The Invitation to Rest

In part two of this four-part series, Danny and Karen dive into the scriptural anchors that sustain a lifestyle of rest. They explore the depths of Psalm 91, focusing on the powerful tagline: "He who dwells will rest". The conversation also addresses how to "win" in the spiritual journey even when you lack understanding, drawing on Isaiah 50:10 to explain how we can rely on God even when walking in the dark with no light.

In this episode, the podcast transitions into a new, slightly longer interview format as Danny welcomes Karen Bontrager, a sabbatical coach and dear friend. This is the first of a four-part series releasing over the coming weeks. Karen shares her personal journey through three distinct levels of rest: learning to "cease doing" during a "vacant lot" season in her life, implementing rhythms like personal retreats and month-long sabbaticals while in active ministry, and finally, maintaining an overarching lifestyle of rest even in the midst of physical chaos and a "100-year flood".

Solomon built his magnificent temple from rest. He needed two specific attributes to be able to build from Rest: Humility and Wisdom. In this episode, Danny gives his definition of wisdom.

Solomon built the temple from rest. There were two important ingredients to his posture. Humility is the first. In this episode, Danny gives his definition of humility.

We begin a 3 part series on how Solomon built from rest. Solomon's name is literally Shalom, one of the hebrew words for rest. Solomon developed one of the most significant real estate projects in the ancient world, and he did it from rest. How did he do that?

A special request! Danny was asked about how to rest in parenting young kids, so he recorded this episode. He covers one aspect of this broad subject in this episode. Please let us know in the comments if you’d like more episodes on specific topics like this.

Danny describes how he was released from a familiar Christmas worry this season. He received another invitation to rest.

Mary's interaction with the angel Gabriel is one of my favorite episodes in the Christmas story. Mary demonstrates a powerful example of rest. Let's unpack this story together, in reverse.

I recently went on an exhausting trip. Danny explains how both the going out and the return were in rest. And how that rest was transformational, not just restorative.

While our rest can function as a way of getting our energy levels back up, restoration is not the primary purpose of rest. Jesus invites us to think about rest, and ourselves in a new way. It's about transformation, not restoration.

There are seasons when rest seems elusive, and worry seems present. What do we do with that? There’s a prayer I like to pray when worry feels front and center.

The title of this podcast is actually not the point. It’s something much better. Rest is just a part of the pathway to something greater.

Jesus uses the word “yoke” twice in his invitation to rest. There are many ways to think about this metaphor. Danny discusses the relational component of this intimate togetherness.

Danny discusses how Jesus invitation to rest is actually an invitation to Jesus. Jesus says “Come to me.” Which is different than “come to rest.” And there’s another layer behind that one too. Join Danny as he unpacks many layers of Jesus invitation in Matt 11.

We rest when we think of ourselves as God thinks of us. The more I know I’m loved, the more I will rest.

Many times I feel like my job is to pour out for others. But the place where people receive all that god intends for them is where I am receiving his overflow for me.

I don’t always enjoy trusting God. But I want to enjoy trusting him because he is fully trustworthy.

Danny discusses how the secret place is a place of intimacy and relationship, and we can stay there all the time.

Danny continues to define work from Matthew 6. We can trust God to provide.If you'd like to discover more about Danny's non-profit work, please go to https://www.antioch-co.org

Can God provide for us in rest? Does provision require our work? Danny addresses these subjects with two stories from his own life. If you'd like to discover more about Danny's non-profit work, please go to https://www.antioch-co.org

Work and Rest are not two sides of a spectrum, but brothers that coexist at the same time with each other....if you let them. Danny begins to describe his definition of work, and describes its relationship with rest.If you'd like to discover more about what Danny does, check out his non-profit work at https://www.antioch-co.org

Three distinct phases of rest can be found in Matt 11. Danny unpacks what they are and how they work. -Detox/Renewal. -Discovery-PracticeThe initial concept of this podcast comes from this academic paper. “The transformative power of sabbaticals”https://journals.aom.org/doi/10.5465/amd.2021.0100.summary

Continuing the series on how to make decisions from a place of rest, Danny explains how rest changes the dynamic from making a decision based on resources (Can/Can’t) to a decision based on personal values (Will/Won’t)

Danny continues to expand on how to make decisions from a place of rest.

Danny expands on peace and joy as fruit of the spirit

We begin a journey down the path of rest expecting joy on the other side of the decision.

Not only does he take a nap, he does so in a storm, and on a cushion. Love that guy! I want to be more like him.

A way to use the Lord’s prayer for healing for your neurological self. Taken from the Roman Catholic tradition.

Many friends in ministry feel an incredible pressure to meet the needs of the flock they attend to. This passage gives some perspective to that pressure and provides an alternative solution.

A reading of a restful passage - Psalm 91

What does it look like to pray from a place of rest, without agenda, and letting my Heavenly Father do the talking?

What if faithfulness was a friend instead of a taskmaster? How would I get to know him and enjoy him?

His invitation to us is one of gentleness, not harshness. Experience his gentle pursuit of you.

Danny talks about how trust is something to be enjoyed. Too often the invitation to trust is accompanied with stress and anxiety. What does it look like to delight in the opportunity to trust him again?

When we rest, we are saying our work is good, and we trust god with the outcome.

Grief is not a problem to solve

A way of thinking about processing grief

What is grief and what does it have to do with rest?

What did god do on the first sabbath? The Bible doesn’t tell us about his rest.

Danny shares a picture of what rest looks like

This is a part 2 of episode 9. Jesus said that he has prepared many rooms for us. And they are all rooms of rest. This episode will help you discover those rooms.

Danny recently had some conversations where god was changing the spiritual diet of his friends. This episode discusses how to make sense of the changes to your spiritual diet by thinking in terms of the physical spaces where you commune with god.

Danny continues to discuss an aspect of overflow that he calls “Jesus Goggles.” It’s an alternative to the traditional take on work-life balance.

Danny discusses how rest means that my cup overflows onto all those around me.

God changes Danny’s mind. He discusses how a thought leads to more, and leads to rest.

Danny discusses how trust and delight lead the way. He shares a story from his own life and gives some bonus content at the end.

Danny continues to define rest. A key component of rest is delight. We rest when we enjoy the place that we are in.

Part 2 of defining rest

Part 1 of defining rest

How did Danny first hear the invitation?