May 30, 2025
Holy Rest
What does true rest really look like for our busy lives? In today’s episode, Richelle Alessi invites us to explore the spiritual importance of intentional rest. Together, we’ll unpack how God models real rest, why it matters, and how we can make space in our lives—mentally and physically—to be refreshed by His presence. We’ll discover practical ways to set aside time for genuine renewal, letting go of hustle culture and embracing the peace that comes from slowing down and seeking God.
Join our community as we pray and devote this time to learning how to rest well, trusting that God will refresh our hearts for the week ahead.
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WEBVTT
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:03.600
You're listening to my Morning Devotional podcast, episode 1280.
00:00:04.000 --> 00:01:23.900
Today's Devo is called Holy Rest. Hey there. We're the Alessi's, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy and to do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a five minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning Devotional podcast. Good morning everybody and happy Friday. We made it to a great, great week. I hope that you guys have allowed this week to be a week that truly refreshes you. And I hope that the spirit of God is really moving and speaking to you and just, you feel just refreshed and you feel like you can really continue on this year. Strong. Not just getting through, but finishing it strong. We only are basically halfway through, so we still have a lot to get through and we want to do it and we want to win this year. And so I hope that you guys have loved the theme of this week. And before we leave today, I wanted this specific subject to be the one that we talked about last because it has to do with rest. It's funny because I think a lot of us might have the wrong opinion or the wrong idea of what true rest is. But the truth is the Bible does talk about rest and, and God does want us to rest.
00:01:23.900 --> 00:01:56.109
It's important for us to rest. Even God rested and he is the example for us and he gave us that so we could see how we can rest. And there is this verse in Exodus 28 that says, Remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy. And if you continue to read that chapter, it goes into detail of why and how. And it's beautiful how the Bible really develops it and says it. What God is trying to show us here is that we have to be intentional about rest.
00:01:56.590 --> 00:02:29.889
Rest is not something that just happens accidentally and that we were just like, oh, I guess we just rested. That's not how it goes. The Bible even shows you. It Sundays work for six days and on the seventh day, you are intentional about when you are working and you are intentional about when you are resting. It doesn't say rest and work at the same time. That really doesn't exist. And I know we also live in a society where it's like, take no days off if you want to build an empire. No days off and you have to grind and you have all these different sayings.
00:02:29.889 --> 00:03:04.000
And even though hard work is important, the Bible promotes Hard work. And we know that we have to work hard. Rest is very important, too, and it's intentional rest. And so this year, I don't think. And just to be completely honest with you guys, I don't think I ever understood rest. I think I was a little young to understand what rest truly meant. Once I had my son, Marino, I think everything just changed. I think life got a little more serious, and I truly started to experience tiredness.
00:03:04.240 --> 00:04:03.479
When I think about when I used to. Used to think I was tired, I'm like, I had no idea what I was talking about. But it's funny how life just changes and different seasons bring different things, and no season, it's is worse than the other. It's just seasons and you adjust. But I used to just think I could work and be at home and do whatever, and you just kind of took the day. And even if you planned it, there was no intentional rest. And my husband came from a family where they truly prioritized rest the correct way. But if you saw them, they worked hard. When they were working, they worked hard. And what they were able to accomplish. There is zero laziness in the Alessi family. They are hard workers, and it's for the kingdom of God, and it's beautiful. I've gotten to see how beautiful that is, how important work is. But when they went on vacation, they were serious and they made intentional time for resting. And when my husband would be like, hey, we should go and take a couple days off, I would be like, why?
00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:18.519
I don't. I don't. I don't understand what days off and rest. Everything was all one in my head this year. I think this year is the first time. So I'm not speaking from a ton of experience. This is a journey. We're walking out together.
00:04:18.598 --> 00:05:46.899
But this year is like the first year that I understood what rest meant, and that was just being intentional about putting days and hours in the calendar of the week, the month of the year, where we turn off each and we spend quality time with family, quality time with friends, quality time with the Lord and the Bible, the true rest that comes from that. And so now that the weekend is approaching, whether you work on Saturdays or you don't, I encourage you guys to find intentional time with rest not by scrolling. Rest is not sitting on your phone on the couch and scrolling through Instagram, because your mind is just going to be active, and then you're going to be comparing of what others are doing and you're not doing. Don't do that. Say, I'm going to either invite friends over or if I'm going to spend time on my word, or if I'm going to be alone and I'm going to organize or I'm going to make myself a meal. Whatever it is that you're going to do to truly rest, that means mentally you're resting. It's not just by sitting on a couch, but mentally. How are you resting? Protect your thoughts. Spend time thinking of what's lovely and true and, and peaceful and what's right. What the Bible says to think about, think about those things and do true rest that way by being intentional, by putting your phones away. And so spend the day today, right, working really hard. Work really hard at getting your job done.
00:05:46.899 --> 00:05:50.620
Be responsible. Get the things you have to get done done.
00:05:51.019 --> 00:06:35.759
So when Saturday morning comes, when Sunday comes, you can say, I'm going to truly enjoy my day off with my family, with the Lord and with all the great blessings that I have. And I'm going to protect my thoughts in my mind and I'm going to truly rest this weekend. So let's pray. Father God, we thank you because you gave us the example of true rest first. This is not something that's new, Father. This is something that you modeled like you've always done. Father. You have always been the example of to us. And so I just pray Lord that you help us, that you help us with our minds, gain control of our minds to have self discipline to say I'm going to put dates on the calendar to rest and to truly refresh my soul.
00:06:35.759 --> 00:07:05.100
Father, thank you. Because we know that this can be done. We have this self control to have intentional rest within ourselves and with our family. So then we can be productive and and strong workers when that time comes. But we can be very efficient even with the rest and very intentional with it. So thank you Lord for the rest that you are going to give us this weekend and because when Monday comes we're gonna feel so much better. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
00:07:06.699 --> 00:07:27.670
So there you have it. Your 5 minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in today. We pray these devotional empower you to take on your day. If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend. Leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow. We pray that your latte is strong but your love for Jesus is stronger.
