This past August, my husband Zach & I went on a 24-hour camping trip.

We love to camp, but after moving to Asheville almost a year ago we realized we hadn’t gone camping ONCE. Not once. So, when we realized that we had the same night off, we packed up our car & headed to the mountains of NC. As we drove further & further up, our cellphone service wavered & eventually was gone all together. No service. No WiFi. No way to contact the outside world.

I could not text, make a phone call, check my email, or scroll my social media. I was completely & totally unplugged. And it was the most refreshing 24 hours I’ve had in over a year.

For the first time in over a year I was truly looking up & taking in my surroundings — the sounds of the birds and animals, watching my husband swing back and forth in the hammock, the slight breeze in the trees. I was fully present in the moment.

I took in nature & creation. And the more I focused on everything around me, the more my mind was fixed on God. I began to feel overwhelmed in His presence and His beauty. I began to re-posture my heart towards Him & reflect on Him, not on my business or goals.

And the more I focused on Him and put Him at the forefront of my mind, the more I was refreshed, satisfied & filled. Suddenly, so many things I tend to look to to fill me were washed away & I was left placing all of my identity in God. It was a sweet, sweet 24 hours of rest & peace.

So I ask you, when was the last time you were completely present in a moment? No texting or phone calls, no social media scrolling… just being in the moment. A week? A month? A year? I encourage you to set aside time this week, put it all down & seek after restorative rest. If you’re anything like me, you’ll return more refreshed & filled up than if you had kept pushing forward.

What is your favorite way to step back & find rest?

With joy,

Nicole