Healing Rest with special guest Becky Thompson

All right, if you're a mom, and you probably are, because you're watching this or listening to this, rest is almost aversive to us. Like, we either say, I can't rest, or we try to rest and we can't stop our brain. So what do we do about this? We know that rest is not just a, you know, great idea, but it's actually a command. Like, you need to rest in me. That's what God says. How do you do this when you're a mom? And as soon as you sit down, like, three things immediately rise up and need you. So that's why I'm not even going to, like, you know what? I have my things. But we're going to bring in someone who is right in the middle of it. She's in the throes of it. I mean, my kids are grown and out of here. If I want to rest, I can rest. But what do you do when you're surrounded by. It is calling your name, and then you feel guilty for resting. So I asked one of my friends. I'm like, all right, you're in the middle of this. I want you to come in and help my listeners, help my audience know how to really be able to rest and in that rest, heal at the same time. So I've got my good friend Becky Thompson here, and I love her. You probably already know her because I've promoted her before. So I love her. And she's going to help us today and get ready for something that's going to help you take a deep, cleansing breath. We're going to start it now. Becky, I am so happy that we're hanging out together. And I just have to tell you just about by looking right now, like, if you're listening to this, you need to go and watch the YouTube video, because just looking at you right now, it just looks restful. Like, even your set and your. Your hair, your everything is just like. Take a deep breath.

I am entering my restful girl era. That's what I am. I'm in right now. My s. My restful mom era. It looks restful. But here's the deal, Hannah. You and I both know it's a practice, man. We can set ourselves up the best we can. We can put in rhythms and practices and routines. Also so important, right? I know you know that. But, man, if we're not. If we're not committed to the end result of why we're doing it, why we need rest, it's so easy. It's so easy to step out of those routines, it's so easy to just go back to old patterns. So I'm excited about our conversation because my hope is to sort of reposition. The mom is listening. Her. Her idea of what real rest is and why she and her kids need her to find it.

Yeah. Why? Rest is essential. And sometimes I think because I love doing more. Like, I feel. And, you know, I know that's probably, like, where I lean into moving out of God's rest is I move into my performance.

And. Yeah.

And I just have to, like, that's a pattern, you know, And I'm aware of it. So when I start getting that urgency, that stress that I got a demon, I'm like, wait, okay. Ok. It's time to enter my restful mom era. Like, what is happening here? But I want to start this off by sharing this crazy dream that I had the other night.

Oh, okay. I'm ready.

Maybe God was, like, preparing me for this time with you, Becky, because there's this crazy dream, and I was sitting in this church, and I was with this woman that I know very well. She's very prophetic. And I had this sense that God was like, okay, what do you want? Like, you can ask for anything. What do you want? And I said, I want a billion. And I remember saying that, and I remember thinking, a billion. Like, not a billion dollars. I want a billion moms. I want, like, this nation of moms to, like, transform their homes. I was like, I want a billion. And I turned to her and I said, can I ask for a billion? And she said, can you honor the Sabbath? And then I woke up. I know, I know. And I woke up, and I'm like, oh, my gosh. What if our crazy desires and our biggest dreams and our ludicrous goals all rely on us releasing? Like, I feel Holy Spirit right now. Releasing in honoring that he, Jesus is the Sabbath, and he wants to do it through us. Like, yeah, it shook me. Yeah.

How long ago was that dream?

That was literally five days ago.

Okay.

It's.

I feel like this conversation is set up perfect for that timing. Hannah. Like, honestly, what have. I know it's your podcast and you ask the questions, but in our conversation here, like, what has the Lord shown you about that dream since you've had it? I. I'm just. I'm. I'm pretending I'm a listener going, okay, but what. What has the Lord begin. Begun speaking to you? Because I know. I know. Based on my last year of writing. Well, last two years of writing this book and releasing this book and living this message of rest. But I want to know, like, what is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about it first before I put any of my thoughts on it?

