we must.

brave: [breyv]
adjective
1. possessing or exhibiting courage or courageous endurance.
2. admirable.
noun
3. a brave person.
4. a warrior.
verb
5. to meet or face courageously.
6. to defy, challenge, dare.
7. to make splendid.

{ we must be brave. we must act courageously. we must look fear in the eyes. we must stand. we must have endurance. we must be warriors. we must challenge ourselves. we must challenge others. we must make splendid moments. we must be brave. }

wonder: [wuhn-der]
noun
1. something strange and surprising; a cause of surprise, astonishment or admiration.
2. miraculous event or deed; remarkable phenomenon.
verb
3. to think or speculate curiously.
4. to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; marvel.
5. to doubt.

{ we must wonder. we must seek miraculous events and remarkable phenomenons. we must doubt. we must ask questions. we must be curious. we must admire. we must marvel. we must allow ourselves to be amazed. we must dream. we must wonder. }

hope: [hohp]
noun
1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or events will turn out for the best.
2. something that is hoped for.
verb
3. to look forward with desire and reasonable confidence.
4. to believe, desire, or trust.
5. to place trust; rely.

{ we must hope. we must feel. we must be optimists. we must look forward. we must desire. we must be confident. we must believe. we must trust. we must rely on something bigger then ourselves. we must seek hope, be hope, live hope. we must hope. }

breathe.

This morning was one of those mornings. One of those morning where as soon as my eyes open, I just want to shut them again. Roll over, forget about the day, stay in the comfy fortitude of cream and white cotton where I can block everything out by the simple closing of my eyelids. It was one of those mornings where the first emotion felt was panic because the only thing running through my head was my list. Oh my dreaded, beloved list. I love to hate and hate to love my list. My ongoing, never ending, ever growing, keeps me sane, makes me insane list of all that there is to do in a day, week, month. How am I suppose to even think about this before I can get my hands on my morning coffee? Well this morning I did and let me tell you - it wasn't pretty. I laid there in my bed, petrified of moving, frozen in fear. Unsure of how to let my feet hit the floor...and then I heard the words, loud & clear, whispering to my wildly beating heart:

"just breathe in grace."

I stopped for a moment, letting this sink in - sink in to the very core of my being, to my very soul - when I heard it again: 

"breathe in My grace." 

And so I sat there, in a few minutes of silence before the loudness, craziness, business of the day began...and I breathed in His grace.

breathe in. { grace }
breathe out. { panic }
breathe in. { grace }
breathe out. { anxiety }

And on and on this cycle went, in those precious few moments that He sought me in the midst of my crazy. In the midst of my mess. In the midst of my { almost } full blown break down.

I often find myself back here. This simple act of breathing. This exercise of the soul. In the wilderness of life, it is these simple pauses in the day that keep me sane. But it is always Him who gives me the reminder to breathe. If left up to me, I find myself drowning in panic and doubt and control and lists and hopelessness.

breathe in. { His will }
breathe out. { my will }

breathe in. { hope }
breathe out. { despair }

breathe in. { peace }
breathe out. { worry }

breathe in. { joy }
breathe out. { heaviness }

Breathing these life-giving words in and out have become vital for the wellbeing of my soul. And as long as my physical body keeps breathing, I must allow the soul to breathe as well.

beach.

Sometimes you just need to go to the beach.

 Sometimes you just need to stand at the oceans edge and let the waves wrap around those tired, worn feet - while grace's waves wrap around that tired, worn heart.

Sometimes you just need to hear the quiet, rhythmic beat of the rolling shore - ushering stillness into the chaotic mind.

Sometimes you just need to feel the fresh, salty air blow against your skin - softening and settling the soul.

Sometimes you just need to stand with toes in the sand and face towards the sky and let the sunshine envelope you - let it lighten and warm the deep places of your innermost being that have turned so dark and cold. 

Sometimes you just need to sacrifice the sleep in order to wake up early so you can watch that sunrise over the horizon - filling your eyes with all the wonder and hope of the promise of a new day.

They say that salt water brings healing to open wounds and I wonder if salt water can also heal the open, bleeding wounds of the soul. 

I wonder if the right beach at the right moment can bring

a deeper stillness

a deeper grace

a deeper healing

a deeper rest

a deeper peace.

sunrise.

There is just something about a sunrise that gets me. 

I love those precious moments before the sun rises over the horizon - all you see is the yellow-orange life it is bringing to the world. It reflects off the glass on the tall buildings. It peeks through the leaves and flowers. It fills crevices and corners of the world that I never even realized existed. And it holds a promise that warms my heart:

{ yes, today is a new day & yes, everything is going to be okay. }

Sometimes I just need a new day. A fresh start. A clean slate. Even one as small as the hours between falling into slumber and waking again. Sometimes, the soul just needs to know that everything is going to be okay. That tomorrow holds enough worries of its own. That yesterdays troubles can't be changed anyways. That His mercies are new every morning. That today, this day, is a new day. I can live in this day, this here & now, this moment and trust: everything is going to be okay. That no matter how exhausted or spent or frazzled or drained I am - tomorrow a sunrise will light up the sky and I get the chance to begin again.

{ pictured above: one of my favorite sunrises to date. Grand Canyon. January 1st, 2011. }