By Ana Lisa de Jong —
Look at the trees
No matter the season
there is a lesson
held in each strip of bark,
each clinging transient leaf,
each bare branching limb.
We drink from their wisdom.
From the trees,
who ask nothing of us
but give us deep companionship.
Whose silent stance
comforts us
in a wordless tenderness.
Whose dignity raises ours.
Who has not carried grief
to the forest
and been able to lay it down.
Under the trees
who stretch out their limbs
to receive.
Transfuse us with life in a silent exchange.
Trees know,
there is no need
for explanations.
Life and death have played out
under their arching canopies.
We are known and understood.
Pretence can drop like the leaves.
Hope finds its renewal
in the greening of spring.
Joy takes root
in the abundant summer bloom.
Fall brings solace in leaves that fall
with a promise of return.
Winter’s starkness recalls to us
the strength standing unencumbered brings.
Yes we look up at the trees,
and no matter the season we draw
the lesson needed.
Perhaps greater than anything
the trees teach
is what they give
without preaching.
Space to breathe,
to rest and rise up again,
to learn the secrets of the earth.
To turn with the turning seasons,
not hold on to what’s made to fall,
but wait for it to return
in a new form,
in a promised spring.
“For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease.”
Job 14:7
by Christine Sine,
What makes it possible for some of us to thrive while others succumb to the pressure? How come some of us bounce back with resilience when others become withdrawn and isolated?
Sustaining life when the going gets tough is often a challenge, and when we think about the daunting problems of the world in which we live it is not wonder that some of us get disheartened. However there are ways to build resilience that all of us can benefit from. I talked about this at the beginning of the year, but since then have done quite a bit of research and wanted to share it with you. Here are some tips for how to increase our resilience.
- Take stress breaks. The key to resilience is to try hard in small bursts then take a break. Try really hard, then stop, recover, and try again. After a stressful life event – loss of a job, or a loved one, involvement in a natural disaster like a hurricane, or just the completion of a demanding work project, we need to take time for our bodies, spirits and souls to recover. Trying hard burns energy. Stop for free time during the day or week – pausing to pray, for breathing exercises, planned relaxation and recovery activities all help. Taking time for retreat, refocus and renewal can transform all of us into super resilient people.
- Rewrite our story or the story of the stressful event so that struggles become growth opportunities. See stress as a way to fuel better performance. When I did research on plastic and its horrible impact on the environment, I was initially depressed. But when I prayerfully considered the challenge and viewed this as an opportunity to learn and change my behaviour, my attitude changed and I bounced back. In a natural disaster focusing on the incredible response of caring people across the nation and sometimes around the world can dramatically increase resilience.
- Practice Optimism. Thinking positive thoughts and surrounding yourself with positive people really does help. When we replace “I don’t think I will ever get over this.” with “This was challenging but I have learnt a lot” we transform defeat into resilient success.
- Help others and express gratitude. Studies show that people are more resilient when they have strong support networks of friends and family to help them cope with a crisis. You get an even bigger resilience boost by giving support. When we reach out and help others, we create meaning and purpose that helps push us through adversity. No wonder Paul tells us to “consider the needs of others as more important than our own (Philippians 2:4)
- Make it into a game. Make mundane tasks in the midst of painful experiences into a game with stakes, challenges and rewards. Celebrate and take joy in small wins. This doesn’t mean we belittle the magnitude of a crisis but it does often lighten our mood and that of those around us.
- Remember your comebacks. There is something incredibly inspiring about recounting the challenges we have already faced and overcome. Sharing these stories with others can build resilience not only in us but in them as well. No wonder God told the Israelites to remember and recount their story of escape from slavery, endurance in the desert and entry into the promised land. They were a resilient people who overcame incredible obstacles time and time again.
- Increase physical activity. Going for a long walk boosts our happiness and our resilience.It also raises our spirits and brings joy to our souls. No wonder people often feel close to God when walking through a forest or on the beach.
