I skipped Five Minute Friday last week... did anyone (besides me) notice? It was not easy as I LOVE this Community and this challenge to write for five minutes flat on a one word prompt and hit publish before rethinking or rewriting... still, it was the week after 31Days and oh my goodness, I think we all needed a break from me!
But I am back now and ready(ish) to jump right in! Let's go!
Tonight's prompt is: STILL
Tonight's prompt is: STILL
{GO}
After a month of writing about Rest... one would think Still would be easy.
After all, I gave myself a little break. Not completely unplugged (or not typing) but still, I stepped away from the screen for long(er) periods of time and I fought for Stillness, and it was wonderful.
Dare I say, Wonder filled...
Stillness and Rest can go hand in hand and as this season of being set aside and not doing comes to an end, I am relishing in the blank calendar blocks and the absence of all the bossy lists - even though I know that they will fill up soon.
Even if ministry doesn't increase, the holidays are here and in the past I would take this week to bask in the calm before the storm... however, there has been a shifting deep within. A Rest and a Stillness, if you will, that seem to be abiding... no matter how I spend my days.
Now, I know it won't be that way for long. I will still need to be intentional about it. I will need to stay aware of carrying His Presence with me and going about my days both when they are hectic and crazy, as well as when they are relaxed and slower.
Last summer during all the silence and the not doing, I struggled. I felt lazy and unproductive. I wrote it about it already how a friend reminded me that it was a very fruitful summer... it just wasn't showing on the outside yet.
And now here we are at the end of Harvest.
And look what I have found...
Wonder.
Rest.
Stillness.
Abiding.
I am finding that when I remain aware of His Presence... when I hallow His name and invite Him in to the quiet days, or the hectic crazy days of life... He brings Stillness and Peace that lingers and seeps in deep!
And couldn't we all just use a little more of this?
{STOP}
Amen? That felt about right! It's nice to be back, ya'll!
Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click here to read what others have to say about "STILL"
Oh ...the fine print: if you don't know what FMF is! Five Minute Fridays have been hosted by Lisa Jo Baker. This week we start gathering over at Kate Motaung's. FMF is open to anyone, so to learn more about it - and to jump in yourself (the more the merrier!) or just to find a linky to see what everyone is writing about today - click HERE! The idea is to simply write... for Five Minutes flat... no editing, no deep thinking - or at least REthinking, no spell check - just write! Let it flow! We all write using a prompt that Lisa posts at 10pm Thursday night (EST.) I'm loving the community of amazing bloggers and the creativity that flows from these magical Five Minutes!What about you? How are you finding Rest or being Still in the midst of whatever you are facing today? Can I invite you to simply say His name and invite Him in to your daily living... He always comes with Grace!
Gorgeous. All of it. The words. The pictures. The message. Love your heart, my friend.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your heart right back! xoxo
DeleteYes! We can all use more of this! Allowing God to enter in brings a stillness that lingers and seeps in deep! Praying we all experience that kind of stillness and accept it as the gift that it is meant to be! So good and so needed tonight! Hugs friend!
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with that prayer, my friend... may we all experience stillness and rest! So glad you stopped by!
DeleteI missed out last week too...resting. And though I missed the community, the rest was sooooo needed!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures...lovely words. I'm so glad you're writing this week!
Amen for Rest and taking it and letting it come when you know you need it! (Yay for the freedom of not just pushing through, right?) Thanks so much for stopping by! It felt good to be back!
DeletePraying you remain in His presence and find the stillness in the busyness of the season. It IS hard to find that stillness when so much is going on around us! And 'tis the season - and so often we don't stop to be in that place where we can stop and listen for his voice...may it be so for you!
ReplyDeleteAmen Barbara! And may it be so for you as well!
