Posted on June 16, 2024 Posted By: HCCCategories: journey
Heartland Community Church
THE JOURNEY
The People We Meet
by Brooke Hodnefield
“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” — Winnie the Pooh
We are always on a journey, on a path to somewhere or to something. However, we may not even realize we stepped onto it in the first place. As you move through your day do you ever stop to simply orient yourself and say ‘I AM HERE.’ I’m gathering you may be like me, and this rarely crosses your mind. You are likely moving from one thing to the next, and not considering how you got there or if that is where you are meant to be. It’s funny how we can get so close to something that it just feels and looks ‘normal.’
A year ago I found myself on a path that felt quite ‘normal,’ yet was veering towards total disaster. I cared greatly for my independence, self-sufficiency and determination that was quite self-dependent versus grounded in my finiteness and limitations. I had placed a disproportionate value in my identity as a leader within my organization, while seemingly keeping up my role of mom to two teens in working order at all times. Sadly, I hadn’t realized that my most important relationships (Jesus, friends, church community) were suffering and taking the backburner. I had prioritized doing over being. I was maxed out, exhausted, and at a point where a feather could knock me over…and it did.
Our bodies often can sense these things before our brains do, and my body shut it down for me. All the balls I had been holding were dropped…some bounced, some hit the ground with a thud, and others shattered like glass. I wasn’t meant to be carrying all those balls, but along the way, I picked them up. Once you are left empty-handed and broken, you begin to have a sense of ‘I AM HERE.’ I became increasingly aware of my surroundings and how normalized I had made my current state.
Thankfully, a dear friend intersected my path at this time and asked just the right questions that allowed for truths to be called out and reflected. Without a doubt, I know that God placed her on my path at that time. She then began to help me build back a bench of supports that would allow me to exit one path and enter another, from unhealth to health. Some of those glass balls (pride, self-sufficiency, fierce independence) that had shattered were not meant to be rebuilt. The balls that landed with a thud were able to be re-evaluated in light of a healthy frame of mind…some were picked up, and some were left for someone else to hold. The ones that bounced back (my family, church, work, relationships) were re-prioritized and even re-imagined with greater presence, intentionality, and pacing.
The path looked very different…it involved a lot more people than before…a counselor, a few dear women from Heartland, quiet walks with God, a leadership coach, and even some hard conversations that were long overdue with my boss. The path can be hard, and making sense of it can be even more challenging, but knowing that God is with you and your path will intersect with others can give us hope.
Consider where your two feet are planted right now. Even speak it aloud, ‘I AM HERE.’ What does it feel like to be there? What does it look like? What are your priorities? Surroundings? What is your pace? Who is around you? As you consider your answers, what insights and learnings do you have? What does God want you to see?
We can tend to isolate and shut down when life gets overwhelming. What situation do you need to bring before others you trust? Where have you invited others in, but maybe not God?
Our minds often cannot comprehend God’s ways nor his timing. What do you need to boldly bring before Jesus, asking him to make a way, bring clarity, or make sense of what feels senseless? Jesus loved asking questions…what question might he be asking you?
Cleopas and others succinctly offered up what limited knowledge they had of Jesus’s resurrection story. What is your comfort level with the full story that we find in the Bible, and know to be true? Are you able to share (in your own unique way!) how Jesus’ resurrection has impacted your own?
No matter how many times we read the Bible, a new word may stand out, or a phrase may land differently than the time before. The words of the Bible hold story and knowledge about Jesus. Do you have a favorite? Return to that today and see if it holds something different for you.
How often are we searching for something, asking for insight or vision, to be met with confusion or silence? We can trust our good and faithful God, although his timing may not be in line with our own. Where do you most need your ‘eyes opened’ today? Talk to God about this today and name it.
{extra journey resources}
CLICK HERE to visit The Bible Project site and explore their super simple, super informative Bible videos (and other resources). You can also download The Bible Project App HERE.
CLICK HERE to get the Read Scripture App, from our friends at The Bible Project.
CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.
The Bible App Get the free YouVersion Bible for your phone, tablet, or computer. Experience the Bible anywhere, with options to highlight, save notes, and share what you are reading with others.
The Bible App For Kids YouVersion partnered with OneHope to develop the Bible App for Kids, designing it specifically to engage children with Bible stories on an age-appropriate level. The Bible App for Kids is a free app for Android, Apple, and Kindle devices, available in over 60 languages.
Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.
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