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UNHURRY HACK: Happiness fluctuates. We don't have to waste time letting feelings define our day. We can go straight to Jesus every single time. FIRST READ JOHN 16 Are you happy today? On a scale of 1-10 how happy are you?  If you are like me, that scale can fluctuate all day long.  Or sometimes, I can even get stuck in an unhappy mood.  Truth be told, I’m not in a very good mood today.  I would probably circle a “3” on a scale of happiness right now.  A situation rubbed me the wrong way yesterday, and I still feel a little irritated about it today.  I’m a little mad just thinking about it, and I just don’t feel that happy.  But I am a Christian.  Should I really be at a “3”? The more I read the Bible, the more I see real life.  In John 16:33, Jesus says “I have told you these things, so that you will have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus spoke these words to his disciples after he foretold of his departure.  He explained that they would grieve and experience rough times in the days to come, but that’s not where the story would end.  Those painful days would be a small piece to their greatest joy. Jesus would soon reveal his great love for them (and for us) on the cross, and he would (and will) return again.  Jesus explained that he would give them (and us) the kind of joy that no circumstance or person could take away.  Jesus stated in John 16:24, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”   He wasn’t telling the disciples that that they wouldn’t and shouldn’t experience unhappiness.  God created man, and the human body was created with emotions.  Jesus was giving them hope in the difference between feelings of happiness and an everlasting joy. I want the kind of joy that can’t be taken away? Don’t you?…The good news is that as believers, we already have this joy dwelling within us.  We just sometimes confuse joy with happiness.  Emotions will come and go, and we must work through them.  Our joy relates to our peace in Christ. Author and pastor, Rick Warren has a wonderful definition of joy: “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”–-Rick Warren The lost world (and sometimes even a believer) seeks joy in all the wrong places.  No person, job, thing, success, or experience is going to provide a joy that is complete.  People will let us down, life continues to change, and opportunities can disappoint.  In John 15:11, Jesus taught of his joy, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” So, is there hope for my day's unhappiness?  How do I move up from a “3”?  After digesting the conversation between Jesus and his disciples, I can remind myself that a “3” is temporary and a result of normal human emotion.  It doesn’t define me today or tomorrow.  I am going to pray, and keep praying. In my particular situation, for starters, I am going to pray for my heart to want to forgive, and then I will forgive out of obedience.  Then I am going to trust God with my heart that isn’t really “feeling it” right now.  I will trust him to cleanse my heart from the inside out.  I am going to remember that Jesus taught that love for others is part of his joy.  I am going to drink in God’s Word through scripture until it drowns the enemy’s lies from my head and heart.  I am going to seek Godly encouragement through Bible study, Christian authors, and the encouraging people in my life. But most of all, I am going to be still and know that God is God, and he’s got this. I am going to unhurry my heart so that I can listen to him.   I am going to LISTEN to God tell me to empty my heart of hurry-scurry emotions, and I am going to obey.  And I am going to rest in my Savior’s peace and joy, and I’m going to praise him. I am going to take a deep breath and persevere through my unhappiness (even if that needs tears and days) until my heart feelings catch up with my heart knowledge that my joy is complete in Christ alone. Dear Lord,  I need you close today.  I’m a little unsteady.   I have all these shards in my heart and tiptoe around the tiny slivers that I have dropped as I continue to walk around with this hurt.  I need to feel your peace.  I need to be reminded that my joy does not come from feelings of happiness, but of my completeness in you Jesus; and nothing can take that away.  Thank you Father.  I trust in you to restore my hope as you restore each broken sliver and soften the edges of my mended heart.  Amen.

UNHURRY HACK: God's unseen pathways are safe places to walk with HIM. Slow down. Grab His hand and prayerfully follow His footprints, one at a time. FIRST READ PSALM 77 In verses 1-10, the psalmist cries out to God for help; he is moaning and his spirit is growing faint. Oh how I’ve been there! Our responses to circumstances and emotions can swell like an ocean wave and gain momentum and power over us.  The psalmist wonders if God has forgotten about him. But in verse 10 his despair turns to comfort as he meditates on God’s truth and remembers God’s faithfulness in the past.  We are wise to do the same. I love the way The Message Bible summarizes this passage, “Once again I’ll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished, and give a long loving look at your acts…You pulled your people out of the worst kind of trouble, rescued the children of Jacob and Joseph” (Psalm 77:11-15, The Message). The Psalmist recalls God’s mercies and the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross. “Your path led through the sea, your way through mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen” (psalm 77:19 NIV).  It is so hard to remember that God is right there walking with us, isn’t it? In my last blog post When Enough is Enough, I spoke of God collecting our tears (Psalm 56:8 NIV).  God’s not just out there somewhere. He’s right here.  Isaiah 43:2 says “when (not if) you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when (not if) you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When (not if) you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze,” (emphasis mine). 2Corinthians 10:5 instructs us to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” When we are faced with waves that threaten to drag us under, what if we were to recall God’s truth and mercy like the psalmist instead of the despair we face?  Let’s let psalm 77 be our example and trust in God’s mercies and unseen footsteps.

My grace —-(greek word used here for grace is “charis”-his favor, or gift. It is given. Interestingly “charis” is used only in the new testament. is sufficient for you,—– Note the present tense. (greek meaning of sufficient used in this verse holds a meaning of contentment. His gift to us is not just enough to get by, Jesus is blessing us by being our power source and source of contentment. There is not a circumstance in which joy cannot be found in Christ. for my power—–Whose? Jesus, What? Power-his MIGHT is made perfect in weakness—–“made perfect” translates from the greek word that means to be complete, finished and fulfilled. Perhaps the reason Paul was so readily able to accept Jesus’s answer was because he understood it as a blessing. Jesus essentially told Paul, “I know what I am doing. You see this as pain that needs to be taken away. But I see how I can use this pain to work in you and through you. I need to keep this part of you broken for a while so I complete the good work I have begun in you (Philippians 1:6). This same kind of power, is what I used to raise my Son Jesus (Romans 8:11), so I don’t want you to miss out. I know it hurts, and I hear your every prayer. I catch every tear that you shed (Psalm 56:8). So true to my nature of mercy, I bless you with my joy so that in my grace you are content in the midst of the pain you are feeling, and by that you will have everything you need to make it through this season.”  The next time we cry out to Jesus, how will we respond to his answer?  If we are stuck with a brick wall, the blessing spoken to Paul may be the very balm our soul needs.

“When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way”  Psalm 142:3 The next time you are faced with a big decision, wouldn’t it be nice to have a flow chart from God? Each step from start to finish clearly stated in bold text with bright arrows pointing out the path? As believers we are called to follow God’s will for our lives, but understanding His will and what step to take next can be really challenging, if not down right frustrating. There are times when we literally find our foot dangling in the air, ready to take an obedient step, but no step is yet to be found to place our foot upon.  So we wait…and, after a while that foot can get a little tired dangling out there!  Those toes start to tingle and fall asleep, our knee grows a little squeaky, and our thigh muscle tightens in pain.  Our balance begins to wobble, arms start flapping, and by now the muscles in our torso are holding on for dear life. The waiting is not easy.  But God promises us something about seeking God’s will and it is worth the wait. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us we can have confidence in knowing that our prayers to follow God’s will are answered. Proverbs 3:5 shows us what that looks like as we go about our daily life.  It’s a commonly read verse, but let’s dig deeper to the marrow: (Proverbs 3:5) “Trust in the LORD (we can rely on, and have confidence in our Creator God) with all your heart (leaves no room in our heart for doubt, worry,  or reliance on our own self) and lean not on your own understanding; (our hearts and minds aren’t always going to understand God’s ways, God’s plan or silence may not make sense at the moment) in all your ways acknowledge him, (We need to pray and seek God, but also we need to be A beautiful reminder captured outside my window while waiting in the school car pick up line….Like sunshine piercing through these dark clouds, God may burst forth at any moment with clear direction. walking with the Lord in all areas of our life, so we hear his voice-God speaks to us sometimes through the most unlikely circumstances) and he will make your paths straight.” (His way never fails! Perfectly crafted in his timing, our Heavenly Father illuminates each step of his will for our life in his timing.) Walking on a surefooted path is worth the wait.  God promises us that we can put our confidence in him because he knows the way.  His ways are not always our ways, so we have to listen for his direction. Keep our eyes and ears turned toward Him because at any moment He may burst forth with clear direction. When we become a Christian, this promise to us becomes a blessing. Psalm 36:8 says of the LORD, “For with you is the fountain of life;  in your light, we see light.” By following Jesus, we live life to its fullest as God created it to be.  And that is worth the wait!

