Quiet Places

Hi everyone,

So it has been a little while since I have posted last. With the whirlwind of every day life I have neglected things. As I get older time just seems to fly by faster and faster and it hard to believe that yet another year will be coming to a close in just a couple of months. This week fall has really made its presence know finally and today was no exception. It was breezy day full brisk moving clouds and peeks of sunshine with hundreds of leaves swirling around and blanketing the ground in rays of gold, red, yellow, orange, and amber. This whirlwind of color has reminded me of how life has been lately, such a flurry of activity that I can barely keep up with all the various things that blow through my day. I have allowed myself to become depleted and weary, falling and shriveling like the leaves. But I am learning a lesson through this fall season. Before this week many of the trees leaves were just starting to turn brown and fall off, they were dry and parched. Then it rained this week and suddenly over the past couple of days the leaves have burst into radiant color and are brightening everything that they land upon. I have had the blessing to go hiking in various places this past week and I have realized what good it does my soul. With all the pressures of the world, my job, and just life in general, it had left me feeling pretty parched and jaded. But taking the time to steal away and spend time in God's creation never fails to bring back color and vibrancy to my life. I find these times so precious and crucial 
for me, to just go without distractions and immerse myself in God's presence. I am able to draw away to a quiet place and pour out my heart to Him. And that is water to my soul that makes it refreshed again just as the leaves are refreshed by the soft rain. In a bible study that I am doing currently, I am learning about walking as Jesus walked during His time here on earth. And one of the things discussed was how Jesus communicated with the Father. We find that many times Jesus withdrew away from the crowds, away from the disciples, away from the hustle and bustle of life and went to speak with the Father in a quiet place. (Matt. 14:23, 26:36, 26:44, Mark 1:35 6:46, Luke 6:12) One of my favorites is Luke 5:16 "Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed." (HCSB) Or some other versions use the world "wilderness" I love this verse. Being a natural introvert I know what means to just need some time away alone to think. Jesus knew the importance of drawing away from everything to go spend time with His Father and be refreshed. Jesus spend so much time teaching, healing and ministering to others, but He still took the time to go off and have fellowship with the One who loved Him. I am discovering the joy and peace that this gives in my own life. As I am beaten down by life's demands I can withdraw away to "deserted places" and listen to Father's voice without distractions. I have found that sometimes it is even too hard inside at home with all the visuals of the tasks that need to be accomplished, it can prevent me from having my sacred time with Him. Now of course things still have to be done and we cannot choose to "escape" our responsibilities entirely, but I believe we need some time away to just focus on what it is that God's wants to speak into our lives and to just hear His voice. For some people that may be a prayer closet, a quiet neutral place in your house, on your back porch, or wherever you feel like you can just be still and listen. For me there is no better place than out in the woods. I have found a few trails close to home that have proven to be new little hideaways throughout the week. Where I can just enjoy time with Brooklyn and spend time refocusing on God and training my heart to hear His voice. Sometimes I may not always get the answers I want to hear, I may not even seem to hear anything at all in regards to a particular situation I want answers for, but it never fails that I get exactly what I need. He never fails to let me know that He is there. Just as this afternoon His beautiful sun broke through the clouds in one glorious moment, bathing all the turning trees in its glow for just a few seconds, He always shows He is there. And that is enough. It isn't always easy to go back, but I know that He will revive me for another day. Find your little get away with God. He needs to hear from you and you need to listen to Him and what He wants to speak into your life. He wants to refresh you and bring the vibrant color back to your life every day. Find those moments no matter where you are. Find your quiet place to be in complete fellowship with a Father who is interested in every detail of your life. And remember you don't have to do all the talking. Just listen, and look around and He will be there.  

"It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." Luke 11:1 NASB