Be Still.

It's like all at once, I heard a voice calling to me.

Macy, slow down. Breath. Treasure this moment.

College can seem stressful and it can fly by. Personally, it's hard for me to believe that I haven't been here for four years yet, but I also don't know where the months have gone. As a friend so eloquently put it, "the days are long and the weeks are fast". She was so accurate, but this goes for life as well. Our days drag on and we begin getting into the routine of things as we trudge towards the next break or the weekend. However, for others, our days may be filled to the brim or overflowing with plans that just manage to fit into the puzzle perfectly. Wherever you are in life, stop. Breath. Focus. God may be trying to speak to you or He may be trying to get your attention. He could be trying to allow you to revel in the greatness of a moment, of His moment, or He could need you to reach into someone's day and speak life.

As I previously mentioned, sometimes our days drag on. That is perfectly fine, it's perfectly normal, however, they should never lose their beauty. Each day we live is a day God has given us. It may be true that you need to slow down from the day to day routine and just live in the moment. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says that inwardly, we are being renewed day by day. Every day, we wake up with a fresh start and we wake up with the opportunity to see each minute as a precious gift from God. That is what makes life so beautiful and what makes each day so unique. If every morning, we take on the outlook that life is a gift, it will allow us to slow down our routine and clear our minds.

The second common topic, and probably the most common, is that of being too busy. The habit of skipping quiet time or church events because of business is one that I am all too familiar with. The clutter of the day, the stress of work, and the ever-filling to-do list can make church and quiet appear as non-essential. I cannot stress enough the importance of time alone with God and time with communion with other believers. We were made to be one body and to live life with one another. The need for that sort of community is non-negotiable. Believe it or not, you most likely will feel relieved and at peace when you do set aside that time for God. If you're still worrying I want you to recall what Phillipians 4:6 has to offer:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

My mom always used to ask me if I had prayed about my situation when it became stressful. it seemed cheesy and cliché but it's a valid question. God wants to take away your stress and He wants a relationship with you. God's got it and because He's got it, you've got it!

I want to act on Psalm 46:10 which says,

"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!".

We will know God best when we are still. This isn't a be busy and know God or a be you and know God, but a be still and know God. It takes effort to know our Creator, but it doesn't take effort to earn His love. That's so beautiful. If the God of the world could send His Son to die for us so that we could live with Him eternally, then what are ten minutes of our day in relation to the life of His Son?

Be Still.

Breathe.

Live.