About the Author

Grace P. Cho is a Korean American writer, poet, and speaker. She believes telling our stories can change the world, and desires to elevate women of color’s voices in the publishing industry. Learn more at @gracepcho and gracepcho.com.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
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things we love
& you will too!
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  1. I KNOW what you’re writing about, but I couldn’t follow that advice myself. I, was just diagnosed with Covid yesterday (yes, I’m fully vaccinated). I refused to rest, so my body found a virus that has forced me to stop & slow down. I’m not allowed to work (in office or at home) so I’ll be resting for the next week. Thankfully my case is mild, so I’ll truly get to relax. I’m frustrated to have Covid, but grateful for the invitation to rest.

    • Mary Beth,

      So sorry you have Covid. Asking God to send healing to you quickly. God uses many things in His arsenal to get us to rest. Praying your body gets the rest it needs.

      Blessings 🙂

  2. I have tears rolling down my cheeks as this was meant for me to read today. God knows all we need and He knows who to use to fill that need. Today, for me, it was your writing. Thank you for the reminder to rest and refill and rejuvenate. I need to do that and to let myself be filled with the Holy Spirit instead of chasing every deadline and frankly, dead end. Thank you.

  3. So true, Grace. We have to remember even Jesus would take a break from his disciples/followers, and go off by himself to pray/rest. By taking a break we get to see God’s glory and appreciate it – whether it’s our children doing cartwheels or seeing the sun set or whatever…

  4. Grace, thank you. This is exactly
    how I’ve been feeling for weeks. Exhausted. On all fronts. Thank you for finding the words to encourage the rest of us who feel like we’re dragging around our own empty souls. There’s a way back to peace and full-living. It’s on my schedule to really rest in my Sabbath tomorrow. Thank you, again.

  5. Grace,
    How timely, for me and probably most others as the weight of the last year and a half has been heavy in so many ways. I just revisited a study on Sabbath I did a few years ago and was reminded recently, and again today through your words, that sometimes the call to trust God with the things we leave undone is uncomfortable, but oh so worth it, and even necessary.
    Kellie

  6. Why do we find it so hard to rest? But we do! Our Creator God knew us so well He commanded us to take a rest every 7th day. Yes the Sabbath is for worshipping Him but it benefits our physical, emotional & spiritual well being. What a smart, loving God we have! Thank you for sharing your experience to help remind us all!

  7. Your writing touched my heart and soul. I didn’t rest, in fact I ran faster and harder when I knew I should rest, and I broke. I broke physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I was and am so blessed that God sent an army to lift me up, to help me heal, and to be my strength when I had none.
    Grace this message is so powerful and important. Rest, just rest – and isn’t that what God asked us to do by His example on the Sabbath. I will now heed the call to rest whenever I hear it and I’m printing out your message just in case I ever forget to rest. Thank you.

    • Thank you for sharing, Paula! I’m the type to want to run faster and harder too. I’m praying we both continue to learn to Sabbath well in our lives.

  8. As i sit on a ferry going to work seeing in my minds eye the Grace of rest, balance and life refreshing calm in this. Thank you Grace

  9. Oh, Grace. As an enneagram two this is one of the hardest things for me to do without being awash with guilt. Growing up as a pastor’s kid, Martyrdom, in any fashion, was held up as the only way to be truly Godly. It is embedded in my spiritual DNA and I tend to forget about grace. Thank you so much for the reminder.

    • I FEEL YOU SO MUCH, MELISSA!!! I’m a fellow 2 and PK as well! Working out and away from guilt has been a big part of the work I’ve been doing in therapy and in life. Grace for us today and always.

  10. Thank you Grace. I feel God is also speaking to me to tell me to slow down. I am burning out and it has been a very tough few years of constantly pushing myself and being the rock for my family. I am at the end of my tether and am so tired and weary. I need to take time for some self care!

    • I pray you find a way to rest even in the midst of the caring, Julie. I know sometimes we don’t have a choice but to care and work and keep going, but I pray that even in small, short moments, you can take deep breaths and remember that you are cared for and loved by God.

  11. I have heard this message in church, podcasts, and so many devotionals lately. So great that we don’t have to do it all and be everything to everyone. Thank you God for rest and for filling our souls and hearts when we are weary and empty.

