Sunday, September 12, 2010

Dear God,

I didn’t feel well today so I stayed home from church (bummer) and just relaxed hoping I would feel better before I flew out early in the morning to conduct a memorial service in Indiana. I napped, prayed and read.

Later in the day my friend stopped in to introduce me to Gigi, a 14 week old gray newfie dog. As I sat down on the floor in my pajamas, Gigi jumped up on me and started to gnaw on my chin (ouch). Then she got her toenails caught in my pajamas. I talked with her and patted her when finally sprawled completely out, she fell to sleep. While I talked with my friend to catch up on recent happenings, I continued to pat the pup. She never moved, trusting me to be gentle and loving.

I was a stranger to the new dog in our neighborhood. She could have been skeptical of me and kept awake to protect herself but not Gigi. She trusted me completely. She was not afraid or troubled. She slept and gently snored until her new mom finally woke her up 45 minutes later.

Gigi reminded me what a gift trust is. To completely trust is to let go of all fear, skepticism, worry or anxiety. It is giving my self over to someone else and for me that one is you, O God. When I utterly trust you, I too can lay sprawled out free of distress knowing that I am safe in your care. I act upon the belief that you are with me and more importantly that I am with you. I surrender all that is me into all that is you and when I do so, I too fall fast asleep, purring away.

As I practice trust in you, I grow in my courage, in faith and strength. I breathe easier and am able to make better decisions as I consider your will for my life. Trust empowers me to be more myself not trying to be someone that I am not. It gives me power to risk and to take giant leaps knowing that when I trust you, when I go to you for guidance, when I fall backward into your arms, I can go forward, moving in the direction that you wish to take me and what a gift it is.

Teach me
to trust you
in every situation,
O God.
Teach me
to go
to you first.
Remind me
that trust
enables my love
for you
to grow.
Thank you
for your
generous gift,
Loving God.

As always, Andrea