Time with the Lord

When I spend time with Jesus, I find that I can focus if I am in a beautiful space. 

So if I am not able to be outside, or in an an architecturally or artistically beautiful space, I have a folder of pictures I have taken over the years of these spaces. 

Here are some of them. 

 My grandparents hands about six months before grandma died. The history and love displayed in their hands... 

 Lemon trees!!!

 Italy

 Italy

 Germany

 friend Claudia's wedding flowers in the UK

 Italy

 Amazing flooring in Italy

Italy 

 Budapest, Hungary

 St. Andrews, Scotland

 Finland

South Wales... Dr. Who fans... this is an important beach 

 I don't remember... but they are stunning

 Colorado

Idaho 

 Mt. Hood, Oregon

Coventry, UK

This then is how you should pray:

Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him...

This then is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven,

    hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

    Your will be done,

        on earth as it is in heaven.

    Give us this day our daily bread.

 And forgive us our debts,

        as we also have forgiven our debtors.

    And do not bring us to the time of trial,

        but rescue us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:8-13

I am reading a book by Matthew Kelly. In quoting C.S. Lewis's Screwtape letters he leads the readers into the need for silence in our lives. The diabolical plan of the senior devil is to help the junior devil learn that just creating so much noise in the world that man can no longer hear the voice of God in his life will do the trick. (I love when authors and writings I love are used in newer materials)

"This diabolical plan to fill our lives with noise is pure genius for its simplicity. And countering it requires the same simplicity. The more time you spend in silence, the more clearly you will hear the voice of God in your life."

Kelly then goes on to encourage us to ask this question. "Does this lead me closer to God or further from God? We can ask this question after we hear a song, watch a show, have a conversation...

I learned to ask  these types of questions from childhood... but the need for silence and solitude to listen to the Lord is something that has become of paramount importance in my life over the past 10 years.

When I first began practicing times of silence and quiet... it was painful. my mind wandered. I would read words on a page even such as the Lord's prayer and they would not sink in. But over the years of practice... I am learning to just be with the Lord in the silence. To hear His still small voice that calls me to be the me He is creating me to be. It is quite a journey!

And so when I pray ...Our Father... who is in HEAVEN!  oh how holy is your name!... I connect with these words more deeply.

But it is work to quiet the noise around me. To quiet the music, tv, words of others... takes practice and effort. I am continuing to learn.