Do ever find yourself searching for the perfect place for quality time with the Lord? For some of us this may be a quiet place where we just hear nature, yet for others this may be sitting in the middle of a crowded busy mall. I used to work with a designer who, for his best inspiration, had to sit in the midst of a bustling mall! Regardless of the “perfect” place, the desire to want to spend time with the Lord is God inspired.

One aspect of life I have come to understand profoundly through parenting is the importance of obedience. As a child and even as a young adult I knew I had to obey, but I truly did not understand how disobedience could lead to death. Even how obedience could lead to life. Admittedly I have sons who are not quick to obey, which I attribute to my delayed obedience. This delayed obedience results in me, as their mother, repeating myself over and over, and results in times of very close calls of injury. Especially, when I ask them to wait or stand still. Their delayed obedience results in them standing still pass the point of safety. Waiting in a position I did not intend. Experiencing delayed obedience from God's point of view, the one giving the commands with the ability to see the end result more clearly then the one being instructed, is very humbling. Is there delayed obedience to be dealt with in your life?

Have you ever experienced racing thoughts?

These are thoughts that come across your mind abruptly and leave your mind as quickly as they arrive. Often times these thoughts interrupt other thoughts leaving you spurting out incomplete sentences or sharing incomplete ideas losing track of what you were talking about in the first place. If you experienced an infiltration of many thoughts all flooding your mind at the same time causing you to not be able to turn off your mind and rest you have been visited by racing thoughts. Racing thoughts can arise for many different reasons: taking on too much, anxiety, being overwhelmed, or a toxic thought life. These racing thoughts often leave us anxious, paralyzed, struggling with insomnia, depression, and many other disorders and unhealthy habits. This should not surprise us, but should raise a red flag. Notice I said red flag, a warning, not a white flag of surrender. 

I have a confession to make. I am a slow learner. 

School for so many years was very difficult for me. Most of the time I did not comprehend what was being taught but I was able to copy methods, follow steps, and arrive at the right answer. Why those steps? Why was the answer right? I had not a clue. I was never really ever able to answer why.  

When I first became a Christian I quickly realized I needed to learn a new language, Christianese. Every time I was around seasoned believers they would use terms I just did not understand or recognize. You can also see this happen in any industry. Everyone who is well acquainted with the topic will speak in acronyms or jargon specific to this industry without realizing what they are saying only makes sense to those who are well versed as well to the topic. In turn, their words sort of fall on deaf ears when the person is new and trying to learn. Most of what they share is missed because it is simply too much for the new person to grasp. Well, this was brought to my remembrance and there is one "Christian" concept in the word I think is critical to our walks and is worthy of a pause to explain and experience. It is the concept of letting God wash you with the water of His word.