August 20 Pause & Listen

Affirmation: I am compassionate. I care about myself & others. 

“When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied.” (Matthew 9:27-31)

My desire is to follow the example of Jesus. 

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Ponder, Personalize, Practice: Read through these two verses several times as you ponder the message for you. Today focus on the 2nd sentence Talk to God and listen to his voice. 

“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭11-12‬ ‭NIV‬
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Wholehearted Guidepost from Brené Brown

Cultivate Resilience. Let go of Numbing and Powerlessness.

Recap:When Brené Brown talks about cultivating your resilient spirit, she notes that “across the board, wholehearted men and women are spiritual, which means wholehearted people have “a deeply held belief that we are inextricably connected to each other by something greater than us.”

It’s this oneness that provides a sense of purpose and perspective in life, even when the going gets tough. It helps you recognize that you always have what you need within you to persevere through challenges and setbacks. (You have the ability to make a decision and move forward.)

Numbing, on the other hand, is a way of ignoring the challenges that need your attention. For more from Brene Brown: Books I have gained from- Gifts of Imperfection (these posts are based on this book), Daring Greatly, Braving the Wilderness (this book helped me through some disappointments and helped me adjust my perspective)

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Mastering the 7 Decisions from Andy Andrews

#6 The Compassionate Decision 

6. I WILL GREET THIS DAY WITH A FORGIVING SPIRIT.

By the act of forgiving, I am no longer consumed by unproductive thoughts. I will forgive those who have criticized me unjustly.

I now understand that forgiveness has value only when it is given away. I forgive their lack of vision, and I forge ahead.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

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Reading for Today

Walk in Grace. Live in Love by Bob Goff

                              AUGUST 20 

GOD MADE BEAUTY TO LEAVE US SPEECHLESS. HE DAZZLES US SO WE’LL PAUSE AND LISTEN FOR HIS VOICE. 

Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. MARK 6:31 

We all need a place to go and be restored. Maybe it’s a family lake home or that favorite trail to hike. Or it could be road trips into the country, riding horses, or baking. My surefire place of rest and refuge is a place called the Princess Louisa Inlet in Canada. It’s a place that holds most of my dearest memories. 

Every time we return from the inlet, I try to scheme ways to bring the spirit of rest I experienced back with me. Because here’s the truth: the real magic in finding rest isn’t specific to the places we go. It’s about the spirit or rest we return with. We go to a lake or a farm or a favorite river because we want to pause long enough to calm the noise in our lives. We want to tune back in to what’s most important.

 I think that’s one of the reasons God created beauty like lakes and rivers and forests—to dazzle us. They’re sanctuaries disguised as nature, reminding us to pause and listen for His voice. We don’t need to fly to Canada or take road trips to find them. We can find peace and stillness by tagging out from some of what would normally fill our days and having a picnic in our backyard. We can best tune in to God’s restorative voice by sitting silent long enough to hear Him speak. 

Don’t believe the lie that you have to go away to be restored. Find a way to create a sanctuary in your daily life, because these safe places are within reach if we’ll stop long enough to see them. 

Where is your favorite place to find rest?