Spring Forth New Life in Me Again “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”  Isaiah 43:19 This stump is tucked away in the corner of my back patio.  It is all that remains now of a once thriving Magnolia tree.  It was perfectly healthy, and the beautiful southern icon boasted its velvety white blooms season after season. Unfortunately it was growing in the wrong place. Hmmm…I think I’ve been there.  May I turn a lifeless exhale into a new breath of trust in you. The tree was planted years ago, decades perhaps before I would ever know this would one day be my home.  It is funny to think, but I was probably a child at the time.  But it was planted too close to the house, and a few months ago we realized that it was now endangering our home’s foundation and must be removed. It was heart wrenching to watch the men with chainsaws cut and haul it away.  The last step in the tree removal was a deep “X” cut in the stump for salt to be poured in thereby snuffing out any final life.  Gone…or so I thought.  Hope is not exactly what comes to mind when looking at a barren stump. But its creator wasn’t finished. Seemingly dried up seasons in my life have looked similar to this stump. In these seasons, I  have often wondered how God could ever bring forth fresh life. Tucked deep within the stump, God was still at work. A few weeks later I noticed a fresh clump of green magnolia leaves emerging “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” What hope that verse gives us when we think all hope is gone.  While we wander in our wasteland, God is already at work, ready to spring up something new.  May I turn a lifeless exhale into a new breath of trust in you!  All those weeks of a seemingly dead stump, and God was growing a life that was ready to begin anew.  In His timing, God lovingly grew fresh new shoots and provided the essential sunlight and nourishing rains. In His timing, God provided a way in the wilderness, and provides one for us too.  The tender new shoots were lifted out of the wasteland and placed in a land of plenty.  Tucked tightly in new rich new soil, this beautiful tree basks in God’s richness of hope and blessing for the years to come of its life of “something new.” Lord,  spring forth new life in me.  Remind me of your presence today.  It is so hard to see your hands at work in seasons that feel so dry.  There are days that I wander in the wilderness & wasteland and cannot see a way out.  When I am hurting or feel confused, remind me of your words penned in Isaiah 43:19.  Change me from the inside out.  May I turn a lifeless exhale into a new breath of trust in you.  May I place my hurting and confusion at your feet today and trust that you are at work, even when I can’t see or feel your presence.  May I be patient to wait for your timing.  I trust that you are at work doing a new thing in my life even as I pray these words.  Spring forth in me a new tender shoot of life that is full of hope and peace and joy.       ~Amen

You know that kind of day… Stale bread, just the sound of it makes my shoulders droop.  Poor little stale piece of bread.  He sits all alone on a cold plate with no hope of ever becoming a sandwich or even a piece of toast. Its corners are stiff and dry.  There is no longer even a squishy middle for snacking fingers to tear and roll into a doughy ball.  No, not much use for a piece of stale bread.    Do you ever feel a little dry and crumbly? More often than not, we are a little spiritually dry as well? How do we ever bounce back? It is interesting to see how quickly a piece of bread can go stale. Take this bread challenge:  leave a piece of bread on the counter and observe its texture throughout the day.  The air around it pulls moisture from the bread, leaving it stale. Likewise, our soul deprived from time with God also dries out quickly and loses its moist richness. Regardless of what contributed to our state of stale bread, the first step towards hope is to open the bible.   While there’s not much hope for the bread you set out, the good news is that there’s an endless supply of hope in God’s Word. After all, Jesus is the bread of life.  It is good to know His bread is everlasting!  Here are a few verses to jumpstart you back to your walk with God: Don’t give up! Start with these and let the Holy Spirit guide you through the nourishing pages of God’s Word.  Read the study notes if you have a study bible, grab a bible commentary, get with another Godly gal and read them together.  Whatever jumpstarts you back on the freshness of your walk with God! Psalm 42:1-2 Psalm 121 John 6:51 Joshua 1:9 Isaiah 40:11, 28-31 Psalm 34:4 Hebrews 4:12

