Rest? What's That?? Part 3 of 4

In Parts 1 & 2 of our "Rest? What's That?" news post series, we looked at how stress affects women.  Today, we're turning our attention to the men!

Studies show that women appear more visibly affected by stress than men. Men and women have different psychological and biological responses to stress. As more relational and expressive creatures, women tend to be comfortable vocalizing feeling stressed or overloaded.  Men, on the other hand, don't always feel safe to verbalize the same overworked, anxious, or stressed feelings. This can lead to unhealthy ways of coping with the stressors in their lives.

Men bear the responsibility of providing for and leading the family, often making important decisions that affect the livelihood of their families. They tend to be prone to bottle up their feelings, making them more subject to the damaging effects of stress. But wait, aren't men used to just "sucking it up? Isn't that just a traditional mark of masculinity?" Research shows that men are far more likely to develop life-threatening illnesses as a result of a lack of finding healthy ways to rest and cope with their equally detrimental stress load.

We all have a desire for rest and relaxation, and the good news is that the Scriptures have a lot to say about that! Join us beginning September 10th at 9 or 11 for a 4-part sermon series, Rest for the Weary, and invite your equally stressed buddy to learn how he can find true rest.