solitude

"Solitude: the creation of an open, empty space in our lives by purposely abstaining from interaction with other human beings so that, freed from competing loyalties, we can be found by God."

The Life With God Bible

Spend some time with this quote today and notice how God may want to speak to you through it.

grace and peace,
Deb

transformation

"Most transformation takes place in hidden ways, in slow, incremental ways, nurtured by a cultivated reverence."

Eugene Peterson

Do you get discouraged with the lack of transformation in your life? Do you find yourself trying to memorize more scripture, pray harder and serve more?

What if transformation is really more God's work than yours? What if your part of to be present, to pay attention, to notice what God may be doing? What if transformation is already taking place under the surface and what you need to do is prepare a space within yourself for God to work?

Remember...it takes place in hidden ways, in slow, incremental way....nurture it.
grace and peace,
Deb

community

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: "What! You too? I thought I was the only one."
C.S. Lewis

A few weekends ago, I was at a retreat with other women. We shared deeply with each other...our fears, our sins, our joys. What we discovered is that we are much more alike than we are different. We are not alone in our 'stuff'. Everyone has stuff - we just usually don't talk about it with each other.

But, once you do, did you ever notice how much less powerful that stuff seems to be? Take the risk....talk about what is going on. Be honest and notice how freeing it can be.

Grace and peace,
Deb

sabbath

no post today ~ enjoy your sabbath

constriction

artist - Beth Cavener Stichter

constriction
lungs reaching for air
throat closing

trapped
pinned down
struggling against
an immovable object

now
there is nothing
holding me
nothing tying me down

but

still
tightness,
shallow breaths,
struggling, pulling

i want free!
i want release
i want to breathe
deeply ~

i want to fill my lungs
with the sweet air of freedom

trapped
by fear
of my own making,

unseen
but
just as real

hope

hope

[Photo]
The East is getting out her gold
She holds it out against the night
and scatters darkness
with her light.
Then morning comes
climbing over the hill
like an eager, restless child.
She pauses just a moment
then cast her color on the earth.

Morning, color me bright
I’ve been afraid too long
The color of fear is dark
darker than night
But your glance is full of light.

Don’t hurry morning;
come slowly.
Dress yourself in light.
Climb over that hill lovingly
Hand me a new day hopefully
Get into my bloodstream, and
color me like the rising sun
slowly
I’ve a mind to be contagious
Color me bright.


Macrina Wiederkehr

waiting

waiting

[Photo]
The other day, I had a conversation with a friend. She is in a season of waiting; waiting for God to unfold the path in front of her. She is not struggling in the waiting but has made peace with it. This poem speaks to where she is in her journey.

Slowly,
she celebrated the sacrament of letting go
first she surrendered her green
then the orange, yellow and red
finally she let of her brown
shedding her last leaf
she stood empty and silent, stripped bare.
leaning against the winter sky
she began her vigil of trust.

Shedding her last leaf
she watched its journey to the ground.
she stood in silence
wearing the color of the emptiness,
her branches wondering:
how do you give shade with so much gone?
And then,
the sacrament of waiting began.
The sunrise and sunset watched with tenderness.
clothing her with silhouettes
they kept her hope alive.

They helped her understand that
her vulnerability
her dependence and need
her emptiness
her readiness to receive
were giving her a new kind of beauty.
Every morning and every evening
they stood in silence
and celebrated together
the sacrament of waiting!
Macrina Wiederkehr

Grace and peace,
Deb