it is finished... (almost)...

The week that began full... filled with a panoramic view of my inadequacies... has come to the end... (almost)...

I completed... all that needed to be done... but I know... it wasn't me...

Today... on the treadmill... my current read... included an Oswald Chambers quote...

We must never put our dreams of success as God's purpose for us. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end. His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. It is the process, not the end, which is glorifying to God. (emphasis added)

My process this week... was different... because of a spiritual discipline a friend shared... one she planned for her observance of Holy Week... her own version... of an ancient practice... The Liturgy of Hours...

A daily practice of... stopping... praying... seven times... a day...
dawn or upon waking...
between 9-10am...
between 11am-Noon...
around 3pm...
dusk...
bedtime...
midnight til dawn... (not with alarm... but by His gentle nudge...)

This week... busting records for full... walking a fine line between faith... and panic... considering whether I had committed to things that weren't mine... because as I looked... it was not physically possible... for me to complete...

This discipline of hours... entered life at just the right time... my friend... when she gave it to me... thought I would not attempt the practice... because she knew all I had to do... thought I wouldn't have time...

Well... without it... I don't think I would have done all... at least not without going nuts... and making everyone around me nuts...

This intentional stopping... even if it was just a couple of minutes... turning thoughts to God with purpose... helped me to recognize His presence... His power... His sovereignty in all things... kept me connected... held me together... with peace...

The process... pushed the envelope of faith... stretched the borders... of my spiritual tent... each prayer... a reminder... Without Him... nothing... gets... done... 

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

Lord Jesus... help me to remember... Your end... is the process... the growing of faith... not completing tasks... or achieving success... Truly... Truly...