My favorite lounge chair at Cabo Azul Resort.

Drake and I just returned from the gift of an 8-day vacation in Cabo, Mexico.  We had an amazing time of rest and relaxation, relishing the opportunity to escape from the things that usually consume our time and energy.   But interestingly, despite being completely removed from my typical circumstances, I found myself unable to flee the things that perpetually consume my thoughts.

I went into our getaway hoping to find rest, not only for my body, but also for my mind.  Yet what I discovered is how our vacation proved to highlight that which truly rules my heart—the things, both good and bad, that could not be silenced by retreating…and, in fact, emerged with greater voracity when the daily toils of life were eliminated.

I had nothing I needed to think about, so my mind naturally drifted to things I always think about.  I began to write them down.  As my list grew, it became apparent to me that I was gazing upon an unfiltered reflection of my real heart, that which actually takes precedence in my life, that which enfolds me.  While much of my list was good and God-honoring, other aspects reflected vanity, worry, and pride—and even some of the good things were tinged with the latter.  It was a picture of my own humanity, a depiction of my deepest needs and longings, along with some of my fruitless grasps at fulfillment.

This cleansing exercise while sitting on a terry-cloth-covered lounge chair in a foreign land actually proved to bring the relaxation I so desperately needed for my mind.  As all the clutter was cleared away and I was able to take stock of my heart, it was an opportunity to invite God into all those areas anew…

And in that I found rest.