This book was published in Portuguese by Editora Fiel in 2019, I confess that at first I had a little resistance with the subject, a little unsure how it would be addressed, however, I was curious because the back cover called me expensive: “Do you feel stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted?” Oh, who, right?
I really don’t regret reading it. I’m even here to point out that, in a light and biblical way, Shona Murray makes you realize that the excess of activity and the frenetic pace we put ourselves through can, without a doubt, lead us to a situation of exhaustion incompatible with the road. we must live. But better than that: it offers practical solutions, also based on the Bible. I read the book in five days because it is light and flows very well. I absorbed every word. A mixture of exhortation, instruction and comfort.
Shall we go to the test?
Title: Refresh: Living to the Rhythm of Grace in a Fast-paced World
Authors: Shona and David Murray. De fact, the book suggests that most of it was written by her, but with the support of her husband, who wrote a half-twin book for men (Reset?Also published in Portuguese by Fiel). They live in Michigan, USA. With their 5 children, they gather at the Reformed Free Church, where David is also a pastor. Shona is a training doctor, was a family doctor for many years in Scotland, where they were born and lived until they moved to the United States.
Seller: Faithful
Pages: 211
About the book:
The book consists of 11 chapters, divided into an introduction and 10 stations of evaluation and intervention in your hectic pace of life. In the chapter on reality control, do you highlight some of them? This can be characteristic of a lifestyle that is too fast, that reverses priorities, does not fulfill the agenda that God has set for us, and whose result is, inevitably, exhaustion.
From this confrontation with reality, do you invite us to make one?Repeat? In life situations, to identify exactly where we need to change. One thing that pleased me in the book is the basis on which the need for change is built: it is not only to sleep well hours of sleep, but it is to recognize that sleep is a gift from God so that we exercise a good co-responsibility of our body, giving it the necessary rest so that it does not overload, this is just an example , but it is the line that follows to outline strategies of change that, as she says, will make us live to the rhythm of grace, showing and reflecting Jesus in our daily attitudes and lives, so this chapter lays the foundation for the following, in which the strategies and foundations for such things are presented: rest, recreation, relaxation, reflection , reduction, reconstruction, relationships and resurrection.
“A life in the rhythm of grace is a rhythm of life that is constantly renewed through five different sources of divine grace. First, there is the source of motivational grace. As we drink from the unfathomable depths of God’s saving grace in Christ, we can freely receive His superabundant mercy and love. Filled and overflowing with the grace of the gospel, we are now energized and excited to serve you at home, at work, and in church as our hearts say: Thank you, Lord, thank you, thank you. The second source of grace is moderation. Grace tempers the expectations we create for ourselves and others. At the foot of the cross, we contemplate our sin and our sinful state, we learn that we are not perfect and that we never will be. So when we fail, we carry our sins to Calvary, knowing that God’s grace forgives all our imperfections and accepts us with perfect love in Christ. Multiplying grace also strengthens us. We no longer think that everything depends on us and our effort. Instead, we trust that God will multiply the few loaves and fishes that we have. We’re not just sitting idly by, we’re not trying to do everything, either. Fourth, the source of liberating grace helps us surrender control of our life to God. We trust in his sovereignty, not only for salvation, but in all areas of life. Yes, we will continue to work carefully and diligently, but liberating grace humbly acknowledges setbacks, problems, and disappointments, accepting them as evidence of our confidence in God’s control. Finally, there is the grace of the welcome. When we zoom in and look closely at this fountain, we see that there are actually several smaller fountains. Each one of them represents one of God’s gifts of grace to his creatures: weekly rest, sleep, exercise, family and friends, Christian fellowship, etc. Amid the hustle and bustle of our lives, we turn away from these gifts, thinking we don’t need them. But, in a life that keeps pace with grace, we draw closer and closer to these sources and desire them. The more we realize that our Heavenly Father designed and built these fountains for our good, the more we accept and appreciate their invigorating and refreshing water.
As I said, the book is practical, very practical, an excellent suggestion to read for New Year’s Eve and/or next start, thinking about changing routines, patterns, seeking to live in grace and experiencing the freedom we have. when we have more confidence in God and in Christ’s sacrifice than in our own. Efforts.
Many women do not realize that they are running at an unbearable pace until they enter a state of physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion. Based on many years of counseling and their own experiences with depression, Shona and David Murray will help you slow down so that you are living to the rhythm of grace for God’s glory.