“Jesus, be the center,
Be my source, be my light,
Jesus, be the center,
Be my hope, be my song,
Jesus” ~ lyrics to Be the Center
We’re standing at the cusp of a new week.
It’s the week where the one thing that lies deepest surfaces —
the one thing dream we always dream of,
the one thing we wish we could step into,
like a warm bath drawn in the still of the night,
when all is quiet,
and the moon is resting,
and we can finally breathe.
That one thing that keeps us reaching out to find new — the embrace we want to find ourselves held in — is love.
Love is what we all long for, yet we can feel so lost.
Let Love In
Love.
It’s too deep for words.
So, Jesus tells us a story — as He searched his Heart for some way, somehow, to let us in.
To let us into where He dreams, where He longs to be touched, where He wants to be known.
Come.
And draw near.
To Jesus.
As you are.
See.
In this very moment.
What He longs to show you.
What you’ve longed to show Him.
Listen.
To the Inner Voice of Love.
That whispers to you now.
Let it echo in you.
Confide.
In Him as friend to friend.
What you’ve longed to whisper and ask.
Let your voice echo to Him.
#Soulrest. It’s soul beautiful.
A Soul Conversation
Step into this moment now to be with Jesus.
Right where you’re sitting.
Look into His eyes.
See how He’s relaxed and at ease with all that surrounds your heart and tightens your shoulders.
He completely understands the weariness of what it means to travel through life on earth.
Listen to Jesus as He tells you a story — about His love — for you.
Enter into the soulful whitespace in Luke 15:1-7:
“Suppose someone among you
had one hundred sheep and lost one of them.Wouldn’t he leave the other ninety-nine
in the pasture
and search for the lost one
until he finds it?And when he finds it,
he is thrilled
and places it on his shoulders.When he arrives home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors,
saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me
because I’ve found my lost sheep.’ “
Where are you in this story?
Are you waiting, longing to be found?
Or maybe you are sitting out alone in the middle of an unfamiliar journey, unsure about next steps?
Are you being carried, with the touch of His shoulders so, so real?
Do you hear the joy of intimate conversation between the two of you, as His heart swells with excitement for what He has planned for you?
Or maybe you’re standing at the cusp of celebration — of His love for you — with friends He’s brought into your life.
Do you hear His tender desire — His whispers for you — to be the beloved?
{ if you feel prompted, click to comment. }
My Prayer
Jesus. I’m not sure how I want to walk into this week.
Hold me.
And tell me again. What I already know. But need to feel in my heart again to be true.
I want to be loved. And to love others without fear.
Help me to find myself. So I can be at home with who I am.
When you’re with me, my heart feels brave. To love and be loved.
Stay close to me. I need you.
His Words
I see you. I see you right where you are.
You’re not alone.
I’m not going to leave you where you are.
I’m bringing you closer.
Closer to me.
You don’t have to try so hard.
I want to do this. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.
Is to hold you.
And love you completely.
Let me carry you. And bring you back to home.
Let me love you.
Your Prayer
Let’s pray together today.
Share a prayer in the comments, then pray for the person who left the comment before you.
As we confide, we become the hands and shoulders of Jesus, carrying each other back home. Back to the heart of Jesus.
Let’s quietly make space for each other, offering our words as prayer.
~~~~~
Pull up a chair. Click to comment.
You are among friends. In this quiet space.
~~~~~
If You Feel Prompted. Slow and Savor Sundays.
I want to invite you to something new here on Faith Barista. If you feel prompted. It’s been very moving for me to hear your responses to Soul Rest Sunday in the comments and emails.
I want this to be a quiet space, where we can take a breath and enjoy a prayerful meditation as a community every dawn of a new week. Prayer and meditation has been my spiritual journey in this season of quiet. And it’s changed my life irrevocably.
I remember lying in bed unable to breathe freely, yet still touched by God’s loving presence.
And I whispered, “I want to always be here with you so close. If I ever recover just enough, I want to be with others in this beautiful way.”
Your responses have fallen like light spring rain here at Faith Barista on Sundays. I’m so grateful you’ve come alongside me on this journey.
Are you longing to slow down and savor soulful time with God too?
~ Start the new week reflecting on a Scripture verse, song or prayer that’s prompting your heart.
~ Slow down on Sundays. Journal and share {Soul Rest Sunday} with a blog post or comment. Quiet your heart and let your words flow.
~ Link-up Sunday or Monday. Click on the blue button “Add Your Link” and submit the url of your post (not just the name of your blog).
~ I have a new banner created especially made for us to use (see below) to reflect our {Soul Rest Sunday} community. I hope you like it. Please share this graphic within your post to invite others to join us.
This isn’t just another blog post. Let’s experience something real and sacred together.
Come. See. Listen. Confide.
