Friday, Thank God | Little Bits of Blessings

I am on a personal mission to put the reverent respect for God back into Fridays. Yep.  I know I've said T.G.I.F. at least a million billion times.  But lately the casualness of it all has been creeping up on me.  Shouldn't we be thanking God for every day? As in, "Thank you, God, for this is the Monday  (or Tuesday or Saturday) you have made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it?"  Couldn't we be looking at our weeks as something more than a trial to be survived between weekends?  Wouldn't it be healthier for our souls if we reflected on the good in the week before it drifts away, instead of shooing it out the door like a stinky, dirty dog?

I'm going to try doing that here.  Each Friday.  With a little something I'm calling:

It feels a little more formal and a lot more reverential.  It doesn't flow off the tongue so easily, so we have to slow down.  It leaves us thinking about God, as he gets the last word, instead of leaning into the excitement of the last day of the workweek.

So, without further ado, here are some bright bits from this week.  Some words of encouragement.  And some things that point us back to God and wrap our faith around us.

nstsystems.com

My Mr. had a rough week.  Crazy-busy with work.  Stretched thin with personal commitments.  Insomnia night after night.  And then he inadvertently left his laptop on the city bus.  Uuuughhhh.  But 36 hours later, he learned that someone had found it and returned it to the bus company.  Aaaaaaaahhhhh.  There are good people in the world.  Plenty of good people in the world.  Thank you, kind stranger with oodles of integrity.



When I found myself on autopilot this week and needing some oomph for my energy, I remembered one of the most darling, positive, and talented people here on earth: Kid President.  If you haven't met him, here's your chance.  I'm sharing the same "Pep Talk" video that I watched this week for a little encouragement and a lot of smiles.  And if you can't get enough of him in this three minute video, there are more waiting for you over at the Soul Pancake channel on YouTube.

marriedayouthpastor.com

One of my favorite 31 Days series I discovered this year is Breaking Religion by Liz von Ehrenkrook at her blog, So I Married a Youth Pastor.  She is passionate about living her faith transparently, even when it comes to those sticky questions where people and churches and faiths don't see eye to eye.  She looks at the parts of being a Christian that are difficult and uncomfortable, and prompts real and honest conversation about them.  I haven't read through all of her posts yet, but the handful I've explored so far have left me nodding and pondering and praying for days.  I think you'll enjoy them, too.

I pray that your week held more good than struggle, that your weekend brings you space to breathe, to be yourself honestly and with integrity, and that you feel encouraged and uplifted.  May you remember, today and every day, that...

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 188:24

29 | Believe

Even when I know better, sometimes I wonder...

Why be still?

There are answers that float around my head...  I need to rest.  I need to breathe. Life is too fast.  My faith is so important.  It just feels good.

But here's the real reason, for me at least.  I believe being still is the best way for God to transform me into something more useful to this world.  

Wait.  That sounded kind of utilitarian, like I'm a measuring cup or a tire pump.

I'm not a tool.  I'm not a cog in a machine.

But I hope and pray I am a small but important peace in this amazing puzzle that is God's kingdom on earth.  A small but steady reflection of our Lord's light and grace. A small but sincere arrow, pointing up to heaven and glorifying our God.

Deidre Elzer-Lento via hccny.org

Yes, I'm a teacher.  Yes, I'm a church program assistant.  A mother.  A wife.  A sister and daughter and friend and neighbor.

But at the core, I am a child of God.

WestWillow via Etsy.com

A child.  Young.  Immature.  Growing.  At 45 I figure I'm only halfway to heaven, and God has a lot he can do through me before then.

So how do I best serve God?  How do I best prepare to please Jesus?  How do I humbly invite the Holy Spirit to stir my soul?

www.moritzfineblogdesigns.com

I believe.  And I live out my belief.  I trust in God's transformation.  I go to the well of his word and drink deep.  I pray.  I pray.  And I pray some more. Then I harvest all that God has planted in me, scoop it up in my arms, and carry it out in the world.  I scatter his bounty in my words, my actions, my hugs, and my tears.  In the little details and the big bold statements.  I become a white board for his wisdom.  A mouthpiece for his message.  

