At the beginning of each day, you step into the world and, if you’re lucky, you avoid the news and the bickering and the sensational soundbites.
You step across the remains of yesterday with a mug of comfort in your hands and you avoid that one floorboard that creaks when the weather slides just the slightest bit sideways. When you stand barefoot in front of the window or on the deck or on your front porch or patio or in the grass, it is only the dog or the cat or the robin looking for worms that shift its gaze in greeting — thumping tail, arched back, or head tilted toward the earth.
So, you breathe, and let the morning fill your lungs with its dewy sweetness.
“Take heart,” the silence might breathe back to you. “All is well.”
All is well.
You might question that, as you exhale. Because, even though you’ve avoided the news and the bickering and the sensational soundbites in these first few moments, their residue hangs loosely at the edges of the day. The weight of the world. The depth of the sorrow. The disappointment of unexpected turns in the road.
Don’t lose heart. All is well. You are in good company.
The Bible goes to great lengths to show us that all the people on its pages were ordinary and average, doing one little thing after another, rooted in trust, grounded in good news, and drenched in fear or hopelessness.
We take the good with the bad, and God is gracious to give us both, as a reminder that every good and perfect thing starts with God. {See James 1:17}
Even people like Moses and Noah and Abraham and Sarah had their weaknesses and made their missteps. When Paul talks about the prophet Elijah, and how Elijah prayed to God for it to rain and God heard Elijah’s prayer, Paul points out for all to see, “Elijah was a human being, even as we are.” {James 5:17}
The only one who rose above it all was Jesus.
As for the rest of the people in all the stories of the Bible, God filled them up with His Holy Spirit and breathed life into their dreams and their plans, and God, through ordinary people who did ordinary things, made miracles happen that changed the world for good.
Take heart, sister girl. All is well. Breathe deeply. Do your part. Do your one thing. Fight the good fight. Offer grace. Work for justice. Move with mercy.
Be kind.
Keep your focus. Keep moving forward. Keep looking up.
Keep offering up every little thing in your ordinary life to the God of good things and miracles and hope.
Take heart, sister girl. All is well.
Note: Portions of this post are excerpted from Deidra’s upcoming book, Every Little Thing: Making a World of Difference Right Where You Are (Baker Books, 2015), now available for pre-order.
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Deidra,
This is beautiful…and looking forward to reading more in your new book! I love the idea of offering up the ordinary, because let’s face it, most of our days are often just ordinary. But, God can take whatever we offer up and perform miracles with it. We just aren’t given all the particulars. Thanks for the reminder, as I begin a busy week, to take time to breathe in and know that if I walk with Jesus…all is well. Thanks for an encouraging start to my week!
Blessings,
Bev
I sure do want the particulars, though! Your words are a great reminder to me that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Thanks be to God!
So beautiful, my friend! Can’t wait to read every other word in that starry book.
Thank you for this. I’m having a very difficult struggle this Monday morning with many things that lay on my heart and mind- kids, husband, outlook, future. I drove to work under the blanket of a heavy burden and just cried to God the whole way here. It is good to be reminded that even the heroes of my faith had heartache, and God was faithful to be with them.
((Hug))
Thank you.
Kept thinking about you through my day yesterday, Beth. Welcome to Tuesday, girlfriend! May your day be blessed.
Thank you so much Deidra. God’s timing is always perfect- today I was already scheduled to attend a conference in New York City, so I get to experience a change of scenery and a fresh perspective. Much needed!
Beth
(((Hugs))). I completely understand your struggles and worries. Outlook, husband, aging dad, etc. It all weighs on us!
Prayers for peace and contentment!
Thank you, Beth!
Breathing in the “all is well” air this morning.
Thankful that all doesn’t have to feel well–to be well.
Lovely words this morning. 🙂
I like what you said- all doesn’t have to feel well to be well. wow. I never thought of it like that before. A lot doesn’t feel well to me this morning, but maybe things are just the way they are supposed to be.
Oh, so true!
Hi Deidra,
So sweetly written. Offering up the ordinary. Take the good with the hard and be filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s a reminder of His goodness. Perfect focus with what is going on. Thank you for your encouragement.
Blessings,
Joanne
I can. not. wait to read “every little thing” about this book. And this excerpt is submlime!
Ahhhhhh, ordinary. I can do that.
What I love most about God using ordinary people is that it strips away all excuses. Anything I may offer as rebuttal against His call, He’s heard before…and has a solution at the ready. His power & ability to reshape ordinary us has never diminished.
Looking forward to reading more of your words 🙂
Yes. Reshaping the ordinary. What a beautiful thought!
Ditto what Jennifer said, can’t wait!!
This calmed my spirit in the most timely way. Thank you for these beautiful and comforting words. You have encouraged me.
Deidra,
Life is not always rosy! Sometimes God allows U-turns, and sidesteps to our plans. He knows what’s best for us–I would love to know how it all turns out. Just have to breathing in the “all is well” air and trust God for the particulars. It is hard when, like Beth, you have worries on your mind–aging father, husband’s job, should I go back to work- part-time , full-time, what does the future hold?
Trusting God today and doing my one thing–showing mercy and love to this world!
Blessings 🙂
Thank you for your ordinary words.