Be a part of {Soul Rest} community.
Slow and savor time with God.
Refresh your soul for the new week.
‘);
// ]]>
** Don’t miss! ** If you are new to Faith Barista, I’d like welcome you here.Click to subscribe by email and get each post in this series served up hot and fresh directly in your mailbox.
photo credit: Staci Kinelly via Flickr.
36 Comments
thank you so much for this post. i love to hear Jesus calling to me, reassuring me he is with me. i am asking for your prayers this morning for my hubby. about 5 years ago his drinking had gotten so bad it was really changing who he was. it was getting trashed every night and he turned into an angry man. i told him to make a choice-us or beer. he chose us and started attending church with us. he is a christian man, but not spiritually mature. he is a strong man who grew up to put on the pretty face in church but as soon as he got home a lot of the church stuff went away. i dearly love his mother and she has tried the best she knows how, but she has spent her life a severe enabler and codependent to not only her husband, but more toward her children. so with that little bit of background. about a year ago, hubby started drinking a little at a time. now it has become an every weekend thing. he doesn’t start until me and our girls are in bed, but that doesn’t make it any better. i pray that he sees getting drunk for what it really is-sin. it blocks us and our father just like any other sin. i pray that his heart will open to the father who is knocking on it. pray with me that he becomes the spiritual leader in our home. that loving Jesus with everything in him is a sign of strength not weakness. that loving our neighbor, and that means everyone, is a sign of strength not weakness. that forgiveness is freedom (i am on this journey as well) not weakness. let me know how i can pray for you. thank you in advance for this. i know our God is good, He is good all the time. let me know how i can pray for you
Father, where light enters, darkness cannot exist. You are the Light of the World Lord Jesus. May You be entering each detail of both Cassie’s and her husbands life together.
And I ask for myself Lord Jesus Christ, for Your Love to be moving and flowing through each detail of my operation tomorrow and throughout my recovery.
Amen Lord Jesus. Thank you. I choose to live now as Your Beloved.
Oh how He carries me…. Through the darkest night, with its trials and troubles… When I ask and sometimes when I don’t, His strong Arm waits for for my bleeting cry. He knows that cry; he is familiar with all my ways. He carries me!!! Praise be to Jesus!!
Wendy, he is closer than the mention of His name. Almost one year ago I faced an emergency surgery. He is Faithful. I was engulfed in His arms during and after. Nestle don’t wrestle. He has you covered. He will carry you!!! Praying for you, sister!
Father God, thank you that you were with Barbra then, and you ARE with Barbra NOW, and every single day of her life you ARE with her. Bless her Lord this very day with a tangible awareness of your presence with her.
We say… we cry out,
“Lord I am so weary, so tired,
I simply can’t do this anymore.”
There is great truth in that.
We really can’t,
He never intended us to.
He replies, “Come to Me
All you who are weary
And heavy laden
I will give you REST”
Our heart screams out,
I can’t I don’t know how!!!”
He understands our inability.
He knew we would not and could not.
He came to prepare the way.
He is The Way.
This Rest is SHALOM.
It is PEACE.
It is REPOSE.
He said,
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.”
His heart draws us, ever so tenderly,
Again and again,
Moment by moment,
Into His pure, holy, gentle embrace
Of Pure Love.
He quiets us with His love.
As we learn to trust, to lean and to rely on Him.
Our heart begins to “know”,
In a way words cannot express,
That maybe, just maybe it is true
We ARE His Beloved One.
Scripture References:
Isa 30:15
Matthew 11:28
John 14:6
Zep 3:17
I read this and went to that place and this was what I wrote.
Dodi ~
I am praying for His peace and rest for you today.
~ Dorothy
Thank you, Bonnie, for writing another Soul Rest Sunday that meets me right where I am at. I spend more time being the one sheep than being one of the ninty-nine.
Lord in Heaven … I need to feel You. I am so hard on myself. I want to feel the freedom that You have created me and that I am perfect in Your eyes. And that is all that matters. Be my portion, set my feet in Your path today.
In Jesus name ~ Amen
Jesus, please help Dorothy to see herself in Your eyes, beloved and precious in Your sight, perfect through You. Please let her feel Your love within her soul, surrounding her, upholding her. Amen.
Thank you, Bonnie. I feel like Jesus picks me up as a bruised and bleeding lamb, but I’m still so afraid to relax in His arms.
Lord, Trudy has been deeply injured and needs Your healing. Come Sweet Savior and bind her wounds and fill her with Your healing, holy light. Surround her with this light so she can relax in your arms and feel Your presence of peace. Thank you Abba! You are my deepest friend.