Sometimes the proof of my loving God comes out like, "How could you deal with your annoyance over your brother in a more gentle way?"  Or, "What are some ways we can compromise about this weekend's plans?" And, "I'm sorry.  I hope I didn't step on your toes.  If I did, I'll gladly back off." Sometimes it looks like sending an "I'm thinking of you" email.  Or bringing a friend a good book.  And often a ten-minute back scratch.  Even if God's love comes out as something mundane, it is meaningful. 

When I'm rushed and crazed and crowded by earthly things, I don't feel God's nudges to be his hands and feet, his words and ears.  But when I am still in his presence, my belief blossoms into ideas for blessing others.

SpoonLily via Etsy.com

I believe that this is why God has put us on this earth: To love him with our whole hearts, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  And to live. out. that. love.

We are going to get it wrong sometimes.  We'll confuse God's coordinates and tangle his transmissions.  But it is better to try and trip up, than to ignore God's guidance. We need to be confident in God's ability to bring his plans to fruition.

framedinfaith.blogspot.com

We are going to fail sometimes.  But faith looks that possibility of failure in the face and says, "Not today.  Not if I can help it.  Not if I stand fast with my Lord."  In our moments of stillness and God-breathed focus, we can visualize the unseen, we can perceive God's implausible possibilities, as daunting as they may be.  And we are fueled to forge ahead.

These still, quiet communions with God, these moments of breathing in our belief, allow us to make a sacred space in our souls for our living Lord to dwell.  Then there is no stopping what we can do with God and for God.  We will not fall.  We will stand tall.  We will glow.  And grow.  And glorify him, the basis of our belief.

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Lord,

I believe in my heart, in the depths of my soul, that our sweet, still time together is the best gift you have for me.  I believe you take this quiet soaking of faith and use it to transform me.  I believe that when I invite you to sustain me, you will provide all the direction and determination I need to be your presence, right where I am planted. 

Thank you for this opportunity to be still with you today.  Thank you for inspiring me with your goodness and filling me with your love.  Thank you for blessing me with belief.

Amen

28 | Be Steady

Happy Tuesday!  

I've always felt like Tuesday is a bit like the neglected stepchild of the week. Mondays are notoriously awful, but at least they have a recognizable reputation.  Wednesdays are Hump Days. Thursdays are almost-the-weekend excitement builders.  We "Thank God for Fridays."  (Really, aren't we thanking God for every day we get?).  Saturdays we celebrate for the opportunity to play, and Sunday is our blessed day of rest.

Feeling sorry for Tuesdays, I started celebrating them when I was teaching high school English.  By "celebrating" I mean welcoming students with a cheery "Happy Tuesday!" and a high five as they entered my classroom.  They thought I was weird. (They were right.)  It didn't catch on.  

But I didn't give up.  While I may not have changed Tuesdays into days of joy and jubilation, it certainly put me in a good mood.  Sometimes that's all we need to do a world of good in our little corner of the world.

What does all this have to do with taking time to be still?

It is my prayer that we don't give up this time to be still with our Lord.  May God ensure that it catches on in our lives and does a world of good in our faith journeys.

We are 28 days into this stillness series, and you're probably realizing: 1) It's not easy to be still on a daily basis, and 2) When you can find time to be still, it's a worthwhile investment.

With Day 31 on the horizon, let me give you a little encouragement for holding on to this habit of stopping and soaking up God's presence.  Let's be steady in pursuing God's stillness, well beyond October, into the gratitude of November and the celebration of December and the resolutions of January. 

via Pinterest

There are going to be things that will knock us off this straight and narrow path of quietly, slowly talking with and listening to God.  Busy days.  Sick days.  Days of travel.  Days of neglect.  Days with joy so full we forget we need our God.  Days with despair so deep we feel distant from God.  

