God doesn’t usually shout to get our attention. Rather, He whispers softly to our hearts, longing for us to hear and respond to His voice. Although those whispers can become more urgent over time, especially when we’ve grown hard-hearted or temporarily deaf to His calling.
As I’ve been reading Bonnie Gray’s latest release, ‘Whispers of Rest: 40 Days of God’s Love to Revitalize Your Soul’, God has been using it powerfully to speak to me. Each chapter ushers us into deeper soul rest, with Bonnie sharing her experiences, several scriptural references, God’s whispers to her heart (and to our own), and thought-provoking quotes.
Each day’s devotional offers a word to guide us, prayer, soul permission slip, room to prayerfully reflect and journal our story, an intriguing, helpful Beloved Soul Care challenge and Soul Care Trail Notes to offer extra inspiration and encouragement.
On day one of reading Bonnie’s book I heard the words “deep water” from the Lord and He whispered this…
“Beloved, I want to draw you out of the shallows, where your net has been cast in seas of people-pleasing and approval, pressure and stress. Instead, I invite you to spend more time with Me. Let this be a season of rest, recuperation and refreshment for you.
Go deeper into My current of grace. Let Holy Spirit bathe you in a healing balm and deep waters of calm. Take time to sit with Me. Stay longer. Linger in My presence. Pause to become rooted and renewed.
Stop long enough to hear My voice above the world’s noise and the clamour of your own thoughts. Stay in silence. Befriend stillness. Accept your need for rest of every kind. I long to pour My peace into your restless soul.
I seek to have you know Me better as Soul Lover and Friend. I yearn for your heart’s true devotion. I am calling you to come aside for a while. To lay down your burdens, cares and concerns, to trust Me with everything.”
“Hold nothing back. I see those secret anxieties and fears you try to hide. Your soul is perfectly transparent to Me. It is also perfectly secure, unbreakable and safe in My hands.
Relax in knowing I already know all things. Nothing is concealed from Me. Take My hand and let’s journey together over the next few weeks as close soul companions and friends. Lean on Me and trust Me to take very good care of you at all times, in shallow or in deeper waters of life.”
I highly recommend you get a copy of Bonnie’s beautiful new book and see how God speaks softly to you through its pages. She is a gentle, inspiring and encouraging guide in helping us to have a deeper soul conversation with God.
My biggest faith shot takeaways have been: keeping a regular prayer journal again, listening better to God and savouring each soul care challenge. I’ve also benefited hugely from seeing myself more fully as God’s Beloved, and I know you will too. You can order it here and download bonus gifts as well!
**Friends, the words above have encouraged me to (finally!) take a blogging break for a few weeks, although email only subscribers will hear from me soon via my quarterly newsletter. I can also be found on social media and may post occasionally on my Facebook page.
In order to not miss out, please subscribe below, in the sidebar or on the About page here. I’d be honoured to have your company! May God be with you and bless you richly in the days ahead as you rest in Him. Meanwhile, you are in my thoughts and prayers.** 🙂
Words of Joy 
I needed exactly this, exactly now. Thank you, Dear God, Dear Joy, and Dear Bonnie! I have put the book on my wish list; maybe a birthday gift to myself. 🙂
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Cheryl Anne, I’m so pleased God used these thoughts to prompt you into taking deeper rest. It takes courage to step away and acknowledge our souls are best fed by rest and time spent with God. You’ll love Bonnie’s book! Hope you don’t have too long to wait to read it. Blessings, love and prayers winging their way to you, dear friend. xo ❤
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{{{Joy}}} ❤
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You’re welcome, dear friend. I’ve just received an email to let me know Bonnie’s book is winging its way to me sooner than anticipated. I should have a paperback copy in my hands within a week, praise God! Hope you are enjoying your season of rest and recuperation. Blessings, love, hugs and prayers to you. xo ❤
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Hi Joy,
I love your restful images and thoughts about Bonnie’s book! What I love about it is how unique the practices she suggests are and how God uses them to speak to our hearts in the creative ways only we can understand. I’m sorry to hear you’ll be on a little blog break (I feel as if we’ve just met!) but I’m looking forward to your newsletter! xo
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Hi Valerie, thank you for your gracious words. I must admit to a pang inside at the thought of taking a blogging break, especially as we’ve only just met and I do love making friends! I know I’m going to miss the sweet engagement here for a while. It was good to pop over and read your recent post. Bonnie’s book seems to have found a home in the hearts of all who savour her words and unique creative take on this important topic. I’m looking forward to implementing more of the soul care practices over the next few weeks. And I look forward to connecting with you again through my newsletter, my friend! xo
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Dear Joy,