  12. That is so me thank you for the insight. My heart is heavy because of all the sickness and depression that is all around me. I ask God every day to bring our country to rest. To renew my mind which is so spent and worn out
    Thank you Elaine

  13. You’re right on! As I enter the last nine months toward menopause, I am discovering I need more and more rest like a caterpillar entering a cocoon. As a fellow Asian American, I know the resistance to rest is both cultural and familial. May we all find the courage to take the breaks we need to replenish our bodies and souls.

    • A caterpillar entering a cocoon — I love that imagery as you say you’re entering a different season. Yes, may we all find the courage to rest.

  14. “Rest is resistance to a do-it-all culture that tells us to prove our worth. When our value is measured by what we can offer, our humanity is hollowed up and thrown away. It’s no wonder we can so self-righteously determine a person’s destiny by their usefulness, instead of seeing them as beloved, cherished human beings just as they are — just as we are.” Wow. Yes. All of this. Thank you, friend.

  15. Grace thank you for what you shared. I know you feel you like to get your work done. Then spent time with your kids I don’t have any. But was a Registered to for 19 years. I just wasn’t brave enough to give birth. But did love kids. What struck me as Registered Childminder. Was I used look after kids. Who had parents could have spent more time with there kids. Rather than working all the hours. To earn as much money as they could. I used to look at the kids and say to myself. One day the parents will look around themselves and the house will be empty. They will say were did those years the house was noisey. Kids demanding our attention. Now it quite. Thoes parents will look back at the years they spent working. Say why didn’t I do less work. It not all about money. It about spending time with my kids. As long as you get enough to pay your bills put clothes on their back food on the table. As kids I used to say will when big remember the time their Parents spent with time. You as Parents don’t want to have your kids say. Too you. But when you were growing up. You were more instreased in your work and sending us to the Childminder. Yes as good as she was. She was not you. We would have liked less time at the Childminders. More time with you our Parents. That sad if that happens. We always get in life what does us. We don’t need to think if I worked more. I have more money to do this and this. Yes that is nice. But what is more important. Working less and putting time into your family. As long as you get enough to do you all. As when kids are growing up through those years. Thoes are the most important when memories are made for them. With there Parents. Not spent all the time working. So it is good I say for Parents be who are working to stop working as long. Rest and relax be with their kids. As the years fly by. Before you know it they are gone. You only get to see them now and then. Taking time away from work and resting and putting the time in your kids and making memories with them. We that don’t have kids. We have to not work work. All the time. We don’t have to feel it all about making money as long you get enough to do you. As you will burn out. It could affect your health. Our Lord rested. That is why he gave us 6 day to work. On the 7 rest. As we need it. Our bodies need it. So let’s take a leaf out of our Lord book. Take time to rest. Even if you have no kids. Still rest. Or if have kids don’t be working all the time. Rest and spend the time with the kids. The kids will appreciate it. They look back at their child hood and say yes our parents went to work. But they also rested had time for us and made memories with us. Not work work all the time. Thank you Grace for what you shared. I loved it. Keeping you all incourage in my prayers. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx

  16. So beautiful, Grace
    Well expressed. I love watching you and Becky Keife on your Courageous podcasts. Inspirational! Keep up the good work.

  17. Grace,

    This past year plus has played havoc in so many lives. We are all feeling frustrated, weary & worn. It has been especially hard on my hubby & I as we both work in hospital. I haven’t ever felt this worn out & done. our jobs are so hard dwindling resources-many people leaving hospital work- & more patients. Jesus commands us to rest in Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Jesus understands our need for rest better than anyone. He often went alone to rest & be with God. If He needed rest then how much more do we need it? We all have limits on our energy reserves. Resting restores us & allows us to fill back up.

    Blessings 🙂

  18. I feel this way frequently. Mostly I get the urge to keep going when it is bedtime & I give in to that…thinking I can always rest later. Of course, I know better. I mean, yes I can take the time to rest later, but I need rest now, too. I’m still trying to figure out what is triggering this but do recall that it started just a few months after Covid hit. Thanks for your story & how you are handling this – I’ll give it a try.

  19. My goodness, I felt your words hit my soul. I was attempting to figure out a simple math problem, and I had no focus. It took me three hours! I think that was my signal that I needed some rest.