Knowing we are imperfect, knowing we don't have to do this perfectly, knowing God's grace is sufficient to make this habit holy and whole, let us patiently pledge to make our best effort to meet with our Savior every day.

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Because days that harbor pockets of God's peace are a key piece in keeping our sanity, tending to our resilience, and nurturing our faith.  And with our steady persistence, with God's divine intervention, we will find it easier and easier to discover these pockets of peace.

One step at a time.

What is your first step going to be?  

I've got news for you.  You've already taken your first step.  You are here today, devoting time to thinking about your relationship with God.  You are contemplating how you can be still in his presence.  Whether this is your first time stopping by or your 28th visit, you are on the right track.

What is your next step going to be?

Stop back tomorrow.  I'll have another post for you Wednesday, and Thursday, and Friday. After October, my aim is to post twice a week.  (Will you say a quick prayer for me that I can deliver?)

Or if you don't stop here (I am weird, after all), stop somewhere with God and your Bible and a prayer.  Keep it simple.  God will meet you wherever you are.

And after that?  

Pledge to persevere.  Maybe you dig the daily devotion.  Maybe weekly is more your thing.  Maybe two or three times a week is what you can manage.  Pray about your time of sweet stillness with God.  Ask him to help you discern whether it is better to start with a doable goal to build momentum, or if you need to serious challenge to kick your faith up a notch.  As for me, I'm pledging for truly daily devotions and stillness.  I've held this as a loose-y goose-y goal for too long now.  It's time to be steady in my followthrough.   

Whatever you decide about the frequency, make a specific plan to Be Still with God. Put it in your calendar.  But beware of the abbreviation: BS w/ G.  Unless that puts a smile on your face and makes for a Happy Tuesday.  Then go for it.  As I've said before, I'm convinced God has a sense of humor. 

 

After that, it's time to take action and see what God does in your quiet time.  I love how this bit of inspiration from Hazelden Publishing's book Twenty Four Hours a Day describes the transformation like water against stone.

Spiritual development is achieved by daily persistence in living the way you believe God wants you to live. Like the wearing away of a stone by steady drops of water, so will your daily persistence wear away all the difficulties and gain spiritual success for you... God will help and strengthen you, as long as you are trying to do His will.  

Being still, stopping all the doing to rest and rejuvenate in God, leads to spiritual development.  (If only physical development worked like that!)  Steady drop by steady drop of drinking up God's word will quench our thirst and help our roots grow deep.  It will wear away the rocky, stony places in our lives.  Steady persistence in being still and knowing God allows us unfettered access to his strength and peace. I don't know about you, but I can use all the strength and peace I can get!

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.  1 Corinthians 15:58

Let's give ourselves fully to this work of focusing on our Lord's word and will and way.  Life's storms and distractions will try to push us off our peaceful path. But when things try to move us, we can pray to God to help us to stand steady and firm. Every effort we make to this end will be rewarded in full in our relationship with our Heavenly Creator.

handmadeho.me

And if you ever doubt or despair you ability to be steady in your devotion to God, remember that you can do hard things, because you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).  

kikicomin.com | click on this pic for a free printable!

Lord,

As I have traveled down this path of being still with you this month, it is all the more clear to me that I need your stillness.  Your peace and grace sustain me and uplift me.  The more time I spend with you, the more serene I feel.  The more you bless me, the more I can a blessing to others.  

As these 31 Days to Be Still wind down, help me to reflect on how to best stay steady and on track in making time for you.  Show me the spaces in my days where we can be together in faith — both the doable, easy opportunities and the challenging points where I will most benefit from our quiet time.  Lead me in building this habit even further, so that I may continue to grow in your love.

