Embrace the Gift of Quiet

Happy Friday! In our area this has been a week full of much needed rain but along with that came days on end of clouds and humidity. Typical southern summer weather. But since the rain was so desperately needed, each day as I faced clouds and grayness, I was determined to be thankful for the rain, but after days of not seeing the sunshine, I was ready to see the sun!

This morning the sun broke out and as I stepped outside for a morning run, the air was beautiful, drier and brighter and it made for a beautiful start for the day. The change in weather was so evident and it changed my outlook and attitude.

Today's Five Minute Friday is on the topic of QUIET. In our world today it can be hard to find a place of quiet. But like the sunshine and fresh air I experienced this morning, quiet can enter our hearts and make all the difference in our lives.

Quiet can be a place of sacredness where rest can fill our bodies, peace can fill our hearts and clarity can come into our minds. Quiet is not a thing to be avoided, but a place to embrace and learn to welcome into our homes and lives. Quietness doesn't mean boring or the absence of activity, but it can be a place of depth, when we take this time to seek the Lord and put roots down in His Word and prayer.

There is great blessing in the quiet. Lamentations 3:25-27 speaks of the value of quiet.

"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. In Lamentations, all the misery of God’s people had come because they would not truly seek God and wait for Him. They rejected and rebelled for generations, then looked to others for rescue. Seeking Him again would bring renewed expressions of His goodness. Everything previous in Lamentations was deep in despair, and the misery was by no means over. Yet these flashes of light are welcome and necessary. Against all the despair, Jeremiah proclaimed to himself and all others the goodness of hope and patient seeking of God.

"Quietness is necessary to waiting, for all turbulency and impatience of spirit

under sad providences is opposed to waiting.”

Waiting may not be on our list of favorite things to do, but when we face situations of distress or circumstances beyond our control, quietness helps us regain a sense of peace. It helps us quiet our soul before the Lord and as we pray, remind ourselves that although we may be powerless, God alone is all powerful and nothing is impossible with Him. To "Be still and know He is God", begins with a place of quiet and ends with a place of hope, trust and joy. May we learn to deliberately turn down the noise all around us and embrace the gift of quiet.

Top 10 Workout DVDs

Prevention Magazine is a leader in health and fitness news and products. They recently came up with the top 10 list of workout DVDs. They have examined the many fitness DVDs out there and narrowed down a list of the best ones. There is a DVD for every fitness level. If you are looking to incorporate some exercise into your day in the convenience of your own home, take a look at this list. Here is an additional money saving tip: If you see a DVD that you are interested in, check out Amazon or Ebay before ordering. Many times they have pre-owned DVDs at a fraction of the cost of a new one.

Sometimes We Score, Sometimes We Block

Our family is in the midst of little league soccer season. My youngest son is playing and his enthusiasm is contagious. He is pretty good at the sport, but what makes it so great is that he loves it! He counts the days until the next game or practice. He loves his coach and teammates. He has moved up an age level this year and the players are working more like team, passing to each other and watching out for each other during play. During the last game, my son scored two goals, they were the only goals of the game. In today's game the team scored eight goals. My son came up afterwards to me and said, "I didn't score today, but I blocked". What a powerful truth those words can hold. In life, sometimes we score, sometimes we block. Sometimes we do great things, we excel, we achieve, we meet our goal - we score! There are also times we see the needs of others, sometimes they are sad or hurting, we block their hits. We look out for them so they can score. We...

Word Filled Wednesday – Act Justly

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 Sometimes we struggle so hard with the question “What does God want us to do and be?” This verse is a simple yet powerful reminder of some simple things that God requires of us. Act and do justly, love mercy and walk humbly before God. There are numerous opportunities each day to do justly, to do the right thing or to make the right choice. We love mercy when we show kindness or mercy oftentimes to those who do not deserve it. Walking humbly before God is acknowledging He alone is God. He is the I AM – no one else is. When we give Him the glory He is worthy of, it will humble our heart before Him....

Amie WillsJune 25, 2021 at 12:12 PM
Oh, how I've tried to avoid the quiet in my past. I was so afraid of what I'd learn about myself. But God is working on that in me, and I continue to accept quiet as a season in my life.

Amie, FMF #16
Lisa BlairJune 25, 2021 at 12:56 PM
This is so true, Joyce, "Quiet can be a place of sacredness where rest can fill our bodies, peace can fill our hearts and clarity can come into our minds."

And I appreciate this, "Quietness...can be a place of depth, when we take this time to seek the Lord and put roots down in His Word and prayer."
~Lisa, FMF #20
Corinne RodriguesJune 30, 2021 at 11:47 AM
Learning to be quiet is so vital for our spiritual and emotional growth.

Joyfull Living

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