Writing in the Stillness: Simply Tuesday.

It's actually Friday, but my heart is nudging me to post today about a special book, "Simply Tuesday," by Emily P. Freeman.

When I was asked to be part of Emily's launch team, I was thrilled (and that may be an understatement). But actually reading the book and soaking in the words of this poetic author who I have come to love (ever since "A Million Little Ways,") exceeded my expectations a hundredfold. Through the chapters in this book, Emily met me in my smallness and became the friend I've always wanted to have. I relished the time I set aside each day to "sit on the bench with Emily" and have a heart-to-heart chat. She had all the answers my heart had been seeking.

Here are just a couple of my favorite quotations:

There are just too many passages from this book to ever write an adequate review--my highlighted pages attest to this fact. But perhaps I can record a few of the metaphors and lessons that helped my soul grow:

I learned how to build a bench--a small place to influence those I love.
I found greater meaning in the word "small" and how beautiful a companion it can be in the Kingdom of God.
I gained new perspective into how gates and cul-de-sacs play into the places we build our homes and lives and found the "home" within me as well as the cul-de-sac where I live.
I grasped the importance of becoming childlike and just how I can do that as wife and a mother and daughter to my Heavenly Father.
I became more trusting of the Lord and the wondrous work He is creating through me.
I learned how to recognize the difficult situations in my life as invitations from the Father to sit with Him in the stillness and listen to the lesson He is trying to teach me.
I was taught how to invite my Savior into my footnote interactions so they don't escalate into headlines.
I learned how ordinary places can become sanctuaries, how we can find friends in the pages of God's word, and how I can come unto Him.
Through reading how Emily comforts herself with scripture passages, I was inspired to treasure up the words of God like a comforter, like medicine, like a soothing cup of cocoa. Then take them out and fill up my soul right when I need them.
I was reminded that Christ is always the way and learned how to invite Him into every moment of my life.
I learned how to surrender myself to His agenda, trusting that He always prepares good things.
And most of all, I realized that it's okay that I am just a small and simple girl who is called to sing in the stairwell and sit with a few on a bench.

Perhaps I can conclude with one of my very favorite passages from "Simply Tuesday:"

"Remember, Jesus never tells children to grow up. The answer to embarrassment, disregard, criticisms, and a thousand other flippant reminders throughout our day that we are not what we wish we were, the answer is not what we grown-ups tend to do--build, protect, figure a way to validate ourselves. The answer is not to convince others of our worth.

"The answer is to accept the invitation of Jesus to be like little children and come to him because he knows on the inside we already are. He invites us not to stoop or to become less than what we are, but to finally take on the truest shape of ourselves: a small and dependent child of God.

"When we let ourselves become who we already are, we allow our souls to be a spacious foundation for the building of the kingdom of God. For that, we don't need a stage, a platform, a position, a title, recognition, reputation, or validation. It's simply Tuesday and we're simply children, sitting on benches, low to the ground."

If you decide to pick up this book, your heart will thank you. Emily's words are comforting, encouraging, and enlightening. I'm always sad when a book ends, because it's like I'm losing a friend, but as Emily reminds me: