We all do whitespace differently. How do you enjoy spending time with God?
We have been talking about soul rest this month. The central place I retreat to receive this rest is interior, where I meet with Jesus.
To close out our series, I’d like to share a photo journal of my time in whitespace.
When I was single, whitespace happened weekly. I’d sit in front of the ocean, hike a trail or drive to the city to get lost exploring.
Now that I’m married with young children, whitespace takes up just one Saturday morning a month. I sip it like a rendezvous you’d dream for Paris. The memory lasts the entire month.
No laptop. Just a pen, journal, Bible and a camera. The goal is to simply be at rest mentally by unplugging from doing anything “productive” and spend time with God. I start super early before the rest of Saturday wakes up. And it’s very quiet.
Last weekend, it was raining, so I slipped into Starbuck’s. I’ve been enjoying their 40 year special blend Tribute. I read some Scripture and journaled some thoughts — in between bites of blueberry muffin. I carry ear plugs with me. So, it’s very quiet in my little corner of the cafe.
To pray, I get into my parked car for some privacy. The sprinkling of rain adds a soothing blanket of intimacy. I love looking up at the sky as I whisper my burdens and spill out tangled thoughts.
If it isn’t raining, I drive out to the mountains and go for a leisurely hike.
I don’t mind the cold. Fall and winter here in Norther California is actually the perfect time to be out because very few people are around. I get the place to myself.
Before I start, I turn to a passage of Scripture that’s been on my mind during the week. I read it in the car and say a prayer to warm up my spirit.
God. I’m all yours. I’m listening. I grab my backpack and step out.
I don’t study the Scriptures when I’m out doing whitespace . I use my weekdays to do that. I like to just take my soul out for walk and practice enjoying the moment with God, rather than trying to accomplish something out of my time with Him.
Depending on my mood, I might hike up to the end of the trail and take in the view.
Sometimes, I forget about the trail and get lost looking at nature up close, capturing it with my camera. I love seeing God take such care in details we don’t even notice. It reminds me when I feel weary, God is still meticulously at work nurturing something beautiful in my soul, just like He does in nature.
On days I’m figuring out a problem or facing a tough decision, I like to hike into the part of the trail where the Redwood trees stand. I find a place off the trail to sit down. I like feeling the earth around me. I open up my Bible and meditate on one verse. Then, I close my eyes and sit as quiet as I can, for as long as I can.
Regardless of an answer or not, I journal a prayer to God in that moment.
When I first practiced spending time in whitespace, I felt nervous, wondering why I didn’t “hear” anything. As I continued in my practice, I learned silence is God’s way of being in the moment with me.
The more time I spent in solitude and silence, the more I began to understand whitespace is about surrendering to God in the moment. It’s the good kind of surrender — like the way a woman allows a man to kiss her — or when a little girl dares to dive off a rock in the summer to splash into the wild water beneath her.
Whitespace is where I relearn to be a child again with my Abba Father, curious and transparent with what my heart wants, even if I can’t have it. Giving up control of what happens during whitespace leads me to a wonderful place to receive.
I have gained so much from doing “nothing” regularly with God, I see it carrying over to my social time with friends and strangers. I can be more comfortable with listening rather than talking, enjoying their company rather than trying to get my point across or wanting someone to know me.
I find that the more room I give to whitespace, the more generous I am with joy. I can fully be present with others more readily because everything that unsettled me has found a place in safety, spoken audibly with Jesus in private.
I have found this focus cultivates a rich soil, from which creativity, adventure and community can take root. I enjoy being productive, but the beauty of whitespace free my soul to do what’s in front of me, because I am free to be as I am, transparent with God and with others.
“I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places, so that you may know that it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.” ~ Isaiah 45:3
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How do you enjoy spending time with God in whitespace?
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*Today’s post is the finale to March’s series — Whitespace: Restoring Rest. Check out our topic for today and next week’s new topic!
*** NOW, IT’S YOUR TURN — FAITH BARISTA JAM! ***
Faith Barista Jam Thursdays — I serve up a topic of faith, you write the post. Let’s encourage each other. Add your voice. Swap our stories.
Today’s Topic 3/31:
Share how you do “Whitespace” — How do you spend time with God and experience spiritual rest?Share your post by clicking on the blue button below “Add Your Link” or just comment directly.
Next Thursday’s Topic 4/7:
Share how you experience JOY?
Approach it any way you feel inspired! Only required ingredient: keep it real. Thanks for serving your personal brews!
Build the Keep Fresh Fresh Community: Link back to Faith Barista or Grab the HTML Code For March’s Special Restoring Rest Faith Jam Badge
It’s a jam session. As time allows, say hi & drop a comment when visiting the community faith blends!