- Push yourself outside your comfort zones. Taking on new challenges and keeping your brain fresh, sharp and inquisitive makes us flexible and resilient, more open to new ideas and the optimistic outlook that we need to keep us going.
What Is Your Response
Prayerfully consider your own approach to life. What could you do to increase your resilience and ability to bounce back when you face challenges and obstacles?
by Lilly Lewin
Give us this day our daily bread!
I was at a retreat recently where Father Michael Sparough led us in the Lord’s Prayer as a body prayer using hand gestures/motions. The action for “give us this day our daily bread” was holding our hands out in front of us cupped like we were holding a bowl of rice.
As we prayed the Lord’s Prayer several times in this way, I was reminded of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. They were commanded to gather enough manna for one day only . One day at a time, except for the Sabbath, then they could collect enough for two days only. Any extra would rot and have maggots. all we get too.
This was a powerful image for me in a world where too often we don’t feel like we have enough and we don’t believe we are enough. And sadly we don’t believe that God is enough.
Holding my hands out…
cupping them in the shape of a bowl is just the image I need!
I need to remember that God is Enough!
I need the reminder that Jesus is Enough!
The Holy Spirit is Enough!
We get enough for today
Enough Peace
Enough Joy
Enough Love
For Today!
For today is all we have! And tomorrow will take care of itself.
Today, I am sitting in a hospital room with my parents. My Dad is waiting & preparing for the possibility of open heart surgery next Tuesday.
A check up found a blood-clot in his newly replaced heart valve. So we are waiting to see if the blood thinners work. I am so thankful to be in a fantastic hospital with fantastic doctors!
Today we have more than enough!
God is enough!
God’s provision is enough.
God’s economy is abundance
And given daily, is enough.
What do you need today?
Hold out your hands cupping them in the form of a bowl.
Tell Jesus what you need today
Are you willing to believe in His provision for today?
Are you willing to let Jesus fill your bowl today with Enough?
Sometimes we need this reminder minute by minute, by hour by hour.
Hold out your cupped hands and allow Jesus to fill them with them with what you need. Hope, Love, Peace, Compassion, Healing, Joy, Energy, Forgiveness, Mercy, Resolve, ……. whatever you need enough of today.
I even found a bowl to use as a symbol of my “daily bread” provision. Along with my cupped hand prayer, I am using it as a tangible reminder that God is Enough.
By Faith Cho —
Today is National Day of Prayer! How can we curate sustaining a healthy prayer life in light of past disappointments? When I was a little girl, I sought after God in the quietness of my room. I would bundle up in a blanket, stare into the darkness and whisper, “ God, if you’re there, please show me something.” I would lie there for about five minutes, fully attentive for any sort of light show or grandiose response. After about ten minutes of uneventful silence, I would usually drift asleep. After a few months, I stopped asking. I guess I began to feel that if God truly were out there, He did not seem to care to respond to the likes of me.
I never really resolved the disappointment of my childhood prayers being unanswered. In my reasoning, I wondered why an almighty and powerful God would not find it worth His while to answer the prayers of a young child right in that instance. In due time, the Lord did make Himself known to me in very obvious ways. However, it took a while for me to take hold of the discipline of prayer.
When our prayers are met with silence, it’s discouraging. Sometimes, the opposite of your prayers can happen, and boy, does that make you feel rejected by God.
The revelation of what had happened actually came to me as I became a parent. I realized that God does answer all prayers. But, He has a deeper purpose to His answers. He does not answer to merely give us what we want in that moment. He answers to give us what we desire in our lifetime.
It is the same as when my children ask for sugary cereal or another episode of television. As a parent, I care about their everyday wants. However, even more than that, I care about their lifetime desires. I know they would want to grow up to be healthy, powerful adults. I keep these deeper, greater wants in my heart as I decide how to cater to their immediate requests.
