I’ve been trying to pray more this year. In the morning, I get up and sit in my living room. I turn on my lamp and my TV and usually put on one of those coffee shop YouTube channels that fit whatever season we’re in. Now that it’s fall, I pick a coffee shop background that shows a lot of pumpkins. I pull out my Bible and my journal and then I get quiet. Before I open my mouth and unload my long list of prayers, I’ve been trying to practice some restraint. I’ve learned that sometimes there’s things God wants to tell me first before I unload to Him.
You know, because perhaps the one who created the universe has more wisdom to share than the one who’s just existing in it? Perhaps there’s something he wants to share in the quiet before my world gets loud? Once I’ve stopped being quiet for a few minutes, I usually feel a nudge to do something. Sometimes, I’m led to read a certain verse in the Bible. Or sometimes a person pops in my head to pray for. And before I start on my laundry list of things I want God to do for me, I’ve also been trying to say thank you.
Thank you for waking me up this morning. Thank you for a new day. Thank you for the sun shining in my window. Thank you that I have friends that I can call at 2 a.m. Thank you that my parents are still here.
Sometimes the “thank you’s” roll off my tongue effortlessly. I wake up filled with gratitude. Other days, when I didn’t sleep well, or I got a bad text before bed, or I’m dreading something I have to do that day, it’s harder for the words to form. On the hard days, it’s not just the gratitude that I can’t find. Sometimes it’s the words. How do I pray when I don’t know what to say?
Our Father. Hallowed be thy name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.
On those days, I find myself reading scripture. Letting the verses speak for me to God. The Lord’s prayer is one of the scriptures I read.
On earth as it is heaven.
On the hard days, I want to see more of that.
Back in July, I picked up two of my good friends for a road trip to celebrate my birthday. One of them rolled a large suitcase up to my car apologizing that she packed way too much. The other one rushed out of her garage, make-up bag in tow, saying sorry that she would need to do it in the car. But, I didn’t care about a too big suitcase or if a makeup stain ended up on my car seat. Instead, I was excited to have my car filled with the noise and chatter that can only come from a girl’s road trip.
On the way to Austin, we covered everything we had missed in each other’s lives (even though I talk to these friends every week.) We chatted about guys, our families, our summer plans. We listened to Britney Spears. As we got closer to Austin, I admired the sky. The sun was a gold, pink color, and it was preparing to set at any moment. After 2.5 hours, we had run out of conversation. It was quiet, but also not at the same time.
When we got to our AirBnb, we squealed as we checked out the house. It was even better in person. We planned what we would eat for dinner that night. We made a trip to HEB that ended with us spending way more than a normal grocery trip, laughing so long and hard that my stomach hurt, and bought enough food to last for weeks instead of a weekend. After my friend made the tacos, we all gathered around the table and talked some more. We poured some wine. My friend and I got our birthday cakes from the refrigerator. Our friends sang us “Happy Birthday” (the Stevie Wonder version) and handed us birthday cards. I felt so full of gratitude and joy and light.
The next day, we started our trip with prayer. We walked up the million steps to Mount Bonnell and admired the view of the lake and the Austin skyline. After taking some photos, we found a table and a bench and sat down in the sun and began praying over each person. We poured out our hearts. We spoke that longheld dreams would come true. We prayed that family members would be healed. We prayed for more peace and joy. Taste and see that the Lord is good. One of my ladies said it over and over and over again.
Before we finished the prayer, we asked for God to meet us on the trip. For Him to send us some winks that he heard our prayers.
Later that night, we went to dinner on the lake. As we waited for our table, we decided to take photos on the overlook sitting above the water. The sky was turning the same pink and gold color as it did the night before. This time though there was chatter all around me.
On earth as it is in heaven.
I wonder if it’s possible to see heaven on earth. What does that even look like? Is it possible to get a glimpse of something that we’ve never seen? None of us have passed over to the other side. None of us know what perfection feels like. Where it says in the Bible that “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.”
I’m not sure, but when I’m waiting in line with my friends to take our photos, we admire a beautiful couple in front of us. The girl is dressed in a lovely pink dress and her boyfriend is wearing a button up. I notice that a professional photographer is with them. I bump my friend’s shoulder and whisper in her ear, “I think he’s going to propose.” She squeals as silently as possible, “How do you know?!”
It’s the way he’s looking at her. It’s the way he’s talking to her and possibly giving a monologue about their relationship. As he keeps talking, he gets down on one knee. My friend and I squeal. We motion for our other friends to look over. The crowd roars.
What’s funny is earlier in the day as we prayed on Mount Bonnell, we prayed over our future marriages. Over our future families. The legacies we were going to leave behind. This moment as we watch a stranger get engaged, it also felt like God looking down on us and saying I see you too.
These are the moments where I think heaven touches earth for just a second. When you’re surrounded by your friends, cheering for someone else, as the sun sets over the water. When you're in the same space with people you love.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done.
I’m trying to look for more of these moments as the world gets louder and on the days when I don’t have the words to pray. I find them everywhere if I look hard enough.
I find it in my childhood church on a Sunday when I need more hope. They sing a song I’ve been hearing since I was a little girl. All of my help comes from the Lord.
I find it in a wedding dress shop with my two best friends. We watch as our friend stands in the mirror wearing the dress she’s going to walk down the aisle in. But even more importantly we see in her eyes, peace all over her smile, and know that she’s found the one she’s been waiting for her whole life.
I find it walking through New York City talking about everything under the sun with one of my childhood best friends.
I find it during brunch at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, watching my friends come in wearing their best pink outfits. I find it as we laugh, pour out what happened that week, no matter if it was good or bad, and find strength again in one another.
