Bigger Picture Moments: On community and creativity

I was desperate.

By last week Thursday, after weeks of feeling like we're at the over-saturation point with all the demands of life -- a small business in limbo, my new job, my writing and John's increasingly demanding full-time job -- bleeding over the lines we'd carefully drawn to protect our family life and our inner lives, we didn't just need to put the brakes on, we needed to full out stop the car, fling open the doors, get out and breathe together.

So one night we did. While that time was exactly what I needed with my husband, I still felt in need of refueling --  but I needed a stop that would take longer than one at the pump.

I needed nourishment and strength -- the kind you get only when you surrender from the road for an entire night after you've been driving wildly for days {weeks?} on end.

When life goes into overdrive, what suffers most {behind, unfortunately, our marriage when we're not careful} is my inner life. 

When my voice goes quiet here for lack of time or energy to write my heart out

when there are no hours to spend with people who get and love me

when prayers become quickly shot arrows into heaven

when stillness is found only in the few silent moments before drifting off to sleep

there's a slow sinking of my heart, my inner life into a sand trap of depression.

As we rested heavy into Saturday's Creative Soul with times of writing, reflecting, sharing and pouring our hearts out onto blank canvases spread before our hands forming Visual Prayers,  I was reminded that we weren't made for a life of long-term over-drive. 



But, rather, we created for a life of rest stops

where we refuel around the table

together

Photo courtesy of Melissa.

not just to eat but to be nourished.

where we reconnect through stories shared,

remembering where we've seen Faithfulness

weave into our interwoven lives.



where we refresh our souls through

Conversation that often happens in the quiet.

A weary traveler, I stopped in my desperation to refuel this past Saturday.

But instead of simply just filling up the tank,

I found renewal in the purpose of continuing the drive.

Link your Bigger Picture Moment at Corinne's!

{Interested in Creative Soul? Read more here! Also, we're doing it again, and we'll release details soon!}