The wise Proverb 3:5 instructs us to trust in the LORD with all of our heart and not to lean on our own understanding.  But how do we apply this to fear?  Our own human understanding of a situation would tell us to fear, yet if we are trusting God with our whole heart, there is no more room for fear to reside.  So then, fear must leave and be replaced by God’s assurance and peace.  The rest of the proverb tells us to acknowledge God in all our ways and he will make our path straight.  Sure, we may feel fearful as our body receives information and sorts it into good and bad, but as believers, we have the privilege of being lifted out of the chains that fear locks around our body, mind, and heart.  There is peace and assurance in a path that is straight and well marked.  Even when we can’t see all the steps to the path, we can follow our God who knows the path.  David knew this and trusted God because he understood God’s love for him.  In psalm 17:6 David says with assurance, “I call on you my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.”  He proclaimed in psalm 17 verse 7 that God saves those who take refuge in God, and in verse 8 David gave us a beautiful picture of God’s love and protection.  “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings”  (psalm 17:8). The Apple of His eye Do you think of yourself as the apple of God’s eye?  David was and so are you and I.   What a sweet picture of God’s love, but also one of God’s fierce protection of his people.  We use the familiar idiom in today’s language often to describe a favorite, but the idiom is also used in the Hebrew language and holds further rich description. The Hebrew idiom translates literally as “the little man of the eye,” and points anatomically to the of the pupil of the eye.  If you were to look into the pupil someone’s eye, you would see the shape of yourself, a “little man” in the dark pupil.  Look into your own eye with a mirror in good lighting and you will see your image staring back at yourself.  More importantly, the pupil is responsible for vision and has to be carefully protected.  God tells of his people in Zechariah 2:8, “…whoever touches you, touches the apple of my eye.”  Moses proclaimed of God’s  chosen people in Deuteronomy 32:10, “He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye.” David called on God for mercy and refuge.  He trusted in God even when his situation didn’t change.  As believers, we can feel empowered over fear.  We can face some really uncertain, painful, and grueling seasons of life, but we don’t have to wear the heavy chains of fear.  Fear has no power over us.  We are are more than just special to God; He loves us  with a fiercely protective love.  We are important to him like the pupil is important to the eye.  Penned throughout God’s Word, we are the apple of his eye.  We can cry out as David did in Psalm 57:1-2 “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge.  I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.”  The fear that once pursued him, is halted under God’s protective wings. It is from that vantage of safety that David awaits disaster to pass. How about you?  When disaster arrives, how do you wait for it to pass?  Are you tangled in the heavy, burdensome chains of fear that clank with worry and anxiety?  Or are you nestled safely in the arms of God, prayerfully trusting that he will make your paths straight, and keeping watch from the protective vantage point under his wings?  As the apple of God’s eye, believers have a battle plan for fear.  We can feel safe in the Lord; we can trust him with our whole heart, not just the space left over that’s not taken over with worry. We can lean on God and not our own assessment and understanding of our circumstances.  God shows us the next step to take, as we seek him in all our ways.  One prayerful footstep at a time, the path becomes more clear and insulated with peace and assurance.  We find our feet taking confident steps; our ankles no longer teeter as we grasp for balance upon the unfamiliar path.  We realize at that point that God has made our path straight, and the illuminated path has led us straight to Him.  And why wouldn’t it?  We are, after all, the apple of his eye.

