​So here she is!  January.  Dressed in her overtones of blue and grey, accessorized by geometric designs on round discs that are perched upon skinny retractable sticks, and with chunky people running around in yoga pants, pashmina’s and duck boots!  What a sight! 

​We hide out in our homes because nothing we put on seems to fit anymore since Christmas!  How did that happen?!  We’ve had Christmas and now we have the drudgery of taking down the dead tree, throwing out the wilted Poinsettia’s, and cleaning up all of the decorations that we put out.  It’s cold and rainy.  Oh, and January is half over and we haven’t even begun to start our projects of “this year I’m gonna get organized!”  What a let down! Procrastination has quietly and quickly sneaked in and taken a foothold!  Secretly, we are already demotivated as we proclaim our “word for the year” and that brings on feelings of hypocrisy.  Oh how we want to be so spiritual!  Start the New Year right! But instead, we hang our heads in weakness, fatigue, and shame.

​January 15th …Blue Monday, the pinnacle of depression or so says Social Media and other non-experts on the matter.  But, no one needs to be an expert to identify January as the month that seems to drag us down.  The weather is drab and dreary.  The sun seems to have halted its energy-bringing rays into our lives and we haven’t the motivation to do much of anything! 
 
Here’s the pseudoscientific formula created for identifying Blue Monday! 

One blogger (author unknown) in the UK sums it up like this: 
‘I see people who are exhausted – physically and emotionally drained and this exhaustion means that our stress response kicks in, and this drains us further. ‘This exhaustion leads to low mood and the January blues are born. ‘This is different to depression, its short-term exhaustion and by allowing yourself to rest, to rejuvenate, taking the pressure off and healing from the drama of the Christmas period you can often recharge yourself and lift your mood.
‘I believe that January is a time for reflection and rest. This does not mean make a load of resolutions that you are unlikely to follow through, it means rest!’

I must be honest here and tell you that I strongly dislike January!  It’s a very difficult month for me for many reasons surrounding the past loss of loved ones and sheer exhaustion.  I don’t think that I fall into the category of the population that experiences SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but I do believe that a lack of sunlight and physical weariness play a big part in it for me. 
 
So how do we cope? 

Maybe your soul is thirsty, like Kathy blogged about last week.  Jesus can quench that thirst and provide the light that your soul needs.  If you missed last week, be sure to go back and read it.

​Perhaps you don’t feel dry, but just lacking…lacking in motivation, joy and laughter.  You’re tired!  Your brain is on overload with new beginnings and it’s the realization of all that needs to be done in January that is overwhelming and depressing you.  It’s true that in our eyes, January is a time to begin again.  But what we have forgotten was that with new beginnings, intentional prep work needed to take place.  You can’t plant a beautiful garden without prepping first! 

So here we are at the end of January.  We were so busy with Thanksgiving, family, friends, gifting, Christmas programs,  Christmas, and New Year's Eve festivities that we literally didn’t plan for January or it’s blues.  Now it’s come and gone and we fall to our knees with feelings of anxiety, fear, and shame.  Sure, we needed rest and we took a little break, but it’s not the rest that has landed us in the realm of January blues.  It’s the lack thereof… of real rest! 
Intentional, scheduled, disciplined, purposeful rest! 

​It takes a lot of prayer, energy, the Word, attitude adjustments, and sometimes a little help from a friend to help pull you from the mouth of the great Blue monster (and we thought he was red).  You see, Satan likes for us to wear ourselves down because it is then that our guard is low and our mind becomes his playground.  When I felt pretty low this week, I felt the nudge from the Holy Spirit reminding me to put on the whole armor of God, starting with the helmet of salvation!  As I sat on the sofa that morning with my coffee, the verse that matches my word for the year seemingly floated across the room and circled overhead.

Well, it’s still raining outside and my toes are cold, but my heart is warmed and refreshed by the faithfulness God ALWAYS provides for my soul and life!  He can do the same for you if you ask.

So, the truth about January?  Yeah, it's hard. God didn't promise skies would always be pretty blue, but He did promise that He'd see us through.  And with that my friend, I find great hope and peace.  As should you!

​Resting in His Joy,
​Sherry

​“On the last and greatest day of the festival,
Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said,
 rivers of living water will flow from within them.
” By this he meant the Spirit,
whom those who believed in him
were later to receive. Up to that time
 the Spirit had not been given,
since Jesus had not yet been glorified."
​John 7:37- 39 NIV

​

The invitation is open to all. “If anyone is thirsty come to me and drink.”
Each of us has a soul and that soul has a deep thirst. Our bodies need water to survive.
 Our souls need the living water of God to survive. 

John Piper says it this way in a sermon on this passage,
“This is the most important thing to know about yourself. You were made to live on God. You have a soul, a spirit.
There is a you that is more than a body. And that you, if it does not drink from the greatness and wisdom
​and power and goodness and justice and holiness and love of God, will die of thirst.”

The Lord will guide you always;
    he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
    and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
    like a spring whose waters never fail.
                Isaiah 58:11 NIV
​

 Dallas Willard writes, “Spiritual growth and vitality stems from what we actually do with our lives, from the habits we form and from the character results.”

When you come each day to the Word, Jesus spreads before you a banquet, a feast of life to nourish your soul.
When you come to Christ to satisfy the thirst of your soul, you receive the gift of His Spirit living in you.
There in His fullness and by the mystery of His grace, you become like that well-watered garden - even in the cold days of winter. His spring of water, the risen, living Spirit of Jesus will never fail you.
For you see the source of life for your garden is Jesus in you.