Yeah. And, Becky, I'm going to tell you because I think he's speaking to you. I think he's speaking to me. I heard from a mom when I was doing a group coaching yesterday that like it speaking to her about the same thing. And I'm hearing it from a lot of moms. And maybe a mom who's watching or listening is like, oh, my gosh, I'm not the only one. I am sensing he is. Say, we are entering into a new season. Behold, I'm doing a new thing. Can you not now perceive it? And we are entering into a time where we have to. Man, I'm going, we're not even, like, what, like 10 minutes in and I'm already for it.

Go for it.

I am sensing God saying, we are entering into an era where it cannot be limited in this dimension by time, space, and matter. It's going to walk into the miraculous, and people will. The kingdom will expand. And you are the remnant who has said, not just said, lord, Lord, but really went through the fire and believed and operated by faith. And we are expanding this kingdom, and it is going to be a kingdom and characterized by signs, wonders, and miracles, so that everyone around cannot deny Jesus is Lord. Amen. I wish I had a mic. I mean, I do have a mic, but I want to drop it. I paid too much for it.

Don't drop your mic. Drop your lip gloss.

But I think you're sensing that, too.

Yeah, I am. I'm living in that space. Hannah, here's. I was praying about our conversation this morning. My house is quiet, my kids are still asleep, and I don't know when the listener's gonna listen. But before you and I sat down, I was thinking about your audience and how I don't know them as well as know other audiences. I don't. I don't. I don't. I don't know their faces. I don't know their stories. I don't know where they are on their journey. Sometimes you go on a podcast and you're like, it's about business and it's about hustle, and I can speak to those women. And sometimes you go on podcasts and it's for, like, young mamas, and I know exactly where they're at. I can speak to those women. But I feel like your audience is so diverse in their motherhood journey. And so I Was praying. I was like, lord, what do you have to say to these listeners? What is on your heart for. For the women that are gonna tune into this podcast for. And I know not just moms, but all of the women that have. That are being sent this link, that are watching this video, that are listening on. On all of their favorite platforms. And it was as if the Lord, it was as if I heard a woman out there ask me this question. And the question was, how do I have, like, a marriage that lasts? How do I have a marriage? Follow me here, because I know it sounds so different than the rest, but just track with me for a second.

No, no, it's Holy Spirit. Totally.

So he said. So the. The question that dropped in my heart was as if a woman asked me, how do I have a marriage that lasts? And the answer is, it has to be about more than the lasting. It has to be about your connection, your intimacy. Like, there are things that create marriages that last, but if the goal is just to last, then you'll miss what needs to be done. And the heart posture of getting to the. Of getting to the last. Does that make sense? Oh, my God. And so I think there are some women when it comes to rest, and they're like, tell me how to rest so I can do more. And. And the rest becomes a tool. It becomes the. It becomes the. The thing that just gets us to something else that we want. And I think that's good. Just like a marriage that lasts is good. But if we're just looking at what we can do and just looking at, like, what we can achieve and rest is somehow just something that gets us, then we're missing what Jesus is actually offering us. And what he's offering us is his, is the intimate presence of daily communion with him. And it cannot just be something we check off our list or add to our to do list or become part of our routine. We rest in Jesus as we release control of our own expectations, our own good plans, our own ambitions, no matter how Holy Spirit driven they are. Like, if we are not up under his yoke, not just, lord, come up under mine. Do what I need to get done. Pick up the other end of my burden.

Yeah.

And help me figure it out.

Give me strength to do all my things.

