A safe and restful place....

“I want that. I want a God who carves out a safe and restful place for me even as I live surrounded by threats and enemies who would seek my destruction.”

From Learning My Name by Pete Gall

We are always looking for a haven, a safe place. Yesterday, I showed the picture of our poster for our home rules and the top line read Our Family and Home is a Haven for all.

Recently, I have been restless, looking at other churches, not sure what I am looking for, but looking for something. A friend of mine reminded me of the great concepts outlined Mark Buchanan’s book Things Unseen, about we have eternity in our hearts and we all have a longing for something (heaven) that we will not have fully satisfied this side of eternity. Makes the search less frantic, or irritating, knowing you will not find it. No perfect place.

But just like in my family, I am looking for a safe and restful place. A place for my kids to connect and be inspired for God. To find like-minded peers who are wanting Jesus and a life of discipleship. A place that is safe, good, and healthy. Growing in our walks in God, not necessarily growing in numbers. In fact, I really feel large numbers are counter to connections and intimacy. Adds a lot of great programs and opportunities, but at the sacrifice of close connections. Just my point of view. I know other’s feel differently.

My home HAS BEEN not too great of an experience of a safe and restful place. That is what I am currently focusing on. In some ways it is. But, with the fast pace of life, and all the duties, and mommy’s head distracted with other lesser priorities, I have allowed unsafe habits and stressful interactions to become TOO prevalent in our home and family. I thank God, that He has snapped his fingers so to speak and woken me up. That I first can see the issue, and have hope, with Him, that a transformation can take place.

Last night as I was talking to my children, one by one, with issues and things on their heart, and felt myself repeating, but with an open heart, things I felt I have said often before. And I thought, it is never-ending. Not in a depressing, downer way, but in a be diligent, this is the race, way. That I don’t say it once and it’s fixed. That it is a lifetime focus, to encourage, coach and mentor my children.

In the book I have been reading, The Connected Child, that “parents who are seriously committed to helping…a child thrive will vastly increase their odds of success by making a fundamental policy decision: to slow down their lives and put their child’s needs first. {Other things} can wait, this youngster can’t.” (Purvis, Cross, Sunshine).

I have come around to learning that the hard way. Little by little seeing how I need to strip other things out of my life, and slow it down. Have time to sit in the yard, and see what happens, Time to play with my child and let connection, and conversation happen. Time to move toward a safe and restful place.

I want that. I want God to carve out a safe place for us. In a church, in our family, in our life.