Category: Stillness

Facing the Illusion of Control

The next several weeks of blogs will be based on our most recent animated reading, “A Ruinous Drawing.” Click here to see the full text and here to watch the video.

I used to be fine, strong and secure.

The “illusion of control” is the propensity to overestimate our ability to control life events. It presumes that given enough resources, patience, and understanding we can craft the kind of life we desire. Scripture, however says something very different about the nature of control: “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Continue reading “Facing the Illusion of Control”

Acquiring a Taste for the Holy

Standing in the place of stillness . . . no other place I’d rather be.

The place of stillness is like a treasure in the rough. Sometimes it’s hidden in plain sight among the common and ordinary. And even when we find it, it may not seem so extraordinary at first. But this can change . . . if we are willing. Continue reading “Acquiring a Taste for the Holy”

Less Is More

In the place of stillness, I am learning how to live.

“Don’t just stand there, do something!” This well intended advice is often driven by the unspoken assumption that stillness is laziness and, therefore, ineffective at best or dangerous at worst. The problem isn’t so much with this counsel (sometimes, activity is needed!) but with the attempt to import it into our relationship with God. If we desire a stronger faith, we must learn to think differently about stillness. Continue reading “Less Is More”

Reclaiming Our Souls

The place of stillness is a mirror, reflecting the condition of our souls. 

Sometimes life comes to a screeching halt. Movement and noise suddenly cease as the weight of stillness tangibly presses in upon us. This surreal state of mind can be triggered by personal crises or it can randomly roll over us as though appearing out of nowhere. Regardless how it comes, this “place of stillness” is often a place of awakening and revelation. Here we “remember” that we are more than flesh, blood, and bones. We possess an inner life . . . a life of the soul. Continue reading “Reclaiming Our Souls”

Stewarding Memories

The next several weeks of blogs will be based on our most recent filmed reading, “Standing in the Place of Stillness.” Click here to see the full text and here to watch the video.

I remember the silence and peace … it covered me.

Sometimes, we just need to close our eyes and remember the good. Maybe it was a carefree season of childhood years, a vacation at the beach, or simply a time not yet touched by suffering and loss. Do we relish those times with frequent recall of their joy or only lament them as over and done? We would do well to remember the past is never “just the past.” It retains an uncanny ability to influence our present and shape our future. Continue reading “Stewarding Memories”

Filmed Reading: Standing in the Place of Stillness

This week we launch our sixth animated reading. The next five weeks of blog posts will draw from themes in this poem.  If you like the video, please share with others.

 

Standing in the Place of Stillness

I have been here before –

I remember the pasture

That beautiful expanse. Continue reading “Filmed Reading: Standing in the Place of Stillness”

Where Hearts Come Alive

This special place is now my life, absence long results in strife.

Sometimes stillness can affect us in profound ways. We’ve all experienced it in one form or another—a brilliant star-lit night stops our heart, an awesome mountain vista demands our attention, or the fiery hues of an ocean sunset leave us speechless. Somehow these moments add to us and we leave with more than we came. Creation clearly has a way of unveiling the majesty of God (Psalm 19:1). Yet there’s something even more breathtaking than the wonder of creation before us—the glory of God within us. Continue reading “Where Hearts Come Alive”

Silencing the Soul

Where You and I are set apart, in the chapel of my heart.

We carry within us a world of unrelenting noise. This never ending stream of regrets, ambitions, hopes, and fears is so pervasive it’s hard to imagine our lives without it. Though we may experience unexpected moments of inner silence and peace, we usually presume they’re too infrequent and random to count on. Surprisingly, however, such times often leave us so impacted we find ourselves yearning for more and wondering if maybe . . . just maybe they don’t have to be so infrequent after all. Continue reading “Silencing the Soul”