Shhhh…hush my child…let my love wash over you…I delight in you. What could be more calming than God’s love? What could feel more special than God delighting in us?  Do you realize that God enjoys you?  He delights in you?  His children bring him joy and pleasure.  I have to really stop and think about that because I tend to focus sometimes on how I probably disappoint him, or just could simply do better.  I find myself thinking about the “I shoulds.”  I should read my bible more, I should pray more, I should help out with this or that, I should be more like him or her, I should be more patient, I should wake up earlier and have a better quiet time with God.  I am not doing a good job.  Oh the defeat that the enemy wants us to hear! I stumbled upon Zephaniah 3:17 by accident, or more accurately as a gift from the Holy Spirit.  God’s Word is alive and active and it was what I needed to hear that particular day. “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17 Every once in a while a verse catches my attention like no other.  Words fall in the crevices of my heart that can smooth the rough and empty areas and leave it freshly paved with peace. God wants us to hear that he delights in us just the way we are today.  And when I let myself be calmed and quieted with his love, I find that I stop comparing myself to others or to the endless do better lists.  When I let his love and delight emulse with my heart, I find that I want to pray more and I want to read God’s Word.  God doesn’t want to be a checklist, He wants to be our God.  He wants us to delight in him the way He delights in us! Father, Let me hear your words today.  Quiet me with your love.  You delight in me.  When I see me, I see a mess.  When you see me, you see the joy and pleasure I bring as your creation and child.  Only your love can wash over me and renew my peace today.  You give peace not as this world gives.  That is the peace I need to delight in you today.  Let me live my life one day at a time growing in my love and delight for you.  I pray for the desire to spend time talking with you in prayer and reading and studying your word, not as a chore or checklist, but as a delight.  Amen

It was a battle plan like no other.  The Israelites, led by Moses, had fled the grip of Egyptian slavery, and were now encamped by the Red Sea.  After the many plagues, it appreared that Pharoah had finally let them go.  But once more, they looked up to find the Egyptians marching after them.  As fear surmounted and grumbling began, Moses answered the people.  His words are recorded in Exodus 14:14.  “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.  The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still,”  he told them. Being “still” was probably the last thing on the Israelites’ mind.  If you have ever disturbed an ant hill, you know the chaos that results. Hundreds of threatened ants run hurry-scurry.  I picture the threatened Israelites reacting like an ant hill that has just been kicked.  Just imagine them grabbing their belongings, maybe scrambling to put shoes back on their weary and blistered feet as they awaken a sleeping neighbor.  Perhaps families began assembling and designating who would carry the tired children.  Perhaps harsh words were exchanged as people ran and pushed their way through the crowd.  Perhaps dust began choke the air and sting their sunburned eyes.  “I’ve had it,” some might say.  “We were better off as slaves to the Egyptians,” others might jeer.  And then, perhaps like a wave that rolled to shore and receded back to sea, the words of Moses fell upon every ear.  The hebrew word Moses used when he told them to be still, means to be silent, to be quiet, make no moves, and even become deaf.  Essentially he told them to “freeze!” Our minds can be a thousand places all at one time, and that can be so debilitating.  When we want to hear God, we need to stop doing the talking and moving, and stop hearing all the extra voices around us. We can not lose sight that it is God who will deliver us, and it is God who is leading us in our battle.  When we are in a posture of readiness and obedience, God does big things. God instructed  Moses to raise his staff and part the waters so the Israelites could cross on dry land.  God’s power is so rich in the details. It is easy to rush through a familiar bible story.  But if we journey through this passage with an unhurried heart, we will see an incredible display of God’s power and protection. We will catch a glimpse at just how big and strong our God really is.  Life can seem so chaotic, and we sometimes just forget that God really is still at work in our life.  God really does hears our prayers and goes to battle for us!  (“They cried out to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed”  Psalm 22:5). Moses had calmed the Israelites, and he had received instructions from the LORD.  They were ready now.  Exodus 14:19 begins with the word “then.” Verse 19-20 states, “Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them.  