Be Still

Have you ever turned down the radio when you're trying to find something while driving?  Or just needed to quiet things in order to think?

Yesterday I got caught in a downpour and turned my radio off so I could concentrate and see the road.  Since I'd already scanned the stations for warnings, as tree limbs slung around me, finding none I felt the need for peace to drive.

After about 10 minutes and upon topping a hill, I found retreat.  Clouds broke and all was calm.  With my radio still off, lowering my wipers, I drove the rest of the way in silence. 

But the peace spoke volumes...

It made we wonder how often we miss things due to the chaos and noise of this world.  Everywhere we are something is striving for our attention.  Whether visually or through sound, we're attacked with news, advertisements, gossip and more. 

The barrage of noise we encounter daily reminds me of those annoying wind dancers that flop and wiggle on the side of the road.  Most of it is useless and just a distraction from the better things in life.

As I continued to drive in silent peace, my thoughts went to a simpler life, before car radios even existed.  I wondered how much more time was spent in prayer and talks with God when not faced with the noisiness of this world. 

And as beautiful fog lifted from beneath the trees and rays of sun began to peak from stormy clouds, I heard the scripture, "Be Still" from within my soul.

All of this lasted less than 10 minutes but had a profound and lasting effect on the rest of my day.  It reminded me of the continuous need to slow down, be still and rest in Him.  Not just as I start or finish my day but all throughout it.  In the silence, I am joyfully awaiting what I will hear.

Weather You Like It Or Not

There's potential for another snowstorm this weekend.  Weather forecasts have gone from 18 inches to maybe just rain.  Such is life in Kentucky...

We just dug out from several inches and have endured bone-chilling temps most of January.  But the last weekend of the month smiled down on us with expected sunshine.  60 degrees this time of year is to be celebrated!


With hubby and I both off work Friday, we made the most of it and went backroading.  I wondered as we drove around strip pits and narrow gravel lanes with our sunroof open if people in other states enjoy this pastime.

Exploring is something we've always found joy in doing together. Even if it is familiar paths we've known our whole forever, there is bound to be new things to see.




And though I may be biased, there's nothing prettier than Kentucky landscapes, no matter the season.

Tim is used to me yelling out, "Stop!" as I spy something beautiful to capture.  He will slow down, back up, turn around or drive slowly until just the right spot.  He's such a patient man.  At least where I'm concerned.

He's been off work since the last snow due to hurting his back.  Sitting still is not an activity he enjoys but when your body says stop, you must listen.  Or pay the consequences.  He is learning this, slowly.

Anyway, the sunshine was a nice change to get him outdoors, which is his happy place.  And should the snow return, we'll venture out at least once to capture breathtaking views like these.

Weather, much like life, is unpredictable and nothing you do will stop or change it.

To remain joyful, you just have to learn to find the beauty in whatever comes.

Be Still...and Write!

I am still over-joyed from the experience of our first ever women's retreat this past Saturday.  Event planning is my jam so when I discovered this on our church calendar this girl was all about helping!  Aside from getting a nerdy fix on all the registration details, what I loved most was the opportunity to share with women about self-care.

The overarching theme was to learn how to better "Be Still" before God and to not let the distractions and worries of this world take us over.  My session was on prayer journaling, self care, and a little of my testimony mixed in for good measure.

Self care is something I talk about with young moms on a daily basis but having the opportunity to tell how God is the best source of our care was amazing.  As I shared with them, if you aren't going to Him daily to get renewed, refreshed, and refilled, everything else is just a band-aid.

My mornings start out in a quiet spot from the center of our home.  With a steamy cup of coffee, I nestle in to dig into God's word, spend time being still before Him, and writing notes in my Bible that speak to me.  There is no outside sound or distraction, other than the birds chirping awake.  This simple act and shift from what used to be a chaotic rush of a morning has changed everything for me.

I wake up craving this time with God and it sets the course of my day.

Going through old prayer journals in preparation for the class, I had many "Wow, God!" moments.  I was reminded that often when we journal or make a note it can mean something totally different years later.  There were so many entries I would read and know - this is why I experienced that, I understand this season now, etc.  Looking back gives us the ability to see how much we've grown in our walk with God and the lessons He's taught us along the way.

Prayer journaling can be stepping stones in our faith.

How often have we whispered a prayer and moved on, not even really giving thought to the end result.  Unless it is a major prayer, sometimes recalling those answers are even difficult to do.  Recording them in a journal gives us a history to look back on.  They show you how your relationship grows with God.

Love letters to Jesus, I like to think of them as. 

If you aren't currently journaling, I encourage you to try it.  Any notebook will do but there's nothing better than a really good pen.  One that flows with ease and glides across the page.  Or, you can join the world of virtual journals and start a blog.  Even if nobody but you reads them, I promise you'll be changed by the process.

Here are a couple I found online and shared in my session.  So, now I'm sharing with you.

Easy template (see #9)

Journaling prompts

Your journal can have a theme, like finding joy or giving thanks.  It can be focused on a specific scripture, book of the Bible, or use a different scripture each day.  Or you can dedicate pages to prayers about different people or needs in your life.  The choices are endless!

Don't spend a lot of time trying to create the perfect journal, just start writing.  Your journals will change as you do.  

In the cusp of the busy holiday season approaching, a first entry might be how you hope to Be Still before God and let Him calm the crazy of this world within you.

Joyful Journaling!