Intentional awareness

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There are days that slip by without me being fully aware of their passing or intentional about how I spend my time.

Some get lost in a fog of fatigue. Others are pervaded by pulsating pain.

Many are victims of inner restlessness and inability to settle to anything much.

But those in-between? Times when some energy and mental clarity are present?

They lend themselves to a little more structure and goal setting.

I’ve recently been trying to deliberately add some routine to a life which is far from routine.

And what I’ve noticed is that nothing goes right for long without making space for sacred moments, prayer pauses and soul-sanctuary seeking.

We need intimate moments alone with God.

Without them we become dry, drained and depleted.

We need to spend time in His Presence to rest and receive, be refuelled, refreshed and restored.

Because it is better to live mindfully than mindlessly meandering through our days. Each one is a gift of grace, even the hard ones.

This morning as I flipped through my prayer journal I came across words God imprinted on my heart a while back.

I’m sharing them with you today in the hope that they will bless and encourage you too.

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‘Intentional resting’ ~ Prayer Whisper

Take time each day to commune with Me. Set apart moments to lift your heart heavenwards. For in stillness, rest and quiet lies your strength. In seeking Me, you set the tone of your day as one of surrender to My will and ways. I do not hide Myself. I can always be found by hungry hearts who deliberately draw close to My side.

Be intentional about guarding your schedule to include soul-sanctuary seeking. Devise your days with My guidance. Together, we will accomplish so much more. Dependency isn’t weakness; it’s a sign of faithfulness and trust. The world will overwhelm you soon enough.

Come to Me for inner cleansing, for deep peace and for wisdom to know how to proceed. Lean on Me and learn from Me. I am humble and gentle of heart.

Let Me whisper words you need to hear. An instructed mind and tongue will become a blessing to others. Try not to rush into My Presence or hurry away without pausing to listen. I know your every need before you ask Me for anything, and My greatest desire is to have an intimate, loving relationship with you.

Come close, My child. There is no fear here. Perfect Love casts out fear. I am Holy and I am also tender, rich in mercy and grace. Bring Me your brokenness, your emptiness, your hopes and fears; I will heal, restore, fill to overflowing and provide for you beyond your wildest dreams. Trust Me to take very good care of you with My infinite goodness, patience and love.” 

As part of my soul-sanctuary seeking I have been revisiting ‘The Practice of the Presence of God’ by Brother Lawrence, as well as continuing with ‘Finding Spiritual Whitespace’ by Bonnie Gray, and reading books which reveal how to blend contemplation with creativity. I hope to share more as I delve deeper into these things.

And if you’d like to see more ‘Prayer Whispers’ here, then please let me know in the comments below. Your thoughts matter. Thank you! 🙂

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6 thoughts on “Intentional awareness

  1. Yes, lovely piece. Being intentional is not necessarily about rigid self-discipline, but taking the time to spend in a meaningful relationship with all that is holy. Always find it enriching to read the things God whispers to your heart. ❤

    • I agree, Keren. We can adapt and adjust our ability to be intentionally present to God according to what Holy Spirit is teaching us, how unpredictable our health can be and the busyness of our lives in general. Being in “a meaningful relationship with all that is holy” is indeed where it’s at. Like all relationships, it’s a living, dynamic thing. Each tiny step we take toward God is a reward in itself and an encouragement to go deeper. Thank you for taking the time and trouble to read and also to let me know you would like to see more prayer whispers here. They may just end up in a book one day! ❤

  2. What a beautiful reminder! Blessed to be your neighbor at Jennifer’s today. Rest is such an important word for us to remember…especially to rest in him!

    • Hi Tara. Thanks for stopping by. It’s lovely to meet you! I agree with you about the importance of rest. Even as an M.E sufferer, I am really poor at resting and relaxing. No surprise then that God gave me the word ‘rest’ as my #oneword365 this year! And it’s been an instructive journey so far. I appreciate you leaving a comment here. Bless you.:)

  3. thanks Joy, great to be reminded again about how much I need those intimate , quiet moments with God and how I need to make sure I schedule them in. So much harder when the kids are on school holidays!

    • Hi Ellie. It’s good to see you here! Yes, we all need “those intimate, quiet moments with God” and to ensure we pencil and schedule them in if possible. It’s easy to let these things slip as busyness takes over, but they are life and health to our souls. I’ll be praying you get some soul-sanctuary moments with God and can also enjoy His presence while you are painting your lovely ‘postcards from heaven’. Have a blessed weekend, friend. 🙂 x

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