Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2
 
 
“La Ville Lumière” is one of my favorite places to visit. Paris was nicknamed the City of Light because it was one of the first European cities to adopt gas street lighting back in the day and also because of its role in the Age of Enlightenment. Known for being the hub of art, fashion, and cuisine, Paris has so much to offer. One fun fact is that the Louvre is the most visited art museum in the world. Not surprising since it houses many treasures including the famous Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory.
 
On a recent sunny autumn day, I took the Métro to a less-visited museum to see another famous sculpture. The cloudless sky was a beautiful blue and a faint breeze greeted me as I ambled down rue de Varenne. Musée Rodin and its lovely gardens is home to many of Auguste Rodin’s works, including “The Thinker”.
 
Outside in the garden and surrounded by a ring of hedges, the Thinker is a full-size bronze sculpture set on a huge stone pedestal. Originally named “The Poet”, Rodin’s “Thinker” appears lost in deep thought as he sits perched above. His lifelike muscular body looks powerful enough to spring into action at any moment.
 
As I stood below gazing up into this expressive bronze face, I wondered how often I sit and reflect. In a particularly busy season of life, I know I didn’t hit the “pause” button often enough. Although I’m more likely to do so now, stopping to reflect and think is crucial. If we find we are “waking up in the middle of a story”, not really knowing how we got where we are in life, then perhaps hitting “pause” can reset our course, re-shift our priorities, and help us live more purposefully. If we think we are too busy to slow down once in a while, we’re too busy!
 
Romans 12:2 says we are to not be conformed to the world’s patterns but to be transformed by renewing our minds. The world may tell us to wear our busyness as a badge of honor, but what’s the point if we never slow down long enough to ponder whether what we are busy doing is a worthwhile pursuit? Or whether it’s even what God would want us to do? Perhaps we are involved in many good activities but just too many. I’ve been caught in the trap of busyness too often. Pausing and reflecting keeps me grounded. Incorporating Scripture verses and prayer into that thinking time enables me to hear God’s truth and apply it to my life.
 
Taking time out from busy schedules to think, reflect, and pray helps us refocus on what’s important, to redirect our efforts if needed, and to simply slow down so we can journey through life in a more mindful and intentional way. By stopping to think about what God would have us do keeps us focused on His will for us. Even Jesus slipped away for some quiet time and prayer so He could reconnect with His heavenly Father. If He needed to, then surely we do!
 
While the Thinker’s pensive stance is a great work of art, we’d do well to take a cue from this famous sculpture and strike a similar pose. Pause, reflect, and pray. Living unrushed and intentional as we renew our minds and focus on God’s will for us reaps huge rewards here and for all eternity.
 
Lord, sometimes I am simply too busy to pause, reflect, and pray. Help me slow down to focus on You and what You want me to do, not what my to-do list dictates that I do. Transform me into who You want me to be by renewing my mind so that I can then live out Your will in my life, Your good, pleasing, and perfect will. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2017 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of “The Thinker” from Musée Rodin, Paris.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”…When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”  Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11
 
 
Memories of my childhood often include one of my aunts. Although she had nineteen nieces and nephews and a meager salary, every year she purchased Christmas presents for each of us. What made those packages special was her penchant for creating the most gorgeously wrapped packages on the planet, ones that would cause even Martha Stewart to be envious. My favorite wrapped delight held a Christmas elf on top, dressed in red and green with an adorable pixie face and a secret pouch in the back which appealed to my eight or so year-old self.
 
In our key verses today, the Magi, often referred to as the Wise Men or the Three Kings, traveled a great distance as they followed a star that would lead them to Jesus, the Messiah, the King of the Jews. Historically, this day is known as Epiphany and is typically celebrated in many cultures on the 6th of January. This event is amazing to me for several reasons. First, the Magi traveled for a couple of years before they reached Bethlehem to worship a king they did not know. I have to ask myself what my worship looks like and am I willing to spend time worshiping my Lord? Secondly, their worship flowed from a place of joy. Of course, after traveling so far, they probably were glad to just be there and they may have been discouraged earlier when, for a time, they didn’t see the star. But, regardless, their worship flowed from a deep place centered in joy. Do I worship from a place of joy or from a sense of obligation? Lastly, the Three Kings each brought costly gifts to lay at Jesus’ feet. While gold, frankincense, and myrrh seem unlikely offerings for a toddler, I’ve come to realize that Mary and Joseph needed those tangibles when later they fled to Egypt. They required something valuable to trade for food and lodging as they traveled and then settled in a foreign land. God knew exactly what they needed.
 