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46 Comments
When the weather permits and when I don’t have my children I love to go outside into nature also. We have a few parks around here with trails on them that I will walk and some have a few small waterfalls where I sit on the benches and just listen. Water is a comfort for me. I envision all my worries being washed downstream as I talk to God. I also take lots of pictures while I am out. Some of my favorite were taking at a state park last fall. I was sitting in a picnic grove with tall trees all around and the leaves were falling from the trees. It was so quiet I could almost hear them all hit the crunchy dried leaves on the ground! I sit in amazement at the wonderful work of God’s hands and I sit back, close my eyes and listen a little longer.
Lisa, so beautiful just listening to you reminisce, hearing the crunch of dried leaves – which I absolutely LOVE by the way. Thanks for sharing your small waterfalls and a walk along your trail. Aahh…
“Being transparent with God and others” is what I have been learning the last several years! Your white space sound so restful! Thank you Bonnie!
It is… Thanks for taking a walk with me this am, Katie.:)
“I like to just take my soul out for walk and practice enjoying the moment with God, rather than trying to accomplish something out of my time with Him.”
I’ve been experimenting with that with “God in the Yard”, a 12-week spiritual practice. And I admit it’s difficult for me to have no agenda; just be quiet with him; no Bible, no books, just a pen, paper, and camera.
But the whitespace has been freeing and surprising, although it’s still somewhat of a struggle for me. So your post is encouraging me to keep at it! Thanks again, Bonnie, for the inspiration. God is faithful!
I’ve been practicing whitespace for over 10 years… it has changed me from the inside out. It has become addictive and necessary — a beautiful necessity that brings mystery and attraction into my relationship with God. God has been so faithful. Thanks, Lisa!
Bonnie, this is SOOOO wonderful. You make me want to play copycat and do the same for myself. Just reading and looking at the photos calmed me this morning.
Ahhhhh—
You are always one of a kind! We’re just sharing! 🙂
P.S. That looks like a re-e-e-eally nice pen. (I like to journal with a good pen!)
This is perfect, Bonnie. I have to be honest and say that in the beginning I thought, *I don’t do whitespace. Its something I have to work on.* But as I read your post and others (in the unexpected extra time this morning due to torrential rain), I realize I do this everyday. I just don’t do it with a purpose or with even realizing that that’s what I am doing. Now my fingers are itching to write – if only I didn’t have a job that decided to be chaotic today.
That is so beautiful, Kristine! I’m not surprised at all. Your words carry such soul and thirst for God.
[…] My friend, Bonnie from Faith Barista, likes to call it "enjoying time with God in white space." […]
This is so beautiful, Bonnie! I love your photos and your description of “whitespace”. I don’t make it here every week with comments or link-up, but every time I come, I am so refreshed and encouraged. Thank you. I look forward to reading the other linkup posts and comments on this topic …
Hi Bonnie! Thanks so much for taking us on a visual journey of rest with this week’s post. I love it. These are some of my favorite kinds of spaces with God too, although this week I wrote about one that surprised me. This has been a great month of jams. I am feeling the rest!
I especially love the picture of the clouds. I have one almost exactly like it so will have to send it or post it to you. Did you notice in the cloud God’s message to you telling you ” I love you”. Like a little message from Him saying , ” You are loved. Love, God”…….find the heart in that picture. I said I love you from God when I saw it.
Have an awesome day and thanks for the great post.
Kindest regards,
b†
Thank you for sharing! I really need to work on this. I have 2 small children and we’re adopting a 3rd later this year. My life is noisy and I NEED to carve our some whitespace for me and God.
Love the pictures. Love your words. Together, just magnificent. The peace I feel is wonderful! Thanks for sharing Bonnie. I really appreciate it!
I loved being able to swoop in for moments of your last few Saturdays. Thanks! It’s amazing what some time alone with God and no real agenda can do.
My favorite picture? The one through your car’s sunroof. LOVE it!
Thanks Bonnie for sharing your pictures and experiences with whitespace! This has really inspired me to carve out time to have a date with God.
I usually have spurts of whitespace, of in-the-moment times where I feel like God is saying “I love you” with little notes from Him. For instance, I love tulips, and 3 weeks ago, I felt God saying “get those” when I saw a small pot of orange tulips in the grocery store for 2.99. I picked them up and it was such a joyful thing to see them bloom day by day on the kitchen counter. It’s like I’ve been a bit clueless when it comes to his signs of my Maker’s pursuit of me. Yet, more and more it is becoming clear just how much God loves us and wants us to be intimate with Him.
