Starting this weekend, I’ve quieted my world. An easy hush has filtered into my home. I’ve never realized the impact of social media on the “noise” level in my life. My cell phone jingling and vibrating with messages of friends I follow. And make no mistake—they are friends. Those I follow on my cell phone are those I know personally, and “hearing” their voices through effortless technology, is a good way to keep up—to make sure they’re doing well. And if they aren’t, I’m inclined to pray for them. And likewise.
Yet, starting two days ago, I turned off Twitter (on my cell and computer). And I’ve purposely stayed away from Facebook. Truth be told? With the personal stress of recent weeks, I’ve needed friends with “skin on” not unseen voices through my mobile phone and computer. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve received substantial support—prayer and understanding—from many through the social media venue. And I’m grateful.
Yet I needed to quiet the technology buzz in my mind for a couple of reasons:
1) I needed to cast all my cares on the One who loves me most, and I needed to be able to hear Him.
2) I needed to truly speak to my family and friends—and truly hear them in return.
What did we do before the days of social media? How did we keep up with our friends? How did we meaningfully communicate with one another? Have we lost the art of true communication? And if we have, how can we create a kind of communication balance in our lives?
I don’t have any easy answers. I just know I’m taking a tech break. Not because I’m tired of it. Not because I’m no longer interested. But, because I need quiet for a time. You know, so I can hear the still small voice of my Father God. And so I can be more intentional and personal in my relationships.
It’s time, and I’m ready. It won’t be easy. I’ll miss the techno-banter. But a season of quiet never hurt anyone (at least I don’t believe it has). And who knows? Maybe my computer will serve another purpose in a more precise way. Maybe… I’ll begin my writing journey again.
Maybe…
Lord, Your Way, Your Truth, Your Light. Your Will.
I’m listening…
"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (Ps. 46:10 NIV)
Yes, Lord.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Quiet
Quiet. I wonder. Are we really listening? Or do we listen for a moment and then wander in the direction of distraction? Are you one of those (like me) who perceive distraction as an invitation to join the cacophony of movement and noise surrounding us? Quiet? I can hardly find that place anymore. And I’d like to, wouldn’t you?
I believe the reason this is on my mind today is because the last two weeks have been so loud. No. Not outwardly so much, though there have been moments of lacked peace. The noise I’m speaking of is inward. My mind has struggled to find quiet. So many needs, so many invitations to fall into distraction, and too much emotion to process at one time. Anything needing accomplishment outside of myself struggles in times like these. I need quiet.
So, like many of you, I choose prayer. I settle in with this verse:
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
As I ponder Zephaniah 3:17, I discover that He first reminds me that He is my Salvation. He is Salvation to all who would receive His Son. I find my thoughts wandering to those who don’t yet know Him and pray they make the choice to make Him theirs. I meditate on His grace, mercy, and great love for all of His creation and cry out on behalf of those who walk apart from Him.
Next, He takes great delight in me. Pondering this portion of Zephaniah 3:17 catapults me into a more personal connection with my Savior. Wow. Truly I am at a lack for words. He delights in me. He delights in you. How can my distracted mind wander from the knowledge that He delights in me? My mind runs rampant with thoughts of what this could possibly mean.
… yet then
Next, He quiets me with His love—perfect Love. And with this, He has my rapt attention. I love Him right back with praise. I wash His feet with my tears and then rise into His embrace. And as He holds me close to His heart, I lean in as close as I can.
Now, I’m listening. Are you?
Do you hear the sweet sound? The sound of His voice? He is rejoicing over you with song. How tender His words. How sweet His embrace. How gentle His love.
… And I am quiet.
I believe the reason this is on my mind today is because the last two weeks have been so loud. No. Not outwardly so much, though there have been moments of lacked peace. The noise I’m speaking of is inward. My mind has struggled to find quiet. So many needs, so many invitations to fall into distraction, and too much emotion to process at one time. Anything needing accomplishment outside of myself struggles in times like these. I need quiet.
