Rest and Success Can Co-Exist - A Weekly Overview

Monastery Trip

On Friday 22nd March, I had a trip planned to a monastery with my seminary class. Though I had been looking forward to this trip, when the day finally arrived, I was hit with a huge sense of overwhelm about the stresses of life. Taking some time out away from the hustle and bustle seemed like an irrational thing to do when you have a thousand things you need to get sorted. The build-up of these thoughts ultimately led me to sitting on my bed feeling depressed, unable to bring myself to do anything, including packing. In the end, my friend came over and helped me to pack (shout out to God and good friends!). I was reminded through her acts of service of Proverbs 17:17 which says “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity”. 

As a result of all the drama in my bedroom, I missed the car pool and the train I was supposed to be on and had to take an Uber all the way from Princeton, NJ to Poughkeepsie, NY. By the time I arrived, I was feeling so flustered and overwhelmed that when my professor asked how she could pray for me, I immediately burst into tears. Thankfully she said she would cover me in prayer (and cover the cost of the uber), which not only made me feel seen and cared for, but also worked!

Despite the rocky start, the monastery ended up being exactly what I needed. It is no surprise that the enemy was so keen to throw me off right before a weekend where God would teach me and speak to me.

To my surprise, I loved being in nature so much! I took a walk in the rain and had the epiphany that I don’t actually hate nature, just bugs. But what was so beautiful is that whilst on this walk, I heard God speak to me. I heard Him say that He wants me to go on more walks and find more rest. He helped me to see that it’s possible to rest and still be successful (If you want to hear more insight into this concept, check out my interview with Barbara DelleMonache on my podcast where she shares some great wisdom). 

Since returning from the monastery, I have been trying to put into practice the things God whispered to me during my time there. I wouldn’t say that I have become the next outdoor fitness fanatic, but I have been enjoying taking some pauses in my week to intentionally spend time with God by going on walks in nature. Psalm 95:4-5 states that “In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for he made it, and His hands formed the dry land.” This is a wonderful reminder to me to take the time to enjoy nature because He is in nature. 

Work

While God desires that we may worship Him in stillness and quiet, it is His desire that we may glorify Him in ALL things that we do. The work we do is a huge way by which God can work through us to accomplish His purposes, both in a ministry and secular environment. But before the working week commenced, it was time for a short trip down to Texas!

After the monastery trip, I headed straight to Houston for the wedding of a friend of my partner! It’s always so sweet to witness the unison of two individuals that God has orchestrated to be in partnership. Being in Houston was also particularly exciting because it meant that I got to meet up with some of the amazing friends  I made at the Forbes 30/50 Summit in Abu Dhabi last month, and we all had a great time together! 

When I arrived back in New Jersey on Tuesday, I met with one of my pro bono students, an undocumented immigrant from Haiti. Amazingly, she recently got accepted into her first choice college which I am so proud of her for! However, she doesn’t know how she’s going to pay for her school fees. She’s done amazingly with merit scholarships, but still owes about $15,000 per year.  I am currently in the process of trying to find an attorney who will take on her case as pro bono to help her get immigration status so that she will have the option to access state and federal loans. 

At Barrier Breakers these are the cases that really move us. We specialize in working with first-generation, minority, and immigrant students on the college and law school process and making their educational dreams come true. 

And so, the journey continues to glorify God through both work and rest. To work hard in all the doors that He’s opened for me, and to rest in Him knowing that without abiding in Him, no fruit can be born.