Love your beautiful pictures. My white space is spent at a local coffee joint every few weeks. I fix dinner for my family then go off and have a coffee and a muffin, find a quiet corner and just spend time with God. It does have to be so much more intentional with children and a bigger chunk of whitespace is hard to find around home. Five minutes in the bathroom always yields yelling and knocking.
I find my whitespace in my home after my husband is at work and our daughter is at school. I start my time with the Lord with praise music either on the computer or just from my heart. I will read a scripture or meditate on one that has struck my heart while reading incourage or some other newsletter I get. Sometimes it is a post of facebook that brings me into His presence. My spirit relaxes and I am able to listen tot he Lord and hear His voice. I have learned to be quiet and listen to what He says when I am here alone. I am more attuned to His voice in everything I see and hear through my day. I like the term ‘whitespace’ I just considered my quiet time as meditation but calling it something special makes taking this time out more purposeful. I find strength to go through my day after spending quiet time with the Lord. I am raising my step daughter who is 12. She is becoming a young lady but is going through a difficult time emotionally and spiritually at this time. I spend my prayer time as a time to seek the Lord’s guidance for how to handle her behaviors. She hasn’t had very much spiritual guidance before coming to us so we are starting at he beginning with her at this time. I have found I need the Lord’s leading more now than ever before. I thank you for these newsletters and have shared many of the postings with our Sunday school class and friends. They encourage me to keep on seeking the Lord’s will daily.
Oh, how nice the pictures are. Thanks for sharing them. I enjoyed your message too. Its raining here in GA, but I am looking forward to the spring and summer, so I can get outside and enjoy God’s creation. I feel a greater praise deep down inside of me when I do. When we look at nature and the surroundings, we look into God’s very eyes. Thanks again. God bless you
Thanks for sharing these pictures and your experiences . I do not get the luxury of time away alone…….got a toddler & a baby. The “white bowl” is my get away place(funny?) The 5mins or so is well cherished and I’ve kept a bible and some books there…..
I have found that God is always willing to speak to me……..I just need the right atmosphere and state of mind. There is always a word for the moment, the time & the season. I’ve found that in seeking God ……….there is a desire to seek more. There are always new depths and new levels.
Nature is such a wonderful way to reconnect with God and find rest isn’t it. It’s reviving.
Bonnie, you are a woman after my own heart! 🙂
Love this post. I JUST talked to my husband today about our souls needing some “time!” I love where you said “Silence is God’s way of being in the moment with us.” Absolutely loved it.
your definition of surrender is truly beautiful. In the surrender I feel surrounded, safe, and secure…loved.
“The more time I spent in solitude and silence, the more I began to understand whitespace is about surrendering to God in the moment. It’s the good kind of surrender — like the way a woman allows a man to kiss her — or when a little girl dares to dive off a rock in the summer to splash into the wild water beneath her.”
I’ve had a headache all day…something about those pictures helped me to relax and stop fighting it for a minute. I might have to copy your monthly early mornings. Sounds like something to look forward to when life gets hectic. 🙂 Thanks Bonnie. I so enjoy your words and pictures. 🙂
Love the post, love the photos…..I want to sit right there in that chair at the counter. My main whitespace takes place in my shed/shop, I open my little window in the door and let the mourning doves accompany my prayers. I also love all your places…..I am a Central California desert transplant and I have walked all the place you walk. I miss it so. You took me back there with this post, thank you! Lori
Dear Bonnie, Thank you so much for sharing your whitespace journey. Just reading it today and looking at the photos are a whitespace experience for me. I am still awed when I read your posts at the way you are able to capture the life of the Spirit in all it’s nuances. Thanks for doing this for us.
Hi Bonnie, Hi Jammers,
Ironically I made the choice to stay in my whitespace rather than blog about it. Read Sheryl’s blog and you’ll get the idea of my whitespace. Whitespace in the car!!!!
Bonnie, whereas you take photos, I listen to workship music. It is like a direct connection from God to my soul. When I’m not in a car, but have access to a piano/keyboard, that becomes my whitespace. Worship at the piano, my fingers, my voice, offered to my God and in response I am Blessed!
My current go to ‘song’ is an older one called, “Hold me Jesus” by the late RIch Mullins. Here’s a link…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gBGGX3yvMo
“You have been my King of Glory, will you be my Prince of Peace?” And yes He is!
Thanks Bonnie for a therapeutic, refreshing, restoring month. I’m looking for to April and Joy.