Yes, that's it. That's it. But asking the question, lord, what are you doing? And I want to join you in it. And it's not just for the nations. It's not just for everybody else. It's for our family. It's for Our marriages, it's for our homes. And so this illustration of this, this marriage goal, having a healthy relationship with God, having a. A relationship with the Lord that lasts, it's good. It should be a good question that we ask. But we. The. The better question right here is how do I live in relationship with the Lord now? Where intimacy is the goal with him, where communion is the goal with him, we're connecting and hearing his heart and being a part of what he's doing on the earth is the go from that position, I gain that rest in Him. And so I know it's kind of a wonky illustration, but I'm afraid when it comes to rest, we're asking the wrong question. And that's really what I want to get to. If the goal of rest is to achieve, we're missing it. But if the goal of rest is to lean back into his arms and experience what his blood paid for, that's what we need to find out. How do I do that? How do I live that when I can't even find a pause in my.

Day that is so powerful? Because we do consider rest as something to leverage. You know, I'm going to rest so that I can, you know, But. But God is saying, no, this rest is perpetual. Yes. This isn't just a. Like in the old covenant, we were called to stop work and rest for one day a week. Okay? And then we set up all these rules around us so that we can be righteous. And then here comes Jesus saying, no, no, I am your rest, I am your Sabbath. It's no longer about resting one day a week. It's about perpetual rest that I offer you, that you cannot get through the world. And that is his presence, that abiding in his presence and in the presence of Jesus, there is no turmoil. There is no lack, there is no urgency, there is no fear, there's no insufficiency. Think about the things that cause us to push harder. Like, I remember someone walked into my home and they're like, man, you grinded for this view. I was like, oh, no, I did not. I did not grind. I did not hustle. I am so the anti hustle. Because now it becomes a work of the flesh. You know, Paul said, oh, I don't. Ew, gross. Like nasty rags, right? Yeah. Because that presence, when we just sit in a abide in the presence of Jesus, we can't feel the emotions that cause us to go into hustle and grind. We can't. Because think about every time we hustle, grind, push more, I Gotta, you know, I gotta, I gotta make it to 2 o' clock and I gotta get these kids potty trained and I gotta do this. I gotta get this laundry done today or else I'm a horrible mom. All of those motions, all of those actions come from a feeling of I'm not enough, I'm insufficient, I'm scared of reality, I don't have enough time, money, energy, name, whatever, fill in the blank. You can't fill any of that in the presence of God. Just can't do it.

Yeah, you know, I, I know it's really cliche, but I think of Mary and Martha and I think I, I think about how, you know, sisters and, and they had different gifts. I mean, they had, they just had different qualities and gifts and expressions of how they loved the Lord. And I always think that we kind of villainize Martha because she was like, how did you miss that Jesus was in the room? Like, how did you miss that you had this opportunity, like your sister to sit at his feet. But man, I really, I feel for her. I feel for her because I think I've been her when she comes into the room and she's looking for Mary and she's doing so much work on her own. And she probably had helpers, there were probably women, other women there, but she was expecting her sister to be someone she could count on in the important work of serving her important guests. And I always think it was more about Martha wanted to honor her guests, she wanted to serve her guests.

That's actually beautiful and really is designed her that way.

Yes, yes. He designed her to be one that looked and saw what needed to be done. But she comes in and she doesn't ask Jesus, you know, will you get up and ask, you know, Mary to help me? She comes in and Scripture says, she says to Jesus, tell her to get up and help me. And I've prayed that way. I've prayed like frustrated to my core, shaking out a trash bag, you know what I mean? Like, wondering if my family can hear that this is overflowing, you know, just all of my frustration overflowing onto everybody. And when I think about Martha, it's not that. It's not that her priorities were really wrong. It was that she was asking Jesus to tell Mary to give up her position with Jesus for good work, but not the most important work.

Right.

And Jesus's correction to Martha is that you are worried about many things, but Mary is worried about one thing and she's found it and it's not going to be taken from her.

Yeah.