Sometimes God’s gifts to us come in unlikely packaging. Sometimes it’s obvious, like my aunt’s presents that were all wrapped up in shiny paper with sparkling bows and curly ribbon and maybe a special treat on top. Other times, a box wrapped in brown paper packaging tied up with string isn’t so obvious. Unless we take the time to unwrap it, we won’t know what’s inside.
 
How many gifts from God have I missed because they didn’t look attractive on the outside or they weren’t shiny enough to catch my attention? Or I was simply too busy to notice? God gives me gifts every day:  a gorgeous sunset, the laughter of my children, and the beauty of a colorful flower. Delicious aroma of home-cooked food or the scent of coffee wafting through the air are spiritual gifts in the mundane.
 
Celebrate Epiphany in a new way this year. Unlike the Magi, we don’t have to travel far and long to worship the King. Every day is a gift from God. All we have to do is take the time to unwrap the package and joyfully worship the Giver.
 
Lord, You are my King, the Giver of life itself. You alone are worthy to be praised. Help me be aware of Your wonderful gifts to me in the everyday. Thank You for the joy that abounds when I spend time with You in worship. In the Name of Jesus, the Messiah, the King of Kings, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of tulip from the garden of Abbotsford, home of Sir Walter Scott, Melrose, Scotland.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”   Romans 5:3-5
 
 
Heading toward the security line, I had just checked my suitcase for a recent international trip. Ahead of me was a sign that read “Upgrade Yourself to First Class”. I sighed. I’d be cramped into a coach seat on an overnight flight, knowing that I’d get precious little sleep and have to “hit the ground running” when I deplaned.
 
Passing that disconcerting sign, I rounded the corner in the terminal only to spot a store called “Indulge”. “What an indulgence it would have been to have upgraded myself to first class”, I thought. As I glanced at the store window, it was obvious this was an indulgence of a different kind:  chocolate!
 
Having time to think as I waited in the security line, I pondered the whole idea of upgrading and indulging. We don’t have to be at the airport to encounter these temptations. They are all around us, particularly at Christmas time when the marketing folks are working overtime to convince us we need whatever they are selling.
 
How many lies do we encounter every day in our culture? What sort of advertisements tell us daily that if we only buy their product, we will look young and beautiful or have a lifestyle that looks opulent and trouble-free? Most goods are ones we don’t actually need, but they appeal to our wants and desires.
 
Reflecting on what marketing strategies typically ensnare me, I realize that often I’m looking for what will make my life easier. The twin gods of Comfort and Convenience call to me like the Sirens in Greek mythology, enticing me to come ashore only to have me shipwrecked on the rocky coast and drowned in a pool of deceit. The goods sold rarely live up to the hype.
 
God doesn’t call us to a comfortable life. He is more concerned about our character. John 16:33 says in this world, we all will have losses, troubles, and heartaches. No one is exempt, even someone who seems to have it all together. Character is forged in our sufferings, not in our comfort and convenience. Building character is ultimately the result of how we respond to our sufferings. Giving into the marketers’ lies and indulging ourselves in comfort and convenience can be a coping mechanism for our own hurts. Character-building starts with the choices we make every day. Ultimately we will be like Christ (1 John 3:2) but developing character is a process. It’s not microwavable. There are no instantaneous results.
 
The good news is developing character produces hope (Romans 5:4-5). If we allow God to work in our hearts, we will come through suffering stronger than before and will be walking closer with our Savior, able to trust Jesus through life’s difficulties. The hope created by character is found in God’s love for us (verse 5) which He pours into our hearts by His Spirit.
 
