1 Peter 1:8

Here we go...

The plan:
1 verse (or so) to memorize each and every week.

The challenges:
Time, busyness, laziness.

The goals:
To know the Word in my heart.  That it becomes a daily part of life.


My beautiful friend Kristy thought up this ingenious plan.  We are relying on each other, helping hold the other person accountable.

3 weeks have successfully come and gone and this week I finally thought about blogging this process!  So here we go, 1 verse to memorize every single week will be posted up here on this baby blog.  I hope y'all are challenged and inspired to get out of your comfort zone with the Lord.


1 Peter 1:8
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

Stillness

Is it impossible for moments of stillness to become a reality?  Are moments of nothing, no agenda, no to-do list, no plan, a desired reality never to be reached?  What would it require to allow simple moments of calmness to permeate the constant busyness?

These moments of stillness are what I require.  I need moments of time in which nothing is occurring.  I need moments of no worry, especially no worry in the lack of something to fill my time.

This lack of peace, this lack of rest, is a huge problem with our generation.  Living in the technological age the lack of times and places to unplug and pause exponentially decreases than for our parents' generation.

What are the long term effects of this lack of unconnection?  How can we better take advantage of the benefits of short, but powerful pauses in the everyday-life?

Unexpected Sunday

It is Sunday morning, a time when I am usually surrounded by a community with shared beliefs and ideas, but today I find myself alone, by myself with time for self reflection.  After missing the bus to church this morning I was frustrated.  Frustrated with myself for taking that extra five minutes to grab a little more of precious shut-eye.  Frustrated that the whole house was gone.  Frustrated with being on crutches and not being able to simply walk to church.  

This frustration is the complete opposite emotion I want on a Sunday morning, but I could not stop it.  

Then something clicked.  The wise question of why? popped in my head and my heart.  Why was I frustrated?  Why am I stuck on something that is unchangeable?  Realizing my one dimensional thinking, I decided to embrace this unexpected Sunday morning.  

This morning I realized again my need for control, for routine in life.  Church is truly one of the biggest blessings in my life; the worship works on my heart in unfathomable ways and there is something special about hearing the Word of God proclaimed in the city of Madison.  Church is a necessary part of being a Christian and the community that comes with it is crucial.  But for me specifically, I get stuck in the routine of church.  I view church as a community in which you have to go to experience.  This idea right there, the routine and the desire to attend a church in a building is fundamentally wrong.  

Since when did Jesus teach us that church was held every Sunday morning in a building?  Since when can community worship and study the Word only during one specific time?  

Sitting here seemingly alone, with no one home, I feel more connected to a community then I do many Sunday morning at church.  I am excited to dive into the Word with the knowledge that around the world, many are doing the same.  

I have gotten so caught up in the routine that I have forgotten the true definition of church.  I have forgotten the large number of believers who have no chance to develop a routine because of persecution and lack of a "church" to meet in.  

I pray that I continue to see church outside of a building.  That I worship God everywhere, that I praise Him in my actions and in my life.  I pray to lose that sense of routine and revel in the power of meeting Sunday mornings.  I praise You for this unexpected Sunday.