by Cathy Baker | Faith |
A few of my childhood friends
An only child, such as myself, is known for entertaining imaginary friends. With them we clinked tea cups, whispered at bedtime and played out back in the summertime. It was only recently, however, that I realized another trusted friend had hitched a ride to my adulthood.
“Writing is a friend whose shoulder we can cry on. Writing is a confidant who listens and lets us sort things out. Writing is a comrade, marching with us through the steep days of sorrow and despair.” -Julia Cameron, The Right to Write
Writing has been a friend, a constant companion throughout my life. One letter in the above picture was handwritten to my grandfather when I was a young girl, maybe 8, asking if he loved me (using the reliable ✔ the box method, of course.) Another letter was to my cousin, Lisa, during a typing (yes, typing!) class in middle school. In high school I kept a daily diary and I’ve journaled my prayers for over twenty years. Over the past several years, God has also awakened a desire to write in ways I never imagined.
Like any true friendship, love is to be reciprocated. Here are four ways I try to show the love:
- Listen to the promptings within. Don’t ignore them. Jot them down! I carry a tiny Moleskin wherever I go. My scribbling rarely lets me down. How I wish I could say the same for my memory.
- Respond to those ideas. Pray over them, drink coffee, write a terrible first draft, drink more coffee. If you’re not quite ready to explore the ideas further, that’s okay. Keep them close by, ready for action.
- Feed the friendship. No one wants to take a friend for granted. If God has called us to write, it’s our responsibility to hone our God-inspired skills to the best of our ability. We notice intricate details, the dialogue of a couple eating ice cream behind us, along with a host of other quirks. Let’s return the love by reading, writing, and thanking God often.
- Rest. We wouldn’t exhaust our friends by keeping them on the go for days on end, would we? Our writing deserves the same benefit. I’ve failed miserably in the past but now I’m taking a break from writing on Sundays. No getting-ahead-on-my-blog-schedule kind of writing for me. I refuse to give up the truth that if God can rest one day from creating, so can I.
Imagine. Long before I knew or appreciated it, God decided to tuck a friend in my pocket that would help see me through a myriad of situations in my life.
How about you? Whether you consider yourself a writer or not, how can you look back and see your God-inspired skills used in unexpected ways?
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Psalm 139:1-4
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Welcome, friend.
I hope
you’ll pull up a chair and make yourself comfy while I’ll pour us a
cuppa tea. Imaginary tea, after all, is always special.
How was your weekend?
We headed to the NC mountains, my favorite place to be. The cottage where we stay transforms to an oasis. The clock goes on strike, the cookies have no calories, the air goes easy on these asthmatic lungs, and I feel a little closer to God. Yes, He is with me at all times but perhaps it’s the lack of distractions that gives me a greater sense of His presence.
Is there a place — in your garden, certain room in your home, or vacation spot where you sense God’s presence in a different way?
Abba God,
We praise You as our ever present Father!
Your omnipresence ushers in the knowledge
that You are always present through Your Holy Spirit within us. Always.
Regardless if we “feel” You or not,
You are here,
for we do not live by feelings, but faith.
Amen.
Father, will you steep Your Word deeply into our soul?
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus is living in
you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” Romans 8:11
Is there one particular word from the above scripture you feel
led to “sip” on, to meditate on, throughout this week?
———————————–
This week, I’m focusing on the word “lives.” What are both the benefits and implications of His Spirit living in me?
Before
we bring our time to a close, consider one tangible way to “pour”
out His truth in response to the word(s) we’ve chosen above.
Thanks for stopping by today at Sharing Life Together…One Sip At A Time. Would you consider joining in the conversation by leaving your “word,” or a place where you feel closest to God, in the comment box? Blessings!
He
does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take
pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those
who wait for His lovingkindness. – See more at:
http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Delight,-God-Expressing#sthash.MnlQbRF6.dpuf
In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Psalm 95:4-5
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Are you a creature of habit?
Confession: I use the same coffee mug for my morning brew (it’s 10 years old), enjoy almond butter toast every day by 7:30 a.m. and I use purple pens only for poetry. I also have the propensity to stick with the same routine when it comes to spending time with my Maker.
The good thing about habits is that they provide predictability.
The bad thing about habits is that they provide predictability.
On the one hand certainty brings stability, which inherently leads to comfort. We know what to expect and when to expect it. (I feel comforted already.)
On the other hand some things can become so ordinary, so predictable, that its uniqueness wanders and wanes—including our time with God—if we’re brutally honest with ourselves. (My comfort level is quickly dwindling.)
Time with God can look different for everyone, as well it should. As for me, I’ve done the same thing for many years (surprise!), including journaling, reading His Word, praying aloud, and studying. In recent years, however, I’ve sensed a need to kick predictability to the proverbial curb by trying fresh ways to connect with my heavenly Father, such as:
- Taking a walk around my backyard, thanking Him for even the slightest hint of creative handiwork.
- Singing to Him.
- Journaling with instrumental music playing in background.
- Releasing the “doing” part of the time (studying, journaling, etc.) and simply “receiving” what He reveals to me in His Word.
Most recently, I signed up with Christ Notes to receive a randomly selected daily verse. I write it in my journal along with answers to the following questions:
- What word or phrase speaks to me?
- What do I need to hear today?
- How do I respond?
You may want to give it a try! It’s not what I’ll use every day, but varying my time with God breathes life in to the routine and renews an appreciation for the fact that He didn’t create us to be robots, but rather, His children.
