Words of Hope: Tranquility
My dad loved spontaneity, but he also loved ceremony. He believed events required the joy of planning, the importance of tangible ways to talk about the event, and the remembrance of an event. He also liked to have objects that reminded him of times with people. He loved little curio bric-a-brac that had sentimental value. Hundreds of little objects to remind him of different moments in time. These were physical memories for my dad that helped him relive memories in his imagination with gratitude.
Recently NBC Camps hosted a time for coaches and players to dedicate their season to God. We had a time of worship, prayer, and a few moments to fill out a reflection worksheet. We also provided time for people to write their cares on a piece of paper and cast it at the foot of the cross. Finally, they selected a small rock to take with them and wrote their key word on this stone.
My key word for the year is tranquility. Our year at NBC Camps runs September-August and follows the school calendar. Tranquility is the discipline to create an environment of peace. How can I make my day-to-day more peaceful and centered on Christ?
I imagine what tranquility feels like in my breathing, speaking, and engaging with others. I imagine what it feels like in a room that people walk into. I picture my heart like a room, a space for Christ to dwell. What is in my room? Is it full of fear, complaint, busyness, or judgment? If so, I ask for God to clean the room of my heart and invite Him in.
I hold my rock in my pocket and set it on my desk with my scrawled word on top. Each time I see it I check to see if my heart is a tranquil, quiet, and calm place for God to dwell.
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging….
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. – Psalm 46: 1-3 and 10-11