In the weeks to come, I ask for your strength and steadfastness.  On my own I'm prone to wander.  Bind my wandering heart to you, Lord.  When I'm distracted or lazy, nudge me gently and push me persistently into eager anticipation of sitting at your feet, soaking up your goodness and your glory.  I pray that this daily habit continues and grows.  I pray that being still in your presence is as necessary and automatic for me as sleeping, eating, and breathing.  You are my blessed sustenance, and for that I am so very grateful.

Amen.



As you are thinking about how you might continue your time to be still with God, here are some resources and ideas.  

SOAP Bible study for more meaningful engagement with God's word (via allourdays.com)

Feeling too busy to read the Bible?  Glamorouslymommy.com has a Bible recommendation for you.

Dedicate a month to daily prayers for you children, using this printable from www.familymatters.net.

27 | Be Strong

I want to be strong.  Lean.  Fit.  Powerful.  Toned.  

metro.co.uk

bleacherreport.com

But I have a pear-shaped body, a love of salty and sweet, and a series of minor injuries that have made it hard to stick to an exercise regimen.

So that picture of strong is not part of the current chapter of my life.

I want to be strong.  Successful.  Wise.  Influential.

Maya Angelou via www.eurweb.com

Sting via uthmag.com

Well, I've got a master's degree.  I can help my kiddos with their math homework. But successful?  I'm not even sure how to measure success in motherhood, church work, and substitute teaching with a side of tutoring.  My kids haven't broken bones or been suspended from school.  I've got enough work to keep me busy and out of trouble, and I truly enjoy what I do.  Influential?  Judging from my inability to get my kiddos to pick up their shoes off the mudroom floor...  Um.  No.  And I definitely don't have the recognition of Maya Angelou or Sting.  

So that picture of strong is not fully clear in this stage of my life.

I want to be strong. Resilient. Ready to handle whatever challenges come my way.

But there are days I end up in tears, dialing my Mr. for empathy and support.  There are days I detest the way I parent, feeling crabby to the core and leaving a legacy of frustrated fuming.  There are days I just want to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head.  And some days I actually do.

I know this: I'm not strong enough on my own.

Thank the Lord I don't have to be strong enough on my own.  My strength starts and ends with God.  When I quiet the voices of fear, breathe deep past my weakness, and become still in God's presence, he provides everything I need.

I lift my eyes up to the hills — from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

The very same God who created heaven and earth, all the goodness we see, watches over us and lifts us up.  The very same God who kept the Israelites strong with manna through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness — he will keep us strong in our faith and through our earthly trials.  The very same God who gave Paul the ability to find joy in his many trials and imprisonments, he will buoy up our spirits so we can rise above our troubles.

homegrownhospitality.typepad.com

We can lift our worries up in prayer, we can leave our fears at the foot of the cross. God will be our strength and our help in times of trouble.  The only strength we need is the muscle and will to look up to our Lord, the power to stretch out our hand for his help.

The Lord is with us, wherever we go.  God will lead us to and through whatever he has planned for us.  He doesn't just promise to be our strength and our help, he commands us to trust in his powerful assistance to the point where we clothe ourselves in his strength and courage.

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And when we pull on God's strength, when we adorn ourselves with God's dignity, we can not only weather our trials and troubles, we can laugh at them and through them.  That's my favorite type of strength — a sense of humor that holds us up when the world seems like it is going to pull us down.

parenthood.com.au

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I want that kind of strength.  Trusting courage that laughs in the face of adversity. Fearlessness that allows me to look up and look on the lighter side of things. Strength and lifts me up to a place of spiritual joy.  Because this world, in all it's wonderfulness and worrisomeness, this world's got nothing on me and my God.

Won't you join me in praying for and praising God's powerful, joyful strength?

Lord,

Words cannot express how grateful I am that I don't need to go it alone.  I don't need to be strong enough.  I don't need to be strong at all.  You are my strength, through thick and thin, now and forever.

All I need to do is turn to you, to hand my worries and fears over to you.  You will take them in your powerful grasp and squeeze them into dry dust.  You are bigger than any fear or worry I will ever encounter.