The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel.  Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.” God’s presence traveled with the Israelites in this pillar of cloud.   All along they had the angel of God and the presence of God guarding and leading them from the front.  Yet the Israelites had lost sight of their leader and protector.  How could they possibly fear if they knew God was leading them in battle?  Yet their faith trembled at the sight of the Egyptians’ pursuit. Over and over again God’s chosen people defaulted to their fears. Are we any different?  We only see what is in front of us.  We only see the piece of God’s plan that affects us directly.  And that’s when it can seem like God’s ways make no sense. We are told in Exodus 14:3 that God hardened Pharoh’s heart so that they would pursue the Israelites. Why? In Isaiah 55:8, God declares that his ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are not our thoughts.  We don’t always undertand the why’s, but we can rest assured that we are not forgotten. All night the LORD’s glory was on display in this pillar cloud.  As he held back the Egyptians, God was not about to let his chosen people miss the display of his lavish love and his promise to them fulfilled.  In addition, God also wanted the Egyptians to see his glory, that they might know once and for all that He is LORD (Exodus 14:18).  As instructed, Moses then stretched out his hand over the red sea.  Verses 19-31 record the final amazing details.  All night long God drove back the sea, and the Israelites crossed the sea on dry land.  There is every reason to believe God’s people arrived at the other side of the Red sea completely dry!  Scripture describes physical walls of water and dry land.  All night long the pillar of cloud stood between the the Israelites and the Egyptians in pursuit. God’s people were untouchable!  Verse 25 tells us that God even made wheels fall off the Egyptian chariots.   When night fell, the pillar of cloud turned to fire, so his people could see.  Oh how I love the details, don’t you!  There was no earthly explanation for such events.  God’s power was on display for all to see! The Egyptians were scared and ready to retreat.  “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt,” verse 25 states.  We must remember that the LORD is fighting for us too.  We may not see how God will use all of the chaos, but he will turn our fear to faith.  And he will completely destroy our enemy.  God will lead us, and he is our protector. The Israelites chapter of Egyptian slavery had ended.  By God’s hand, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, and their enemy was swept to sea and completely destroyed.  The Israelites see God’s great power and place their trust in the LORD.  With the crispness of an unread page, a new chapter begins for God’s people. No matter what we battle today, we have to remember that a new chapter awaits us as well.  God is leading, protecting, building, conquering, and delivering us each day.  Our story is not over, pages will turn, and new chapters will begin.

“With a prayer to the God of Heaven, I replied…” –Nehemiah 2:4 It was time to rebuild.  Jerusalem was ripe for a fresh start.  Jewish exiled survivors had returned.  I can picture that blades of wild grasses now grew through fallen rubble.  Birds landed, unhindered by the past destruction.  The city gates now lay warped and charred, causing cinders and dust to swirl through the air as the wind blew.  Jerusalem was desolate but not forgotten. There are times in our life we have to do big things.  Things that cause our heart to literally bleed out the heaviness of its burden.  When our heart is unhurried, we can hear God’s call and the listen to his blueprints.  Perhaps in a moment, or perhaps in quiet murmurs that simmer over months or years, our heart is called.  Perhaps we are even given blueprints, but the execution of the plan remains a mystery.  I have a sticky note on which I wrote, “You don’t have to know the next step. Trust.” God impressed that phrase upon my heart, and I continually have to remind myself. I believe that God is richly revealed in details of  the calling-prayer-obedience-provision process.  For example, God has called me to write.  Writing  definately belongs on my list of “big things,” and I don’t fully see God’s plan yet.  His gentle urges have simmered in my heart for years.  His blueprints are coming more in focus every day.  He has gradually placed building supplies within my reach.  He has revealed this calling, and I must let him be the master builder and trust his hand and provision for each step. Sometimes though, big things come at only a moment’s notice.  Out of no where it seems, our head it turned and we see a need.  We are blindsided by a crisis.  A task emerges that requires immediate attention.  The size of big things can seem small, but feel huge.  Perhaps we are called to share our faith or take a step out of our comfort level and speak to someone we normally would not.  