DEAR EDUCATOR: This Summer, Please Rest. Really Rest.
- Dr. Jackie Minor
- Jun 1
- 4 min read
I’ll never forget the summer I transformed our entryway with subtle, hand-painted stripes long before HGTV made statement walls all the rage! After countless hours of measuring, taping, and squinting under every kind of lighting to get it just right, my DIY masterpiece finally came to life.
So tell me. How are you spending your summer? Are you taking a university class or two to check off requirements for that next degree? Are you getting those professional development hours in so you can keep your certification current? Maybe you're finally tackling that closet or garage you’ve been meaning to clean out since…last summer. Hopefully, you’ve carved out a vacation somewhere in there, a few days to catch your breath.
Let’s be honest. Chances are many of you reading this blog have already started thinking about next school year. Just a few hours of planning here and there have likely been spent to get ahead. Right? I get it. Summer is supposed to feel slower, but somehow it still fills up fast. However, in the middle of all of it, I want to gently ask you a question.
Are you making space to rest? Like, really rest?
What Does Rest Actually Look Like?
Rest means different things to different people. For me, rest doesn’t look like lying on the couch all day. That actually makes me feel more restless. I start pacing, watering plants, reorganizing drawers—anything to feel like I’m doing something. If I sit still too long, I start feeling guilty. Can you relate? Maybe it’s just how I’m wired, or maybe, like many fellow educators, I’ve become used to simply moving. Slowing down feels unnatural. Here’s what I’ve been learning: God created rest on purpose.
Most of us are familiar with the creation story. God had been busy creating for six days, but then we read this in Genesis 2:2-3.
“On the seventh day God had finished His work of creation, so He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy.”
God wasn’t tired. He wasn’t burned out. He was finished. He stepped back, looked at His creation, called it “very good,” and chose to stop. What if we gave ourselves permission to do the same?
You’ve spent the last nine months giving everything you’ve got—lesson planning, parent meetings, hallway duties, paper grading, juggling extra duties, and connecting with kids who desperately needed someone to care for them. You’ve earned your summer, not just for catching up on tasks but for catching your breath and finding true rest.
The Rest Your Soul Actually Needs
If you read my post back in January, you know that rest has been a theme God has kept placing in front of me over the course of this year. The more I lean into it, the more I realize this isn’t just about naps or vacations. It’s about something deeper. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
That’s not a suggestion. It’s a promise and a beautiful invitation. Real rest doesn’t come from binge-watching a show or crossing everything off the to-do list. Those things are fine, but they won’t quiet the soul. They won’t fill that inner space where peace is supposed to live. That kind of rest only comes from Jesus. We experience true rest by being with Him. Listening. Trusting. Praying.
I recently read a quote from John Eldredge that hit a little too close to home.
“We are awash in Christian content… but content about Jesus is not the same
as communion with Jesus.”
So true. I’m constantly consuming—podcasts, devotionals, sermons, social media. Unfortunately, it’s so easy to substitute all that good content for actual connection with Him. So how do we reconnect with Him? I don’t have a formula, but I’m learning some practices that help me slow down and shift my attention from doing for Jesus to being with Him. If you’re looking for a starting point, here are a few simple ways to settle your heart this summer in order to meet with Him.
1. Reflect Silently
Sit in silence for a few minutes. Let go of distractions. Focus on Jesus's presence within you. Simply be with Him. Many times no words are needed.
2. Meditate on Scripture
Take one verse—maybe John 15:5 or Psalm 23:1-3—and read it slowly. Let a word or phrase stand out. Reflect on it. Ask Jesus to speak through it.
3. Listen
Rather than speak, simply ask Him, “Lord, what do You want me to know right now?” Wait quietly. Just listen.
4. Journal with Jesus
Write out a prayer or question, and then write what you sense Jesus might be saying back. It helps to bring clarity and connection. It’s also helpful to integrate Scripture when it applies.
5. Express Gratitude
Start naming what you’re thankful for out loud or on paper. Gratitude opens our hearts to God’s nearness.
6. Practice Stillness
Close your eyes, take deep breaths, and release tension. Let your body rest as a form of worship.
7. Visualize His Nearness
Picture Jesus sitting beside you or dwelling in your heart. Let that image remind you of His closeness. Remember, the Bible says the Holy Spirit lives within you!
8. Repeat His Name
Just say His name softly. “Jesus… Jesus…” Let it center you in Him.
9. Step Outside
Take a walk or sit in the sun. Breathe deeply and whisper, “You are with me, Jesus.” Let nature reconnect you with the Creator.
Don’t Miss Him This Summer
Jesus doesn’t need a perfect environment to show up. He’s already with you. He wants to meet with you, but it doesn’t have to be in a grand production. Meet with Jesus in the quiet. In the slow moments. In the spaces where you finally stop striving.
So go ahead and take the university course. Clean the closet. Plan next year’s seating chart if you must. But somewhere in there, make room for something better.
Real presence.
Real peace.
Real rest.
Jesus is waiting, and you, dear educator, have earned the rest that can only be found in Him.
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