Dear Family,

Today we sailed across the Atlantic and docked for fuel off a small port in Miami. Rebekah says hi. It's been her and I for miles now, so I'm not alone anymore. It's good to have someone else taking a turn at the wheel and not just there for the ride. Especially during those storms "you will necessarily encounter" whenever you set out — it's unavoidable out there.

Many times we've gotta brace ourselves, holding onto anything that seems stable as we encounter them. Often we hold on to each other. If I'm being honest, when she's holding on to me I pretend to be stable, but my eyes are closed as I brace the turbulence. I found in those moments prayers somehow seem to calm the storm. Maybe it's just my imagination, but my dad once said if you believe something works, then it works. Either way, we always seem to make it through. And we've got so much further to go.

And no, it never gets easier. But you stop trying to avoid the storms, and naturally prayer becomes your companion of choice.

We decided to get off the boat for a few days. As I sit with the sand between my toes and the sun blessing my melanated skin, I happen to look down and see my footprint behind me. A great place to leave a trail for you.

So, here it is, Here’s the breadcrumb:

Needing a breather when you're gasping for air is not weakness. Taking a break before you begin gasping for air is not weakness. It's smart. Mature. Strategic.

taking a break is not culturally expressed in its significance to our growth. Instead, we tend to value hustling nonstop until the goal is reached or until the finish line is crossed.

But I'll let you in on something I'm learning now: Most people never cross the finish line because they try to do it exhausted, bewildered, and hallucinating from lack of rest. Yet instead of getting help, taking a break, or simply admitting their current state, they'd rather run harder so they can get nowhere faster.

And it's crazy.

The fear of coming up for air probably scares you, not because you don't want to, but because you're afraid.

Yes, cousin. Afraid. Don't be mad at me and don't get weird. You're afraid, but it's okay. I’m still afraid too. Because I didn't start my journey in search of something, and you probably didn't either. Most of us, started the journey running FROM something. So you think covering more ground will make it quicker, but really we’re afraid of looking up and facing that thing we’ve been running from. Afraid maybe we haven't gotten as far away from it as we’d hoped.

But here's the kicker: If you don't look up, how are you going to see where you're going?

And looking back isn't a bad thing. Sometimes it's the quickest way to find gratitude by seeing how far God has brought you when you can't seem to find anything else to be happy about. (This is one of those things I told you we hold onto when the storm hits.)

Rest. Rest. Rest.

At some point you have to understand that even God rested on the seventh day.

Now, understanding what type of rest works and what makes rest effective is a whole new subject, and it'll take time to get right. But my aim is to get you to just start. Be intentional with your rest.

Step away from the issue long enough to recharge your battery. For me, I'm learning that once I'm under 50%, I don't just slow down — I stop altogether. It could be mid-week. I'll decide today I'm walking 10,000 steps, I'm praying, I'll go see my mom. Or I'll sit and read and turn my phone off. Or I'll deep clean a part of my apartment, my car. And lastly, what I'm trying to learn to allow myself to do: take a small vacation (like the one I'm on now as I write from Miami).

Now I know this isn't the most exciting, and also my rest probably sounds like more work to you. And that's the point. You have to make it your own. Tailor it to your life. For me, I'm a thinker, a creative. I believe my most profitable asset sits between my shoulders. So rest for me is a break from things that require a heavy load of mental use.

Simply Put:

When you run empty, so does every other part of your life. Patience, faith, energy, grace, all of it.

Yelling at your kids for being kids? You need rest.

Snapping at your spouse over nothing? You need rest.

Can't focus on the task in front of you? You need rest.

I've gotten vocal with Bek about this. I'll tell her when I need a  moment or space. At first it was weird, but we realized something: me needing rest doesn't mean I don't love you. It means I want to recharge so I can love you more, the way you deserve to be loved.

Look, we were taught rest is weak. But I'm learning rest is a superpower — giving you back the strength to finish the task, love your spouse, and raise your kids with the grace they need.

Don't take my word for it. Try it. Choose one moment of rest this week and see what happens.

Okay, I better go. Bek's getting hungry. She wants to get a Cuban sandwich in Little Havana.

TTYL. Love ya much.

— Earl