"Beautiful" didn't really happen before Him, and yet He's always been.. and He's had you in mind since before the foundations of this world. So pause.. enjoy Him and His creation today.

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature, and God. ~ Anne Frank

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." Ecclesiastes 3:11

Do you feel weak or weary to the bone.. or just weary in well-doing? God ain't, not ever and he never gets too busy for you. He's SO powerful and refreshing. His call is for us to work.. but after we put Him first. His call is for us busy folk to pause and spend some time with the Lord each day. 

How beautiful to watch Him work in our lives using Scripture, personal reflection, believing prayer, and a practical Bible application. He challenges us to step away and realign with His truth instead of this corrupt world system. 

The analogy of a "time-out" is both relatable and convicting for young and old alike—reminding us that even as adults, we need moments of real stillness to be refreshed by God's presence.

Let your eyes, mind and human spirit capture a glimpse of Him via the beauty of His calm quiet creation.  Nothing beats encountering the Lord - He has spoken and speaks through His handiwork. This is a warmhearted invitation to take time away from the crazy chaos, to slow down, and breathe in His Word and breathe out some praise. 

Step away, step away today.. from all the noise and wild comotion. Slow down. Breathe in His Word, His loving grace. Be filled to full.. be refilled with His Spirit. Breathe out praise. Refills are free. 

God meets us in His secret place (John 14:21). He teaches us and strengthens us as we remain in Him. A life that bears lasting fruit comes from time spent in His presence (John 15:4–5; 1 Corinthians 3:14–15; Psalm 92:12–14). Jesus Himself withdrew often to commune with the Father—how much more do we need to do the same?

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35) "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16)

Man Kurt, what's a "quiet time"? It's a daily break away from the wierdnesses of this life here. It's an undistracted meeting alone with God—a sacred time out, a pause to read and meditate upon the truth of His word, and to pray to Him expectantly.

If your life feels too full to make any space today for this (has it felt like that all week, or month, or year?), then it’s time to rearrange personal priorities. Our schedules may need a bit of pruning to clear away unnecessary busyness.

As you look away to Him, God delights to meet all of your needs and even to use you to meet some needs for those who feel weary around you.

P: Lord, I want to pause. Please use us to be good witnesses and help us say to to overbusyness.. help us to say only what you would have us to say.. at just the right time. All need You, and need to hear from You too. How can we obey if we don't take time to hear from You?

"The Lord God has given Me His Servant the tongue of disciples as One who is taught, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple as One who is taught." Isaiah 50:4 amp

Jesus said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33 esv

A word of caution: Some meditation practices focus on emptying the mind only, but Scripture calls us to fill up our minds with what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable (in his word. Philippians 4:8). Rather than emptying and focusing on nothingness, we are to renew our minds with His truth for wise application-sake that glorifies Him (See Romans 12:2).

There is a time to be silent and a time to stand up, and speak up (Ecclesiastes 3:7). God's kind of wisdom teaches us when to hold our tongues and when to boldly declare His truth.

Silence can reflect some grief at times, or reverence, or wisdom (Proverbs 10:19; 17:28), but there are also moments when God calls us to cry out to Him, or speak out—against the injustice in our world (Isaiah 1:17), in testimony (Acts 4:17–20), and to encourage others in Christ (Ephesians 4:29).
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Remember Queen Esther? She recognized her time to speak (Esther 4:12–14). Jesus, standing before Pilate, knew His time for silence (Matthew 27:11–14). Therefore, discern wisely when to retreat into the secret place with God as Lord, and when to speak out for His glory. Biblical evangelism is about living the life, and wisely speaking His truth. I like to give people an opportunity on the spot if they need some prayer.. if they need Jesus today.

The secret place is not just a location, believer—it is sort of a state of a soul deeply connected to God in fellowship. “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” (Psalm 32:7). Whether in trials, persecution, temptations, or in daily life, The Lord is our Shelter, our burg (fortress of protection), our peace, our strength, our all in all.

So, take some time.. all that you need and long for. Step away. Be still. Listen up. Let God's Word transform you. The world is SO loud and distracting, but God still small voice.. speaks to us.

The only (Triune) God has made our world such a beautiful one, but sin can really mess up God’s creation (you've seen this).. We can't change everything or any of the people around us, but we can pray and do our specific part, knowing He can lead us and change what he will. I still need Him to change me. We can also enjoy his presence as we walk close with Him. Thanks and praise to You Lord - thanks for the beauty You've given.

If you're too busy all the time.. to spend some time with the Lord.. then you're just too busy and.. Need to Put Yourself in a Time-Out, Sport. Even if you have young children you’re probably thinking: Yikes, I’m asking that question wrong. Kids are put in time-out, not us grown-ups. Possibly, you have neither kids nor nieces nor nephews to watch ever.. who might need a time out some days?

So what is it? You know "a time-out" is the imposed temporary suspension of activities for a short amount of time with the intent of calming, reorienting, or disciplining a child. Consider your current need for quiet and refreshment for your soul. Do you need calming and reorienting? Are you feeling a bit frazzled and frayed as of late? Call it self-care with a #Bible if ya like, or a time-out of candor. You know everyone’s mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being demands a bit of rest and refreshment with Christ on occasion.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not whither.” Ps. 1:1-3

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers.. what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” Ps. 8:3-5

The Bible says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” Ps. 19:1-4

"There is no speech, nor are there spoken words from the stars; their voice is not heard." Psalm 19:3

Yep, there is no speech or language where the voice of the skies or heavens is not heard and understood.

So it is with not only the skies, but also trees and flowers. The wonder and enjoyment of God’s creation is “heard” by all at the arboretum or small garden, despite the many languages. “I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” (Ps. 139:32)

Sort of like a small child runs free on the paths at that vacant lot you've been gardening on, or a teen at the arboretum, with their hair blowing in the wind, so, too, we adults are also set more and more free ..liberated, manumited, unchained, as we run in the paths of God’s good commands (they're like safity guardrails on a winding freeway).

Sure, with total abandon inside, with jubilant laughter, with faces beaming from ear to ear the children run and play in the gardens. This is a picture of the abundant life God wants us to enjoy.. if we'll only will follow our Chief Shepherd closely. “Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.” Ps. 139:35

It takes a daily choice - to follow Him and His directions and he gives us clear directives. We pray, obey and say..and truly delight in Him each day. “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Ps. 119:18

As my eyes have been opened His beauty there with the trees, the indigenous plants.. the flora and fauna.. the flowers, trees, bees and seeds.. may God open our eyes to the beauty and wonder of his good statutes.

Decided. I'm divin' in, I'm bein' with Him. I'm gunna do it again this time out thang (with Him and a fresh coffee too). You can too.

Yeah, impose a temporary suspension of activities (that we all can feel distracted by) for yourself with the intent of calming and reorienting your own life.

I don't always feel like it.. pausing.. but it's good for me and those around me. Put yourself in a time-out on purpose. For His purpose. Prayer is sorta like healthy breathing huh.. takin' in.. fresh.. listening for His words, and candidly talk some outward to Him, again and again. It's so healthy. We don't need some "new age" type of a pause, which is merely old age eastern mysticism that steers in a bad direction.

P: Lord, I pause. What would you say to me? What would you have me do today? Please impact and bless people through me as I walk and pause some more. Send a fresh awakening soon. My friends need you now.

Hey, if you're too busy for the One who made and loves you, then you're just too busy. People that crash in the fastlane live like that, with zero pauses.

Politics can do it. Most politicians don't even pause for the Lord, but You can and not crash. Ask and trust God to guide you now.

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