Delete"I am finding that when I remain aware of His Presence... when I hallow His name and invite Him in to the quiet days, or the hectic crazy days of life... He brings Stillness and Peace that lingers and seeps in deep!" Yes, yes, yes! I used to think I had to move everything aside and have a clear plate before I asked Him in. And now I realize that asking Him in FIRST is what brings the stillness to my day. I don't just want that peace to scratch the surface...I definitely want it to "seep in deep."
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for those beautiful pictures. I love, love, love them!
Girl... one day... soonish?... we will hang out! Don't you just breathe easier now knowing that we can - that He WANTS us to - invite Him in to our every day life? Always so blessed when you stop by! xoxo
DeleteSo fun to join in this week AND to make it to #fmfparty I've missed that. And look at you, finding beauty and rest and harvest. Sigh. It feels like a wide open breath.
ReplyDeleteLove you girl... and LOVE love loved that you made it back to #fmfparty (and that we are having a fmfparty retreat in Bend! ;) LOL) ... LOVED your post although - I must say - I was silently hoping for a little of the muscle relaxers to do some talking... or at least a little slurring of words! ;)
DeleteRidiculously,
~K~
Your pictures are always so amazing. I'm so glad that the journey through rest resulted in more stillness and intentional lingering. Yes. We can always use more of that.
ReplyDeleteIt did... it is... but you will notice that I said that I had to fight for it still! Love you friend! (I am hoping for happy mail today! I will keep ya posted!) xoxo
DeleteAhhh peace Karrilee! Yes the older (or more mature?) I get, the more it matters to have times where I can bask in God's peace and appreciate His blessings and surrounding beauty.
ReplyDeleteSo Much Amen, Verona! Basking in God's peace, counting gifts, surrounded by beauty... sounds like a bit of Heaven on earth, or earth as it is in Heaven, yes? Thanks so much for stopping by!
DeleteYes- I know I could use a little rest and stillness. But it requires much humility and a change of the posture of my heart. I can't will myself to do it, but He can change me. I loved your post - as usual.
ReplyDeleteThat change of posture is key, right? Praying we both are bowed down in all the best ways this weekend, friend!
DeleteWhat great pictures! I get frustrated with myself when I feel guilty about slowing down. Enjoying nature. Reading a book. Going to a movie in the middle of the day. But these things recharge us. We are better for them. May we get better at embracing that!
ReplyDeleteThank you Traci! Photography is something I love to do and - well, in a setting like that... it's nearly impossible NOT to capture a bit of Stillness and Peace! Amen to all of those things... nature, reading a book (just for fun!), a matinee... coffee dates, lunch dates, etc... mostly - Yay for the grace to receive them as the gifts that they are! We truly ARE better for them! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteLoving all of this! Your words, your pictures are just what I needed in this "busy" season. So grateful for you.
ReplyDeleteRight back at you, friend! So grateful for you as well! Praying Rest and Stillness follow you around, no matter what season you are in! xoxo
DeleteYes. More of that. I love the idea of a stillness that abides in any circumstance. I love the idea of wonder being the fruit of our slowness. And yes, I want more.
ReplyDeleteMakes me think of the song on the new(er) Bethel Music cd, "May we never lose our wonder"... I want more too! xoxo
DeleteEverything was perfect. Words. Photos. Emotion. All was good!
ReplyDeleteHey there! Thanks so much for stopping by! Praying a bit of Rest and Stillness lingers with you this weekend, my friend!
DeleteThis is an absolutely beautiful post! Your pictures are stunning and very restful indeed. Might I make a suggestion with regard to the upcoming madness of the holiday season? I know that most of the world starts celebrating Christmas once Thanksgiving is done and all through December, but our family doesn't. We celebrate Advent throughout December (it begins on November 30th this year) and we don't even put up our tree until the 3rd Sunday of Advent. We don't listen to Christmas music or sing Christmas hymns or songs until Christmas Eve. For us, Advent is a time to both rest and also prepare our hearts for Christmas through prayer, reading scripture, repentance, making small sacrifices, and doing little things for others. That last one is particularly fun because we have a thing where we set up a manger and every time our girls do something sweet for each other or us or someone else, they get to add straw to the manger to prepare it for the baby Jesus :) We also do an Advent wreath devotion each night as a family, reading scripture and praying together. I don't know if any of those things are workable for you or even something that interests you, but I find them a very restful way to enter into the celebration of Jesus birth on Christmas. We're also weird in that we keep celebrating Christmas until the Feast of Epiphany on January 6th and leave our decorations up until the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord which is usually a few days to a week after Epiphany. Whatever you do for this coming holiday season, I hope it is a restful and blessed one for you!
