A solitary, wandering path beckons me into the cool woodland alive with reverberating praise to the Creator who does all things well. I know a stream lies ahead as I can hear it's soft, musical dance as it plays among the rocks, gliding, leaping, laughing as it follows its course. Calling to one another in the treetops, feathered friends add their joyful or scolding tunes- perhaps sharing the latest news or reminding each other of the goodness of their loving Benefactor. I sit on a large mossy rock, allowing the cool water to dance among my toes too, and I drink it all in, drawn into the peace and beauty.
Sitting on a porch swing in the cool of the morning, the Living Word in my hands, glory gently breaks the Eastern sky in pastels of blue, pink, purple and gold as the heavens revel in their role of majestic repetition greeted by cardinals morning song as the faithfulness, wonder and mystery of the Uncreated One is declared.
What do these two scenes have in common? Beauty. A beauty that beckons, that invites one to participate in its glory, sit a while in it and breathe deeply of the hope and peace. Beauty is the essence of God which he poured into his creation, and especially into the crown of His creation, and it invites one in to rest, be captivated and have the spirit renewed. And what is that crown of creation, the breathless beauty, the gift to refresh a weary soul? A woman. I have a confession to make. I fear I have long neglected this creative purpose of being a source of refreshing peace in my home that invites the family in to come and rest a while and drink from hope and peace. I've been busy working, doing, being overwhelmed with my list or focused on accomplishments or even my spiritual or character growth that I failed to see what creation shouts out daily. Chaos, anxiety, running from one thing to another, being stressed out, on edge, uncertain, overwhelmed...these are not beautiful, not a welcoming invitation but a flashing light to stay away. No one wants to be invited into chaos - beauty is attractive, compelling, renewing the body and soul, an invitation to peace and that comes not by doing but by being.
Pictures, sculptures, paintings capturing the beauty of women do no reflect them working hard, doing things but rather in repose, restful, still - and it draws one in to the beauty I want to follow this path, walk out this journey of peace that has led me to beauty and instilled in me a desire to be beautiful, a spring of hope, joy, refreshment, peace that all around desire to come and drink deeply from - but the simple steps there just might prove the hardest - slow down and just be. No, this doesn't mean I now have nothing to do or can neglect duties, but I must learn to do them from a restful state, a soul at peace. I can and will still work hard, but I want to learn to do everything with beauty in mind, with a peacefulness that invites wonder and captivates with its joy. (For more on this, read Captivating by John and Staci Eldridge)
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well-pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.
Story behind the hymn
Kings College Choir Cambridge
In the midst of a most holy moment of worship at church, I see. The veil is split and the light of the glory of God is breaking through this full length tear in the veil - a light that called out deeply for one to step right through. This is a blinding, all-consuming light that gives focused vision and in whose light all else fades away. My mind says the veil between this heaven and that is oh so thin, much thinner than we realize if we but had our eyes wide open. Yet, the truth of the Scripture is this: the veil isn't thin, it's torn. Once, for all, intentionally torn from top to bottom that we, with intention, might step into that light and glory day by day. Stay, remain in that place that this light and glory might be revealed in us to a dark and broken world.
It is beyond comprehension to grasp that we are invited in to FELLOWSHIP beyond that veil with the Most Holy, the One above all things - more than mind can comprehend. And it is not into a temple made with hands but into the very Presence, a sovereign Presence in which nothing else matters and everything matters. Because He is in all things and over all things and works through all things, there's nothing I need do but take the next step in faith, trusting, resting in all that He brings and the steps He directs. And, because He directs every step, every step matters, every moment is a most holy moment. Every action and reaction ought to be an act of worship, an act of love, flowing out of an overwhelming sense that He is Holy, altogether other. And walking in the light of His presence and awareness of that, our steps, behaviors, interactions become altogether other compared to the reactions of this world, such that the world looks on and says, "What is that?" 
I've begun exchanging my treasure, replacing those counted failures, stored wounds with tellings, retellings, sightings of God at work, breaking through, setting free. I'm in the process of recognizing what was in my treasure box and replacing it with that which really has value, that in which I want my heart to follow. To see and draw out the treasure, the value in others - because the heart will follow. We maybe have little treasure boxes attached to all of our relationships - things we store up, recount...and our heart follows, reflects in that relationship the things we've hallowed, set apart. I want to store up the beautiful. Those things that are lovely, praiseworthy, excellent, of good report. Then, what will my heart feel? What will my heart reflect in my day to day and in my relationships. If all around me, I look for, count, recount, treasure the truth, goodness and beauty of God, of others, of the situations He gives just to express his love, put a smile on my face and those that are purposed to draw me in, bring me to my knees, to surrender and dependence, to learn to be an overcomer...then my heart will expand like a flower breaking out into full bloom - it's like feeding and watering the beauty, truth and goodness inside and allowing the full expression of it to burst for in glorious day, fullness of joy.
