breath of heaven

Breath Of Heaven

I have traveled many moonless nights,
Cold and weary with a babe inside,
And I wonder what I’ve done.
Holy father you have come,
And chosen me now to carry your son.

I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now.
Be with me now.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place,
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven.

Amy Grant

sabbath

no post today ~ enjoy the sabbath

Mary's Song

Blue homespun and the bend of my breast
keep warm this small hot naked star
fallen to my arms.
(Rest …you who have had so far to come.)
Now nearness satisfies
the body of God sweetly.
Quiet he lies whose vigor hurled a universe.
He sleeps whose eyelids have not closed before.
His breath (so slight it seems no breath at all)
once ruffled the dark deeps
to sprout a world.
Charmed by doves' voices,
the whisper of straw, he dreams,
hearing no music from his other spheres.
Breath, mouth, ears, eyes
he is curtailed who overflowed all skies,
all years.
Older than eternity, now he is new.
Now native to earth as I am,
nailed to my poor planet,
caught that I might be free,
blind in my womb to know my darkness ended,
brought to this birth for me to be new-born,
and for him to see me mended
I must see him torn.

Luci Shaw

I invite you to spend some time with this poem today. Read it slowly two times, once out loud. Allow God to speak to your heart and pay attention to the words or phrases that move you. Perhaps spend some time journaling your thoughts and feelings.

Grace and peace,
Deb

rest

And so let me let you hold me
when I have come to the place
beyond the willingness to labor
beyond anything but the longing
for rest.
Let my emptiness be emptiness
till it reveals to me your face,
and let my weariness be weariness
till it prompts me to your rest.
Then may I know the healing
of slumber
and the possibility of dreams;
Then may I greet the dawn and
take up my work again.

Jan Richardson

Please find time to rest in the midst of this busy season. Find time to rest so that you may fully enjoy the next few days, so that you may be fully present, for God and for others.

Grace and peace,
Deb

crazy

Have you been out in the past couple of days? It’s crazy out there. Last Friday night, I went out to meet a friend for dinner. It took me a ½ hour to get from east York….to….EAST YORK!!! The traffic was non-stop. People were so desperate to get where they were going that they would pull out into the intersection, on a yellow light, hoping the cars in front of them would move enough to get them out of the middle of the road. Then those of us who had already waited through 5 light cycles couldn’t go because there was a (……ummm…hmmmmm…what do you call a person who pulls out into the intersection when they know they can’t get through??) …a poor decision maker…in the middle of the road blocking our path!

And all of that is what is happening outside of the stores. Last weekend (my first mistake) I went to Toys Are Us. There were no carts in the stores and the lines at the checkouts were, yeah, they were crazy.

As I, as you, get caught up in the craziness that defines this time of year, take time out to remember why we celebrate. If I am not intentional I can go through most of the holiday season and not give time to being with Him. Set some time aside to today to just be. And don’t count your waiting time in traffic…’cause it’s crazy out there!! 

Grace and peace,
Deb

travel guides

I could never do this spiritual life alone. I need my travel guides. What I mean by this is that I need those people who point out the way for me. They don’t tell me which way to go but they illuminate the path and make the journey with me. About 5 years ago a friend of mine shared his evolving spiritual journey with me. I was intrigued. Something in my spirit was awakened and the spiritual landscape slowly began to change for me. Knowing that I was in unknown territory, I invite a ‘travel guide’ to help me. Again, she doesn’t tell me where to go but she does help me notice things along the way.

It’s like I’m on this glorious trip that God has arranged for me. He has graciously given me people who can help me along the way. They may have traveled this way before me and can help me navigate the way – or even if their journey has been different, they can help me make sense of landmarks I might be encountering. One of my relationships is strictly for this purpose. I know that when I spend time with her, the intention is to see where God is at work in my life. I am also blessed with traveling companions - wonderful friends who I can have spiritual conversations with and do life with. And then, there are those random encounters where God will use the most unlikely person or circumstance to speak in to my life.

Who are the guides in your life? Who are those people you are intentionally speaking to, help you discern the movement of God in your life? Who are the friends that build into you…celebrate the grace you are noticing and support any correction God wants to make in your walk. Who are those who are imprinting on you? Many times, we take these life-giving relationships for granted. Pause today to reflect and be thankful for those who accompany you.

Grace and peace,
Deb

teachers

As we continue to reflect on our relationship with Jesus, I want to encourage you today to look at who was instrumental in your spiritual life. Perhaps you had the privilege of being raised in a Christian home where God was no stranger. Maybe it was a parent or grandparent who prayed with you and told you that God loved you. Or perhaps it was a friend, within which you noticed something different, something attractive. Or maybe you were like me and it was the guy who took a chance on dating someone who didn’t have a strong relationship with God. Through his example you realized there was more to this “God” thing. As I think back I can name several people who God used to woo me to Him. I am so grateful to Him for placing them in my life.

I invite you to spend some time today reflecting on who those people were in your life. Who pointed you to the One who loves you more than anyone possibly could? Who shared the truth of who He is? Who stirred the desire in your heart for more? And who played a part in you anticipating this upcoming Christmas Day when we celebrate His coming to earth? Consider spending some time today lifting them up in prayer and asking God that they might experience a fuller measure of His presence this season.

Grace and peace,
Deb