Tired of being tired Receive God's realistic rest for your soul-deep exhaustion

Relentless pressure to be "everything to everyone" has left women burnt out at home and work, according to this earnest outing from Bible teacher Connolly (Wild and Free). Writing that rest is a gift from God so important it was modeled in the creation story, Connolly lists excuses women use to put off downtime ("I can't rest until the work is done"; "Rest will be boring") and probes more deep-seated reasons it can be hard to rest, including the tendency to strive "for your worth than receiving it from God." Tips for incorporating rest into one's life include napping, memorizing scripture "to fight striving," and establishing healthy bedtime and morning routines. Throughout, Connolly hammers home that women's worth is independent of their relationships to others, adding that she too must remind herself that "I'm a child of God, not just a worker or a leader or a provider for other people in the kingdom." While most of the book's tips will be familiar to readers, Connolly convincingly debunks the moral associations between rest and "laziness, indulgence, and lack of trustworthiness" with a mix of down-to-earth anecdote and solid spiritual exhortation ("If God our Father rested during creation... if Jesus Christ Himself needed sleep and time away with God--rest cannot be lazy or sinful"). Weary Christians will be rejuvenated by Connolly's solid counsel. Agent: Jenni Burke, Illuminate Literary. (Apr.)