So, like many of you, I choose prayer. I settle in with this verse:
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
As I ponder Zephaniah 3:17, I discover that He first reminds me that He is my Salvation. He is Salvation to all who would receive His Son. I find my thoughts wandering to those who don’t yet know Him and pray they make the choice to make Him theirs. I meditate on His grace, mercy, and great love for all of His creation and cry out on behalf of those who walk apart from Him.
Next, He takes great delight in me. Pondering this portion of Zephaniah 3:17 catapults me into a more personal connection with my Savior. Wow. Truly I am at a lack for words. He delights in me. He delights in you. How can my distracted mind wander from the knowledge that He delights in me? My mind runs rampant with thoughts of what this could possibly mean.
… yet then
Next, He quiets me with His love—perfect Love. And with this, He has my rapt attention. I love Him right back with praise. I wash His feet with my tears and then rise into His embrace. And as He holds me close to His heart, I lean in as close as I can.
Now, I’m listening. Are you?
Do you hear the sweet sound? The sound of His voice? He is rejoicing over you with song. How tender His words. How sweet His embrace. How gentle His love.
… And I am quiet.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
I AM
And God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM and WHAT I AM, and I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE; and He said, You shall say this to the Israelites; I AM has sent me to you!
Exodus 3:14 (Amplified Bible)
I am in awe of Him today. I am in awe of His creation. I am in awe of His relentless love for each individual person. I am in awe of all of it. How does a God who fashioned all of existence through the furthest reaches of galaxies yet unknown to us, find it in Himself to know us and love us intimately? I have no earthly idea. And most likely, that’s the very foundation of my lack of understanding—of God.
He is Spirit. He is Truth. He is Life. He is our Salvation, Redeemer, Counselor, Friend, and Father. Let those truths sink in for a moment. In fact, read them again. Speak each one aloud and thank Him for each individual quality of who He is. Oh, there’s so much more. We know from His Word, He is our Healer, our Banner, our Provider. He loves us with eternal love—one that never fails or changes. His Love—agape—isn’t contingent on our behavior, our works, our looks, our station on life, our successes, our joy, or our brokenness. His Love just is. It just is.
And those are the words that fill my very being today. I cannot adequately express them. My awe overpowers my words. Now how do I translate the awe of knowing—intimately—the God of the Universe into an understandable message to reach those within my scope of influence?
And how do you do the same?
Exodus 3:14 (Amplified Bible)
I am in awe of Him today. I am in awe of His creation. I am in awe of His relentless love for each individual person. I am in awe of all of it. How does a God who fashioned all of existence through the furthest reaches of galaxies yet unknown to us, find it in Himself to know us and love us intimately? I have no earthly idea. And most likely, that’s the very foundation of my lack of understanding—of God.
He is Spirit. He is Truth. He is Life. He is our Salvation, Redeemer, Counselor, Friend, and Father. Let those truths sink in for a moment. In fact, read them again. Speak each one aloud and thank Him for each individual quality of who He is. Oh, there’s so much more. We know from His Word, He is our Healer, our Banner, our Provider. He loves us with eternal love—one that never fails or changes. His Love—agape—isn’t contingent on our behavior, our works, our looks, our station on life, our successes, our joy, or our brokenness. His Love just is. It just is.
And those are the words that fill my very being today. I cannot adequately express them. My awe overpowers my words. Now how do I translate the awe of knowing—intimately—the God of the Universe into an understandable message to reach those within my scope of influence?
And how do you do the same?
Monday, November 30, 2009
The Ultimate Gift Exchange
As you know, I've been on hiatus from LINGER for some time now. Nearly six months actually. I apologize to each of you, my friends, as I disappeared without much warning. Truth be told, last Spring, after I shared with you that I would be working on LINGER (the book), I was entering another season of Graves disease, a hyperthyroid autoimmune condition that wreaks havoc with both the mind (no focus, lack of concentration, racing mind etc...) and body. I won't go into further detail, I only ask you to forgive me for not sharing this with you sooner. I'm doing much better, as the thyroid medication is balanced for now. I would appreciate SO MUCH your prayers that I would go into complete remission.
And in the meantime, I offer this as a token of shared faith with you. If you don't know Him... May I introduce you to my Father? And meet His Son, Jesus, the best gift exchange giver of all time...
