Be Still and Know That I Am God...Psalm 46:10.

This has been one of those verses that won't go away.  ☺ That's a good thing.  I need this reminder OFTEN!  It's easy for me to get into the busyness of life or to become distracted.  It can be hard for me to simply be still.  Much harder sometimes for me to simply "be". 

Ever since we made bookmarks at a women's night a good handful of years ago and I felt led to put this verse on my bookmark, I have been on a journey to "be still".  I've written about my "be still" mug and posted a picture of it. (May 23, 2011)

Recently, at the 2 year bilingual academy, I found one of those small cards you can give away at the Cokesbury bookstore on site at the retreat center.  It had a spa-like atmosphere along with the verse.  It said "ahhhhhh!" to me.
 

It now rests above my computer so I can see it daily.  So, between the card and my coffee mug, hopefully I'll get the message.

If not, just this week I've learned a new way to allow this passage to help me live it out.  I'm facilitating an online lay-speaking course through BeADisciple.com and I have some of the most wonderful participants in this workshop!  I am blessed to be part of this journey.

One of the participants, Karen Straut, passed along this suggestion she had learned from a pastor many years ago.  Start by saying the entire verse ("Be still and know that I am God").  Then, repeat the verse, dropping off the last word.  Continue until you get to the last word.  Karen said: "It is a wonderful way, I think, to become focused on God and to quiet oneself when feeling a little stressed."  I agree.

It looks like this:

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know that I

Be still and know that

Be still and know

Be still and

Be still

Be

Hmmm... as I look at that inverted pyramid, I wondered.... what if then, you were to start over with "be" and add a word each time, culminating with the entire verse?

What would that look like?

Be

Be still

Be still and

Be still and know

Be still and know that

Be still and know that I

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know that I am God.

Hmmm... that looks like a pyramid.  Now, if I were to put them both together, what would I have?

Be still and know that I am God

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know that I

Be still and know that

Be still and know

Be still and

Be still

Be

Be

Be still

Be still and

Be still and know

Be still and know that

Be still and know that I

Be still and know that I am

Be still and know that I am God.

An hourglass!  Cool!  Maybe if I were to go through the entire process, I will have regained my focus and stillness. 

Another suggestion in the class was to incorporate this verse with breathing.  I have used this verse as a breath prayer before and it is a perfect length. 

Thank you to the participants of the workshop for getting my brain going. ☺ Now, to take some time and to implement this new knowledge.

I hope that you find to "be still" and to "be" in your journey!  If you have other ways that you use this verse in your journey, please share!

Blessings on your journey!

~Debra