Searching for Shalom

"If you are starving and can find nothing to satisfy your hunger, then come.
​Come, and you will be filled."
Jeanne Guyon

Have you ever been in the position of having to smile through a storm? On the outside, you plaster a smile on your face while you straighten your back in order to look like you have it all together. But, on the inside, you are crying - you are screaming for someone to see through the facade and make it all better. Oh, friend! I have been there!

​In fact, I may or may not be there right now. In fact, I may or may not be preaching to myself right now! If you don't mind, I am going to continue on with reminding myself about some things God led me to that bring me back to shalom.

You have my permission to eavesdrop.

KEEP IT SIMPLE, SISTER

In all my efforts to grab hold of shalom, I often find myself concocting elaborate travel plans on how to get to my destination. Most of the time, these plans are made while I am laying in bed attempting to quiet my mind enough to fall asleep. By the time morning comes, my elaborate plans have been forgotten.

Why?

Because they were too grand! Too elaborate! Too much for an already bogged down soul to carry even through one night. 

The beginning of 2018 God told me, "Keep it simple, Sister!" He wanted me to lay down all my elaborate plans and "just" sit with him. He did not need me to busy myself; he needed me to quiet myself. In the quiet, I would find that seemingly elusive shalom.

WHEN IN DOUBT, WORSHIP IT OUT

Worship can blow your mind! My family has been through so much over the past few years that sometimes life feels completely unbearable. Those times have always been remedied by worship. For me, worship looks like singing really loud or grabbing one of my sets of banners and dancing. It always involves music. 

Recently, I have found that worship also looks like praying alone in my car using my prayer language. A lot of times, I find myself speaking very quietly - very gently.

How do you worship? I would love to know what you do that brings your focus back to the sweet shalom of our Creator.

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COME, AND YOU WILL BE FILLED

In the quote (see above) by Jeanne Guyon, the word "come" is used twice. The simplicity of the word does not escape me. God does not require us to become presentable before we come to him. No where does he instruct us to get our act together and then come. In fact, quite the opposite!

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis."
Matthew 11:28 TPT

Not only does he want us to come to him, he has appointed times for us to meet up! Scripture outlines holiday (feasts, festivals, celebrations, fast days) for us to set ourselves aside and focus on our family, community, and HIM! He did this for US! Each Friday night, we are to set aside life for awhile and rest - this is Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Now, not all of us can take all of that time but we can certainly take the spirit of the time. Setting aside time for a weekly family dinner complete with prayers, a special meal (remember to keep it simple), and a time of family worship is enough to set us right for the week ahead. 

We come - he fills.

He's good like that!

THE UPCOMING SEASON

Fall is coming! The holidays are upon us! Join Nourish Ministries as we walk through the Biblical Holidays and find SHALOM in the traditions of SHABBAT, ROSH HA'SHANAH, YOM KIPPUR, SUKKOT, AND MORE! We are going to celebrate, feast, fast, worship, and spend time going before the Most High God as we allow his appointed times to bring us the peace so we desperately seek.