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The Thin Place

You Can’t Save Time

I strive daily to store up good things. I never love anything in halves. Like Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility, it is simply in my nature to love in excess. I don’t like, I love. If there is a song I enjoy, I listen to it several hundred times until I can’t possible handle another measure. If there is a book I am engrossed in, I will deprive myself of sleep for days until it is finished. Balance has never been a strong suit of mine. My brother said my motto should be, “Moderation is for cowards.” Passionate is a word I would use to describe myself; excessive is probably a more accurate one.

Military life and distance from my family, from my husband, it greatly impedes my ability to love lavishly. I crave the ability to pour myself into and out for those closest to me. I long to show them that I love them. I long to be loved. I ache to fit every memory my heart desires into week long vacations and the few short months between deployments.

There is a time and a season for everything. But unlike the harvest, when we store for the coming months, time doesn’t give us that option. We simply cannot control or meld it for our purposes.

I can try to squeeze every moment of life into the time I have with the people around me, but in the end, it will probably just drive us all crazy. The sands of time drop slowly on. I cannot speed them up to make it count for me now because of what will be lost later. As much as I would like to drag my husband around Oahu, cramming in a year’s worth of bucket list items into a few short months, that’s not an option. And if it were an option, would it actually be best?

I am becoming more and more convinced that the answer is no. That our lives are not meant to be lived in desperately forcing and creating moments but with hands held open to receive what is passed on and to let go when it is taken.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34

Each day has enough trouble of its own. These words hit me somewhere deep within my gut. Knots form as I begin to look at the road ahead and the struggles I’ve watched friends endure. I strive to control my life and hope that this planning and striving will remove some of the sting of future pain.

In reality, I’m just robbing the joy today offers. I worry about my health, saving money, storing up memories, but tomorrow will have enough worry to fill it, I don’t have to borrow some today.

 

There will be good days, and there will be hard days. Wisdom is acknowledging the place that each day has in my life. To try to ward off future pain in the days of joy will only tarnish that memory. But when I hold my days loosely and trust that God will call me through each step, I find joy even in the sorrow.

I cannot control my time. I cannot save up my love or store up a year of memories in a few days, but I can take each day for what it is and enjoy the moment God has given me. Each days has its troubles but it also has its joys. Holding hands open, I smile in the moment, for that’s all I am promised. I don’t remain ignorant of the days ahead, but the courage I have is sourced from the joy He promises. The beauty of the Christian life is that we trust God will guide us through pain and through joy and bring us beside still waters to restore our souls.

We cannot store our time, but our Shepherd stands outside of it, guiding us along the path. When we trust in His care, we can laugh at the days to come, and see the joy in every moment.

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The Comments

  • Dana
    May 23, 2017

    “That our lives are not meant to be lived in desperately forcing”…that’s like my life motto. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder.

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Dana
      May 24, 2017

      It’s a good motto to live by!

      Reply
  • Michelle Koch
    May 24, 2017

    I loved this and strive to live this way, but always need reminding. One of my favorite verses too.

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Michelle Koch
      May 24, 2017

      It’s a verse that hits so deeply. Each day will have plenty to worry about, let’s just focus on the one at hand!

      Reply
  • Blossom
    May 24, 2017

    Thanks for the reminder. No point in worrying about tomorrow when it is not even promised.

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Blossom
      May 24, 2017

      Exactly! The only thing we are promised is that God will guide us through every step. Let’s focus more on that!

      Reply
  • Casey the College Celiac
    May 24, 2017

    Such a beautifully written post. I can relate to many points since I was raised as a Marine brat until a year ago (when I turned 20) and my dad retired. We all know that we missed plenty of time together during his deployments and various other time away from home. However, I try to instead focus on the memories I do have with him and how extra precious those moments felt.

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Casey the College Celiac
      May 24, 2017

      That is so beautiful and encouraging. Thank you for sharing. <3

      Reply
  • justine
    May 24, 2017

    AMEN! As a fellow military spouse, this is something that I had to adopt as well. I didn’t like it at first, but savoring each moment — each baby snuggle, each laugh with the husband is incredibly important! understanding that everything is finite def. changes your perspective.

    Reply
    • Bailey
      justine
      May 24, 2017

      Each and every moment needs to be savored! We try to hard to cram in many moments but we miss savoring the ones at hand.

      Reply
  • Courtney
    May 25, 2017

    Oh girl. This post hits so so close to home. Getting ready for a big family transition and I’m finding myself thinking 60 days ahead of today while also grieving the loss of each moment. “We cannot store our time, but our Shepherd stands outside of it, guiding us along the path” is something I will be allowing to roll around in my mind for weeks to come. It’s exactly what I needed to hear. Also, I’m going to be living in western Pennsylvania soon around the same time you’re in Michigan! It’s still far away but way closer than Philly and Hawaii so I’m believing for a blogger friend date some day 😉

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Courtney
      May 26, 2017

      Courtney, I will be praying for your transition and eagerly awaiting our blogger friend date. I went to college in western PA (Grove City) and love that area.

      Reply
  • Liz
    May 25, 2017

    This is so true! I wish I could save time, but I can’t.. so I will just try to enjoy every moment! Great reminder!

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Liz
      May 26, 2017

      Thanks, Liz!

      Reply
  • Ashley
    May 25, 2017

    Love all your words here! And that verse is one of my faves! <3

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Ashley
      May 26, 2017

      I find this verse to be calming and convicting all in the same moment. The word of God is truly living and active!

      Reply
  • Leah
    May 25, 2017

    I am also just trying to live in the moment and not borrow worries from tomorrow. It is hard to do, but so worth it. I can enjoy time with my family and my life more when I am not stressing about what is to come. Thanks for the lovely post and reminder!

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Leah
      May 26, 2017

      It is so much easier said than done. But I also am more and more convinced that it is necessary to pick ourselves back up and try again to take captive every thought.

      Reply
  • Cindy
    May 25, 2017

    Great post, Bailey. Time, we can’t buy it, can’t save it, we do waste it sometimes, but we can redeem time by using it wisely. Enjoyed your thoughts.

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Cindy
      May 26, 2017

      Thank you, Cindy!

      Reply
  • Mica
    May 25, 2017

    This was such a beautifully written post, thank you for sharing. Great advice too, it’s so important to try worry less and live in the moment more 🙂

    I’ve scheduled to share this post on twitter as I really enjoyed it.

    Hope you are having a great week! I published my first eBook on Monday so I’m having a pretty good week! 🙂

    Away From The Blue Blog

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Mica
      May 26, 2017

      Congrats on your ebook and thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  • Jamianne
    May 26, 2017

    What a great reminder to be in the moment and find the joy in what we’re given each day. I suffer from chronic illness and often find myself “waiting” for the good days when I’m well again… in the meantime I miss precious moments that are happening whether I’m well or not. Thanks so much for sharing. <3

    Reply
  • Laura {The Rambling Ramnaths}
    June 9, 2017

    I love this!! It is exactly the reminder I need going into summer. Slowing down and enjoying each day as it comes is exactly what God wants. This way there is room for Him to work and show us where we should be serving him. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  • Melonie burch
    July 16, 2017

    Awesome. Simply awesome

    Reply
    • Bailey
      Melonie burch
      July 16, 2017

      Thanks, Melonie.

      Reply
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Hello, I’m Bailey
about me

Hello, I’m Bailey

The Thin Place was born out of a season of struggle. A season where I felt stretched thin and desperately longed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living. The goodness of God showed up in unexpected ways. During that season, the spiritual disciplines laid out in Scripture, the traditions of the Church, and the reminders of His faithfulness seen in liturgial living and the feasts and seasons of the Church calendar all opened my eyes to the hope we have in Christ.