Thank you for infusing me with your strength when this world drags me down and demands stretch me thin.  Thank you for gifting me with the ability to breathe deep through my battles, to laugh in the face of my fears.  

When I elevate to your perspective, when I rise up on the wings of your strength, my outlook lifts.  I can weather anything and everything.  Mountains surprisingly become molehills.  Groans ridiculously become giggles.  It makes no sense, and it makes all the sense in the world.  Because you've got the whole world in your hands, and at the end of the story we'll be holding hands in heaven.  I look forward to the joy we will share that day.

Amen.

18 | Be Positive

So we've settled down in gratitude. We've quieted ourselves in contentment. Hopefully these past few days of being still have brought you to a warm and fuzzy positive place.

Is a moment of stillness dedicated to being positive redundant?  Overkill?  Just when I started second guessing my plan to write about being positive today, God plopped this in my email inbox.

Harness the Power of Positivity in Social Media

The power of positivity. It's not just a nice thing, a good thing. It's a powerful thing. Positive actions carry God's power: his love, his grace, his righteousness.  When we are positive, we are proclaiming the good news of the gospel through our words and actions. 

And in then, in that same emailed post I found this quote: 

I shall pass this way but once; any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. -- Dale Carnegie

The author of How to Win Friends and Influence People, wrote that. But it sounds an awful lot like something Jesus would say. It sounds exactly like the way Jesus lived his life. 

When God plants these messages square in front of my face, when he leads my thought process in this manner, it's pretty clear what he wants us to focus on in this sweet, still moment today. 

Be Positive. 

So let's dedicate a quiet moment to putting positivity in our hearts and minds, for now and for the rest of the day. 

Lord,

As I breathe deep and slow down in stillness, I invite you to transform this quiet time into a positive time.  Help me to look up at your goodness, instead of getting dragged down in the dust and debris of this world.  Help me to turn my eyes to you and your glorious ways, rather than the negatives and frustrations that are of this world.  And be in my thoughts, my words, and the meditations of my heart, filling them up with your light and your grace to the point where I overflow with positivity for everyone in my midst.

Everything that is good comes from you.  And everything that you are is good.  Bring me back to your word when I forget this, Lord.  Remind me of your pervasive, positive nature.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.  His love endures forever.  Psalm 136:1

When I look to you with hope, I grow strong and resilient in your strength.  In this moment and in this day I want to hold fast to you and all things that are good.  I want to remain focused on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.  I want to reflect your positive and loving nature, so that when others see me, they see your glory and goodness shining through me.  I want to be a living exhibit of your grace.

I want to voice your good news.  In my conversations with loved ones, friends, and strangers, help me to lift them up, to be kind and patient and positive, so that they feel embraced by your unconditional love as well as my own.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  

Ephesians 4:29

I want to let my light shine in my corner of the world today, Lord.  Help me to fill up with the quiet and satisfying stillness of your positive nature now.  Help me to carry it with me throughout the rest of my day.  Be with me as I walk in my "positive pants," and lead me to the people and places who most need a healthy dose of your goodness and grace.

Amen

12 | Be Loved

Our senior pastor, John Hogenson, recently said this to our congregation at the annual stewardship dinner.

"I love you.  And I want the very best for you."

It is a personal and powerful message, one that has echoed in my heart for several weeks now.  It is a message that surprised me, in part because Pastor Hogenson's been with our very large church for a only a few short months.  How can he know me enough to love me?  Yet I do not doubt his sincerity.  He exudes God's love in all that he says and does.  

"I love you.  And I want the very best for you."

It is a message that reminds me of how earnestly God loves me.  In every book of the Bible we can find this message from God.  He has created us for an eternity of his love, and he wants us to experience that love fully, abundantly, completely.

"I love you.  And I want the very best for you."

Our God is a loving God.  

In this culture that places conditions and limitations and expectations of love, we sometimes have difficulty embracing the breadth and depth of God's infinite love. We sometimes doubt that in our unworthiness and imperfection, we could truly be loved unconditionally and eternally.  