The same is also witnessed in history. Hannah wanted a son. Every year, she went to worship God with her husband and his other wife’s family (1 Samuel 1). Year after year, she stood in front of His presence with no child by her side. I can imagine how much it hurt to wait, especially as the other wife provoked her. In those moments, you may wonder if God even hears your prayers. Is He some sort of sadistic teacher that is hoping that you learn something good from the torture you feel?
God’s silence was not a sign of rejection. It was a sign of a deeper preparation at work – a deeper preparation to fulfill a greater purpose.
One day, the time was right, and Hannah’s heart exploded with a new level of surrender (1 Samuel 1:9-14). She asked again for a son, and she dedicated this son unto Him. The fruit of this moment was a boy named Samuel, a prophet that changed the spiritual atmosphere of Israel.
God wanted to give Hannah what she wanted in that moment. However, He waited so that He could give her what she desired in her lifetime, which was to be a part of Redemption History.
The prophet Samuel would later anoint King David, who was the predecessor to Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. We can know for sure that God had this in mind, because at the end of it all, Hannah prayed with her own lips, “He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed,” — a direct reference to the coming Messiah. It is also the first mention of the Messiah as king in the Bible. It was the most unique and powerful revelation of its time, a time when the Hebrew people did not have a king.
I have watched jobless people remain jobless for longer they would have wanted. I have contended for cancer patients who have remained sick. Sometimes people pray for peace within the home, and things get worse for a time. But, now I know. I know…that I know… that I know – God is always answering. He cares about the desires that are behind my prayers. In fact, He cares about them so much, that He answers in His way and by His time. Therefore, I give Him praise — always.
And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:15)
Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe that we are at the end of April. Here in Seattle the fruit trees are in full bloom and the early vegetables are growing rapidly.
I feel that Godspace is once more in full bloom too. We appreciate your encouragement during our transitions and the responsiveness to our posts and the new website.
Accepting the Sustainability Challenge
Our present series on sustainability is engaging people far more than we expected.
In response to Hilary Horn’s post Six Ways to Start Living Sustainably on a Tight Budget we have heard from people who have joined Buy Nothing groups across America. Others have read An Ocean of Plastic Hope and been challenged many to reduce their own plastic waste. Some like me have started making their own yoghurt or bread or the simple step of giving up plastic shopping bags. Still others after reading I Have 36 Slaves Working For Me are grappling with how to clothe themselves more responsibly. Every little step makes a difference.
Our call to a more sustainable life rhythm has also caught readers’ imagination. For example my post Living To a Sustainable Rhythm will be republished in the Mennonite World Review.
As we move towards Pentecost, check out our recently updated resource lists on Pentecost, Trinity Sunday and Ascension Day. Also don’t forget to download the FREE garden guide for those planning a community garden and if you are looking for a relaxing series of meditations for the quiet days beyond Pentecost consider our much read Rest in the Moment available in paper or downloadable formats.
Godspace contributor Jenneth Graser is running a free online retreat Poetry as Therapy in June, which I also highly recommend to you. Several other Godspace authors was well as myself, will be contributing.
Looking Beyond Pentecost
As we move beyond Pentecost there will be even more to keep your eyes open for on Godspace. Our theme will be Inspiring Creativity in Faith and Action. We are called to co-create with the living God yet often feel that expressing our creativity is discouraged. So let’s explore our creative impulses and encourage each other on the journey. Perhaps you would like to shared your own creative inspiration for writing, journaling, crafting liturgies, and poems, painting, composing music or gardening. We are always looking for new contributors. Or you might want to just read along and invite your friends to join you.
There are so many ways that we can express our God given creativity. We appreciate your prayers as Tom and I continue our own endeavors in this area. I am just completing a manuscript The Gift of Wonder to be published in March 2019 by IVPress and am working on a proposal for Abingdon on another project tentatively titled Rhythm of Life, Rhythm of Creation. Tom is also exploring writing another book and appreciates your prayers for wisdom and discernment
God’s blessings be with you over this coming month.
