Author Archives: Pam Teschner

Simply

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This morning I woke early and lay peacefully in bed as the light of a new day grew brighter. Shortly after 5:00 am, I heard the first note of the dawn chorus and listened as more voices joined in – finches, chickadees, doves, sparrows, and hungry baby swallows in the nest box at my window.

For several hours, I opened my mind and heart toward God and listened over a cup of hot tea. I mulled over a word He pressed into my mind about a week ago: simply. It struck me while watching a documentary about the life of Lilias Trotter who was a missionary in Algiers from 1888 to 1928. She was an extraordinarily gifted artist and writer with a deep sensitivity to the presence of God in the beauty of His created world. She emanated the simple faith of one who has known and walked with God through great joy and great suffering.

Jesus said to Jairus, whose daughter had died while he was trying to reach Him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Simply believe. Nothing more. Nothing less. And expect miracles.

Over the past week, this phrase has echoed off the walls of my mind – simply believe, simply be open to Me, simply let Me sing My life through your joy and your suffering. Simple faith is the mind stepping back and trusting its heart sight when nothing makes sense.

What bud lies enfolded in me but is restrained by my unbelief and complicated efforts? The thought is sobering yet beats with hope. When I simply believe and trust the Christ who lives in me, He begins to unfold one little possibility, and miracles begin to happen.

Song of the Soul

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It feels as though a microbe has taken us all hostage. In this confinement, I can either attempt to escape, complain about isolation, cower in the corner or sing in my cell.

The current medical and economic catastrophe attempts to pull me into a tumultuous landscape of fear and worry. When I follow that path, my soul vibrates dissonantly with the struggle and strain of being out of sync with Christ and in a place I was redeemed from.

So, I take a breath (in my own private isolated space) and set my self in trusting quietness before the Lord. I listen and wait until my soul syncs with the deep vibrations emanating from the heart of God. In time, my spirit sings in unison with His Spirit and resonates with the sweetness of His peace.

I love quiet waters. I’ve been drawn to them as long as I can remember. I especially love the effect of translucent water against the solidity of rocks. There’s a peaceful calm and unchanging strength in those places. The veil between the seen and unseen is thin there, and I’m touched with a strong sense of the presence of God.

In April, I went to one of my most frequented places on the S. Santiam River to take a photo for a painting. I thought it was high time that I learned to paint these special places. I hope it breathes a quiet melody into your soul.

He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. Psalm 23:2-3

There are still waters running through the spiritual landscape of our souls. The Shepherd treads there calling us to Himself. His voice is ever on the breeze. As we sit with Him, we sync with the rhythm and flow of His Spirit, even when surrounded by catastrophes and hardships. In the stillness, He refreshes and repairs our fragmented souls.

So, take a breath and set yourself in trusting quietness before the Lord. For in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15). In time, your soul will resonate with His peace. Peace is always within reach. In great trial, it reaches for you.