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:03.600
You're listening to my Morning Devotional podcast, episode 1280.
00:00:04.000 --> 00:01:23.900
Today's Devo is called Holy Rest. Hey there. We're the Alessi's, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy and to do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a five minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning Devotional podcast. Good morning everybody and happy Friday. We made it to a great, great week. I hope that you guys have allowed this week to be a week that truly refreshes you. And I hope that the spirit of God is really moving and speaking to you and just, you feel just refreshed and you feel like you can really continue on this year. Strong. Not just getting through, but finishing it strong. We only are basically halfway through, so we still have a lot to get through and we want to do it and we want to win this year. And so I hope that you guys have loved the theme of this week. And before we leave today, I wanted this specific subject to be the one that we talked about last because it has to do with rest. It's funny because I think a lot of us might have the wrong opinion or the wrong idea of what true rest is. But the truth is the Bible does talk about rest and, and God does want us to rest.
00:01:23.900 --> 00:01:56.109
It's important for us to rest. Even God rested and he is the example for us and he gave us that so we could see how we can rest. And there is this verse in Exodus 28 that says, Remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy. And if you continue to read that chapter, it goes into detail of why and how. And it's beautiful how the Bible really develops it and says it. What God is trying to show us here is that we have to be intentional about rest.
00:01:56.590 --> 00:02:29.889
Rest is not something that just happens accidentally and that we were just like, oh, I guess we just rested. That's not how it goes. The Bible even shows you. It Sundays work for six days and on the seventh day, you are intentional about when you are working and you are intentional about when you are resting. It doesn't say rest and work at the same time. That really doesn't exist. And I know we also live in a society where it's like, take no days off if you want to build an empire. No days off and you have to grind and you have all these different sayings.
00:02:29.889 --> 00:03:04.000
And even though hard work is important, the Bible promotes Hard work. And we know that we have to work hard. Rest is very important, too, and it's intentional rest. And so this year, I don't think. And just to be completely honest with you guys, I don't think I ever understood rest. I think I was a little young to understand what rest truly meant. Once I had my son, Marino, I think everything just changed. I think life got a little more serious, and I truly started to experience tiredness.
00:03:04.240 --> 00:04:03.479
When I think about when I used to. Used to think I was tired, I'm like, I had no idea what I was talking about. But it's funny how life just changes and different seasons bring different things, and no season, it's is worse than the other. It's just seasons and you adjust. But I used to just think I could work and be at home and do whatever, and you just kind of took the day. And even if you planned it, there was no intentional rest. And my husband came from a family where they truly prioritized rest the correct way. But if you saw them, they worked hard. When they were working, they worked hard. And what they were able to accomplish. There is zero laziness in the Alessi family. They are hard workers, and it's for the kingdom of God, and it's beautiful. I've gotten to see how beautiful that is, how important work is. But when they went on vacation, they were serious and they made intentional time for resting. And when my husband would be like, hey, we should go and take a couple days off, I would be like, why?
00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:18.519
I don't. I don't. I don't understand what days off and rest. Everything was all one in my head this year. I think this year is the first time. So I'm not speaking from a ton of experience. This is a journey. We're walking out together.
00:04:18.598 --> 00:05:46.899
But this year is like the first year that I understood what rest meant, and that was just being intentional about putting days and hours in the calendar of the week, the month of the year, where we turn off each and we spend quality time with family, quality time with friends, quality time with the Lord and the Bible, the true rest that comes from that. And so now that the weekend is approaching, whether you work on Saturdays or you don't, I encourage you guys to find intentional time with rest not by scrolling. Rest is not sitting on your phone on the couch and scrolling through Instagram, because your mind is just going to be active, and then you're going to be comparing of what others are doing and you're not doing. Don't do that. Say, I'm going to either invite friends over or if I'm going to spend time on my word, or if I'm going to be alone and I'm going to organize or I'm going to make myself a meal. Whatever it is that you're going to do to truly rest, that means mentally you're resting. It's not just by sitting on a couch, but mentally. How are you resting? Protect your thoughts. Spend time thinking of what's lovely and true and, and peaceful and what's right. What the Bible says to think about, think about those things and do true rest that way by being intentional, by putting your phones away. And so spend the day today, right, working really hard. Work really hard at getting your job done.
00:05:46.899 --> 00:05:50.620
Be responsible. Get the things you have to get done done.
00:05:51.019 --> 00:06:35.759
So when Saturday morning comes, when Sunday comes, you can say, I'm going to truly enjoy my day off with my family, with the Lord and with all the great blessings that I have. And I'm going to protect my thoughts in my mind and I'm going to truly rest this weekend. So let's pray. Father God, we thank you because you gave us the example of true rest first. This is not something that's new, Father. This is something that you modeled like you've always done. Father. You have always been the example of to us. And so I just pray Lord that you help us, that you help us with our minds, gain control of our minds to have self discipline to say I'm going to put dates on the calendar to rest and to truly refresh my soul.
00:06:35.759 --> 00:07:05.100
Father, thank you. Because we know that this can be done. We have this self control to have intentional rest within ourselves and with our family. So then we can be productive and and strong workers when that time comes. But we can be very efficient even with the rest and very intentional with it. So thank you Lord for the rest that you are going to give us this weekend and because when Monday comes we're gonna feel so much better. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
00:07:06.699 --> 00:07:27.670
So there you have it. Your 5 minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in today. We pray these devotional empower you to take on your day. If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend. Leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow. We pray that your latte is strong but your love for Jesus is stronger.