This holiday season, let’s focus on comfort and convenience – but not our own! Giving to those less fortunate than ourselves, offering God’s love and comfort to those who are hurting, and extending hope to those in despair are gifts we can indulge in now and throughout the New Year. The choice is ours – to indulge ourselves or to help others. When we make the right choice, we’ll find we’re allowing God to build our character to become more Christ-like. And that’s an endeavor worthy of indulgence.
 
 
Heavenly Father, especially at this time of year, I pray You will open my eyes to opportunities to give Your comfort to others, rather than thinking about my own comfort and convenience. Even in the midst of my own heartaches, may I focus on You as I reach out to help others. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved.  Photo of fern growing through the sandstone at Sweetheart Abbey, New Abbey, Dumfries, Scotland.
 
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.  Used by permission of Zondervan.  All rights reserved.

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.  Psalm 105:1-4
 
 
Scattered among Scotland’s bucolic land are at least thirty abbeys and monasteries. These gems, often off the beaten path, date back to the Middle Ages. It’s incredible they are still standing! Built of sandstone, they have stood the test of time, multiple wars, and declining budgets. I had the privilege of visiting six of these distinguished structures on a recent trip to the Lowlands.
 
Dryburgh Abbey is located in the Scottish Borders outside of Melrose on the banks of the River Tweed. Built in 1150 for the Premonstratensian Order, Dryburgh Abbey has a varied history with assorted accounts of being burned by troops and later restored. Monks lived, worked, and worshiped here for 400 years. For the next 200 years, the abbey was deserted and began to decay. Efforts in the late 1700’s created a peaceful garden from the ruins.
 
Today, Dryburgh Abbey is missing its roof and several major walls. But interestingly, the chapter house, used as a meeting place by the monks, still remains. I had the privilege while there to meet in the chapter house with my fellow travelers. Singing “Amazing Grace” together within those sacred walls, with the echo of our voices enhancing our choral talents, was calming, healing, and absolutely worshipful.
 
Sometimes we are like Dryburgh Abbey. While our exteriors may (or may not!) have stood the test of time, our hearts have experienced the fallout of numerous battle zones and losses. We are still standing, but we’re broken on the inside. We feel hollow, not whole.
 
Healing begins in many ways. Worshiping the Lord together is a soothing balm to our souls. Just like the affinity felt through song in that chapter house, we experience the power of God’s love and grace when we first connect with Him and then with others. The richness of community yields a harvest of hope and healing. Together, we can experience the healing power of God’s truly amazing grace. May it be so!
 
 
Almighty God, You alone are worthy to be praised. May I sing Your praises and worship You with my sisters and brothers in Christ so that Your Name will be lifted up and our hearts may be healed. Thank You for Your healing power that comes through community with You and with others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Dryburgh Abbey, Dryburgh, Scotland.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”  Luke 10:25-28
 
 
The French macaron is sublime. With its pastel crispiness on the outside and creaminess on the inside, eating a macaron is like eating a slice of heaven. Being lighter than air, I’m sure they must be calorie-free!
 
On a recent trip to Nice, I was fortunate to be a participant in a cooking class where the instructor patiently taught us the art of creating macarons. Although this French delight may look like art, there is definitely a science to making them. As we precisely measured ingredients, meticulously stirred and then carefully piped the dough onto the cookie sheets, it was apparent that there is more to making macarons than meets the eye. The soufflé-like persnicketiness of the dough requires flawless execution. When done properly, the results are incredibly rewarding.
 
I can’t say our efforts were flawless or that our macarons were a work of art. However, both the lemon and the chocolate macarons still achieved that lighter-than-air quality, that subtle crispness, and that to-die-for creaminess. The result was pure joy.
 
Thankfully, the recipe for faith doesn’t require a lot of hard-to-find ingredients painstakingly measured and stirred while following the recipe perfectly. Faith isn’t a set of rules and we don’t have to come already prepared with all the right ingredients.
 
