I prayed a specific prayer at the end of the school year. It had been an exhausting couple months to reach summer vacation, and as a result I could feel myself shut off a bit from everyone, including the Lord. I came to Him and asked that He would break up the parched places of my heart where I had grown hard, so that my I could be soft and receptive to Him once more.
Sometimes, even when you’re reading God’s Word and praying daily, listening to worship music, and doing all the “right” things, you still grow weary. That’s where I was, and I longed to be refreshed in Him.
The Lord is good and faithful. He has answered my prayer, and there’s a renewed sweetness and closeness that has developed in my relationship with Him. I can’t pinpoint a specific how it came to be, other than His work in my heart.
There have been other sweet things I’ve been enjoying this summer. I’ve had so many visits with lovely friends, some of whom I only see every couple years. We’ve gotten to catch up on what God has done in our lives, and each one has bolstered my faith as they share about the ways He has come through for them or spoken to their heart. Encouragement with fellow believers cannot be underestimated for giving and receiving strength.
A few months ago I wrote about walking in the park with my niece. We continue to get out about five days a week, and those morning walks have been soothing to my soul. I love seeing the sun sparkle on the lake, listening to the geese honk to one another, and breathing in air that smells like wildflowers. Sometimes we see turtles, which are a special delight. Because we live in a small town, almost every day we see people we know, and it’s fun to say hello or get in a quick visit. Going to the park is one of the highlights of my niece’s life, and she talks about it all day long. She’s learning so many new words and experiencing the world in the fresh way that only little ones can—which helps me try to see it from her perspective. We talk and play and sing as we go along the trail, and I’m thankful for the precious memories we’re making and the joy this brings to my spirit.
The Lord is good. I’m relishing this blessed summer He has given me. Even when crazy things are happening in this world, the words of David are still true: “In Thy presence is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11b)
Image by Shreenidhi Jadhav from Pixabay
I love the pic of the tree. Trees naturally grow up towards the sky, reaching for the sun. For us as believers staying in the son-shine is vital for me and I know it is for you as well.
Yes, that’s true! We need His light in our lives in order to flourish.
Erin, I’ve had the privilege of going to a worlds’ fair in 1986, the era in your book you write about is really interesting to me, I go on u-tube once in a while and view old videos of what major cities look like at the turn of the century circa 1900. When your book is finished, I want to attend your book signing! I know it will be a success.
Thank you so much, Sandy! There’s a lot of interesting history in the world, and I hope I can help bring a bit of it to life for my readers.