in to a week where I can look my family in the eyes and care about what's on their hearts and minds. It's pretty difficult to feel in step with them when I live thousands of miles away from most of them. But resting and spending time with them allows my mind to be renewed and me to feel more in step with them and most importantly the Lord. I leave all of my stress, my anxious thoughts, my heartache at the feet of Jesus and in turn receive love, acceptance, healing.

Each day I am waking up to connect with Jesus and take walks with him. This allows me to rest and step in to whatever He has for me that day. I want to be a son who is sharp and connected to his dad. My connectedness to Holy Spirit allows me to connect well with others and with this Olympics drawing closer it's vital I get away and have time to read, rest, reflect, and recharge. I am trusting God for a significant move of power and love to be displayed in Rio through the ministry of Jesus!!!

upcoming itinerary:

Monday - Wednesday: Miami 

August 3 : Tunja, Columbia 🇨🇴

August 8 : Brazil! 🇧🇷

DC - Amelia - Charlotte

Wow, DC you are on 🔥 . Although the temps here hit near 100 degrees daily I loved my time in this maxing city 

 

I had an incredibly sweet time with my sister Sarah-Wynne in Georgetown. She has a brilliant and creative mind and is such a hard worker and just gets stuff done in life! I am so proud of her!

 

a Nationals game! 

 

seeing my Dad, stepmom Clarkie, and my step brother Will and his wife Darcy and their little one Steele. What a gift it was to see them in DC!

From DC I headed to Fredericksburg and got to see my old college teammate John Michael Payette and his beautiful family. Wow, God has blessed the Payette family. It's amazing to see God working in the lives of my college teammates. 

I then got to see my friends Grant and Carrie Throckmorton in Richmond as they await their new baby any day! This Throckmorton family is amazing and they bless anyone that comes across their path!

 

amazing time with my grandma Dot! She is 89 and strong. I value her life so much. She inspires me to live well and fight for others around me to prosper.

 

 

what a day adventuring on the Catawba River with my great friend Amanda Naeher. She is one of the most authentic and real people I know! 

Living out west makes me cherish my times when I get to return to the East coast where I grew up. The scenery is so different but the friendships and family still pick right back up where they left off. There are more stops I could make when I come back east but I try to do things well and spend quality time with those that I get to see.  

My next post will be about family time in Hilton Head Island, a family vacation home for years!

East Coast swing begins

Team Eppes and friends! I want to do a better job of chronicling my journey over the next few weeks as I take a month away from Loa Angeles to travel and do some ministry.

Tonight's entry is from Washington DC. I arrived here tonight from Los Angeles and had a great time catching up with my sister and her boyfriend just after touch down. I am here to see family, connect with some supporters of Team Eppes, and eventually make my way down the coast to Miami as I will leave for the Columbia on August 3 and then to Rio for the Olympic Games on August 7.

Coming back in Virginia is always so sweet and I really appreciate summertime here. From lightning bugs to the greenery to a Nationals game tomorrow night I'm excited to see and reconnect to my familiar roots here. I love this city. DC is full of history and just rich with summer at the moment. I pray for DC tonight to feel the love of God and the greatness of its foundations.

a shot below of tonight's Buck Moon over the Jefferson Memorial