Really God, you love me?  With all my bumps and blemishes and warts and worries? 

And God answers, simply and sincerely: YES.  Totally. Completely.  Forevermore.

God wrote out his love for us in every book of the Bible.  Today let's be still in some snippets of God's greatest love letter to us all.  Let's rejoice in this amazing gift.

My precious child, 

I want you to know that I love you.  I want you to really know that truth, deep in your heart.  And I want you to carry it with you all of your days — the dark and stormy ones, the bright and joyful ones, and every day in between.

Juliet Grace Design via Etsy.com

My love for you existed even before I created you.  In my love I created you in my image.  I bestowed upon you special gifts, uniquely designed just for you.  You are exactly who I want you to be.  I want to abide in you, reside in your heart, live brightly in your life. 

via Pinterest

My love for you knows no end.  It will carry you to — and through — eternity.  And with this unending love I grant new mercies and blessings upon you, day after day after day.  Are you starting to understand?  My love for you is permanent.

king090blog.wordpress.com

My love for you is so large and so wide and so deep that it has no limits.  None.  Not one.  I created this entire world, and with the same care I created you.  I cradle the whole world in my hands, and I stretch out my hand to help you every day.  Some days you may feel like you are wandering or lost, but I always know where you are.  I always remember that you are my beloved child.  I want you to remember that, too.

But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

My love for you is so sincere that I want the very best for you, for always.  And to that end I gave up my son for your salvation.  Don't stop to think about being unworthy of this sacrifice.  My love defies that kind of logic.  You have worth because I love you.  This salvation is grace. Pure gift.  No strings attached.  Yours.  Forever.  Please don't keep this gift wrapped up and pretty on the shelf.  Take it down, open it up, use it.  Live in this love and live it out loud.  I want you to rejoice in this gift.  It is the very best, from me, for you.

www.HollyLaneDesigns.com

My love for you is so close that nothing can ever separate you from my love.  Not your distractions, your anger, your self-doubt, and definitely not your sins.  I have given it to you and nothing can ever steal it away.  My love is here for you every time you close your eyes, whisper a prayer, sing your praises, or serve those in need. There is no expiration date or supply shortage to worry about.  Use it up, pour it out. There will always be more.  I promise.

I love you so much.  I want the very best for you.

I want to give you a moment of stillness to soak up my love.

Breathe in this stillness.  Breathe in my love.

Be still.  Be loved.

With all my love and affection,

Your Father in Heaven

11 | Be Rescued

Nobody wants to have to be rescued. 

We are "can do" creatures — especially us women, as we are pushing back against generations of limitations. 

We want to be strong. Self sufficient. Reliable, not reliant. Accomplished and ambitious, not needy or brought to our knees. 

So why "be rescued"?

We need to be rescued because we are human. Sinners. Broken. If not in this moment, then in sometime to come.  

We can deny it and hide it under a cloak of competence. And certainly sometimes we need to do just that to get us through a dark day or a rough patch. 

But there is an alternative. 

Be still in Jesus. 

Joe Viyh on flickr.com

Be rescued by his love, his sacrifice, his resurrection. Accept your brokenness so you can be built up in his grace. 

When we release this burden of constant can-do creaturedom, when we make space for God to work within us, we can relax. We can be refueled. We can be rescued. 

Kristin's Paperie on Etsy.com

God wants to do that for us because he loves us. He doesn't expect us to do all the work to save ourselves and everyone around us. Remember Martha?  All that work just makes worry. Remember Mary?  God invites us— expects us — to be still, to surrender our heavy loads. When we surrender to our Redeemer, he can lift us up and build us up to be his best work in us. 

God's power is made perfect on our imperfection. 

God's grace works by his love, by our faith -- not by our works. 

Today, let's take off our Wonder Woman capes, our Batman bravado. Let's be vulnerable and inviting to God's rescue through Jesus' resurrection. 

