It’s 1:31 p.m. CT and my fingers are just now settling on the keyboard. If I were a professional blogger, I would have posted this weeks ago, or at least a few days in advance.
Except I want to take this journey with you. And intimacy with God doesn’t work in advance. It’s a right-now in the thick of real life journey.
This week we moved. We had delays and rain. We had five beautiful grandbabies three-years-old and under and our grown children all under the roof helping us move.
We are living in the midst of boxes marked “bedroom stuff” and “books I love” and “random stuff from the utility room.”
I am happy and content and filled with gratitude, and sore and tired. I want a nap. Desperately.
So my time with God and you is coming late today.
To get out of the chaos of moving and find that sanctuary, I drove to a local little community prayer room. The door was locked.
As I walked to the car, rain came down in a flood. I started to giggle. Then to laugh out loud.
I fully understand why I felt the Holy Spirit asking me to do this with you, not to talk at you in theories and theology. Because it’s often really, really hard to get alone with Jesus.
It’s real life.
As I slipped into my car and rain pelted the window shield, I closed my eyes and thanked God that He was with me.
Everywhere.
In the midst of boxes. In the middle of beautiful babies grabbing me by the hand with the plea of , “Gaga, hold you!” In the midst of stormy weather. In the midst of tiredness. In the midst of trusting God. In the midst of joy and crankiness that makes you feel spiritual and oh-so-human at the same time.
So, has real life hit you?
Does the enemy try to tell you that real life means there is no intimacy for you?
Today let’s get alone with Him, no matter where that is. No matter how much time that is. No matter what the weekend held, or what today has already thrown at you.
Write these verses in your journal. Meditate on them. It is your truth.
(Jeremiah 23:24 ESV) – Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.
(Psalm 139:7-10) – Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
(Isaiah 43:2 ESV) – When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
But if you had had something written well in advance, we wouldn’t have been able to enjoy your timely insight 🙂
Praying for peace in your move!
Esther, I think your gift must be encouragement! : ) Thank you.
Thank you for being so real! It is so comforting to know that in the midst of every
chaotic moment He is there!
: ) Real is all I can do, Dorothy. Right? I love that we can take this journey together.
I too am making a move next Friday & I am 8 months pregnant. I’m a bit overwhelmed right now to even start packing! Thank you for reminding me that God is with me ALL THE TIME! He is my strength when I feel like I can’t do anymore. He is my peace when I’m stressed out over even where to begin. He is my hope that I WILL get through this move & be ready for the baby when she gets here. God is my EVERYTHING & I must lean on Him to carrying my through this raging river.
Becky
I am a retired labor & delivery nurse and I just want to reminded you to be sure and keep hydrated, potty breaks and all. You are getting close to the finish line so you have to work with God and take care of yourself and your ” bundle from heaven”. And the baby won’t remember if it sleeps in a dresser drawer, softly padded and filled with love from your family,those of us you don’t know and certainly God. Please listen to Him when He wispers in your ear “Becky, time for a break and a big glass of water.
Wishing you all the best Nancy
Oh girl, that is a huge task. I love that Becky came in and addressed the practical. I pray that God fills the gaps and shows you what is important and needs done, and what can wait, and when to ask for help.
I have not been following very closely along this 30-Day journey, but I’m going to chime in today anyway. I needed this today. Thanks for the reminder that I need intimacy even when I feel like I don’t have time for it, and that God is with me everywhere. All the time. PS. Enjoy your new house! Ours is going on the market this weekend. 🙂
Hey Kim, can’t wait to see you in a couple of weeks!
Thank you for writing this.
Isaiah 43:2 gives me comfort and hope.
I needed this today. I’m doing the COMPEL training that Proverbs 31 Ministries is offering and as I was listening to a coaching lesson last night, I just felt so overwhelmed…not by the lesson but just by life in general. The lesson was actually the catalyst to bring the overwhelming feelings to the surface so that I would deal with them. The feeling of being overwhelmed is a battle I’ve been fighting for a while actually and it’s one that I sometimes feel like I am gaining no ground on. This post reminded me of many things, not the least of which is that God is with me everywhere. Even in the chaotic moments of being a student, an employee, a novice writer, a daughter, a co-worker, a niece, a friend, a “Mommy” to a very spoiled, very ornery, sometimes very needy little feline furball (that may seem out of place but if you have pets that cry at your door when you shut them out of a room then you know what I mean)….. Even when I feel overwhelmed by the ever growing laundry pile or the ever present homework….. Even with all of the many hats that I wear day in and day out, above all else, I am a child, a daughter, of the Almighty God who loves me like no human possibly could! That is sooo freeing! Thank you Suzanne!
Writer to writer. . . it’s hard sometimes. That overwhelming feeling will come up again and again, but if He’s called you, He will give you what you need to run after this call on your life. Let your time with Him be a foundation from which everything else flows. There are times when I simply think “I’m not big enough” and then I realize that’s exactly the truth. I’m not big enough, but He is. The fact that you are taking training shows such trust and wisdom. Keep going, friend! I am so excited for you as you take this journey.
I have a very close friend who will be starting very aggressive chemo., treatments this evening. He will be in hospital for 6 wks. May he &his dear wife know Jesus is with them in this storm. Please pray.
I have a friend who is being admitted into the hospital this evening for 6 wks., of aggressive chemo. I pray that he & his dear wife will sense Christ’s presence & strength. Please pray for them.
Karen,
I have prayer that God would be a comfort to them, that He would guide kind caregivers to him, that he and his wife would make wide decisions, that this time will be a time that they draw near to God and to one another. I am praying for victory in the battle.
Susan
Father, I’m a cancer survivor and I remember how you walked with me during that very hard time. You were so BIG though I felt weak at times, and overwhelmed, and yet strong because I was not alone. Lord, may this friend feel you close during this time in a supernatural, God-filled way. Let others be drawn to you because of what they see during this time. Surprise this friend with your strength and with unexpected joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Don’t you just love that God lives in the chaos as well as the quiet?
I do, Susan.
Suzie, today, well now it is yesterday, was one of those days…woke up early but somehow the morning got away from me and my quiet time was very short… have to say I tried to keep my eyes on Jesus at work all day…felt myself struggling and the day got away from me…After work, I could sense the need to stop at my daughter’s for a walk with she and my grandson and even though walking alone may have given me that quiet time…He gave me something more…time to love and a rejuvenated spirit. Off to my early evening meeting and home…still feeling it. Once home, the conversation turned to the book of Enoch and here I am finally settling in for my quiet time at midnight, but wide awake and filled with the hope and expectation of resting in His Word. All 3 of these verses described my day… my early on trying to find Him or time with Him; my day of not embracing Him but yet Him embracing me; and my evening of feeling His merciful saving presence! What a day! Dear Father, thank you for this day! Amen.
I love how you walked with Him all day, and finally settled into His presence — at midnight! Beautiful picture of intimacy.