A few weeks ago the hubs and I found a Living Social deal for a weekend getaway in Sunriver and we splurged for it. Sunriver is my love language, basically. What we didn't know when we planned said weekend, was that it was going to be the weekend of Winter/ Arctic Blast 2014. So you know how there was snow in Salem? There was SNOW in Sunriver. It. Was. Magical. Picture Narnia (as in The Chronicles of Narnia!) And then add some twinkle lights on the roof of the Sunriver Resort and a cozy, cozy room to stay in. Perfection. 

{the pathway we walked each day from our room to the main lodge}

Not only was it an incredibly refreshing, relaxing weekend away with my husband as we head into one of our busiest months of our year (and a chance to watch A LOT of Olympics), but it provided an opportunity to remember one of the things I love most about the snow. . . silence. I marvel at the way that the snow silences noise and seems to calm everything it covers. I don't know how or why God designed things so that snow would have that effect, but it seriously blesses me. The absolute quiet, the blanket of silence was such a gift each time we stepped outside on that snowy weekend. 

The Scripture that kept coming to mind and that keeps coming to mind ever since is Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God." 

That's it. Sometimes THAT is what Jesus is trying to help me remember. Be okay with the silence. Listen. You're so easily distracted by noise and chaos. But this is good. Slow down. Listen. Rest. 

One thing Michael and I had to consciously be careful about over that weekend was not talking too much about work. Now that we serve/ work side by side as High School Directors full time, so much about our life/ ministry/ marriage/ work blurs together. So often, we LOVE it. Sometimes we lay in bed at night and talk about our students, what we love about them and what's burdening us, we brainstorm ideas for retreats and teaching series and how we do RIOT on Wednesday nights, just because its fun and because we can. This is a sweet season. But sometimes, like when we're trying to get away to really focus on one another, there is such a temptation to talk about ministry and church stuff because that truly is so much of our life right now.

I found myself, in the car on the way to our getaway, having to choose and believe that taking a weekend away together was very much in line with the concept of Sabbath. . . pausing work, even work talk, in order to truly rest, believing that GOD is sufficient to take care of all things, honoring and using the work we'd done and were going to do, and blessing the way we would choose to rest in Him and invest in our marriage that weekend. It was an issue of trust, for me. "Ministry talk" could wait. That's the "(Be still) and know that I am God" part. Pause. Trust me. I'm ultimately the One leading this ministry. People are taking care of everything while you're away. Plus, I created this massive snowstorm and church is getting canceled anyway so you're not even missing anything. Just. Be still. And know. That I Am God. 

That whole weekend I had this beautiful sense of awareness and gratitude for how beautiful everything was. I have no idea the next time we'll get to be away on a romantic mini-vacation in the middle of an epically beautiful snowstorm in one of my favorite places in the world. But that's okay. This one was perfect. And it reminded me to appreciate, accept, and even invite silence, with or without snow. 

Philippians 4:6-7

Happy Monday, friends! 
Well. I did what I purposed not to do. I made a commitment to write some devotional thoughts on my blog each Monday, which I did one time (like 6 weeks ago), and then stopped doing it! Dangit. But, determined to give myself grace, I'm doing it today, trying not to feel flaky or anything for not doing it for a while. 

Today I just want to camp out on one of my FAVE verses, one of my "heart cry" versesi since I have a more... nervous, anxious, worried personality BY DEFAULT. I don't want to be this day, and God has been graciously and faithfully molding me and working on me for YEARS on this. 

 "...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus ." {Philippians 4:6-7}

Okay. The "do not be anxious" part is the part I need most help with. I don't know about you, but sometimes I seriously, passively just let my mind wander around in "worst case scenario" mentality about things that have not actually happened, situations I'm not actually dealing with, and aspects of our future that I have so little control over. It's a terrible habit. It's not any fun, and it's no good for me, and it's not honoring to Jesus. However, while it's GOOD to camp out on the "do not be anxious" imperative, the part of this verse that I'm LOVING and is motivating to choose trust, faith, and peace in place of worry and anxiety is this: 

AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS. 

If I will do my part, in God's strength, to lay down my anxiety and fear and worried thoughts, HE will be the one to guard both my heart and mind with a peace that I can't explain apart from HIM. I want this! This promise is my jam. But without my conscious choice to surrender my fear of the unknown, my anxiety about the future, and my worry about today, I foolishly rob myself of an incredible opportunity to experience the peace of God over even my most fickle emotions and thoughts. Come on, Kristin, let Jesus win this one. 

I don't know what you're anxious about today, but let's choose to trade anxiety for trust and LET God rock our worlds, hearts (emotions), and minds (thoughts) by the power of JESUS with peace that will be a witness to those around us that God's peace is the best there is! 

Also, for those of you who are like me and are stirred up by some good, true, worship music, give Matt Redman's new album "Your Grace Finds Me" a listen. I can't get enough of the truth in these words - especially this song (forgive the cheesey space/ universe backgrounds, because its SO good!)