From one little perspective to another

I recently visited my favorite guy in the world, Avery.  He's three.

He's funny, engaging and knows how to dance.  He's cute, curious and says some hilarious things.

I love how kids will say the funniest things in innocence.  If they only knew what they were asking, or wanting to know they wouldn't say so much.

Avery is a non-stop "why" chatterbox.  He entertains adults with stuff like this:

"Let's take care of that craaaazzzzzy face."

"I'm gonna kiss your head."

"Donuts make me go nuts."

"Maybe we should pray about this mom."  (When he's in trouble)

"I like sausage, it's a meat cookie."

"Sorry, I was texting."  (He's has his daddy's old iPhone.)

Living in Avery's curious world it reminds me of my own curious nature with my Father.

It was in his three-year-old conversations and questions that I saw myself.  Practically every conversation with another adult had these phrases:

"Mommy, I need you!" and "'Cause why?"

In his life in-between 3 and 30, I saw my life in-between my three and now.  Those moments of in-between, I have innocently riddled my Father with questions and injected daily my own "Cause why?" and "I need you!" pleas.  

It's from my curious perspective that makes me ask.  From my Father's perspective though, not everything is beneficial for me to know.

I have been a bit silent these days to listen to my Daddy's answers.

There's great wisdom to be had when you stop and take life in from the in-between scenes, authority to be trusted, faith to be exercised and greatness to be enjoyed, plus many great sunrises and sunsets reminders of God's grace.  

In my in-between questions about my life, God's voice has brought new beginnings, a new fresh wholeness to my spirit that was lifeless and curious.

A newness, a transformation, some closure, some fresh shoots of faith.

I found out the number eight is significant and means new beginnings.  Did you know that I prayed over the number eight all last year?

God saw my in-between place all last year.  He sees our questions, our longings, our wondering.  He sees our conversations to others and to ourselves.  He sees our faith, He knows our trust.

He sees my eyes of longing for my dreams.  He knows and sees what steps in-between I am making.  He sees the in-between.  And I have peace in times of in-between.

Peace and joy.  I dropped my long list of questions and will just plug into the silence of listening for His stillness in the in-between.  Because in my Father Presence, there is great wisdom to be had in the places where he causes your dreams to pause.  

Greatness for His greater plans are at work too.  

He sees and knows that I am still.  I am not forgotten, nor are you.

Psalm 46:10  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 

He sees you and knows you.  He longs for us to be still and know Him.  To know Him for who He is and not what He does for us.

God knows where to find us, when He wants to use us, for what He's put inside us.  ~ Steven Furtick

My Pastor Must Have Read My Blog Post

Resting on a beach is nice

Surely he had read my thoughts about needing rest.  It is my one word for 2012.  So when I settled into message one in the new sermon series Soul Detox, I was astonished and thought...."He must have read my blog".  In church this past Sunday, I realized my one word theme for 2012 was more than a word, it's a lifestyle.    


Maybe you struggle with finding rest too.  Perhaps I am not the only one looking for it.  Maybe you are not brave enough to write it like I am.  When I looked at the sermon talk notes, I immediately started filling in the blanks of the points to ponder.  Scored 100%.


Knowing the answers makes me think I am on the right track.  Now it's just putting the rest I have found into practice.  That's the hard part of faith.  Reading God's word is one thing but applying it to your life is another with all our hiccups and hangups.  One thing I do know though that if we seek God, He will be found.  


It's hard work to breath in our culture and not being affected by it.  It's life that God didn't call us to be a part of...this is not our home.  He did call us to be a light to this toxic dark culture we live in.  We are all searching for something and in case you don't know it yet....you aren't going to find rest in our culture.  

There is only one place to land when looking for rest and that is in God's lap.  

Ps. 62: 1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.  

Take five minutes and be still. I am challenged by the "still" part. Not that i haven't stopped to absorb God's Word, but it's the being silent and still that continues to change me. I find silence awkward, it's not comfortable. I need to grow here. 

I need to sign up for a double shift in silence.

Ps. 131:2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul.....

Take a knee and wait.  Here's another area where God has been growing me.  In his waiting room, there are many numbers that haven't been called yet.  So I continue to wait, take His number, sit in His lap and wait some more.  

There are some things where God is waiting on me.  Wait...I know there is.

Ps. 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.....

Honestly we don't have time NOT to be still before God.  It should be our first step out of bed, the first part of your day.  Give God your fresh and best.  Here's something you may not have realized, that God will handle the rest of the world while you are taking your five minutes.  

Be still for God, and before God.  

I wait for the Lord, my soul awaits, and in his word i put my hope.  My soul waits for the Lord more than a watchman wait for this morning....Ps. 130:5-6

Don't forget who God is.  Reflect on God's goodness, reflect on what He has already done.  Gather at your water's edge and think about His great goodness and mercies which are new each and every morning.  As you remember His faithfulness, pick up a small smooth stone and tuck into your pocket. Think about how God is for you and never against you.  Remember....who God is!  

Remembering God should cause us to pause for five minutes.  

Need a place to start?  Pause in Psalms...