Psalm 61:1-3 KJV — Hear my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 

OVERWHELMED! That is what I felt. Completely overwhelmed! I was in the throes of completing my National Board for Professional Teaching Standards recertification on top of my normal life duties of wife, mother, active church member, and my job as a teacher. I felt like I was drowning. I felt like there was no end in sight and that the tasks before me were impossible.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your life circumstances? Are you feeling overwhelmed today? Do you feel like the waves of life keep knocking you down and you are drowning? Re-read today’s featured scripture. Let’s follow David’s lead today as in the scripture. As we enter into worship today, let’s follow God to the “rock that is higher” and embrace God as our “strong tower.” Listen to “Strong Tower” by Kutless and allow God to lead you to His shelter of peace and strength.

Let’s pray. Dear God, You are my Strong Tower. Help me when I feel overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher so I do not drown. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Psalms‬ ‭42‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV —- My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?

Join me at the river in today’s See You Saturday video as I finish out our week on being still and quiet.

Let’s pray. Dear God, May I always stay thirsty for You. Continue to remind me to be still and quiet so I am ready to listen to You. Thank You for Your love, guidance, and direction. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Matthew 6:33 NIV — But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I pray you have taken some time this week to sit still and quietly listen to God. Sometimes solitude is just what we need. Monday I shared with you that at one time I was what I call a “devotional junkie.” I read a minimum of 8 devotionals each morning. Just so you know, Julie was also a devotional junkie. As I look back on those days, I think God was filling me with understanding and preparing me to write for Him. I have since downsized and only read a few devotionals prior to writing each morning. Although I don’t read as many each morning, I still feel it is important to spend time each day with God, filling up with His word, and listening for guidance and direction. Do you have a daily routine of spending time with God? Do you have a favorite devotional you like to read each day? Below are some of the emails/websites Julie, Ray, and I read or have read over the years. Check them out. Just be careful not to become a devotional junkie and forget to take time to quietly listen to God.

Daily Hope With Rick Warren

Steven Furtick 1-Minute Motivation

Girlfriends In God

Christine Caine

Encouragement For Today

Our Daily Bread

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for speaking to me through the writing of others. Fill me up so I may reflect more of You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

As Jesus said in John 16:13 NIV — But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

I began this week by telling you about a time I shattered my cell phone and was forced to do without it for a couple days. I spent those two days remembering how to sit still and listen to God. God reminded me that our time together shouldn’t be filled up with me pouring out my thoughts and concerns, but also time to be quiet and listen to God. I encouraged you to do the same this week. Have you taken the time to sit and listen? Did you hear God speaking to you?

While texting with Julie and Ray this week, Ray gave a wonderful analogy. He said, “Like we use cell phones to talk with others, God uses the Holy Spirit to talk with us if we have a good connection and listen!” We have to be willing to be still and quiet to foster a good connection. Part of hearing from God is being open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. How is your connection? Are you listening? Spend a few moments listening to “Holy Spirit” by Francesca Battistelli and invite the Holy Spirit into your quiet time.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for our Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Open my eyes, ears, heart, and mind to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Psalm 46:10 NIV  — He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” 

Today I am continuing the story of me being forced to do without my phone and easy access to the many email devotionals I received each morning. God wanted me to slow down from the busyness. In the quiet, God helped me realize I was trying to fill myself up with devotional after devotional. Without my phone, I was forced to be still and use this time to sit and listen for His marching orders. While He often speaks to me through the many devotional apps and emails, for this time He was speaking to me in a gentle whisper. 

How about you? Do you need to slow down, be still, and examine your busyness so that God can speak to you? I urge you to be still. In the quiet solitude and peace, God will guide and direct you in ways only He can. 

Take a moment to listen to “Be Still and Know” by Steven Curtis Chapman. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, Help me to be still today. In the stillness open my eyes to the ways You reveal Yourself to me in new and undeniable ways. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

1 Kings 19:11-12 NIV — The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

Today I will continue to tell you what happened when I was forced to do without my cell phone for 2 days. Yesterday, I shared that the first day without my phone, I was lost without immediate access to the devotional emails I receive daily. So I just sat and started thinking of a plan of action. Guess what I heard. NOTHING. Quiet. Solitude. PEACE. And then I heard God’s voice. Of course it was not an audible, loud, deep voice. But it was a movement of the Holy Spirit telling me to be still and quiet. So I listened. During that still and quiet time, God revealed to me that this is exactly what I needed right then. 

Today, I encourage you to take some time to turn off all the noise and listen for God in the quiet. Just as God spoke to Elijah, He will speak to you in a gentle whisper if you are open to listening. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, Thank You for reminding me to be still and quiet. Today, I will be quiet and listen to hear Your gentle whisper. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Psalm 119:105 NIV — Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Yesterday, I told you about a time I dropped my cell phone and the glass shattered. Today, I will share more of the story. 

I must confess that at the time of the phone shattering experience, I was a “devotion junkie.” I thrived on starting my day reading multiple devotionals from various sources. OK, I will confess. I read a minimum of 8 devotionals each morning. See, I was a junkie. 

As I told you yesterday, my husband took my shattered phone to be repaired. I was without my phone for 2 days and I was completely lost. The first morning without my phone, I followed my usual morning routine of getting my cup of coffee and getting comfy in my chair. From there, I was not sure what to do next. I didn’t have access to the apps and emails I use during my morning devotion. What would I do in its place? How would I hear from God that day? I initially felt paralyzed and once again lost. I was thrown for a loop. 

Have you ever had your routine interrupted and felt paralyzed? Have you ever felt lost? Where did you turn? 

Today, let’s stay grounded in Christ. When we have moments of feeling disconnected or lost, let’s turn to Jesus. Allow Jesus to lead you down your path today. Take a few moments to worship while you listen to “Come To Jesus” by Chris Rice.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Guide and direct me today. When I feel lost and disconnected, remind me to always come to Jesus for direction. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.