Lord, thank you for leading me to this weblog where I find words that heal and lead me to a better place. Thank you for Bonnie who bravely shares her path to healing that fills us all with holy light. My healing is progressing well–I see so much that is better but know there is more to do. Amidst my own healing, others around me are in that same process. Please share your presence with all of us. Recovery as children of alcoholic family systems is difficult but so worth the struggle. I ask that you continue to walk beside me and my sisters and brothers as we seek the healing we need so much. Thank you for your abiding love and care. Amen
Thank you for this beautiful prayer, Dee.
Father, I lift up Dee as she journeys with you I pray your presence would be very real. Help her to feel the warmth of your love and let her heart be tickled in you.
This morning I am lost. My relationship with my spouse is strained. I fail, I fall. I lose hope. I cast myself on you father for there is nothing more I can do.
Lord, May Cindy know your peace and presence as You pick her up each time she stumbles. Heal her Lord. Give her hope and joy and comfort even in the midst of uncertainty and struggles. She is in Your hands, right where she belongs…. Thank You Father…
Today’s scripture shows me where I am–lost in the midst of the 99, feeling lost and unknown, even though I’m right where I need to be. In the past (more than once!) I have been the one that strayed and was welcomed back. I do know God’s amazing love, but sometimes I forget how often I’ve been the one that wandered off and was lovingly carried home. I forget that God loves me more than I can ever imagine, that He cares for me daily, meeting all of my needs, that He has placed me in a community… Lord, help me to see and know and walk in Your Truth today, and every day. Open my eyes to see Your bounty and the community that surrounds me…
Dear precious Savior Bless Nancy today. Fill her up with your love. I pray she feels your love for her. Give her the strength she needs for today. Thank You for Nancy’s life and the testimony of Your love and grace in her life.
Today I feel like Jesus is carrying me home.
Thank You for your words today Bonnie. Thank You Papa for Bonnie and her courage to rest in you today, and to share this walk of Soul rest on Sunday.
I pray for all those that comment and pray here today. Surround us with your love dear Father, Dear Jesus, Dear Holy Spirit.
Amen
Lord, I pray for Bonnie as she is on this faith journey with you. May you give her your strength for each day. May she trust you with each step as she navigates new paths. May her words impact many for your glory.
I also want to pray for Dannyalle who commented before mine. Lord, may you breathe your breath upon her so she knows you are carrying her.
So thankful to have this opportunity to link up today.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Lord, thank you for Bonnie and her inspiring words & spirit. Help us all to know & feel Your great love.
Bless Debbie & let her feel your love today. Thank you for another birthday. Help us share Your love every day.
I’m not sure what the prayer was before me. I ask for prayer as we just laid the father of my kids to rest yesterday. 19, 17, 13. He took his life last Monday. The ache is unlike no other. Thank you.
Lifting you & your children up.
God bless you,
Praying for you!
So, so sorry, Bonnie. May God breathe strength into your soul in this devastating time and the difficult days ahead.
Heavenly Father please let us all feel the comfort and grace of Your Holy Spirit
I am so deeply moved reading through this beautiful chain of prayer and hearing the united call of faith to Him who saves. I pray this night that there may be such a powerful release of blessing and favour upon us all and each of our prayers and that everyone who reads these prayers may also be strengthened and filled with hope. Thank you SO MUCH Bonnie for sharing and inspiring as you do. God bless.
I slept in and missed my Sunday morning quiet time with God, His Word, and the blog community at SoulRest. It was much needed rest for the body. I am learning the if I don’t spend the time with Him, I get out of focus real fast, so I will make an effort to get back on track.
What a blessing it is to feel loved, to know I am His beloved. What a blessing to know He comes to me, here and now, just as I am, and His love will sustain me in the week ahead. He has overcome the world. I can overcome bad choices, throw off the old and put on the new, through His power at work in me. Praise be to our almighty Abba God.
Yes, I’m “sitting out alone in the middle of an unfamiliar journey, unsure about next steps?” Just me. Resting on this Sunday and reflecting upon all the tasks were done. Enormous list of impossible assignments listed one after other to me. Now, it seems like the list is spilling over. The only resource left is fragile and small. Lord, how far is it going?
Rest, my soul, rest. Perhaps the light of a new day is at sight, harboring peace and new life. Rest and wait!
Rest my soul, rest!
Lord i thank you for Marinalva . I pray that you would be her peace. Lord direct her path with every task before her.May she not lean on her own understanding but on You. Lord i thank You for this group and blog.In Your presence is where we desire to be May we seek you and have relationship with You. There we will find You. In Jesus name Amen.
Ah Bonnie- this beautiful post has gone into my journal so I can spend time with Abba having a conversation like this.
I appreciate you modelling such a conversation, and I appreciate the prayers and the questions you ask- to get me started.
May the Lord bless you richly as you have blessed me today[ again!]