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Lord,

I have burdened myself with expectations that I can do it all, that I need to do it all. 

Please rescue me from this mindset. Help me to remember the kind of relationship you want with me. A relationship built on prayerfully surrendering burdens. A relationship built on releasing my responsibilities so I can relax into your peace. 

In this soft, still moment today, I ask you to take me away from my "To do"s, from my shoulds and woulds and coulds. It is not my work you want, but my trust and my faith. Clear away my can-do clutter so that there is space in my heart, my mind, and my soul for your grace. 

Make space in my heart, my mind, and my soul for YOUR GRACE.

Your Grace. 

I sit at your feet, precious lord. I soak up your deep and abiding love. I wonder at your willingness to lead me through every trouble, every doubt, every effort and ambition with your wisdom and your word. Thank you for your powerful presence. 

And throughout this day, help me to remember that I don't have to be powerful or super human or constantly competent. Help me to remember that my cracks and flaws are there for a reason -- they serve as portals through which you can pour your salvation.  

For your rescue and your grace, I am so grateful. 

Amen



A couple more slices of inspiration when you're not sure you want to be rescued, or if you even can be rescued...

weandserendipity.com

homegrownhospitality.typepad.com

10 | Be Sheltered

Sometimes I feel like this world here on earth is more sharp corners and jagged angles than soft landing places.  I crave a fluffy cloud of faith to lift me heavenward.

Sometimes I crash through a week of Mondays.  Misstep after misinterpretation after mishap.  And I just need a Sunday morning sanctuary to get me to the other side.

Do you ever crave a break from this wacky world?  Do you ever desire a sabbath so you can see past the sharp corners and jagged angles and Monday mishaps, so you can see God's gifts these days instead?

Today we are going to seek exactly that kind of sabbath, that soft landing place, that shelter provided by our Shepherd.  Settle in to the softest spot you can find.  Breathe deep into your belly.  Hold in that good oxygen.  Exhale any exhaustion or mental exhaust.  Please pray with me.

Lord,

You walked this earth in Christ's body.  You know how rough and rocky our paths can be.  You understand our feelings of vulnerability, pain, and exhaustion.  You recognize how harsh words rain down, how twisted acts trip up, how the earthly elements erode our psyche and our stamina.

You see us on the days we feel like just-hatched birds, naked save for a few scraggly feathers, cold and shivering and hungry with gaping mouths.  You see our hunger for love, warmth, and shelter for our souls.

Maidservant of Encouragement via Etsy.com

The Heavenly Father that you are, you spread your vast, strong wings and cover us. You blot out the frigid winds; you shield us from spying predators.  You offer the warmth that comes from your protective presence, the faith that comes from your steadfast watch.

via jenniferrizzo.com

Through the twigs and branches of your living word, you have built us a strong and sturdy nest.  You have lined it with your downy feathers, soft wisps and whispers of your unconditional love, unquestioning forgiveness, eternal grace.  You give us this day our daily bread: food, water, shelter, protection.  You provide for our every need.  Tomorrow we can count on you for the same, and for all the days to come we can trust in your refuge.

mocat2513.wordpress.com

Under your watchful care we grow, from scrawny chicks to fledgling flyers to gawky adolescents.  You lead the way with your perfect example.  And when we fall short, because inevitably we all fall short, you swoop in to protect and correct and reteach. You invite us back to the nest.  You bring us back under your wing.

Lord, this gift of your safety and security is precious.  When our world feels too big, too exposed, too overwhelming, you offer your shelter — not too hide or escape, but to regain strength, to rebuild faith.  Help us to remember we can always fly back to your nest, by reading your word, by praying, by meditating on your good works and perfect timing.  We can always rest our wings and refuel for the rest of the journey by taking time to be still under your wing.

