Whispers of Rest: 40 Days of God's Love to Revitalise Your Soul

A good friend has been challenging me lately... okay, for the last few years, to do something difficult. "Put yourself equal," she says.  Basically, give yourself the same priority as you give others.  In a world of constant moving and everything to do, stopping for the sake of yourself is considered a frivolous notion.  To many Christians it feels downright vain.  What Bonnie Gray is challenging us to do in this new release, Whispers of Rest, is to approach rest with a healthy perspective and she gives practical exercises to help.  It's not the humanistic (verging on narcissistic) "me time" movement some may think.  It's not about making yourself the center of the universe.  This book is rather a beautiful journey of taking time to discover who you really are in the presence of a loving God.

Called a "devotional detox," this 40-day exploration is all about creating space for your soul to breathe, and dare I say, heal.  Each day follows a pattern of reading, reflecting, and a time to pray and rest.  Although she shares a bit of her own story with each passing day, the focus is really on what God is saying through His Word and through taking time to just be with Him.  She challenges us with scripture that inspires application.  Her call to reflect has questions with the remaining page left with enough whitespace to jot down your own answers if you want.  Even if you like to keep a pristine book instead, this space provides a visual prompt to stop and really consider your answers before moving on.  For those that struggle to know how to pray, Gray provides help that correlates with the day's focus, while leaving room for you to speak your heart to God.

It is surprising how challenging this journey is, but Gray leads the way with ease.  God has gifted her with this message of rest and I suspect anyone who takes this 40-day journey seriously will find it to just the beginning.