[…] you have one? by bradhuebert 12. If by Michael J. Ellis 13. Denying the DNA by Princess Lilac 14. How Do You Enjoy Time With God? Whitespace: A Photo Journal by Bonnie Gray 15. A To-Don’t List by Carey […]
Thanks again Bonnie for a great topic! It’s an important spiritual discipline that we often don’t take time to develop, and so necessary to grow closer to Him in new ways, to reflect on recent growth, to “be still and know…”.
I try for whitespace as often as I can. At the moment it’s after my daughter has gone to bed in my room with a cup of warm milk and honey. Other days it’s in a cafe with my Bible and notebook. I really want to pack up and head for the bush or beach and chill with God for the day. It’s on my Easter list of plans as my daughter will be away with her dad. Your ideas for whitespace are so inviting. Thank you for sharing, and planting the seed for more whitespace! Paula 🙂
I didn’t have time to participate this week but I’m so glad I got to read your post. I’ve been having a hard time having that time for whitespace with the Lord. My quiet morning times continue but that more prolonged time has been on hold for much too long.
In the past, I used to hike up the mountain that was right behind my house. I always felt so exhilarated when I reached the top and looked out over the city of Phoenix. As I hiked down, the Lord always seemed to give me a special gift in my heart. How thankful I was!
A number of years ago, we owned a cabin in the mountains. I recall many times when I would go for long walks around the lake with my camera and journal. And then there were times when I would take my Jeep and ride into the woods and park. I’d hike for hours and love every minute of this time. The quietness was so calming and peaceful to me. I felt so close to the Lord as I recited Scripture.
Since my life has turned upside down, there’s less time to sit and reflect or hike and experience the beauty of His creation. And yet, I miss those times. I’m trying to live with an attitude of gratitude as I gaze at the faces of the little children I am now teaching. They certainly keep me busy and running. At this point in my life, I never expected to be here though. But God …
He knows every detail and I’m learning to trust Him in the midst of uncertainty. I choose to notice the ordinary everyday details as gifts from Him. Instead of the ‘safe life’ I thought I had, I now take one step at a time. Occasionally fear creeps in. But then I think of Isaiah 43;2:
“I have summoned you (Debbie) by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
And so I thank Him and I continue to praise Him in the midst of the storm.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
You have such an amazing gift! This was a beautiful and inspiring post! Thank you!
I loved your step by step almost moment to moment sharing of your whitespace, that special time to walk so close with God in the intimacy we can only have when we make that effort of time for Him!
I love the first early moments of each morning, when all is quiet and I imagine He is there already waiting for me to start talking to Him.
And I love to invite Him on a nature walk with me, or time in my garden, especially now with my flower garden coming back to life. And we talk, if it is on the walking trail, and I pass someone, I always wonder what would they think if they knew I was talking to God?
I know He is with me all through the day, but I am thankful for the special times that provide the closer more personal nearness of His presence.
I just want to let you know that I have been reading your blog for a few weeks now and I am really enjoying it.
I am going through a somewhat stressful time in my life right now your blog really brings a smile to my face. Reading your blog is really a highlight of my day.
Thank you for making my day with every post you write and being an encouragement to me!
Thank you so much for sharing. Inspiring & encouraging! Loved every word and every picture!
[…] recently shared a photo journal on how I spend alone time with God — in what I call “whitespace”. These are the […]
I can’t wait to start the “whitespace” idea, doing absolutely nothing and being with jesus. Bonnie, the photo of raindrops on your sunroof and trees in the background is stunning!
[…] My friend, Bonnie from Faith Barista, likes to call it "enjoying time with God in white space." […]
[…] Your {One Word for 2014} can inspire you too. Click here to see one example of photo journaling. […]
I am not sure how I missed this post, first time around. Thank you for this peek into your soul time, Bonnie. I have beautiful places here on the East Coast and so enjoy getting off the radar and into the white space of grace with God…planner aside, heart, and journal open. And sometimes just doing noting but drinking him in through all the beauty he provides, sea, sky, and, stones, trails… such goodness, richness for us.
Thank you for sharing your whitespace with us, Bonnie. Your photography is beautiful. I also liked the Scripture you found in Isaiah 45:3. Although I do journal on paper and online, my whitespace is oftentimes the ‘whitespace’ right in my Bible. I tend to enjoy writing between the lines, thanking the LORD for His Good Promises. I believe the Holy Spirit helps us read between the lines and lets us catch glimpses of Him writing or re-writing our stories as we commune with Him in the Word and prayer. Sweet and lovely blessings to you and yours in Christ Jesus’ Name, Diadem of Beauty, Author and Finisher of our Faith.
[…] read this post here … amazing …. https://www.thebonniegray.com/2011/03/whitespace-a-photo-journal/ […]