Rest Is Worship: Meeting God in the Quiet
Kelly Bangs’ newest Whole Kit & Caboodle: Rest Here is live
I’ve spent the last week very deliberately practicing rest—and what I’ve realized is that rest does not come easy for me. For so long, I’ve been in a season of rushing from one project to the next, constantly putting out fires and handling emergencies. I’ve gone so far past the point of burnout that when I finally collapsed at my Father’s feet, I could almost hear Him remind me, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Somewhere along the way, I forgot that God actually designed us to rest regularly. Rest isn’t something to feel guilty about needing or something to push aside until the last possible minute. It’s a holy part of worship—a gift from our Heavenly Father that restores us and realigns our hearts with His.
Creative Rest with Kelly’s New Release
That’s why I love Kelly’s Whole Kit and Caboodle: Rest Here—it’s the perfect creative companion for slowing down and letting God refresh your heart. This kit is packed with goodness: five full pages of cut-apart ephemera, gorgeous labels and tags, tabs, playful tickets, colorful memos for jotting quick notes, and even a DIY envelope to tuck away your journaling treasures. Every page feels like an invitation to breathe deep and create from a place of peace. My favorite piece? A sticky note with a ticket that boldly declares: REST IS WORSHIP
You can layer the colorful memos into your Bible margins and use them for prayer notes, or tuck the tickets into your journal as little reminders to pause throughout your week. The tabs and labels are perfect for marking places in your Bible where God has spoken rest over you. And that envelope? It’s just right for keeping a collection of verses, prayers, or even answered prayers that remind you of God’s faithful care.
Kelly’s kit pairs beautifully with Kristina Proffitt’s Rest Here devotional for October, and I love what Kristina shares in her introduction: “It’s time, friend. Time to give your body, mind and soul the rest it needs by resting in the only One who can provide it—God.”
This week, I took the time to give my body, mind and soul the rest they so desperately needed. I slowed down and spent more time with my Father—reading His Word, quieting my mind, praying more, and simply sitting with Him in silence. I stopped filling every hour with busyness and instead allowed myself to just be. And in that stillness, God met me right where I was.
Say Yes to His Invitation
Friend, if you’ve been running on empty like I was, maybe this is your invitation, too. Rest isn’t wasted time—it’s sacred space where God does His best work in us. Kelly’s Whole Kit and Caboodle: Rest Here is such a beautiful reminder of that truth, filled with creative pieces that invite you to pause, breathe, and rest in His presence. Pair it with Kristina’s devotional this month and let your journaling time become holy ground for your soul to recover and recharge.
You can find Kelly’s Rest Here kit in the Illustrated Faith Print & Pray Shop. My prayer is that it helps you create margin for stillness and discover, just like I did, that God is always ready to meet you there.
Makes To Inspire You
Sherri B. (@sherriluvsles)
I love how Sherri B. brought the Rest Here kit to life in her Bible journaling spread. She layered florals, tickets, sticky notes, and tabs with bold phrases like Slow Down, Draw Near, and Be Still—all pointing straight to Jesus’ invitation in Mark 6:31: “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for awhile.” Her notes remind us that rest isn’t just about stopping our busyness — Sherri wrote, “Rest is not a place, it’s a person.” If that’s not a mic drop moment, I don’t know what is.
This page is a beautiful reflection of what the Rest Here devotional is all about: silence, solitude, and drawing near to God in the middle of life’s noise. You can find more of Sherri’s inspiring work on Instagram
