The Art of Letting Go: Mastering Rest

"Turn Right to Go Left"
– Lightning McQueen... Actually, it was the sheriff who taught him that lesson in the Disney movie Cars.

This weekend, I rested in a way I hadn’t in a long time. Anyone with a one-year-old knows it’s a constant struggle—getting them to sit still, stop putting random things in their mouth, and find any method of communication besides crying. But during that time of rest, I had to do something that’s never been easy for me: give up a little bit of control.

To me, giving up control felt unfamiliar, even uncomfortable. It caused some anxiety and made me worry that things wouldn’t get done—or worse, that they wouldn’t be done my way. But I realized I needed to trust that, even if things weren’t done exactly as I would have done them, they would still get done. Letting go was a compromise I had to make in order to rest.

In Cars, Lightning McQueen struggled to stay on the road through one of the most dangerous curves in the race. He often veered off track, costing him valuable time. When he found himself stuck in a small town, an old-time sheriff taught him an unexpected lesson—if he wanted to go left, he needed to steer right. What McQueen needed to succeed wasn’t more speed or control; it was learning to let go and trust something different.

I’ve spent my life at the wheel, forging my own path, leading my own way. I’ve prided myself on being a woman rooted in both resilience and resistance. I’ve persevered through countless storms, and the warrior in me has won many battles. But some battles aren’t won on the battlefield. I’ve learned that, in this season of my life, some of the most critical battles will be won in my own bed—by resting.

You’ve mastered resilience. You’ve mastered resistance. But can you master rest?

Learning that rest is my warfare strategy for this season felt counterintuitive. It felt like steering right to go left. Yet, as I navigate this challenging transition in my life, I realize it’s time to let go of old habits and embrace the power of rest.

So, as you work toward your New Year’s resolutions, I encourage you to add one more goal: Master rest. Rest, and be restored.