Now that I have a family of my own, Debbie and I have been faithful to continue this tradition of taking a week each year to go to Siesta Key to spend time together as a family, leave our routines behind, and create more family memories. But over time this place has developed more importance for me as a place to pray.
Our routine is to wake up, eat breakfast, and head out to the beach. The boys play in the sand and surf, Debbie loves to take a book, and while I do partake in the sand and surf and the literary escape, I have taken to spending a good amount of time in prayer. I sit in my chair, let the water wash over my feet, close my eyes, and pray. I speak and then I sit in silence and listen. I listen to the water, the birds, the wind, the people walking by, and the families playing in the water. I listen for whatever God, through the Holy Spirit, might want to share with me. Sometimes it is just a wonderful space to relax and listen, other times I have a very real conversation with our Creator. There is a back and forth; a time for me to speak and a time for me to listen.
The unfortunate part is that I do not live on Siesta Key. I cannot take time each day to sit in the surf to listen and pray. So I must find that space here, in my routines, in my daily life, and I must confess sometimes it is a challenge. So the question I want to invite us to ask ourselves this week is “where is my place to pray”?
Where can you go to unplug from routine? Where is the place that helps you connect to God in a deep and personal way? Do you go there often? I find at times that I have allowed myself to become too busy to pray. That is a dangerous place to be, it is a deadly place to stay.
So this week I want to encourage you to find your place, go to your place, and pray. Pray and listen, listen and pray. God does want to talk to you and have a conversation with you. All we have to do is let it happen.
Have a great week and I will see you Sunday,
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