I am so thrilled to recommend the book Rest Assured by Vicki Courtney to any women who struggles with never really feeling rested or at peace.  I devoured this book in less than three days because I just really needed it that badly.  I have read several books by Vicki Courtney, but this one was by far my favorite.  She takes the reader through a sort of life assessment to determine why we might struggle with not getting enough rest.  She covers four categories: The Badge of Busyness (why are we all so busy anyway), The Exhausting Pursuit of Happiness (the need to compare ourselves with others and our own ridiculous expectations for ourselves), Tethered Souls (the toxic pull of social media and other time stealing issues), and Worried Sick (the awful disease of constant worry).  Each category has its own chapter complete with checklists, questions, and challenges to change.

I have to admit that I didn’t realize how desperately I needed this book until I read through the Badge of Busyness chapter and checked off every single warning sign of someone who may be too busy.  I’ve read many books on the topic of learning to say no, finding rest, slowing down, etc.  But none of those books felt quite as comforting and encouraging as this one.  I felt as though I was sitting with the author while she comforted me, related her own story to my own and then encouraged me to find a better way to live.  I actually answered (in pen) the questions at the end of each chapter and spent time in prayer for each one of the areas covered in this book.  This book is more about what makes our souls weary than what makes our bodies weary – which I very much appreciated.  There were quotes and scripture sprinkled thoughtfully throughout the book and I wrote down several to meditate on over the next several weeks.

I honestly wish I had taken the book a bit more slowly and had given each of the last four chapters the full week that the author suggests.  This book is probably meant to be chewed on piece by piece rather than swallowed whole, but I really just couldn’t help it.

If you are struggling with a full plate, a heavy heart and a weary soul – this is a book that you need to read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.