Maybe we are just learning to do something new or we are called to tackle a project that we want to avoid, and God knows it would free our heart and bring us healing.  We don’t have to know the next step.  Trust. Nehemiah remained deeply grieved for the city of his jewish people and ancestors for months.  Rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall remained a daunting task.  Meanwhile, normal life resumed.  Nehemiah served as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, and while he would have enjoyed the king’s respect and confidence, a servant’s problems and emotional state had no place in the presence of the king.  However, while serving wine on a particular day,  Nehemiah’s heart could not hold in the deep despair it contained.  His sadness and distraction became evident to the king.  At that moment, King Artaxerxes inquired what could be the matter and how he could be of help.  At his response we are told, “With a prayer to the God of heaven,  (Nehemiah) replied, ‘If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried'”.  An NIV study note points to the fact that King Artaxerxes had previously stopped the Jews from rebuilding the wall, so this was no small request.  But with God’s hand and provision, all things are possible.  The King accepted his request, and Nehemiah preceded to also ask for letters of protection and building supplies.  In verse 2:4 we are told Nehemiah stated, “And the King granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.” Nehemiah had sought the Lord in prayer and remained in a ready and obedient state.  His heart had been saturated in prayer for months, waiting for God to illuminate the next step.  When the opportunity arose, Nehemiah prayed once more before he uttered a response to the king.  This is the unhurried heart I desire, don’t you? May we seek God in prayer and  trust in his plan and timing.  May we be reminded to utter prayer before uttering a reply.  May we seek the Lord and his counsel even as we take action.  May we have faith like Nehemiah that God will take care of the details, no matter how big or overwhelming the project.  Lastly, may this passage remind us that no man can stand in the way of God’s will, even those who previously stood in the way.  Praise the Lord, that we serve an all-loving, all-knowing, almighty God!

“For we are to God the Aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing” –2 Corinthians 2:14-15 Who in your circle of friends or interaction needs the aroma of Christ? Perhaps you have an opportunity to openly share the gospel message, or maybe you speak kindly to a stranger leaving the aquantance to wonder what is different about you. Both are important steps that can lead a nonbeliever to a personal relationship with Christ.  Never underestimate the power of fragrant kindness, joy, and peace within you.   You may just cause someone to stop and search for the source of that fragrant aroma.

“Be still and know that I am God”   –Psalm 46:10 If you read the dictionary definition of hurry, you would see a description of moving with haste.  Here are a few examples from Webster’s Dictionary: Hurry: 1.     disturbed or disorderly activity: commotion (Hurry the children to school so they are not late!) 2a.  agitated and often bustling or disorderly haste (Come on, we are in a hurry!) 2b. a state of eagerness or urgency: RUSH   (ex. The firemen got there in a hurry.) So to “unhurrry,” perhaps (because not an actual dictionary word) could be defined as the opposite of all of the above. While there are times we must take action without delay, its focus on the part of the word that deals with disorder and disruption. When we are living life at a pace that can not listen to God’s voice , we could find ourself in a “hurry-scurry.”  That is perhaps my new favorite word, and fully paints the picture of a hurried heart. “hurry-scurry”: confused rush : Turmoil God calls us to be still so that we can listen.  Listening is very different from hearing. I can hear God as I race through the words of scripture when I scramble to finish my bible study homework on time. I can hear God in a sermon while I hear to the pastor’s voice, and the other half of my brain is somewhere else. I can hear God when I feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit to do something, but never move to action We can hear lots of nice things about God and from God. But to listen digests with focus and action . To listen is to be still. If our heart is hurried, we can really only hear.  An NIV note adds that “be still” perhaps has a hebrew meaning of “Enough!” I picture God lovingly lifting my chin as I would my child. I recall times when I needed to convey a very important instruction to my children , but they could not break the distraction and interest of the toy in their hands long enough to look at me and listen. My child may have heard my voice, but needed to let go of the distraction to listen to my words. On a scale of 1-10 how hurried is your heart today?