
A Quest for Intentional Rest
Michelle DeRusha takes on one of modern society’s biggest lies in her latest book—the badge of busyness. “Part of our need to be busy and productive comes from our desire to be valued and known,” she says. “If we are busy, we must be needed, and if we are needed, we must be important.” But wearing the busyness badge just makes us feel even more harried and worn out—when in reality, we need to seek intentional rest.
On her quest to find the antidote to busyness, DeRusha takes the reader along on a soul-searching journey. Using the metaphor of a tree, she shows how easily we let life turn us into a jungle of lists and things and striving. Like sucker shoots, all the things take energy from our true selves until we lose sight of our true identity—children of a loving Father.

We forget that God values us and knows us more intimately than we know ourselves. When we take time for intentional rest, we allow the Master Gardner to prune and shape us. Pruning and shaping might not feel comfortable at the time. But when we ask God to do the work in us, we discover that his plan exceeds our wildest expectations. By scheduling intentional rest into our daily routine, we make room for God’s plans and shape for our lives to take root. We allow him to gently train us in the way we should go.
DeRusha combines her journalist’s skills with her memoirist’s eye to create the perfect combination of research and story. Each chapter ends with study questions that take the reader deeper into the quest of letting go and discovering the person God created.
This Book is For You If…
If you’re a busy person—the kind that constantly strives and secretly takes pride in having a full schedule—this book is for you. Our culture has built up the cult of busyness to unhealthy heights, and this book serves as a wake-up call to step away from the pyre.
If you feel empty, no matter how much you accomplish, this book is for you. You’ll discover a better way to live. A way that doesn’t include submitting to a never-ending to-do list, but instead includes submitting to a never-ending God.
Looking for the antidote to #busyness but now sure how to find it? Check out #TrueYou by @MichelleDeRusha! #selfcare Click To TweetReaders who enjoy Jennifer Dukes Lee’s book It’s All Under Control will enjoy this book.
I receive free electronic advanced reader copies of these books through an arrangement between the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion on NetGalley’s website. I only review books on my blog that I really love.
Having had this forced time in stillness & knowing that He is God.
I am grateful for this time.
I know it sounds strange but I am actually truly thankful for these chronic health conditions because I have been able to “Be” & sit in His presence away from all the busyness & be truly refreshed, renewed & blessed in ways that I had not in all my doing for Him 😉
Blessings,
Jennifer
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Thanks for stopping by, Jennifer! It’s not easy for me to sit still (unless I’m reading a good book–but that means I’m not still with God, just still 😉 ). I’m on a journey to learn to listen more and talk and move less.
Anita Ojeda recently posted…How to Install a Tweet Button and Build Authentic Engagement
Thank you for the book review, Anita. I now have another addition to my TBR list! I worry that I have succumbed to the “culture of busyness”.
Laurie recently posted…Written on Our Hearts
You’re welcome! Those TBR lists get so big, don’t they?! I’ve resorted to listening to books on Audible whilst I drive on long road trips.
This book keeps popping up everywhere. I can’t wait to read it. I also feel it will complement Shelly Miller’s Rhythms of Rest that I am almost finished with plus help me as God teaches me about my one word “receive” this year.
This sounds like just the book for me! I feel guilty when I stop doing something, like I have an obligation to constantly be productive. It’s exhausting and it’s become amply clear that I need to do something about it before I end up totally burnt out 🙁
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