The Rhythms of His Heart

  Silence in prayer! I never was familar with it or even found a place that facilitated it or taught me about it. Growing up and beginning discipleship of Jesus in a large ministry family and the hustle of church programs, it was hard to even get a minute of no words, conversation or schedule. It wasn’t all bad, but in all the noise I missed something. I missed the being still and knowing. I missed the trust and communication of feeling so safe and known in God's Presence that I wouldn't want to fill the air with words...only worship...only connection. All of us probably know the feeling of being with someone we love and not needing to say or do anything, but having an understanding that just being with them is enough. Though God's gaze on us is much grander and more holy than the gaze of a lover looking at his love, that feeling is the same for me as I've incorporated silence in my prayer life. It's not long...and some days I struggle with it, but it has birt...

A few years ago I went on a retreat week.  Youth For Christ Canada has a retreat centre for its staff in beautiful BC! Before that time I had been coming to understand the need for my soul to carve space to “come away” for weekends of rest and solitude. It has become a way to tend and pay attention to the things of God and my soul’s relationship to Him like nothing else ever has. I tune out the noise of work, expectations, obligations and needs and be still. “Coming away” doesn’t always mean I’d leave town. Sometimes it means me, a pen, a bible, a book and journal in a room or park corner over a couple of days. Sometimes it means doing a fun, playful thing like dinner and a movie. Most times I cannot say that it’s been an earth shattering experience to practice this. To be honest there are times that I don’t want to be alone or even meet God in rest. This past chunk of the year actually has been hard to pay attention to that need. However in solitude there have been many mome...