And as we travel onward, as we mature in our faith-fueled flight, help us to see where we can replicate your refuge.  Show us where we can shelter others — with a branch of your living word, with an uplifting prayer of understanding, with a morsel of much needed daily bread, with feathers from our own love-built nests.  Help us to peck away at the harsh edges of this life and create soft landing places that speak to your promise of eternity.

Amen.

Need a little more comfort for your nest?  I love this poster from www.behance.net/gallery

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9 | Be Forgiven

Do you like Jimmy John's?  I like Jimmy John's.  Here's my favorite thing about dining there.  (Ha!  I say "dining" like it's a fancy schmancy place.  But as long as I'm not cooking and cleaning, it does feel downright fancy schmancy.)

Jimmy John's has great signs.

Their signs are entertaining, educational, and great reminders about how to live a good life.  Take, for instance, this one about "proper apologies."

Wampa-One via flickr.com

I've used this three-part rule with my kiddo, my students, and even myself.  It's a little hard to read, so let me transcribe.

Proper Apologies Have Three Parts

1.  What I did was wrong.
2.  I feel badly that I hurt you.
3.  How can I make this better.

I love how this formula focuses not just on the mistake, but the ramifications and the restitution of the problem.

What does this have to do with stillness?  Good question.

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm having trouble being still before God, or when I'm plain old avoiding God, it's because I'm stuck on one of the three parts of apologizing for one of my many sins.  Have you ever seen a fidgety kid, caught in the act of true naughtiness, squirming to find some way out of the laser-like focus of a parent?  Yep.  It's hard to be still when we are confronted with our sin.

When I find myself shouldering a doozy of a mistake, squirming to get out from under its weight, I need to unload that shame.  I have to let it go at the foot of the cross, where Jesus died so that we might be saved from our sins.  Where God stands ready to take our mistakes, forgive them, and forget them, casting them to the opposite corner of the world.

"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more."  Isaiah 43:25

God not only forgives, he chooses to forget.  He removes our sins from us, placing it far, far away, “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12).

Jesus paid for our sins once.  One-time payment with the all-time selfless, loving act of sacrifice.  We don't need to keep sacrificing, keep burdening ourselves with them. That just burdens our relationship with God.  All we need to do is offer up a proper apology.

So why do I hang on to my sins?  Why am I reluctant to embrace God's grace and forgiveness?  Why do I continue to squirm in shame? 

biblia.com

I wish I knew.  But what I do know is this: God will get me to true and lasting belief that my sins are forgiven and gone.

If I repent by 1) acknowledging my mistakes, 2) admitting to how they hurt God, others, and myself, and 3) turning back to God seeking his better way, then God promises complete and perfect forgiveness.  He clears the way for me to be made new in Christ.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 

2 Corinthians 5:17

I need signs to remind me of this, to break me out of my doubts about complete and permanent forgiveness.  So I can really let go and let God to a new thing in me.  So I created these over at canva.com and I'm using them as book marks, note paper, signs on the mirror, you name it.  If you like signs, too, feel free to click on the caption below your favorite image(s) for a link to a free printable.  You can't have too many reminders to embrace God's grace!

Fresh Start

Embrace God's Grace

Forgiven Forever!

2 Corinthians 5:17
image credit: Amy Westerman Photography

Will you please join me in this prayer of releasing our past mistakes for the forgiven stillness of the present?

Lord,  

You know the thoughts of my heart before I even voice them.  You know the sins I hang onto even though you've promised forgiveness.  

Help me to release this guilt, this shame, this clinging to the past.  Help me to embrace your grace-filled forgiveness, to feel comfortable being made shiny new and squeaky clean in your love, and to be open to the spacious room that makes in our relationship.  Where I harbor doubt and question my worth, remind me that your grace is not about what I've done or not done, but instead about your loving goodness toward me.  

I accept this free gift, no strings attached.  I cut the lingering cobwebby strands of my shame so I can walk, light and free, in your footsteps.  And I promise to hold dear the signs and reminders that I am forgiven and made new in Christ.

Amen.