ONE THOUSAND GIFTS

Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transparent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world. ~ Sara Ban Breathnach

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Seek My Face

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33


Peace I Give To You My Friend


I'm covered up this weekend preparing a packet to give elders this Sunday.  Much of my time will be in preparing the agenda that will also include the reports from each team.  Last year we took the month of July off and the August Session meeting was a circus!  This year, we have not met since late May, so in order to curb the talk/talk/talk from last year, I'm working hard to make sure there will be a structure to keep everyone focused!

Besides the Session Packet, I have a Listening Exercise to write for Parlor Conversations, a bulletin to prepare AND a sermon to write!

My sermon this week is going to be on Moses being called to go to Egypt and get God's People out and Jesus reprimanding Peter when he tells him that Jesus cannot go to Jerusalem and that he must not suffer.

With this in mind, I began reading Psalm 105. It is a long psalm describing how God worked through his people generation after generation...even within the chaos, the overwhelm, the messiness. Using Macrina's suggestion on pausing with one verse that speaks to me...

Psalm 105:4 says, "Look to the Lord and his strength, seek his face always."

In other words, "Sandi, trust me in the midst of your messy desk, your overwhelm...trust me in the piles of work you have yet to complete!"

Sarah Young, in her devotional book "Jesus Calling" writes:
"Though you live in this temporal world, your innermost being is rooted and grounded in eternity. When you start to feel stressed, detach yourself from the disturbance around you. Instead of desperately striving to maintain order and control in your little world, relax and remember that circumstances cannot touch the peace you have in God."
Psalm 105:4 reminds me to "Seek My Face" and depend upon God's strength, wisdom, insight...  and to then embrace and accept...to celebrate the peace that God has to offer me!

Praise God!

I'm still faced with many things to accomplish, yet taking a moment to pause, reflect, and pray allows me to work from a place of peace rather than anxiety.

I wonder if God is smiling, giving Peter a high five and exclaiming, "By golly, there is hope for this girl yet!!!" : )

This Is the Air I Breathe...


Blessings for a weekend spent breathing in the peace of God!


Many Blessings ~ Sandi

4 comments:

  1. May you feel renewed and rested this morning.

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  2. Thank you Sandi! i got my first "real" bible two weeks ago and now i am looking up al the verses i read everywhere at night!

    Leontien

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  3. And, as I saw on your later post, this moment was well spent. blessings ~ tanna

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  4. Sandi,
    the burning bush is my favorite....I just like our ancestrial brother Moses...have used the very same excuses myself. Have a great Sunday...glad you got to have some fun with your special people

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