TRUST, DWELL, ENJOY

“TRUST in the Lord and do good; DWELL in the land and ENJOY safe pasture.” Psalm 37:3

Writing is a lot like dancing for me…it requires balance.

In my full-time dancing years, our built in breaks during the performance season always gave me time to let my body recover and to let me miss dancing just enough to get me ready and excited to get back into it. Being away from it for a bit would help me get my heart realigned with my passion and by the time my break was over, I would be ready, even craving, the sweat, sore muscles, and Icy Hot that rehearsals required. I’ve learned that writing takes moving and real living, and that the best inspiration comes when I soak in bedtime stories with my boys, long hours splashing in the pool with them, organizing closets (seriously!), chit-chatting with my boys about their world of Legos, stuffed animals, and swimming, and from lots of rounds of “Go-Fish”! Good conversations with family and friends, cooking for my tribe, and diving into the latest Francine Rivers novel, stir up inspiration. Sometimes the freshest inspiration comes not from sitting at my desk, but after a long walk out in God’s creation. Another source of inspiration is date nights with my best friend and husband – usually coffee in hand, browsing our favorite bookstores. The endless shelves of books and their titles get my inspiration flowing, and those rows and rows of books make my heart giddy. His encouragement when I feel a little intimidated by this dream to actually write books to encourage always gives me the push I need to keep trekking along because the same doubts that sneak up on me as a dancer can taunt me as a writer. And when I hear from one of my dear readers, even just one, it inspires me to keep at it because my heart just simply wants to encourage your heart.

This summer I came across Psalm 37 and words like TRUST, DWELL, ENJOY, DELIGHT, and BE STILL seemed to leap off of the page, inviting me into a new level of depth with the Lord. Today’s verse invites us to trust, dwell, and enjoy. When we TRUST Him with everything, when we can be happy to be and DWELL where He has us, He tops it off by inviting us to ENJOY life. It seems as if trusting God and enjoying life go hand in hand. When I am not trusting God with the details of my life, it’s difficult to ENJOY life. But somehow, when I choose to enjoy life, I realize it is because I am choosing to trust God….trusting God and enjoying life become a dance of dwelling safely in the arms of our Savior. When we enjoy life, we feel God’s pleasure…when He sees us smiling it blesses Him!

For me, writing and dancing simply allow me to feel God’s pleasure. I can’t really explain it, but it is just sweet to my soul, and that sweetness becomes fuel for my heart. What in your life allows you to feel God’s pleasure? Eric Liddell from the moving Chariots of Fire says, “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” It could be anything for you…it could be cooking, gardening, taking pictures, jogging, walking, playing tennis or golf, hiking, fishing, painting, reading, creating, or riding motorcycles (that’s for you, Babe) … what is it for you? When we make time to do these things where we feel God’s pleasure and where our souls are lit up, it allows our hearts to sink more deeply into trusting Him with our lives. It allows us to just be and to enjoy life, trusting that our Creator is in full control.

He is the God of joy, fun, and adventure. Those things that make you giddy, make time for those things because they open the door to feel heaven’s touch and Jesus’ overwhelmingly abundant love for you. He just wants you to know today, that He loves you, and He uses those things that are unique and special to you, to reach your heart and fuel your soul.

How will you experience God’s pleasure today?

Prayer: “Thank you, Lord, that Your love for me is so great and that you know what I need down to the tiniest detail. You know what feeds my soul. Help me make time for those seemingly small things that ultimately let me taste heaven. Let my heart trust you more, dwell and be, and enjoy where you have me. Thank you for the things that allow my heart to taste heaven’s touch.”