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)
Grace. A gift given by our Lord in the ultimate gift exchange. One man, one life, in exchange for all of humanity’s sake.
Ponder the idea, for a few moments, the process of the “gift exchange.” Normally, when we’re invited to a holiday celebration or gathering, our host asks each of us to bring gifts of a certain equal value. So we joyfully venture into the mass of holiday shoppers and scavenge the aisles for nicest possible treasure within our prearranged price range. When we find just the right one, we wait in line, along with the throngs of weary Christmas shoppers.
And finally, we hear those nostalgic words, “Register number seven is open. Please continue to register number 7.” So, we carry our gift to the appointed clerk (whose bewildered face is telltale of his/her day). Of course, the scanner won’t receive the number on the tag, because the tag is ragged from a tear. It seems our treasure was once in the hands of a careless gift-giver whose change of mind landed the trinket back onto the shelf we found it upon. No wonder our treasure was calling from a shelf full of dry goods rather than a shelf full of similar lovelies.
Suddenly (and loudly), our clerk calls for a price check and what do we do? We duck, of course. Our line has been slowed to a snail’s pace because we didn’t check the complete worth of our gift before slipping into place (it reads, $11.9… and that’s the part that’s missing). Worn out shoppers still waiting behind us, sigh in dread. Their collective groan gives us pause in the middle of our joyful task and we sigh along with them.
Beaten down, we finally emerge from the store with our treasure, wondering if our holiday happiness will ever reappear. Must we start all over again? Or can we catch the season-sentimentality from this point forward—as if it never left? We shut the car door behind us, turn the key and meander out of the crowded parking lot. Maybe some Christmas music will help. Slowly, our seasonal spirit begins to rise in our hearts.
We arrive home and hunt for last season’s Christmas paper (we haven’t had the chance to buy this year’s yet). We hum a holiday tune as we tape the paper closed. No one peeks this year. And we smile in delight as we disguise our handwriting on the gift card. It is a secret after all, right?
The day of our gathering arrives. All is well, our holiday joy firmly in place. Hot cider warms our hands as we wrap them around our Christmas mugs. Songs of “Jingle Bells” and “Let It Snow” fill the room and we mingle with old friends and cheerfully meet new ones.
The process of the gift exchange comes to a close as the celebration ends, and we drive home with new treasures of a certain equal value.
And we do it all over again next year…
Grace. A gift given by our Lord in the ultimate gift exchange. One man, one life, in exchange for all of humanity’s sake.
So different, my Lord, from Your idea of the ultimate gift exchange. You gave Your All… First, You exchanged Your home in Heaven—Your Throne—to be born of a common, yet extraordinary young woman. Her betrothed had not yet known her, as this Child was Your Son. You grew into a gentle man, full of LOVE for hmanity—Your creation. You healed, You loved, You taught, and You asked nothing in return. You only gave. And gave.
And then You GAVE…
You gave for ALL asking nothing in return... for the moment.
Your humanity bled out of Your body as You offered Your life—Your LIFE, so that we may receive eternal life; grace—life with You, forever and ever.
And You seek only our humble lives in return. Hardly of certain equal value. Yet it is all You require. All You desire.
Here it is, LORD. Yes, my life in exchange for Yours. I don’t understand. I never will. But I’m eternally grateful to be able to participate in this gift exchange. Hardly worthy, but just as I am, LORD. All.
And in the meantime, I offer this as a token of shared faith with you. If you don't know Him... May I introduce you to my Father? And meet His Son, Jesus, the best gift exchange giver of all time...
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)
Grace. A gift given by our Lord in the ultimate gift exchange. One man, one life, in exchange for all of humanity’s sake.
Ponder the idea, for a few moments, the process of the “gift exchange.” Normally, when we’re invited to a holiday celebration or gathering, our host asks each of us to bring gifts of a certain equal value. So we joyfully venture into the mass of holiday shoppers and scavenge the aisles for nicest possible treasure within our prearranged price range. When we find just the right one, we wait in line, along with the throngs of weary Christmas shoppers.