And children are rarely predictable.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be
called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world
does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1
How about you? Have you tried something new during your quiet time? Please share in the comment section!
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Welcome, friend.
I hope
you’ll pull up a chair and make yourself comfy while I’ll pour us a
cuppa tea. Imaginary tea, after all, is always special.
I’m asking God to STIR us, awakening us to His Word that we might allow it to STEEP deeply into
our souls. As we take a moment to SIP on one word this week, my prayer is that it will move us to the point of action.
So, how was your holiday weekend?
Ours was great! Bucky’s BBQ, time with the family, and an opportunity to attend our former church, where Brian played drums for their patriotic music service. Old Glory surged through my veins, exposing a gap in gratefulness of the heart—both as a citizen of the United States and more importantly, a primary citizen of heaven.
Heavenly Father,
Open our eyes and stir our convictions as You reveal places of ungratefulness in our lives. Those places lacking honor for the sacrifices made on our behalf.
Places blinded by busyness, selfishness, and ignorance.
Amen.
Father, will you steep Your Word deeply into our soul?
Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good…Hebrews 13:16 The Message
Is there one particular word from the above scripture you feel
led to “sip” on, to meditate on, throughout this week?
———————————–
My word this week is “you.” This tells me it’s my responsibility to see—really see—people, things, and circumstances with fresh, appreciative eyes.
Before
we bring our time to a close, consider one tangible way to “pour”
out His truth in response to the word(s) we’ve chosen above.
Thanks for stopping by today at Sharing Life Together…One Sip At A Time. Would you consider joining in the conversation by leaving your “word” in the comment box? Blessings!
He
does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take
pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those
who wait for His lovingkindness. – See more at:
http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Delight,-God-Expressing#sthash.MnlQbRF6.dpuf
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
OK, I just caught the typo in the above graphic and it sent shivers down my spine but then I realized it’s hopefully probably intentional to get the point across that there’s no room for perfectionism when doing Morning Pages.
In
this post a couple weeks back, I issued a challenge of sorts to see who might be interested in giving Morning Pages a try—and then I realized my end date fell on a holiday week. Lesson learned but I still received some great feedback:
I noticed several themes when writing my pages. I’ve had to address some issues and pray about others. I realized I felt overwhelmed at times. Some needs as well as dreams surfaced as I put pen to paper. I enjoy writing my pages and plan to continue. Thank you for sharing this exercise with me.
It’s been very freeing. The mornings I’ve done this, it’s cleared my mind and I’ve been able to focus easier. I tried it a couple of evenings as well and found it helped quiet my mind for sleep. Thanks again for the challenge!
Tammie Fickas:
I
found it just as hard to make time for the morning pages as I do for
any journaling. That’s just me, though. Journaling has always been hard
for me. However, I found that when I did get the Morning Pages done it
really helped with getting my thoughts out of my head. Began to see
things more clearly in some things that I’ve ben struggling with for a
while.
Lori Roeleveld:
One
way Morning Pages helps me is that it’s like a mind-purge. It’s like a
mental defragmenter that dissolves the thought clogs that keep me from a
free flow of ideas. It’s also a free form of therapy as it reflects
back to me my own thinking in a way that confronts me with my daily
truth. When I see myself write something over and over, it forces me to
either face it or do something about it.
Like Lori, Morning Pages highlighted for me the need for a mind-purge. Debris from days past floated in my head much like orbital objects with no place to land. But once the nonsensical thoughts descended on the page, they disintegrated, readying my mind for the day ahead. I plan to do Morning Pages two mornings a week, at least for now.
Thanks to everyone for participating and especially for sharing your feedback. Lori Roeleveld is the winner of the Starbucks gift card. (Thanks
Random Name Picker) A cup of coffee (or tea!) is on its way for you to enjoy while writing away.
Several requested we do this again in a few months so stay tuned!
Happy 4th, my friends.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Welcome, friend.
I hope you’ll pull up a chair and make yourself comfy while I’ll pour us a cuppa tea. Imaginary tea, after all, is always special.
I’m asking God to STIR us, awakening us to His Word that we might allow it to STEEP deeply into
our souls. As we take a moment to SIP on one word this week, my prayer is that it will move us to the point of action.
I don’t know about you but when I meet a friend for tea, it seems like the world spins slower and words spill sweeter. We need more days like this because let’s face it, life has a way of gulping us down like cheap earthy tea, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. God graciously reminds us, however, that He desires to direct His children in the way we should go. And oh, the sacred fragrance that exudes from a soul at rest!
Heavenly Father,
As we inhale, may a stirring of thankfulness invade our heart and mind, for every breath is a gift, wrapped with the promise of abundant living. (John 10:10)
Forgive me when I settle for anything less.
Amen.
Father, will you steep Your Word deeply into our soul?
Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.
Psalm 119:133
Is there one particular word from the above scripture you feel
led to “sip” on throughout this week?
———————————–
I plan to sip on the word “direct” this week. Lots to ponder.
Before
we bring our time to a close, consider one tangible way to “pour”
out His truth in response to the word(s) we’ve chosen above.
Thanks for stopping by today at Sharing Life Together…One Sip At A Time. Would you consider joining in the conversation by leaving your “word” in the comment box? Blessings!
He
does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take
pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD favors those who fear Him, Those
who wait for His lovingkindness. – See more at:
http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Delight,-God-Expressing#sthash.MnlQbRF6.dpuf
This is what the LORD says– your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I
am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs
you in the way you should go.
Isaiah 48:17
