12/06/2024
My girlfriend and teammate took this picture, and it has stuck with me for the past couple months. It has felt significant, but I haven’t quite known why. I brought it up in conversation with God, asking Him to offer insight into the image.
And, He did.
It’s that I’m not in focus. I’m not even in the center of the shot. On purpose. The picture encapsulates the past year for me. It reflected the truth of how I’ve experienced God’s intentions for me. There was unexpected “negative space” - margin - that added to the beauty of the picture He was painting. I had had some thoughts about how I was going to show up in the social media world and online 18 months ago - what I intended to offer.
And, they simply have not happened.
I have continued to feel like my invitation has been to be faithful to my time with my God, my family and my directees. I allowed myself to be limited to those relationships, and it has been delightfully freeing.
Also, I was on an Ignatian prayer retreat last year. An hour of loosely guided prayer every morning. Absolutely treasured it. I thought for sure I was going to have all sorts of experiences to share.
And I did.
But, I kept them to myself. I didn’t blog about them, send out an email, or post about them like I thought I would. I have no answers as to why. I didn’t make a conscious decision not to. It just didn’t happen.
Maybe I’ll share them in the months and years to come. But, for now I’m content to just hold my encounters with God in my heart - in my body, to review them in my journal entries, and to let them inform the mystery of intimacy with my Maker.
So, although I haven’t felt in focus, this outrageously loving God has come into clearer view for me. That’s cool.
little did you know how meaningful this picture would be to me!! 🤍
Side note - in the midst of all this contemplating, I think God has revealed my 2025 word:
✨F O C U S✨