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Baruch, as you may recall from the book of Jeremiah, was the scribe of Jeremiah. This is a prophetic book written by Baruch calling the people of Jerusalem to repent of their idol worship and return to the Lord. 
Baruch is a great reminder of the importance of confession. The book opens with a call to make respond.
Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord; and they collected money, each giving what he could – Baruch 1:5-6 RSVCE 
Baruch is a collection of the response to sin – both the acknowledgment of sin and the call to God’s mercy. 
#christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy  #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime 
#biblequotes #bibleinspiration
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Baruch, as you may recall from the book of Jeremiah, was the scribe of Jeremiah. This is a prophetic book written by Baruch calling the people of Jerusalem to repent of their idol worship and return to the Lord. Baruch is a great reminder of the importance of confession. The book opens with a call to make respond. Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord; and they collected money, each giving what he could – Baruch 1:5-6 RSVCE Baruch is a collection of the response to sin – both the acknowledgment of sin and the call to God’s mercy. #christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime #biblequotes #bibleinspiration
4 weeks ago
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The Book of Sirach is part of the Wisdom literature of the Bible. It was also written during the Maccabean revolt to encourage the people to hold fast to their Jewish faith and not to neglect the traditions and commandments handed down to them. 
Sirach is one of the books of the Bible found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 1940s. It is also found in every copy of the Septuagint suggesting that is was considered to be Scripture by the Greek speaking Jews of that period.
It is full of practical, clear wisdom that is incredibly applicable to our lives today such as: 
The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. - Sirach 3:18
The higher your position, the more you have to actively seek humility. When you are in a low position, when you rely on others, humility is a more natural disposition and you recognize your dependence on God. When you are great, you need to actively seek humility. 
Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. - Sirach 15:11
This is pretty straightforward. We cannot blame the Lord when we choose sin. The Lord does not do what He hates. He will always provide a way for us to choose good and it adds to our shame when we choose sin and blame God for it. 
A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily. - Sirach 20:18
As the Book of James expands upon the importance of bridling your tongue but more abut consistently in the Book of Sirach we are exhorted to keep charge over our tongues. Ironically, this is much easier said than done. 
Whether you’re new to the wisdom literature or have spent years pouring over proverbs, Sirach is a great place to begin in living a wiser, more biblical life. 
#bibletime #biblereading #readyourbible #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #savedbygrace #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #givemejesus #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #biblescripture
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The Book of Sirach is part of the Wisdom literature of the Bible. It was also written during the Maccabean revolt to encourage the people to hold fast to their Jewish faith and not to neglect the traditions and commandments handed down to them. Sirach is one of the books of the Bible found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in the late 1940s. It is also found in every copy of the Septuagint suggesting that is was considered to be Scripture by the Greek speaking Jews of that period. It is full of practical, clear wisdom that is incredibly applicable to our lives today such as: The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord. - Sirach 3:18 The higher your position, the more you have to actively seek humility. When you are in a low position, when you rely on others, humility is a more natural disposition and you recognize your dependence on God. When you are great, you need to actively seek humility. Do not say, “Because of the Lord I left the right way”; for he will not do what he hates. - Sirach 15:11 This is pretty straightforward. We cannot blame the Lord when we choose sin. The Lord does not do what He hates. He will always provide a way for us to choose good and it adds to our shame when we choose sin and blame God for it. A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue; so the downfall of the wicked will occur speedily. - Sirach 20:18 As the Book of James expands upon the importance of bridling your tongue but more abut consistently in the Book of Sirach we are exhorted to keep charge over our tongues. Ironically, this is much easier said than done. Whether you’re new to the wisdom literature or have spent years pouring over proverbs, Sirach is a great place to begin in living a wiser, more biblical life. #bibletime #biblereading #readyourbible #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #savedbygrace #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #givemejesus #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #biblescripture
1 month ago
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The Book of Wisdom full of poetic principles and outlines how to live life well. Written around the time of the Maccabean revolt, it is written in the style of Solomon (and is sometimes referred to as “The Wisdom of Solomon”) but was written by later authors.
While this book was not accepted in the Jewish cannon, it is in every copy of the Greek Septuagint but it was quote by St Augustine over 800 times and, most importantly, was declared Scripture at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. 
It focuses on Wisdom guiding the lives of the faithful, the follies of the wicked, and focuses heavily on our future home with God and the life to come. 
For those of you familiar with the Nicene Creed, the Book of Wisdom is one of the sources of inspiration of our description of Jesus Christ. The reference to Christ being “Light from Light” is taken from Wisdom 7:26 which refers to Wisdom as being a “reflection of eternal light.” 
There are also several passages in Wisdom which foretell the death of Christ. One of my favorite passages is Wisdom 14:7, “Blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes,” which reminds me how truly blessed is the cross which held the Savior of the world, our perfect Sacrifice. 
Wisdom is very similar to the book of Proverbs in length and style. It points constantly to the Lord who, as James tells us, is ready to give wisdom to those who ask.
#proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword  #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld
#thinplaces #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
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The Book of Wisdom full of poetic principles and outlines how to live life well. Written around the time of the Maccabean revolt, it is written in the style of Solomon (and is sometimes referred to as “The Wisdom of Solomon”) but was written by later authors. While this book was not accepted in the Jewish cannon, it is in every copy of the Greek Septuagint but it was quote by St Augustine over 800 times and, most importantly, was declared Scripture at the Councils of Hippo and Carthage. It focuses on Wisdom guiding the lives of the faithful, the follies of the wicked, and focuses heavily on our future home with God and the life to come. For those of you familiar with the Nicene Creed, the Book of Wisdom is one of the sources of inspiration of our description of Jesus Christ. The reference to Christ being “Light from Light” is taken from Wisdom 7:26 which refers to Wisdom as being a “reflection of eternal light.” There are also several passages in Wisdom which foretell the death of Christ. One of my favorite passages is Wisdom 14:7, “Blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes,” which reminds me how truly blessed is the cross which held the Savior of the world, our perfect Sacrifice. Wisdom is very similar to the book of Proverbs in length and style. It points constantly to the Lord who, as James tells us, is ready to give wisdom to those who ask. #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #thinplaces #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
1 month ago
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3/5
Chances are, the Books of Maccabees are probably the deuterocanonical books you are most familiar with!  It is in these books that we find the origins of Hanukkah.
To be honest, they are a rough read. A really rough read. They detail the suffering the people of God endured while their enemies attempted to control their land and wipe out their religion. 
It is a set of books filled with great suffering as many of the faithful are killed but it is also a book of great bravery and trust in the Lord in the midst of trials.
In Maccabees, two of the theological principles used today are clearly seen. The first, that God created the world out of nothing. 2 Maccabees 7:28 details how God did not make the world out of things already created, but out of nothing. 
The second principle is that of praying for the dead. While there are references throughout Scripture and it is a clear practice of the Early Church, it is most clearly referenced in 2 Maccabees 12. 
#christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy  #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime
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Chances are, the Books of Maccabees are probably the deuterocanonical books you are most familiar with! It is in these books that we find the origins of Hanukkah. To be honest, they are a rough read. A really rough read. They detail the suffering the people of God endured while their enemies attempted to control their land and wipe out their religion. It is a set of books filled with great suffering as many of the faithful are killed but it is also a book of great bravery and trust in the Lord in the midst of trials. In Maccabees, two of the theological principles used today are clearly seen. The first, that God created the world out of nothing. 2 Maccabees 7:28 details how God did not make the world out of things already created, but out of nothing. The second principle is that of praying for the dead. While there are references throughout Scripture and it is a clear practice of the Early Church, it is most clearly referenced in 2 Maccabees 12. #christianwoman #graceupongrace #jesusgirl #inspiredfaith #womenlivingwell #jesuscalling #faithfilledcaptions #catholicblogger #Catholicconvert #CatholicWoman #chasingsacred #christianwomenleaders #bibleverse #biblestudy #christianblogger #faithinhim #proverbs31woman #faithful #Godisgood #encouragementgallery #godslove #christianposts #christianquote #prayer #prayertime
1 month ago
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Judith is another archetypal story of the battle being won at the hand of a woman, seen also in Judges and Esther. 
During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, an army is sent to destroy the mountain town that Judith lives in. The people are greatly distressed and death seems to be the only option. Judith, a wealthy widow, trusts in the Lord and ultimately, kills the opposing military leader and brings peace to the people.
It is a story of God’s provision for His people in their exile through an unlikely source, a widow. In Judith, we see an archetype pointing to Mary and to the Church, waiting for her true Bridegroom. 
But it is also a story that points to the Lord’s desire to draw all nations to Himself! One of my favorite parts of the book of Judith is that it tells us of the conversion of a man who initially sets out to fight the Jewish people coming to believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. 
“And when Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God, and was circumcised, and joined the house of Israel.” - Judith 14:10
It beautiful reminder that God’s deliverance is for all mankind. 
#proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword  #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
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Judith is another archetypal story of the battle being won at the hand of a woman, seen also in Judges and Esther. During the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, an army is sent to destroy the mountain town that Judith lives in. The people are greatly distressed and death seems to be the only option. Judith, a wealthy widow, trusts in the Lord and ultimately, kills the opposing military leader and brings peace to the people. It is a story of God’s provision for His people in their exile through an unlikely source, a widow. In Judith, we see an archetype pointing to Mary and to the Church, waiting for her true Bridegroom. But it is also a story that points to the Lord’s desire to draw all nations to Himself! One of my favorite parts of the book of Judith is that it tells us of the conversion of a man who initially sets out to fight the Jewish people coming to believe in the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. “And when Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God, and was circumcised, and joined the house of Israel.” - Judith 14:10 It beautiful reminder that God’s deliverance is for all mankind. #proverbs31woman #proverbs31 #womenintheword #virtuouswoman #godlywoman #godsgirl #christianliving #butgod #blessedandhighlyfavored #trustgod #daughteroftheking #walkbyfaith #daughterofaking #beautyfromashes #graceupongrace #dailydevotional #faithjourney #jesuslover #faithblogger #godisgood #graceoverperfection #michiganblogger #wordbeforworld #encouragingquotes #christianlife #christianencouragement
1 month ago
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