Mary, New Zealand
Thank the LORD for community and conversation. Thank the LORD for Bonnie facilitating, being the vessel to encourage us to meditate upon Him and look to Him to meet all of our needs in His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Thank the LORD that He encourages us to ask for what we need, to formulated prayers in His Name. I ask today that He bless New Zealand Mary with the awareness of His Magestic Presence, His Love and Kind Ruling over her life and heart, that He supply whatever she asks for according to His good, pleasing and perfect will for her life which is hidden in Him. Praise the LORD for conversation hearts of Love in Jesus’ Name, Lover of our souls, King of kings and Lord of lords. Thank You, LORD, that Your Perfect Love casts out all fear in Christ Jesus.
Praising Jesus for the powerful prayers, in love, spoken over each precious sister in Christ here today. Prayers spoken from each loving heart to a sister in need. Lord I know You have heard these prayers & answers are on the way for them. I thank you for the love you’ve already poured out on these dear sisters in Christ. Fill them now & prepare these hearts for new adventures this week. Hallelujah!!!
Jesus, Jesus, JESUS,
It feels good to say your name. It sounds so peaceful. Like the sound of water tinkling over rocks up at Tahquamenon Falls in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan where I visited as a girl with my family.
But now I am old……and tired. Life has been hard and tortuous these 77 years. My husband of 17 years died 2-1/2 years ago in a state far away. I live wiith my daughter who is laid off.
This has been an arduous journey keeping her working. She was hurt on the job her very first day of work in 2012, but it is going through an unbelievable process in court, now in appeals. The injections in her back are the only care she has received. She was doing well in a paralegal job in a three month’s temporary position where it appeared that she would certainly be hired full-time. Suddenly, we suspect that they discovered she had an ongoing legal case and did not hire her full-time. They were, coincidentally, employment law lawyers in a large firm. She has no unemployment compensation, as no one does now.
We have been extremely blessed for the past year to be allowed to live in a man’s furnished four-bedroom house for the past year while he is a military contractor in Bahrain. It is a house in a gated community, has a pool, and we pay only a small amount that probably covers the utilities….my social security income sustaining my daughter and myself to cover our needs when she is not working. The events leading to our being given this opportunity to live here until the end of March are something I hope to write about in some venue. It is a present day miracle of the Lord’s love and grace!
Now, our faith is being tested again. We thought certainly that we would be able to leave this house and move to a place of our own, well-prepared, and thankful for a new job for my daughter just around the corner. Nothing is happening with her countless applications and interviews. We have very little saved for moving expenses, security deposits, etc.
But as I begin to falter a bit, I am reminded again by the words in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But He said to me, My power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
With that, I am waiting expectantly to see what wonderful evidence of His love, the Lord is going to show to us in the next few weeks. It will be exciting to be able to tell you the results. My weakness is going to translate into another exhibition of God’s power. Just like Paul related.
I can hardly wait to tell you, LOOK WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE!!!!
With the recent passing of my father, I am in the middle of unfamiliar territory. Not sure of the next step, and there are so many steps to take. It’s a complicated time – emotionally, and just with all the many decisions and mountains of paperwork. And yet, the Lord’s words resonate with me more than ever: “You’re not alone.”
I rest in His love, even when I’m so anxious I can barely breathe.
GOD BLESS!
[…] Pull up a chair. Click to comment. […]
I am becoming acutely aware of the need to find and embrace community, to Gather. This was a powerful message for my soul. Thank you for your obedience, your wisdom, and your words.
In Peace,
I so look forward to these Sunday posts. They touch my heart, for I know they come from your heart.
What struck me is Ruth had to take action. She had to humbly step out in faith, and then the miracles took place.
It is so easy to let fear keep me from taking that step of faith, from stepping out and writing, blogging. Even when God keeps prompting me over and over, I hold back, unsure of how or where to start, unsure of what I am to say. Please pray I will find the courage to take that first step and allow God to use my voice for His glory.
The second thing I thought about was how God has provided a Boaz for me. I was a widow, I was trying to make it on my own, and with God’s help I was surviving, but God sent an awesome, kind, loving, provider into my life. He has brought me great joy and his love is amazing. I am truly blessed. Though we differ on some things, He is truly a gift from God, for I was not looking for another man.
Those are my thoughts. The final one being, God is ALWAYS at work in our lives. His love and provision, His plan is perfect and we are His beloved. Praise be to God.
This has been a wonderful. I needed this clear words to understand better why I´m here and why sometimes things are difficult for me. I have rediscovered how important is to get together and share our feelings. It´s true that i always pray and I believe in God but something was missing. I now realize that I need to attend church in order to remind me of the glory of having our saviour close to us. From now on I will read soul Rest Sunday mails and share them. God bless your work. Have a splendid week. Angela