Have you ever heard of the book or the material called Sacred Pathways? The premise is that we each have unique ways that we are wired on how we best connect and worship God. For some, it’s through enthusiastic worship or activism. For others, it may be through intellectualism, tradition, contemplation, or service. My sacred pathways are through nature and my senses. When my soul needs to connect with Jesus, I head outside and hunt for beauty.
I love the poetry of Wendell Berry, and my generous daughter gave me a book of his Sabbath poems for my birthday along with some lovely William Morris stationary. Both of those gifts speak to nature and beauty. One of my favorite Berry poems is The Peace of Wild Things. It is always a reminder to me to step out, breathe in the wide, expansive grace of God, rest in His loving care for all, and feel that freedom deep in my bones.
This is why it’s important for me to take the time to sit on my back deck, to take a walk almost daily, to collect shells and rocks, feathers and nests. Engaging my senses out in creation is the way I worship, the way I sense God’s care and love for me, the path out of performance and into grace. When the striving and self-recrimination begin their assault on my soul, I push back against that pressure by slowing, examining the lilies of the field, watching the sparrows. How God gently cares for even His small created species of plant and animal is not even in comparison to how well He cares for me. I need that reminder daily.
What is your sacred pathway? Can you connect with God in a fresh way as you begin to head into the weekend tomorrow? God wired each one of us with great care, detail, and attention, and speaks to our souls in intimate, personal ways. I would love to hear how you best find your heart connecting with His.
May you find peace today in a lovely, unexpected way. I found peace down by the neighborhood ponds. The heron, geese, duck, fish, birds, and turtles are lovely companions reminding me of His goodness. All creation sings!
Aimee