ReplyDeleteHey there! Thanks so much for your comment! You know - I celebrated Advent for the FIRST time last year, reading through Ann Voskamps' book. I plan on doing it again this year (so thanks for the reminder that it starts sooner than I thought!) I have long had the practice of giving myself a Deadline of Dec 10th. As in... I made it a practice that I would be done with all the bossyness of Christmas by the 10th, so I could slow and enjoy it all unfold! Advent brought in peace and rest and joy in a whole new way! Thankful for your input and your prayer... Praying for Restful and Blessed Holidays for us all!
DeleteYes indeed we all could use a little more of that stillness. Beautiful pictures too!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Tara! I appreciate your stopping by!
DeleteI love your pictures. I had a sabbatical from ministry over the summer and have struggled to hang on to the rest and stillness it brought. Thank you for reminding me. ~Leah
ReplyDeleteLeah... I was on a bit of a sabbatical this summer as well - although it wasn't necessarily on purpose... it's different to enter back into the busier days, but it's such a gift to know that His Rest and Stillness lingers and sinks in... it goes with us, when we remember to hold on to it! Thanks so much for stopping by!
DeleteYour comment literally made me LOL! Stare away, my friend! Creepy or not... I will just be over here in the corner binge watching Gilmore Girls because it's... Friday? (As if I need a reason!) xoxo Love you, friend!
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the prompt last night I immediately thought of you and your 31 days of Rest- what refreshment this post was dear one_ janel (mytoesareblue)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Janel! It was so fun to be back for the party last night ...and to write again! Love the #fmfparty crew!
DeleteFinding rest and stillness all the BOSSY social media, to-do list and our own inner voices is so hard but something we need practice. Thanks for the reminder to slow down and linger a little more. Love ya sweetie
ReplyDeleteLove you too, my friend! xoxo ...here's to practicing His Presence!
DeleteBeautiful pictures and a great message. I am working on learning to be still!
ReplyDeleteIt takes practice, and discipline to stay in it... but it is worth it! Thanks so much for stopping by! Praying you find some Rest and Stillness this weekend!
DeleteSO happy that stillness brought you wonder! That fuels the spirit and prepares you for what is ahead.
ReplyDeleteAmen Mariangie! May we never lose our Wonder!
DeleteLove love LOVE your photos! And I'm keeping the bossy list phrase. List's are bossy, aren't they? I needed to read this, for I have been struggling to find time to clean my house and be still with God with all the writing and all the ministry launch/social media for Planting Roots.net. Got to learn a new rhytmn. I'm on it!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, friend! Thank God for Grace, right? He knows what all is on your plate right now... but He also knows that in this busy season... He has Rest for you! Praying for you to find that rhythm!
DeleteIt is so hard for me to remember to carry his stillness and rest with me during hectic times. Especially since part of my Bossy, is that I too often worry about pleasing everyone. I honestly don't like anyone being upset at me. Thank you for this encouragement. And I love the pictures in this post!
ReplyDeleteJo Rose, I think it is hard for all of us to consistently remember to do that... but the good news is that it's POSSIBLE! I think that is the reminder that I need most often! And oh girl... I know that whole people pleasing thing... it's tough to break out of... but He can help you! I don't like anyone being upset with me either, but I have come to know that the only One whose opinion truly matters to me is Him! If He and I are good... everything else will work out! Thanks for stopping by, friend!
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