Soul Breathing…

     Rush, hurry, flurry – fast paced activity is all the world seems to know anymore. We’ve rushed through another year and now stretches before us an unwritten 361 days.

Where, when – is there room for our soul to breathe? The pace of life isn’t going to slow for us, but will we slow enough to know true life? “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1John 5:11-12 NIV)

When I was about eight we had a neighbor who had a special needs daughter. She spoke truth more clearly than any of the rest of us. One day our mothers were trying to get us out the door and to wherever it was we were going. I can still hear little Ellen saying ‘Hurry, hurry – we must hurry, we always have to hurry.’ That is how it seems, on to the next thing and the next…

So, we will have to be purposeful to find at least 361 times where we just slow down for a moment and take in Life, the Son of God, our very life. God knows all about our hurry, all about how brief our lives here are: “Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.” (Psalm 144:4 NIV) But he also tells us “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” (Psalm 150:6 NIV)

The next 361 days will likely hold many challenges, many fearful times, many hard times – it will also likely hold times of smiling, times of growing, and times to be thankful for. It will be in the moments where we allow our soul to breathe that we will find our life. Our year may be marked by loss or plenty, but our soul will be marked with His peace. Days ahead may be marked with dread or anticipation, but our soul will be marked with His joy.

Praying together “May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14 NIV) we will Live Braver through our days…

If you stopped by because you read my devotion today over at Encouragement Cafe, WELCOME!   So glad you are here!​​

 

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October 8, 2014 I’ll Go With You…

    It’s always more fun to go someplace with a friend. It’s always more comforting to go someplace we’re a little anxious about with someone who cares. I recently went to the doctor’s office with my daughter (yes she is all grown-up) not so much because she was fearful, but because I was. I wanted to be there and hear the doctor. When she had called to tell me about the appointment my first response was “I’ll go with you…”

Years ago I started attending an annual conference a couple of hours from my home. The first time I was unsure what to expect and even what workshops to attend, how to navigate the vendor hall, or where to eat. I asked a friend if she was interested in attending, she immediately said “I’ll go with you…”

A few years back when my mother passed away our lives were crazy busy – we owned two businesses each of us running one and both of us working on both. My mom was a nine hour drive away. I called my husband to tell him that she was in the hospital and probably wouldn’t make it. I wanted to tell him that I could go by myself, but in the fear of the unknown ahead I knew I needed him. The first thing he said was “I’ll go with you…”

When our stomachs tell us fear is with us, when our breathing becomes sighs, when the fears are not ‘what ifs’ but actuals, we need someone who will go with us…

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10HCSB)

God’s Words are true for you – you will never go by yourself. He has told you “I’ll go with you…”