And I think for us, we have to look at this as not being a Martha or trying to be more of a Mary. I think we have to look at it as the Lord wants us to find the most most important thing, even. Even in the midst of all the good things. Even if it's our family, that's the other good thing. Even if it's the running around and showing love, that's the good thing. Like, the Lord wants us to find the most important thing and not let any other voice lift us from his feet. Not let any other need lift us from his feet. And so we modernize that and we go. But I can't. I know my schedule, and I can't just stop and sit. I can't just open my Bible. And what we're missing in modern motherhood is that we have the presence of the Holy Spirit indwelling us. And sitting at the feet of Jesus doesn't just happen in stillness, right? We can sit at the feet of Jesus, listening to his voice, speaking, directing, encouraging, edifying, lifting us up, prompting us, compelling us to love others as we do all the other things. Like, as we are on the go. I'm not saying we shouldn't ever stop. I'm just saying that his feet go with us, right?

Oh, my God.

And if we live from that position of his feet going with us, we can do. You know, we can do and be. Be positioned in rest, at rest with him, man. That's. That should be the goal. That should be the goal.

Because we are both Mary and Martha.

That's it.

We're both of them. And now through Jesus, we can get supernaturally more done and simultaneously sit as feet. I think it's the energy with which we do it. Is it like, oh, I've got to do this. Everything depends on it. We're operating out of fear. Or is it. I get to do this, and this is beautiful. This is worship. And that operates from a place of faith. And I think about this. He stopped and said, martha, Martha, Now. Now, I always think, I remember as a kid, and if my mom said Hannah, I was like, okay, well, I can wait a little bit. Like, she'll forget it. But if she said Hannah a second time, so I better get in there, I need to pay attention. That's the second time. But when Jesus says a name a second time, he's going further into the love. He's not going further into the threat. He's going further into the Martha, I see you, Martha. I love you. And what you're doing is not. Not dishonorable, but it's just not the most important thing. And when we have, when we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all the things that we're actually hustling for happen faster. It happens easier. Those, those battles that we're trying to win. And going back to the marriage thing, I think it's important that you mentioned that because Blair and I have been married 34 years and absolutely head over heels in love. Our kids are like, you're disgusting. Can you please keep your hands off each other? You're gross. And we were talking about this yesterday, about how when you really are listening to that voice behind you that says, this is a way walk in it. Our marriage usually resembles our relationship with God. Are we really listening to the Holy Spirit? Are we leaning in? Are we humbling ourselves? And a marriage that lasts is great, but a marriage that is fulfilling and passionate, intimate, that just. It has a built in, lasting quality to it. Yeah. And so I think there are some people tuning in who are having a hard time with their marriage. And they've been trying everything. They've done the retreats, they've done the counseling, they've done the. Here's our template of how we communicate. All of that's good, but it's not the best thing. You know, it's like the Martha solution to the, to the natural problem. And when we have the Mary solution is God. I just want to sit at your feet and, and hear your good shepherd and follow the instructions. And if he says you need to speak up, you need to give a hug when you want to, like, give a, you know, shrug off where, where you need to say a kind word when you want to find something ill. Like it's that daily crucifying the flesh. Yeah. And that's how we abide. And it's so much easier and it's so much more gratifying and so much more fun.

Yeah.

So much more fun. This crazy. Like, if you want to live a life of adventure, just abide and watch what he tells you to do.

That's it. And listen and go and, and be. But be close enough and with your ear to his chest and ready to hear what he says and then do it. That's exactly it, Hannah. That's. That's the invitation. And one of the things I share about in the book is that we can't rest in arms that we don't fully trust.

Let's go. Okay. Let's go. That is so powerful. You can, as a woman Especially we are designed to operate in our fullness out of a place of safety. And you can't have faith in a God you can't. You don't know that loves you.