What a beautiful picture in the garden! I loved reading your review of Bonnie’s book. I felt so many of the same things–not surprising to me, as God seems to keep walking us down similar pathways. Isn’t it amazing that at a time when our bodies need rest, our Lord calls us to Himself to find a deeper SOUL rest? He does know how we are knit together–so intricately woven. I will surely miss your voice here on your blogs, but I am deeply grateful that Jesus is taking such good care of you my friend! You are worth it! And my prayers will continue to be lifted up for you, asking God to restore health to you and your husband. Much Love, Hugs, and Blessings to you! xoxo
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Dear Bettie, I couldn’t resist sharing this image (taken when we spent time in our son’s garden), although I have jazzed it up a little bit! I loved how you shared about the impact Bonnie’s book has had on your own faith walk. Yes, we are travelling down similar pathways, all leading to a deeper appreciation of soul stillness and rest in God. He cares for us holistically, and a weary body so often has a tired mind and a saggy soul as well! Our Great Physician definitely did knit us together intricately and knows just how to minister to our broken bodies, tired minds and saturated, world-weary souls. Thank you so much for your sweet, encouraging words. I’m struggling with low self-esteem issues again and have to keep reminding myself of my worth and value IN CHRIST, never mind to anyone else. Your prayers are greatly appreciated and warmly welcome, kind friend! It’s a bit scary to go off the blogging grid for a while, necessary as it is. Much love, hugs and blessings returned to you! xoxo
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Your review is so restful, Joy. I love how already on Day 1, God whispered to your own heart. This especially moves me – “Go deeper into My current of grace. Let Holy Spirit bathe you in a healing balm and deep waters of calm. Take time to sit with Me. Stay longer. Linger in My presence. Pause to become rooted and renewed.” Amen! I will miss your posts, but I’m glad you’re giving yourself some much needed nurturing. God be with you and keep you and give you His peace! I look forward to your quarterly newsletter. I joined Instagram, but I have yet to figure it out more… Love and hugs to you!
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Trudy, I thought the same thing about your review and especially loved the deer photos! I was taken aback by God’s readiness to speak to me when I began Bonnie’s book, and just how needful His words would turn out to be. It’s heartening to think they have spoken to you too. I think these ones are particularly special to me as I take a season of rest: “Pause to become rooted and renewed.” I will miss writing my posts, although I am sure that I’ll still have words to write and will just have to sit on the urge to share them! However, I remain open to God’s leading and guiding about when, where and what to share. The newsletter is yet to be written, so that’s a good place to start! Much needed soul nurturing should be beneficial, once I get over my inner panic at being away from the blogs for a while. I’ve followed you on Instagram. It’s not that complicated, though it helps to have fairly square images if possible, otherwise parts can get cut off when trying to share them. You can also download your blog images to your phone or tablet and share them from there. Some folk seem to be able to find a way to do it on the PC but it has bypassed me! The main thing is to have fun, share only when and what you’re happy to share and make choices about whether they’re also put out on other social media channels. Please feel free to email me to stay in touch, if you have a query about anything or a prayer need, okay? Take care, dear friend. Love and hugs to you! xo ❤
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As I read your post I could almost hear a babbling brook and birds singing. It drew me in already to quietness and contemplation:) I call moments like this “lingering ” with the Lord. So enjoyable and intimate. Thanks for the info about this book👍
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Oh how restful that sounds! I love to listen to birdsong and a babbling brook would be lovely as well. I’m so pleased you found some soul rest here, Gretchen, and know you will discover deeper ways of gaining those things if you read Bonnie’s new book. Thank you for visiting. Have a blessed weekend! 🙂 x
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I’m so glad God is speaking to you in the gentle way, my friend. I pray that you will indeed be rooted and renewed in Him during your time away from blogging. You will be in my thoughts and prayers, dear Joy.
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June, I just wish I’d not been so slow (or resistant) in seeing rest as an urgent soul and body necessity, but I do appreciate the tender way our Lord whispers His concern and care for us with such love, patience, persistence and perseverance. At this early stage, I still feel a bit wary about stepping back from blogging for a while, even though I know it’s the right thing to do. I expect peace will come as I yield more to God’s sweet invitation to become “rooted and renewed in Him” during this period of pausing from my usual forms of busyness. Thank you so much for thinking of and praying for me! I’m truly thankful. Although I might not be quite as present on social media or as frequent a visitor to your blog as before, you are also in my thoughts and prayers, dear friend. xo ❤
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