Rest & Renewal: 5 Questions With Rebekah Lyons

Hey friends!As we approach the new year, we can't think of a better Q&A than one with Rebekah Lyons- author of Rhythms of Renewal, a book all about releasing anxiety and entering a life of rest and renewal. Yes, please! It is on our hearts to make 2020 a year of slowing down to savor the gift of life and to resist the temptation to get caught up in the stress loop that never ends well. If you agree with us, this Q&A with Rebekah will inspire you to implement four rhythms into your life: rest, restore, connect, and create. Keep reading for more! xoYour book, Rhythms of Renewal, is truly a game-changer. What do you hope your book will ignite within a reader while or after reading it?My hope is that the reader will feel empowered and equipped to take charge of their emotional health through tangible and practical steps. With the understanding that transformation happens one small step at a time, one day at a time.--Out of the four rhythms, is there one that particularly is near & dear to your heart...if so, which one and why!?Rest is dear to my heart because I know how important it is. It is the foundation for having something to offer someone else. When I don’t rest, I burn out. It’s also the most challenging for me because I tend to like to run hard and fast, but each time I do that without resting, I feel the waves of burnout. I think the reason why 77% of our society experiences physical symptoms of stress is because we’ve lost the permission to rest.--In the Create section, we particularly loved how you described the importance of dreaming and creating space to dream. What is it about this step that is so important when living out the lives that God designed us for? We are all born with birthright gifts that are established in our mother’s womb. These are unique to every one of us, and I believe that calling is where our talents and burdens collide. So part of the journey is reawakening the things that were effortless for us at 8, 9, 10 and finding that childlike wonder and excitement around the things that we loved to do. That way as adults when we recapture those things, it brings back a feeling of joy and confidence when we feel fully alive.--In the conclusion, you have an exceptionally beautiful quote about strength: "There's nothing more beautiful than finding strength on the other side of yes. It's not a strength of doing, but one of being. Being in the center of his will." Can you elaborate more on this God-given strength that equips us and enables us to do what He has called us to do?Strength comes when we surrender the life we thought we wanted, and embrace the life we are given. It’s a strength of contentment and peace. Knowing that god goes before us and brings people around. Some of the hardest things I had to say yes to were the things that inspired and matured me the most. So now I understand that strength is holding my plans loosely and embracing the moment right in front of me.--The way you write about your daughter, Joy, is beyond beautiful. Can you try to describe in a sentence (or two!) what bringing Joy in your family has meant to you all?She’s been the glue that brings us together in a whole new way. I can hardly remember life before her. She makes every day fun. And because my other children are older, we are all getting to experience the joy of her childlike wonder together.

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