Dwelling places: You will be led.

Hello Friends!

Are you doing okay? How is this season of life been so far?

It’s been a long while since I have written a reflection sharing one of my dwelling places. This came off the pages of a book I’m currently traveling through and in all honesty, I”m underlining like crazy, and saying “yes”— Yes! Yes! So I thought I would share some of my current season of life.

I also want to share this beautiful song that is part of bringing me to this place as well.

Have a listen, even more than once if you wish.

Peace by Sherri Youngward

“I hear, “You will be led,” but nothing further.”

quote by writer Julia Cameron from her book Write for Life

About a month ago, I started going to a local book store in town where they welcome you to sit and stay. It has been here the inspirations have been to write, and sometimes spend time collaging–endeavoring to try new things. On this particular day, the echoes of this week’s quote “You will be led, but nothing further” sparked a curiosity for listening and reflection.

This may sound hopeless but in reality it’s not. It is instead a path calling for a day by day trust. A “walking” and sometimes climbing, an unfolding slow path, where ease excels by not missing one’s present steps. And at times may even call out “sit and rest” “regain sight or strength.” Or even better, a leaning in to trust God more deeply in the daily things of life that we often want to avoid or that He is preparing us for–more to come.

The quote sounds much like one isn’t going forward and in our current culture it may even seem stagnant. Yet in order to bring anxiety and fear to a minimal or better yet a ‘cure’ is that of being led in small incremental steps. The “but no further” brings to us a brighter side where we may be invited by the title “The Cure For Anxiety”--recognized from Matthew 6:25 [AMP Bible] brings us to HOPE as we can only truly live in “today.”

“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

(For more, read through Matthew 6:25-34) Selah

Take a moment to pause now if you are led.

Listen to the sounds around you,

be still for a moment,

maybe sit with some of the words you’ve read so far.

Be led.

Reflection “You will be led”

Something struck my thoughts when I sat reading Write For Life, as I came across a word of encouragement landing on “guidance.” Why guidance? I wondered.

Because a critic monster appears according to Julia when we write. Whether at the beginning of writing, in the middle, or even possibly the end of the page(s). What’s a critic monster you may wonder? as I did. It can be a credibility attack or as you may have heard before the inner critic that wants to distract, spoil, and cause us to get stuck. A negative thought of “I can’t do this” or “no one’s going to want to read this”... and there are others that may come to mind.

In the moment of that day of reading, right there jumping off the pages was the word “guidance” –a caring word that began filling in the inner critic and opening wide the waves of what is going on in my life. God is carrying me on the waves of another way. His way of exploration, practice, sometimes to sit in silence, prayer and sharing. Uninhibited of worrying about what others think. Do you have your own critic monster from time to time? Yuck! you might say as I cringed and then acknowledged “I do too!” It's part of our struggle in being human but here’s a way to listen and not be marred by the critic monster. It comes with guidance to where instead of giving in we choose love and joy, a settling-in that may be uncomfortable, yet offers us genuine honesty and humility. Not set ways but a settling way which offers us a path of willingness to let storms and waves move our bodies and go with the upward and downward flows like the waves of the ocean.

I have always enjoyed when swimming in the ocean that sweet spot where I begin to settle just mid way, and not too far out, but near the beaches shore rather than the farther depth of the ocean floor. A place where my feet barely touch the sand while standing, and being lifted up by a calm wave and then set back down, and then up again and down. My head just above the water and the sun shining down warming the Pacific waves. (Just had to write that in)

In the storm though we can lose our balance, and feel unsettling, because yes, we are met with fear, or anxiousness of not knowing when the storm will pass. Even there too, our joy and losses are real not hidden.

Thankfully from God we are also given a guidance that is gently spoken, quietly and even so slightly under one's breath so as to not disturb someone else’s storm, and where their quiet is also being met with this same guidance. At times, we may even be in the storm with others. A shy voice is often described as the Holy Spirit–not a flaunting or even a step can be heard but instead more of where did that come from, did the Spirit move, where is Jesus? God, are you here with me? And finding, He remains in the storm. He is with us. Let us look, he’s there when we want Him, and when we desire to stay close to Him.

Wherever you are in the midst of this season, a storm or steady waves, let the guidance of the Spirit of God hold you. Bring comfort. Bring something new. Bring a reminder of His faithfulness.