Faith is about love and relationship, forgiveness and redemption, hope and joy. It isn’t a set of rules nor is it about an iron chef just waiting for you to mess up. Faith is based on a relationship with the God of the universe who sent His son Jesus to planet earth to save us from a life without God. To be in a personal relationship with Jesus means believing who He said He was. While the reward for our faith is living in heaven when we die, we also can living abundantly now, with the love, joy, and peace that comes only from Him.
 
Jesus boiled it down to two simple statements:  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. While religion may add a lot of rules, true faith hangs on these two things – love of God and love of others. Faith is about relationship, not religion.
 
While we must follow all the rules if we are to create a delicious French macaron, I’m thankful that following Jesus doesn’t involve a set of rules. I would never measure up if it did. The recipe for faith is loving God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, and loving others as myself. The reward is worth more than all the delicacies this world has to offer – that of hope, love, joy, and peace, for all eternity.
 
 
Heavenly Father, thank You that faith in You is based on relationship and not rules. Show me how to love You more every day. May Your love flow through me to those around me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:31-32
 
 
What is truth? This is the question Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, tossed to Jesus on the night He was condemned to die. (See John 18.) While Pilate seemed rather cavalier in his approach to truth, we can’t afford to be. Whether we talking about what we believe about Jesus that impacts us for all eternity or whether we’re talking about facts that impact us in the everyday, truth matters.
 
In John 8, Jesus is teaching about Satan, calling him in verse 44, “the father of lies”. There is a spiritual battle raging for our souls and the battleground starts in our minds.
 
What lies do you believe about yourself? What tapes play in your head that keep you from being all God intends you to be? What stories do you tell yourself that are simply not true? Many times, we tell ourselves that we are not worthy, that we are not loveable, that we are not capable, that we are not…..fill in the blank. What do you tell yourself that is not true?
 
The enemy will hurl lies at us. He is indeed the father of lies with falsehoods so subtle we are not even aware they are not true. We have a choice regarding whether to believe them or not. But first we have to be aware that these deceptions exist. That can be difficult to discern and acknowledge. Take some time to reflect on what distortions you are believing about yourself.
 
Sometimes these lies come at us from deep within. Over time, we’ve spun a tale about who we are based on our history and our emotions. Or perhaps they are “gifts” from others who have spoken untruths or even half-truths into our hearts that are now buried deep inside our souls. Lies either latch onto existing insecurities and fears or they create new ones. Preventing us from taking risks because we’re afraid, these falsehoods can keep us from reaching our full God-given potential while they wreak havoc in our lives and in those around us.
 
John 8:31-32 says if we know Jesus, if we read the Bible, and if we live according to His teachings, then we will know the truth. Verses like you are loved by God (Jeremiah 31:3), that God has lavishly bestowed His love on you and you are a child of God (1 John 3:1), and that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35) are truths we can hold onto. These and other truths from the Bible can replace the lies in our minds. They can rewrite those stories in our heads that our heart have believed.
 
In John 8:32, Jesus says that when you know the truth, “the truth will set you free”. When you stop believing lies about yourself and start believing God’s truth about you, the lies lose their power over you. Believing the truth frees you to be who God wants you to be, to live as God intends you to live, to be free to be you!
 
 
Lord, I want to break free of the lies that so entangle me. Set me free with the knowledge of Your truth and Your love for me so I can freely and fully be who You created me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Mediterranean Sea from the monastic ruins on Île Saint-Honorat, near Cannes, France.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  Psalm 90:12
 
 
I love to travel. I always have. While working in the corporate world for many years, I dreamed of retirement when I could travel the world, exploring new cultures, languages, and sights.
 
My brother Logan loved to travel, too. I’m thankful he did travel to several exotic places. I know, though, he had so many other travel dreams he left unfulfilled when he died at an early age. My dad also loved to travel and he planned to sightsee once he retired. Unfortunately, he left his career at age 60 due to a disability. He never traveled after that.
 
