As I thumb through my heritage seed catalogues for the coming Spring, I think about the lovely tomatoes we grew last year. It took planning, patience, good soil, water, sunshine, and a whole lot of love and faith.
Our over all health is much like this. It takes time, mindfulness and hard work to experience vibrant living. There are no fast tracks to having balance in mind, body and spirit. We cultivate this daily one step at a time.
God is also a perfect reflection of this process. We can see that same mindful intention in the story of our creation and his passionate love for us. May we live sensitively to the natural biorhythms of our creator, realizing all he has planned for us as we stay on the road of an intentional, incredible life!
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6 WEB
I was at work one day assisting a client. He spoke sincerely and said “thank you for offering to help. I am new here to the area and some people won’t speak to me because of my multiple tattoos. They just assume I am a bad person. I have been through a lot but have a new life now.” I was pretty surprised because that was the last thing I was thinking about.
It made me start thinking though of how often we are not listening. Often we may have perceptions of someone without hearing their story. The arrogance of the human soul befuddles me.
As humans we need to be gentle with each other and give each other room to breathe and room to grow. Jesus listened and met people right where they were. I write this as a gentle reminder to myself and to my readers to look at each other through the eyes of Christ.
It is a wild and beautiful world out there. We never know the treasures within unless we listen.
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, 5 doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 6 doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. 8 Love never fails…1 Corinthians 13:1-8 WEB
The wind is something unseen but it is very much there. Here in the Midwest I experience pretty windy days. There is no denying that wind exists. Lol! This reminds me of a story of the unseen in the Bible.
Elisha in 2nd Kings was facing a large army and those with him were distressed. He prayed for God to open the eyes of his helper and then he saw God’s army all over the area.
God and all His love may not be seen directly with the naked eye but He is always with you! Faith, love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, worship and your very breath cannot be seen but they are also there. The fabric of our life is held together by the goodness and love of God. May our eyes be opened!
Elisha prayed, and said, “Yahweh, please open his eyes, that he may see.” Yahweh opened the young man’s eyes; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17 WEB
Don’t you know that you are a temple of God, and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16 WEB
A year ago I imagined what a women’s retreat would look like. In my mind I saw lights dripping down in a front entrance, lovely music playing and gift bags with self care products to give out. I have not shared this with anyone since then. I walk into church this weekend and there were the lights I imagined in place where I had put them in my mind. This is just another example of how God works. He crosses every “t” and dots every “i” in my life. Nothing left to chance. He reminds us that He is love and He deeply cares for everything we think.
God is always up to something. Following Jesus is far from boring. He is an adventure that sets your soul on fire. There are joyful moments, times when He just carries you, times when you don’t know the path and He will show you the way.
The picture above was taken during a Christmas celebration. Christ is the ultimate gift. He is our path to a thriving, balanced, healthy life with God our creator.
Reflect on this new year with wonder and awe. God creates everything new and invites us to join Him in an adventurous and truly meaningful life. What a gift!
YHWH Living 