“I spent the remainder of the afternoon sitting by the river. It was the first time in a long time that I had taken the time to slow down, to re-evaluate my life. It was a deep time for a guy who spent most of his time in the shallow waters of life.”

— Page 48, Seven Days in Utopia

I was on another long walk today. Day after day during this pandemic I walk with God and listen. Today, I heard. It took a while, mostly because I have been a striver, an accomplisher, an achiever… But that has quieted down as the world situation has forced me to slow down and go deeper with God. He gave me a word that struck a chord. It resonated deeply. Though I thought I knew this, today was different. My heart got it. It moved from my intellect to my heart. The word was “dance.” It reminded me of the story of Sarah Hughes that won the Olympic gold medal as an upstart 16 year old back in the early 2000’s. When interviewed about what she was thinking as she competed against the best skaters in the world and wasn’t given a chance to medal by anyone, she replied, “When I was a little girl, I dreamed that one day I would dance for the world. Today, I got to dance for the world.” While the others faltered by fear of failure, trying too hard, listening to the deafening internal and external voices, striving, hoping, etc., Sarah was dancing.

What God was doing today, was giving me a better way. God was saying, “David just dance with the gifts I have given you, stop striving and start living. Breath deep, look around, and when your number is called, dance… life is a dance with my Spirit.” Freedom and peace began to break out in my mind and heart. I am writing this from that heart. The wildflowers of spring were radiant in the early morning sunlight; their fragrance intoxicating. And in the midst of this, the Lord had me load this song and listen on my cell phone. It was a deep time for a guy who has spent too much time in the shallow waters:

(Stephanie Gretzinger: “We Dance”): https://youtu.be/fFfw6OSbUwE

“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those in awe of Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.”
- Psalms 147: 1-11

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
- Isaiah 55: 12

Deep Waters

“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those in awe of Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.” - Psalms 147: 1-11

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” - Isaiah 55: 12

“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those in awe of Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.”
- Psalms 147: 1-11

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
- Isaiah 55: 12