Longing to Feel Like Yourself Again? How Creative Rest Can Renew Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

Jen Stone-Sexton
6 days ago
5 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Longing to feel like yourself again? Sometimes the rest we need is not more sleep—but space to breathe, quiet the noise, notice beauty, and reconnect with God. Inspired by the wilderness beauty of Red Rock Canyon and the hope of Isaiah 43:19, discover how creative rest can renew your mind, body, and spirit.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada

The desert has a way of quieting everything.

As I hiked through Red Rock Canyon, the sun pressed warm against the earth and the trail stretched through heat, dust, and stone. My mouth felt dry no matter how often I reached for water. My breath became the loudest sound in the silence, along with the steady rhythm of footsteps moving through the dusty ground.

When you are walking in the wilderness, the main focus becomes simple things: breath, thirst, direction, the next step.

And yet, in that stark and rugged beauty, I noticed something else.

The chatter of the mind began to quiet.

In the silence, I sensed how often God meets us in places we would rather avoid—wilderness seasons, barren stretches, the spaces where life feels uncertain, exposed, or dry. Places where distractions fall away and we become more aware of what is happening within us.

Sometimes what feels like emptiness becomes sacred ground.

When the Noise Grows Quiet

Many of us live surrounded by constant input. Notifications. Responsibilities. Pressure. Expectations. Even when life is full, our inner world can feel disconnected and overstimulated.

That is why rest matters.

Not only physical rest, but the kind of rest that helps us hear again, feel again, and reconnect with what is true.

Creative rest is one of those gifts.

Creative rest is the renewal that comes when we receive beauty instead of only managing demands. It is found in moments that restore wonder, awaken gratitude, and create space for God to gently refresh the soul.

Sometimes we do not need more information. We need space to notice.

Streams in the Desert

In the middle of that dry landscape, I saw signs of life everywhere.

Butterflies moving through the canyon air. Desert flowers blooming in unexpected places. Beautiful cactus blossoms emerging from stems covered in thorns.

It felt like a living parable. Isaiah 43:19 says:

"Behold, I am going to do something new, Now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert."

God brings life where we expect barrenness. He brings beauty where we only noticed hardship. He brings renewal in places we assumed were beyond repair.

The wilderness carries its own stunning beauty—and so do the seasons of life we did not choose.

Nothing Is Wasted

As I walked, another thought rose in my heart:

Nothing is ever wasted.

Not a mistake. Not a tear. Not the effort. Not the season that felt slow. Not the place where you thought you failed. So often, what we label as failure may actually be a hidden season of formation. What feels like delay may be preparation. What feels barren may be the very place where roots are growing deeper than we can see.

God is not absent in the wilderness. He is present, refining, healing, and gently leading us forward one step at a time.

Beauty from Wounded Places

Those cactus flowers stayed with me.

Blooms emerging from prickly, guarded stems felt like a reminder for every heart that has been wounded and learned to protect itself. Many of us build emotional barriers after disappointment, grief, rejection, or pain.

Yet when surrendered to God, even wounded places can become places of beauty.

He knows how to bring tenderness where there has been hardness. He knows how to heal what has been bruised. He knows how to create something exquisite from suffering entrusted to His care.

Cactus flower in bloom - Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

3 Simple Ways to Practice Creative Rest

You do not need a plane ticket or a mountain trail to begin. Creative rest can meet you right where you are.

1. Step into Beauty

Take a walk outside. Notice the sky. Sit in the sun. Visit a park or garden. Let creation remind you that renewal is still possible.

2. Quiet the Noise

Put your phone away for a few moments. Turn off the constant input. Sit in silence and let your nervous system exhale.

3. Ask God What Is Blooming

Pause and ask: Lord, what are You growing in me that I cannot yet see? Listen gently. You may be more renewed than you realize.

You Were Created to Flourish

If you have been longing to feel like yourself again, perhaps the invitation is not to strive harder—but to receive rest in a new way. Creative rest helps us reconnect with beauty, wonder, and the God who still brings streams in the desert.

Even now, life can rise in dry places. Even now, beauty can bloom again. Even now, you are being renewed.

Questions for Reflection:

Where in your life have you been feeling dry, disconnected, or stretched thin?
What moments of beauty help you feel grounded and restored?
What might God be growing in this season that you cannot yet see?

Prayer:

"Lord, thank You for meeting me in every season—including the wilderness places. Quiet the noise within me and help me notice the beauty You are still creating. Refresh what feels dry, heal what feels tender, and renew my mind, body, and spirit through Your gentle presence. Amen."

Ready for Deeper Renewal?

If you are longing to flourish in mind, body, and spirit, I would be honored to walk with you through a coaching journey rooted in faith, freedom, fruitfulness and whole-person wellbeing. Remember, you were created to flourish.

This Devotional Blog is written by Jen Stone-Sexton - Author, Speaker, Teacher, Certified Christian Life Coach, Certified 7 Types of Rest® Facilitator + Wellbeing Consultant, Founder & CEO of Freedom to Flourish Ministries.

Through coaching, teaching, and soul-centered practices, Jen supports women who are longing to rest well, live aligned, and flourish in mind, body, and spirit. If you sense God inviting you into deeper alignment or intentional rest in this season, you’re warmly invited to learn more about Jen’s coaching and current offerings. 🦋 Learn more here.

Credits:

Photos of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada