Photo credit: Chris Mark
The forest knows her name. She feels it’s gentle pull and call. Come and rest, re-center, and decompress. Melodies and harmonies of peace, joy, and ancient things.
Busyness, worry, and overthinking also know her name and they’ve been calling – shouts, demands, and confusing voices. Chaos circles looking for a crack, a chink, a tiny fissure to slink into.
It’s hard to let go of worry and expectations. Fear tells her that if she rests, breathes too deeply, and allows expectations to sit awhile, all sorts of disasters and sinister things may happen. What-if…
Lately there is a restless feeling that pricks and swirls in her mind and soul; a sensation of something just ahead slipping out of sight, waiting around the next bend in the path. Not as a fear-based shout, but a whispered song to come, explore, release – seek, find, and be blessed. Be healed.
She listens and makes her way to the forest. Her favorite path winding through Redwoods – so old, so wise, so healing – invites a quieted mind and tender heart open to the Divine whispers held in creation. Golden silence alive with the sounds of nature. Everything interwoven with His breath, His hands, His healing, and His peace.
The safety and wisdom she’s seeking seeps into her soul. There is rest and healing here. No expectations. Creator and creation singing to her spirit of love, rejuvenation, and acceptance. Supernatural, holy, ancient things are all around. Healing, mysterious, and deep.
The cracks and fissures from living life are filled in with His love, protection, and compassion. She won’t be the same when she leaves here and that is a divine and beautiful thing.
Deep calling to deep in the midst of Divine creation. He knows her name – she will always be welcome, always be healed.
Photo credit: Sergio Zhukov
I am a worrier and an overthinker. I rehearse all the what-ifs because I’m afraid of being blindsided and having no control.
Like many of us, bad things have blindsided me more times than I like to remember. The blindsiding leaves wounds that don’t quite heal–a nervous system always on alert, scanning and planning to try and prevent one more thing. It is an exhausting way to live and takes such a toll on us.
I’m in a season of life where I want more joy, peace, calm, and a surrendered way of living. Surrendered. That’s a tough one for us controllers. I am a work in progress!
Each day I talk to Jesus about everything going on. I do my best to carefully place all the people, things, pets, circumstances, and what-ifs into His hands…and leave them all there with Him. I confess, I often have to give it all to Him again and again, but He knows my heart. He knows I’m trying and how hard and frightening it is.
I love this verse. I needed to see it today. This is truth. Worrying will not add anything joyful, peaceful, calm, or surrendered to my life. It will perpetuate the cycle of fear, hyper-vigilance, and rehearsing all the outcomes.
I don’t want to miss the beauty, joy, peace, and blessings that my Father wants to pour out for me to enjoy and rest in, as I go about my day. He wants to do that for you, too, my fellow worrier. How He loves us!
I prayed for us this morning that God would speak to us, heal us, and calm our worried minds, as He reminds us that He’s got us and He’s trustworthy. He won’t fail us.
I hope you have a lovely day seeking and finding all the hidden joys, blessings, and sweet moments with Jesus that are carefully placed along your path today.
How He loves to delight you with Creation!
Peace be with you. You are so loved.
Father,
I pray for the one who is wrestling with uncertainty. They are at a crossroads right now and have choices to make. Voices of friends and family are coming at them from all sides. Noise, chatter, and strong opinions are overwhelming, and they can’t hear themselves think. They want so much to do the right thing, to follow You, and please You.
I pray that You will silence the noise and bring them out into a spacious place where they can rest their mind in stillness and peace. Give them a safe place to truly hear Your voice. You have guided them in the past, and You will do it again. Please speak to them in the unique way that You created them to hear Your voice. May they encounter You in intimate and startling ways as You reveal their next steps and show them how to proceed. Remind them that You are the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end. You see their entire journey laid out before You. You know the way.
I pray this beloved one will trust You, will believe that they hear You calling them forward, and will respond with belief that You are for them. Thank you for filling them with confidence and purpose. Thank you for guiding them along the life-road You created for them.
In Your beautiful name, Jesus,
Amen
Isaiah 30:21 NIV “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”
Photo credit: James Wheeler
I prayed over you this morning.
I asked God to go with you today–opening doors that you need to walk through, closing the doors not meant for you.
I asked Him to shelter you from evil and bring you out into an open space so your heart feels lighter and your spirit at peace.
I prayed that He would fill you with His wisdom and discernment to make the decisions you need to make.
I asked Him to bring you joy and laughter because it’s good for the soul.
Extravagant Hope 