Maybe you are already feeling a little discouraged in this new year. That list of goals and resolutions seems  overwhelming, like too much to achieve. Or perhaps like so many I know, you are already weary from a winter illness that has drained your strength and energy. God is faithful and compassionate. He longs to refresh our spirits with the truth found in the Scriptures. But, we must make the choice to let the life giving water of His Word wash over us.

My Beloved

I have made My light to shine in your heart to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
​in the face of Christ.  You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. 
 Live as a child of light.
 
 Beloved, if you are willing, I will flood your soul with My Spirit and life. Will you choose to let Me possess your whole being so utterly that your life will display the radiance of My Son?
Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise Your Father in heaven. 

I have come to offer you living water so that you will never be thirsty again. Trust in Me and don’t be afraid.
 I am the Lord, your strength and your song. Draw from the well of My salvation with joy! 

(paraphrased from Mt. 5:16, John 8:12,  Eph. 5:8, 2 Cor. 4:6,  John 4: 10, Is. 12:3​0)

​I’m encouraged that each day is a new day, full of choices and opportunities. 
Won’t you join me today and make the choice to drink freely from the water of life, Jesus.

 I'm so grateful for the simple faith lessons I was reminded of this morning from my little hyacinth bulbs -
     Feed on the water of the Word, turn toward His light
             and watch your life bloom with the fragrance and beauty of Christ! 
​
You have been created with a soul thirst that can only be satisfied in Jesus. 
So drink of Him!
​Kathy

Sometimes pictures are worth more than words!  I'm guessing that means that pictures with audio/video is better! 
​Be sure to view this blog from your browser by clicking the title.  Viewing straight from some phones eliminates the content!

We wanted to make sure that you know of our upcoming Restore Retreat for women.  Our focus for this retreat is "Women Investing in Women" with the theme of Awaken to the Pursuit of the Bridegroom.  We encourage you to come and bring another woman to retreat with us, age 16 and older please.  There are only 12 rooms available for this retreat!
You won't want to miss out on this teaching, worship, fellowship, and quiet times at this beautiful conference center.  God has been faithful to minister to the hearts of participants who seek to know Him more intimately. He pursues YOU even now!  Won't you join Him? and us!

                Feeling a little timid to retreat?
                                              Don't like retreats?
                                                             Or, don't have time to retreat?
                                                                               You will not be disappointed!  God is faithful!

This is not your typical type of "retreat!"  We offer women plenty of time to rest and be restored by the Holy Spirit.  The retreat grounds are beautifully designed with places around the lake for you to take in nature and quiten your hurried soul.  Our teaching sessions are scripturally based and take us deeper into His word as we explore topics of Divine Passion, Our Position, and His Purpose.  If you are the type of person who really doesn't like to be alone, no worries there either.  A creative arts time of fellowship on Saturday night always brings lots of laughter and fun!  For pictures of our September retreat, click the button at the end of this blog.  Be sure to bring someone with you and let's retreat from this hurried world!!!  
                            Blessings,
                                      Kathy & Sherry
​                Scholarships are available.  Contact us directly for more information:  restoreministries@ymail.com

                 We are praying for you even now and hoping you will realize the pursuing nature of God in your life.

So it’s a new year. How are you feeling about that? Maybe you’re ready to embrace it? Your Christmas decorations are neatly put away. You’ve set your goals. You’ve chosen your word for the year and even cleaned out a closet! That would not be me. I’m sitting here looking at my tree and the lights for the last time. Today is my day to start taking it all down - those decorations I didn’t get put up until the week before Christmas. I’m missing my children and grand babies who have gone back home after a ten day visit. I’m still recovering a bit from all the cooking and flurry of activity that comes from a house full with a three year old active girl, an eight month old baby girl who has just learned to crawl, two daughters, a son and law, two dogs, and all the other extended family and friends who have come in and out of our home for feasts and festivities over the last few weeks. Here are just a couple of my favorite pictures with the grand babies. My sweet son-in- law Spencer caught these precious moments on camera. I"m so grateful!

Hmmm.....It's too hard to pick just two!  After a difficult year, God blessed us with so much joy this holiday season.Here's a glimpse into some of our family celebrations and traditions. 

Living in simplicity is about depending on His transforming power to renew our minds and discover His perfect will. It's about not conforming to the ways of this world. Simplicity is a paradox because it is both a gift of grace and a discipline of faith. We have the power to choose or not.

What we do does not give us simplicity, but it does put us in a place where we can receive it.

In His ministry and life on earth Jesus sometimes said "no". Although His life was a display of God's love, mercy and healing grace, He didn't heal everyone. He didn't respond to every demand of the crowd. He had twelve disciples. Often he called them away from the urgency of the masses to spend time in prayer and in relationship with the Father and personal discipleship.
​
 With God's help we need to set boundaries. We need to learn our emotional and physical limits. Saying no to what you don't need gives you the freedom to say yes to what God created you to do and who he created you to be. Learning what those boundaries and limits are is best found when we choose to quiet our spirits in the disciplines of prayer, silence and solitude. There in that place, God works and develops our character in order for us to bring His perspective back into our interaction with those He places in our lives. The world we live in is desperately fallen and set against God’s truth and ways. We must stay grounded in HIs Word, renewing our minds with truth that gives life.

Restore Ministries is also available to come to your church or study group as retreat or conference speakers and worship leaders or to assist in special women's events. Click the "Contact" button below to send us an email if interested.
Click the "Topics" link below for teaching topics ready to offer at your special event!

Resources: Scripture photo Pinterest