The Heart of the Matter

Psalm 46:10 He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

I am oftentimes asked, "Do you ever have a hard time coming up with what to write about?"  The simple answer is not usually.  The more complex answer includes this reality:  While moving forward in this writing journey, my mind has become proficient at viewing each day of life as part of a bigger story.  The morning of February 25th could, in fact, be titled "The Day Momma Vaughan Almost Lost My Mind."  I know some of you may argue it happened a while back.  I must tell you it really happened the morning of February 25th!  On that particular day, workers descended upon my house, brown paper covered the floor and things soon began to look like the "end of times."  I glanced at the clock.  It was only 10:00am.  Momma Vaughan is a creature of great habits, routines and rituals.  Monday mornings are no exception to this rule.  Indeed, "demo day" made my mind, body and soul feel completely "off track."  Needless to say, in those first hours, I didn't have a magical "Chip and Joanna Gaines moment." I may have had some messy moments with words that don't need to be repeated!

As the day wore on, a frightening thought continued to cross my mind.  For the next 6-8 weeks, this is how every day will likely look.  This is how every day will likely feel.  In those moments, as I oftentimes do, I simply began to journal.  My pen carefully documented my thoughts, and my mind centered on every emotion of the day.  Slowly, God revealed the "heart of the matter."

• Amidst the chaos of our everyday lives, there is a King.  On any given day, when life seems upside down, He remains on the throne...right side up.  Our King...He is the constant of our lives.
• Amidst the chaos, we must always find Him.  On this day, His presence overwhelmed me.  I paused and prayed with my daughter over the phone.  I shared my heart with a good friend.  I meditated over scripture.  Praise God, in those tender moments of life, when His presence feels so close, so vibrant and so calming.  He is and always will be the calm in the center of the storm.
• We cannot find Him, amidst the chaos, unless we are still.  As a society, we don't like to stop.  We don't like to be still.  I truly believe we are sometimes afraid to be still.  Stillness forces us to reflect on who we are, where we are in our spiritual journeys and where God may be leading us.  I don't know how you feel, but Momma Vaughan doesn't always prefer the hard work!  Eating ice cream and staring mindlessly into space are much more fun!

I'm not sure what the day before you looks like or what might be on the path ahead.  If you currently reside on planet earth, I bet you see a little bit of chaos on the horizon.  If you don't, feel free to come join mine!  Pause.  Gaze past the chaos.  Breathe.  Be still.  Find Him.  Celebrate His presence in the chaotic seasons of your life.