God continues to work to do something new in me and you; let us stop to receive it

Intentionally Living: From Routine to Choice

Kundtz speaks today about how time used to be built in to stop, pause, reflect, saying “The pace of life allowed for time in between events: the time walking to school, to a neighbor's, or to church, and the time of solitary work around the house, shop, or farm.” Now our lives have become so consumed, we must be intentional about breaking away from our routines and choosing to stop. Kundtz continues, “Because life no longer offers such pauses naturally, we can intentionally create times with little to do and of quiet work. We can place the seemingly blank spaces, the spaces that help us to learn important things, between the events of life…. The moments that naturally occur for us are probably not as quiet as they were in years gone by or as naturally conducive to contemplation, but that's not a problem. If we first are Stopped enough to notice them, we can change many of those moments from annoyances to life-enhancing opportunities. If we aren’t already, it’s time to make some new choices to embrace stopping to enjoy the present and reflect on where we have been and what we have done to help us navigate where we will go and what remains for us to do.

Psalms 23:1-3 reads, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.” Let us consciously take time to be with the Lord, allowing Him to direct our rest, stillness, and restoration to help us stop being consumed by the demands of the world and focus on His demands the are life giving and fulfilling for our lives.

Small Straws Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:18 While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

In this life we are going to experience difficulties and hard times, which come to make us stronger—lessons to grow from. However, we do not give in or become consumed by them, for we are overcomers through Christ. Those things prepare of for greater and how to prepare for and manage even more trials ahead, because they will come.

Youversion Verse of the Day: 1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.

This morning I let AI explain this verse, and it provided that 1 Peter 1:5-6 encourages believers to adopt a humble attitude and submit to God's authority. This humility involves recognizing God's power and sovereignty, acknowledging one's own limitations, and trusting that God will elevate them at the right time. 

God continues to work to do something new in me and you; let us stop to receive it, my friend.🙏🏽💚🦋🌈