And finally, we hear those nostalgic words, “Register number seven is open. Please continue to register number 7.” So, we carry our gift to the appointed clerk (whose bewildered face is telltale of his/her day). Of course, the scanner won’t receive the number on the tag, because the tag is ragged from a tear. It seems our treasure was once in the hands of a careless gift-giver whose change of mind landed the trinket back onto the shelf we found it upon. No wonder our treasure was calling from a shelf full of dry goods rather than a shelf full of similar lovelies.
Suddenly (and loudly), our clerk calls for a price check and what do we do? We duck, of course. Our line has been slowed to a snail’s pace because we didn’t check the complete worth of our gift before slipping into place (it reads, $11.9… and that’s the part that’s missing). Worn out shoppers still waiting behind us, sigh in dread. Their collective groan gives us pause in the middle of our joyful task and we sigh along with them.
Beaten down, we finally emerge from the store with our treasure, wondering if our holiday happiness will ever reappear. Must we start all over again? Or can we catch the season-sentimentality from this point forward—as if it never left? We shut the car door behind us, turn the key and meander out of the crowded parking lot. Maybe some Christmas music will help. Slowly, our seasonal spirit begins to rise in our hearts.
We arrive home and hunt for last season’s Christmas paper (we haven’t had the chance to buy this year’s yet). We hum a holiday tune as we tape the paper closed. No one peeks this year. And we smile in delight as we disguise our handwriting on the gift card. It is a secret after all, right?
The day of our gathering arrives. All is well, our holiday joy firmly in place. Hot cider warms our hands as we wrap them around our Christmas mugs. Songs of “Jingle Bells” and “Let It Snow” fill the room and we mingle with old friends and cheerfully meet new ones.
The process of the gift exchange comes to a close as the celebration ends, and we drive home with new treasures of a certain equal value.
And we do it all over again next year…
Grace. A gift given by our Lord in the ultimate gift exchange. One man, one life, in exchange for all of humanity’s sake.
So different, my Lord, from Your idea of the ultimate gift exchange. You gave Your All… First, You exchanged Your home in Heaven—Your Throne—to be born of a common, yet extraordinary young woman. Her betrothed had not yet known her, as this Child was Your Son. You grew into a gentle man, full of LOVE for hmanity—Your creation. You healed, You loved, You taught, and You asked nothing in return. You only gave. And gave.
And then You GAVE…
You gave for ALL asking nothing in return... for the moment.
Your humanity bled out of Your body as You offered Your life—Your LIFE, so that we may receive eternal life; grace—life with You, forever and ever.
And You seek only our humble lives in return. Hardly of certain equal value. Yet it is all You require. All You desire.
Here it is, LORD. Yes, my life in exchange for Yours. I don’t understand. I never will. But I’m eternally grateful to be able to participate in this gift exchange. Hardly worthy, but just as I am, LORD. All.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
LINGER
As you've probably noticed, I didn't post on LINGER last week. I apologize for that. There is a reason. And it's this...
I'm taking a few week off on the blog to answer to the call of the book, LINGER. That's right, time to take some of your wonderful insight and blend it into the book in production. NOW, just so you know, I do not have a contract on this book, but hope to present the proposal to my agent to pursue one soon.
When I get back to this blog, I will let you know how the project is progressing. Thank you for ALL of your valuable input. I'll email each one of you when I post again in the future.
In the meantime, join me on Twitter - sharenwatson - where I'll keep you posted about Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild and with all around inspirational stuff :-)
Thank you again for your input thus far... and I look forward to blogging with y'all again soon.
Under His Grace,
Sharen
I'm taking a few week off on the blog to answer to the call of the book, LINGER. That's right, time to take some of your wonderful insight and blend it into the book in production. NOW, just so you know, I do not have a contract on this book, but hope to present the proposal to my agent to pursue one soon.
When I get back to this blog, I will let you know how the project is progressing. Thank you for ALL of your valuable input. I'll email each one of you when I post again in the future.
In the meantime, join me on Twitter - sharenwatson - where I'll keep you posted about Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild and with all around inspirational stuff :-)
Thank you again for your input thus far... and I look forward to blogging with y'all again soon.
Under His Grace,
Sharen
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