Pursuing greater intimacy with God and others through the discipline and practice of Rest and “Life-Balance”
Live Out 4:6 in 2026
It’s been several weeks since I’ve posted a Rest Stop blog. Over the Christmas and New Year season, I stepped away from work for 17 days—an extended break to rest, reflect, reset, and recalibrate. I also made a deliberate choice to pause my writing. For two full weeks, I slowed down enough to think deeply about…
No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings. Really?
1 Samuel 8 (written around 1050 BC) records the moment when God’s people—the nation of Israel—rejected God as their King and demanded an earthly king to judge them “like all the other nations.” In verse 7, God tells the prophet Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for…
Are You Ambitious?
Over the past two months, I’ve been riveted by the Apostle Paul’s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4. In verse 3, he says that “this is the will of God—your sanctification.” As Paul unpacks this chapter and explains the “how,” he tucks in a phrase that almost sneaks up on us: “Make it your ambition to lead…
Trapped in the Cage of Work?
Have we reached a point in our lives and careers where our obsession with success — chasing position, power, prestige, or financial milestones — has caused us to forget how to actually enjoy life? Are you so focused on saving 11 times your annual salary or hitting some arbitrary financial target that you’ve stopped spending…
Recognizing Your Triggers
As I continue my journey toward rest and life balance, I’ve come to realize that no matter how disciplined I am, there are still moments when I slip back into old patterns. It can feel like taking a step backward—demoralizing and discouraging, often leaving me with a sense of defeat and failure. Whether it’s eating…
What’s Love Got to Do with It?
In 1984, Tina Turner recorded the hit song What’s Love Got to Do with It? The pre-chorus and chorus ask a haunting question: It’s physical, only logical,You must try to ignore that it means more than that.What’s love got to do, got to do with it?What’s love but a second-hand emotion?What’s love got to do,…
This post was both insightful and grounding. I liked how it encouraged readers to notice tension in the body and…
great reminder!
Ralf,This is a gre
Ralf,Your blogs don’t have any copy lately. Just audio. JonJ
The Rest Stop 
Thank you David for your comment and encouraging words – Ralf