Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place,
where he prayed.
Mark 1:35
There are some gifts that touch your heart in the hidden, deep places. I received one of those this year for Christmas - time with my husband. We held hands over Asian cuisine. We jogged the lazy path of a scenic river. We soaked in stolen moments one touch, kiss and sentence at a time.
As these stolen moments reside in my heart, my mouth is less grumpy, my spirit less critical, my soul more grateful.
In these first few days of the new year, I haven't been thinking about a new health regimen. I don't long to reorganize my house. I want to stuff my heart full of stolen moments with God.
Yes I still want to read my Bible each day.
Yes I want to maintain a prayer list.
Yes I desire to continue to commit God's word to memory.
But what I most want is to capture stolen moments with Him - spontaneous words of prayer, gentle brushes of His presence in the ordinary of life and unexpected glimpses of His work.
In 2012 let's steal away with God together.
Oh I love this, Shannon!! "I want to stuff my heart full of stolen moments with God." Love it!
ReplyDeleteJenifer, Isn't amazing how the more we stuff our heart with God, the less we're weighed down?
Delete"gentle brushes of His presence in the ordinary of life." Oh, that I will have heightened sensitivity to His beautiful presence in every moment. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDonna, how I long to feel Him every day.
DeleteNice post, so I long for stolen moments with our Lord Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
DeleteGood word! I think it is so easy to get into a routine and, somehow, still miss out on His Presence. I, too, am refocusing my gaze this year onto the One who delights my soul. With faith, I am believing for my times in the Word and Prayer to be deeper than they have ever been before.
ReplyDeleteJamie, routine can absolutely be the death of the spontaneity of feeling God with us. I love how you're refocusing your gaze on Him!
DeleteAwesome thoughts, Shannon. I agree - I want to know God deeper and more intimately this year. I want to recognize the opportunties He gives me and seize them instead of hesitating. May God help us to be more sensitive to His Presence and His will, Amen!
ReplyDeleteGwendolyn, to know Him more... that says it all!
DeleteSo beautifully written... to deepen my relationship with God is exactly what I want as well this year and always.
ReplyDeleteCarol, so excited we will be on this journey together!
DeleteWhat a precious and refreshing post! I want to join you in stealing away with Him! Love it! :)
ReplyDeleteMonique, I hope you get to sneak away with Him today!
DeleteMorning Shannon ~ What a wonderful post. Capturing stolen moments with the Lord. What a great way to put it. What I have been feeling for a few weeks is to just get closer to Him this year. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings...Chelle
Chelle, I am excited to hear how your life changes as you press your heart closer to His!
DeleteShannon, so good that you were able to get some precious time with your husband. That's so important.
ReplyDeleteI hear you about getting stolen moments with God. The past few weeks of trying to finish my book, my time with God became less and less frequent. I felt so guilty for not sitting in His presence reading my Bible or listening for Him. I knew I needed Him desperately during that time, but I felt so strongly that I needed to get that project behind me. And now that I've made it past the big hurdle, I feel somewhat anxious or afraid. If I had been in God's presence all along and put Him first like I know to do, maybe I wouldn't be feeling so unsettled emotionally now. So getting moments with God is a big priority for me right now. I need my spiritual cup filled and I need to feel fully present when I am with Him.
Rosann, praying that your time with God has been sweet and satisfying!
DeleteBeautiful post - it made me tear up because I have read so many New Year Resolutions posts and a very select few actually mentioned anything in regards to God, spiritual growth, etc. I'm so happy I found your blog via Tennessee Bloggers on Bloggy Moms! :)
ReplyDeleteShelly, making friends with you this year is my first gift of the new year!
DeleteYou expressed your desires so beautifully! I relish the moments when I feel His presence and witness His tender mercies!
ReplyDeleteBecky Jane, to witness His tender mercy is to truly know Him. I love that!
DeleteOh man...that was beautiful. I love those moments with my husband sometimes. There's just never enough of them. And spontaneous prayer...I've been getting a lot better at that. Even folding the laundry while I pray the Rosary :)
ReplyDeleteSharon
Sharon, I love praying over my husband and kids while I do the laundry. Now our hearts can be joined across the miles. How cool!
DeleteIt is true that the best time we spend is in quiet places with God and prayer. I hope the new year can bring you much closer to God than before. It is a never ending journey. Great post :)
ReplyDeleteBarbara, what a wonderful prayer for me. It is what I most want! Thank you!
DeleteHi Shannon. Thanks for stopping by my blog. :) Love this! It is those stolen moments with Jesus that keep us going thru the daily insanity of life. I look forward to my precious moments daily and I love that you do too! Blessings, Nicki
ReplyDeleteNicki, so thankful for your visit and love that our hearts beat for the same thing!
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