That's it. And so if there's any question in your heart about an area of your life or an area of your story or a part of Scripture, I mean, work it out with the Lord where you're like, I don't understand this part, and, and pray into it and listen to what he says and get wise counsel about it and get people around you that know the lor Lord very well and let them clarify from Scripture using the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit to explain. Like, no, this is the hardened nature of God. This is where he didn't fail you. This is where he was with you through that. This is when he didn't leave you, even though it felt like he was far away. Getting the people to remind you of his goodness and his love and his mercy. Man. I think, Hannah, the thing that I've learned the most in the last five years with the Lord, whether it be about peace or rest or hope or love or trusting the Lord, is that it has never been about removing the storms or we're changing the situation or. Or finding everything at peace or everything settled to have. To have the peace, to have the rest, to have the security. But when the Lord became my peace, when the Lord became my place of refuge, when the Lord became my hiding place, my rest, my encourager, my comforter. When I realize that the Lord is called comforter because there are storms and there are trials, and he would not be called comforter if we didn't need comfort. When I let the Lord be who he is in my life, and I stopped looking at my situation as the determiner of his goodness or the determiner of his presence, or the determiner of his kindness or. Or peace. In my story, man, everything shifted and changed. And I'm. I want to share this, this final part, and you might have more questions, but I want to share this, this important part with the listener, is that, you know, I know you're looking at the outcome and you're thinking, all right, if this could just get under control, whatever you're.

This.

If I could just get a handle on this, or if the Lord would just do something about this. Marriage, motherhood, job, money, relationship struggle, internal struggle, external struggle, health issue, that person's health. If the Lord could just. Then I could. Then I could have peace. Then I could experience rest in Him. Then I could I could have what I know he wants me to have. And so this becomes the focus of my purpose prayer. I'm going to. I'm going to invite you listener to shift your thinking here. Because if you stop, if you stop making it a prerequisite to experience his peace, for that one situation to be worked out, the way that you are desperately praying and asking for it to be worked out, if you release it to Jesus and begin to pray, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. About every situation that you are facing, everything, Lord, I place into your very capable hands. Everything I'm facing, Lord, I believe you're here with me. Everything I'm going through, Lord Jesus, I know that your strength is being made real in my weakness. God is becoming evident in this part of my story. And even. And even before, even before the outcome is what I am asking it to be right. I believe that you are good and you are with me, and so I will let it go. And I will let you hold it. And I will rest in you remembering that even if the world doesn't feel safe in this area, I am eternally, safely held by a good God who loves me and promises to never leave me. That's where we find rest.

That's. That's it. That place of I resign. I crucify my. My flesh of thinking that this situation has to be this way. As soon as this disease is out of my body, as soon as this bill is paid, as soon as this debt is removed, as soon as my child returns to the kingdom, as soon as my. My husband finds a job. No, because we're still worshiping at a different throne. We're still looking for natural things to operate in the way that we in our limited natural mind believe it should be. But when we. Sometimes it's like, God, can you just shut off my brain and open up my mind? Because I had the mind of Christ and I remember one time, and I think this is perfectly. I'm going to share this because I think this is exactly what you're talking about. I remember thinking as. As soon as I'm out of this life is going to be so good. As soon as we were going through a really hard financial time, as soon as this is over, it's going to be so good. And God's like, stop, it's good now. It's good right now. You're just not seeing the goodness. And I want you to find the goodness right now. And it's. And. And I said, and I felt like it was like demonic things coming at me financially. And he's like, no, this is not demonic. This is me pruning things away from you. That has kept you from knowing how good life could be when you just abide in me. And that was when my prayer changed. And I'm telling someone who was. Who was waiting for that moment, stop waiting for that moment, because the moment's right here. And he's a good God and he loves you. It's not so important that you love him. It's more important that you know he loves you in this time. And just like Jesus, when the disciples came back, he said, did you lack for anything? I said, no, we lacked for nothing. I guarantee if you look back at the hardest times in your life, every day, you were okay. You made it. You made it. So anyway, I have loved this time with you. Thank you so much. I think this has just blessed so many people in so many powerful ways. And, guys, pick up the book Healing Rest. It's available for you. This rest is available for you. And, Becky, thank you so much for hanging out with us, Hannah.

I love it every single time. Thanks so much.

You are such a blessing. Guys, lean into that abide, and you're going to be blessed like crazy.