Dwelling places
image shot on Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM
Hello Friends!
I thank you for joining me on this blog journey. Over the course of this month, I have faced some challenges. Do you sometimes find yourself waking and feeling like today’s hard? And asking, how am I going to get going, or get through it? Do you feel this struggle?
If so then you’re in good company. We can then begin our days asking God for what is lovely, true, and good.
For living with God’s perspective in His “dwelling places” is the greatest and most freeing way to live in ‘today’ and in what lies ahead seen and unseen.
Let’s begin. Take a deep breath and slowly let it out.
morning Dwelling Places (part two)
I invite you to look up Psalm 84 and speak these words aloud with me from this Psalm:
“How lovely are Your dwelling places,
O Lord of hosts!” Psalm 84:1
PAUSE and LISTEN. Maybe even journal what you’re noticing.
Is there a desire or longing in your life today for what is LOVELY?
What is grabbing your attention?
I find myself focusing on the word LOVELY. Asking, “God show me, what is LOVELY throughout my day. Hold me in Your lovely dwelling places.”
As I linger here, I am carried into the following words “The bird has found a home.”
Hmm, do I have a home to rest, to be sheltered and cared for in? “Yes, O Lord, I do.”
Beginning right where I am sitting is a helpful place to start noticing.
PAUSE and LISTEN
I invite you, to pause and consider your surroundings, where are you sitting? Is this place lovely? What makes it so? Where is God in your desire for what is lovely today?
I begin to journal, remembering that for me writing helps clear away the cluttering thoughts. I write “One day at a time… Trusting… and God “establishes the work of my hands” (Psalm 90:17). These short phrases remind me of where I’ve been, how all of my days have unfolded, open and closed doors, and life’s journey of trusting the ways of God. He has shown me where to walk, when to stay, and picked me up with gracious hands when I have faltered and failed. I stay then with the freeing words spoken in my mind “do today and tomorrow will be something else.”
With this clearing perspective, I can say “I’m grateful.”
A list of gratitude then becomes a flowing stream. I give thanks…
for my parents coming for a visit next week
for providing for my friend as she leads her youth small group this weekend
for my sister in law calling last night and sharing her excitement for visiting soon.
for today’s coffee date with my son
for the unseen beautiful moments yet to unfold today
So, how do we enter today with peace, healing, and hope?
With God’s dwelling places and longings?
One way is with gratitude offered to God.
PAUSE and LISTEN. Begin writing your list of gratitude.
Do you notice the LOVELY entering into your heart, mind, and spirit? I hope so. If not, that’s okay, continue to stay with what you're noticing and continue to listen.
I know He cares immensely. For I know He sees and knows my being. I can be certain, you too can be certain of Him.
Together let’s keep our trust in the voice of God through Scriptures. Here is a beautiful attachment to God. “Happy and sheltered by God’s favor is everyone who fears the Lord and worships Him with obedience.” -Psalm 128.
Our need to hear comes from His loving and living Word on the pages of Scripture, which are able to be written upon our hearts, minds, and souls. This dwelling place I cling to today.
Take some time to reflect and journal if you wish your own noticing.
Allow yourself to sit with God in prayerful silence. What words of attachment to God are you becoming attuned? Write these down. Maybe even look them up in Scripture.