Christine Sine
Godspace Founder and Facilitator
By John Birch —
by Christine Sine
At the beginning of the Easter season with our emphasis on sustainability, I mentioned that there are four types of sustainability we talk about – human, economic, social and environmental.
It is the economic sustainability that seems to be the hardest for us to come to grips with. How do we make decisions that will make it possible for all the people of our planet to flourish economically? We have already talked about making ethical purchases when we buy clothes, and jewelry, but it surprises me how many Christians I talk to in the U.S. don’t believe that the minimum wage should provide a living wage for an employee. Even fewer seem to be concerned about where they invest their money, as long as they are making enough for their retirement.
When it comes to investing our money, it seems even more of a challenge. Ethical or socially responsible investing seeks to consider not just financial return but also social good. This has become a booming market in the last few years, but I struggle because it seems that financial gain is still often more important than social good. I also struggle with how to do that without replacing the bondage of slavery with that of dependency. How do we truly bring freedom and liberation?
One form of social investing that is very attractive to many Christians, microloans, is often geared towards the poor and seems to have the potential to bring freedom and liberation not just to those who live in poverty but to the rich too. I first learned about this form of transformative help when I worked with David Bussau of Opportunity International, on a document on the Biblical basis for micro finance in the early 90s. That document states:
A strong economic base provides the springboard for many dimensions of a family’s life. The provision of capital and income for a man who has been unemployed and ashamed of his inability to provide, often results in reconciliation of families that have been fragmented and separated. It can provide medical care for children whose parents were once denied this right and access to a decent education for children once forced into child labour. Families that have adequate income can provide the essentials of a decent life – shelter, nutrition, immunization, access to clean water and basic health care. These are all examples of the transformation Jesus would have advocated to see families restored to wholeness and abundant life.
Let’s Consider the Needs of Others.
I believe that we are called to consider the needs of others as more important than our own (Philippians 2:3,4) and above all else to strive to bring wholeness and abundant life especially to those who are poor and marginalized. Jesus showed particular concern for this segment of society, encouraging his followers to give up their possessions and give to the poor. Part of the responsibility of those of us who have resources is to share with those who have no resources. When we do this all our lives are transformed. South African Missiologist David Bosch expresses it well,
To become a disciple means a decisive and irrevocable turning to both God and neighbour…. In their being converted to God, rich and poor are converted toward each other.”
To be converted towards each other means that we are all transformed. The rich (and all of us who are middle class in Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe, are rich) are transformed because we claim a new identity based not on the security of wealth and prestige but rather on the right and just relationships that are the standards of the God’s eternal kingdom. God sets the wealthy free to serve rather than control others and so devote their attention and wealth to the concerns of God’s eternal world of wholeness and abundance.
To the poor Jesus also offered a new identity – the opportunity to be free and responsible human beings with dignity and self-worth, able to serve God and others in society as God intended. By his words and actions, Jesus constantly demonstrated that the call of God’s eternal kingdom was to bring this kind of wholeness and abundance to to the lives of those at the margins. The equality Jesus envisioned was not a levelling down in which all became poor but rather a willing abdication of the rights of all so that through the practice of servanthood all might be fulfilled, live in harmony with God and develop fully the gifts with which God has endowed them.
So my question for all of us to consider this week is: How do we work for sustainability, for the wholeness and abundance of all God’s people and especially those at the margins? How do our decisions and actions set those who live in poverty free to be the liberated, fulfilled people God intends them to be?
As an Amazon Associate, I receive a small amount for purchases made through appropriate links.
Thank you for supporting Godspace in this way.
When referencing or quoting Godspace Light, please be sure to include the Author (Christine Sine unless otherwise noted), the Title of the article or resource, the Source link where appropriate, and ©Godspacelight.com. Thank you!