I find it painting my mom’s nails while the new Olivia Dean album blasts in my parent’s living room.
And, I find it when I’m sitting on my couch, opening my Bible again, turning on my TV, getting quiet, and listening to see what God has to say to me that day.
You know, because perhaps the one who created the universe has more wisdom to share than the one who’s just existing in it? Perhaps there’s something he wants to share in the quiet before my world gets loud? Once I’ve stopped being quiet for a few minutes, I usually feel a nudge to do something. Sometimes, I’m led to read a certain verse in the Bible. Or sometimes a person pops in my head to pray for. And before I start on my laundry list of things I want God to do for me, I’ve also been trying to say thank you.
Thank you for waking me up this morning. Thank you for a new day. Thank you for the sun shining in my window. Thank you that I have friends that I can call at 2 a.m. Thank you that my parents are still here.
Sometimes the “thank you’s” roll off my tongue effortlessly. I wake up filled with gratitude. Other days, when I didn’t sleep well, or I got a bad text before bed, or I’m dreading something I have to do that day, it’s harder for the words to form. On the hard days, it’s not just the gratitude that I can’t find. Sometimes it’s the words. How do I pray when I don’t know what to say?
Our Father. Hallowed be thy name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.
On those days, I find myself reading scripture. Letting the verses speak for me to God. The Lord’s prayer is one of the scriptures I read.
On earth as it is heaven.
On the hard days, I want to see more of that.
Back in July, I picked up two of my good friends for a road trip to celebrate my birthday. One of them rolled a large suitcase up to my car apologizing that she packed way too much. The other one rushed out of her garage, make-up bag in tow, saying sorry that she would need to do it in the car. But, I didn’t care about a too big suitcase or if a makeup stain ended up on my car seat. Instead, I was excited to have my car filled with the noise and chatter that can only come from a girl’s road trip.
On the way to Austin, we covered everything we had missed in each other’s lives (even though I talk to these friends every week.) We chatted about guys, our families, our summer plans. We listened to Britney Spears. As we got closer to Austin, I admired the sky. The sun was a gold, pink color, and it was preparing to set at any moment. After 2.5 hours, we had run out of conversation. It was quiet, but also not at the same time.
When we got to our AirBnb, we squealed as we checked out the house. It was even better in person. We planned what we would eat for dinner that night. We made a trip to HEB that ended with us spending way more than a normal grocery trip, laughing so long and hard that my stomach hurt, and bought enough food to last for weeks instead of a weekend. After my friend made the tacos, we all gathered around the table and talked some more. We poured some wine. My friend and I got our birthday cakes from the refrigerator. Our friends sang us “Happy Birthday” (the Stevie Wonder version) and handed us birthday cards. I felt so full of gratitude and joy and light.
The next day, we started our trip with prayer. We walked up the million steps to Mount Bonnell and admired the view of the lake and the Austin skyline. After taking some photos, we found a table and a bench and sat down in the sun and began praying over each person. We poured out our hearts. We spoke that longheld dreams would come true. We prayed that family members would be healed. We prayed for more peace and joy. Taste and see that the Lord is good. One of my ladies said it over and over and over again.
Before we finished the prayer, we asked for God to meet us on the trip. For Him to send us some winks that he heard our prayers.
Later that night, we went to dinner on the lake. As we waited for our table, we decided to take photos on the overlook sitting above the water. The sky was turning the same pink and gold color as it did the night before. This time though there was chatter all around me.
On earth as it is in heaven.
I wonder if it’s possible to see heaven on earth. What does that even look like? Is it possible to get a glimpse of something that we’ve never seen? None of us have passed over to the other side. None of us know what perfection feels like. Where it says in the Bible that “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.”
I’m not sure, but when I’m waiting in line with my friends to take our photos, we admire a beautiful couple in front of us. The girl is dressed in a lovely pink dress and her boyfriend is wearing a button up. I notice that a professional photographer is with them. I bump my friend’s shoulder and whisper in her ear, “I think he’s going to propose.” She squeals as silently as possible, “How do you know?!”
It’s the way he’s looking at her. It’s the way he’s talking to her and possibly giving a monologue about their relationship. As he keeps talking, he gets down on one knee. My friend and I squeal. We motion for our other friends to look over. The crowd roars.
What’s funny is earlier in the day as we prayed on Mount Bonnell, we prayed over our future marriages. Over our future families. The legacies we were going to leave behind. This moment as we watch a stranger get engaged, it also felt like God looking down on us and saying I see you too.
These are the moments where I think heaven touches earth for just a second. When you’re surrounded by your friends, cheering for someone else, as the sun sets over the water. When you're in the same space with people you love.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done.
I’m trying to look for more of these moments as the world gets louder and on the days when I don’t have the words to pray. I find them everywhere if I look hard enough.
I find it in my childhood church on a Sunday when I need more hope. They sing a song I’ve been hearing since I was a little girl. All of my help comes from the Lord.
I find it in a wedding dress shop with my two best friends. We watch as our friend stands in the mirror wearing the dress she’s going to walk down the aisle in. But even more importantly we see in her eyes, peace all over her smile, and know that she’s found the one she’s been waiting for her whole life.
I find it walking through New York City talking about everything under the sun with one of my childhood best friends.
I find it during brunch at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, watching my friends come in wearing their best pink outfits. I find it as we laugh, pour out what happened that week, no matter if it was good or bad, and find strength again in one another.
I find it painting my mom’s nails while the new Olivia Dean album blasts in my parent’s living room.
And, I find it when I’m sitting on my couch, opening my Bible again, turning on my TV, getting quiet, and listening to see what God has to say to me that day.
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