Psalm 90:12 tells us that we are to “number our days”, meaning we need to understand life is brief. We must make the most of the time we have. When we do, we will be living wisely as the second half of the verse indicates.
 
What is it that you want to ensure you accomplish in your lifetime? What God-given talents, abilities, passions, and dreams do you want to see utilized and fulfilled before it’s too late? Take stock of your talents and abilities. Pray to line up your desires with God’s desires for you.
 
And don’t be afraid to dream. Psalm 37:4 says “take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart”. Even bigger and better than your own dreams are God’s dreams for you. Dream. Dream big. God is able.
 
As I reflect on my own dreams, desires, and passions, I realize that my love of travel, writing to encourage others, and photography are gifts from God that I feel compelled to open and fully embrace. As I check off the activities and places from my bucket list that I’ve already experienced, I’m grateful. Yet I long for more – to meet people from different lands, to hear and to understand a foreign tongue, to indulge in wonderful and different cuisine, and to see God’s handiwork in creation. I long to live life to the fullest while being centered in who I am as a child of God, thankful for the opportunity to grow through my experiences at home and abroad. The God of the universe, the One who created the entire world and who also created me, instilled the desire in me to see His world. I am truly awe-struck.
 
What are your dreams? What do you want to accomplish or experience before it’s too late? What small step can you take today that moves you toward your dream? It doesn’t have to be a radical, life-changing event. Taking even one small baby step is a move in the right direction. Don’t wait until you think you are ready or have the time, money, or energy to make your dreams come true. Dream. Dream big. God is able!
 
 
Heavenly Father, You created me uniquely with specific talents and abilities. You instill dreams and desires within my heart. May those dreams line up with Your will for me. Give me the courage to step out in faith, to dream, and to take that first step in fulfillment of that dream. Thank You that You are able in bringing to life even better dreams that I could hope for or imagine. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by nk permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear.  1 John 4:18
 
 
As a photographer, I am always curious about what’s up ahead. What wonderful photos can I shoot? I’ve found that sometimes I have to get out of my comfort zone and move toward an interesting shot. I have to be curious and let God surprise me with the beauty of His creation.
 
Likewise, in my travels, I’m always curious about where I’m going next. In navigating a winding road, there’s always the possibility of a car coming head-on towards you as you take a curve. Nowhere was that more real than on the northern tip of the island of Maui. I had misread the sign saying the road for the next eight miles was a one-lane road. I thought it said 0.8 miles! I was not only surprised when the road curved around the mountainous slopes over and over again, but I was getting a bit nervous as I couldn’t see around the next curve if a car was coming toward me. Car horns make good warning signals and honking the horn was the only way to let an oncoming car know I was there.
 
Driving the rental car around the curvy road bordered by the mountains on one side and a drop-off cliff to the ocean on the other side was harrowing at best. To say I was “white knuckled” is an understatement! But I had no choice. There was no place to turn around. I had to keep going. At the same time, the scenery was amazing! Traveling the one-lane, somewhat frightening road was the way to get where I wanted to go. I couldn’t give up or go back. I had to move forward through fear.
 
In life, we cannot see around the next bend. The straight I-can-see-for-miles road can suddenly become as spiral as a corkscrew. How do we respond? Do we hold onto life with a death-grip, white-knuckling our way forward? Do we stop and hope someone will rescue us? Do we try to turn around and go back to more familiar territory?
 
When we are scared of the future, our perspective needs to change. Letting go of our anxieties can allow a sense of curiosity to take hold. Maybe we’re on a winding, uncertain path now, but perhaps there is something beautiful just around the bend.
 
Curiosity did not kill the proverbial cat. Fear did. Living in fear instead of wonder and curiosity can cripple us. God does not intend for us to live in fear. In 1 John 4:18, the Bible says “perfect love cast out all fear.” His Word also tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has a plan to give us a hope and a future. We can live confidently know that God loves us and longs to give us hope as we travel into our future. We don’t have to be afraid.
 
As I move through life, even when circumstances are difficult and stressful, I want to be curious about how God is using even the difficulties of my life to shape me into who He wants me to be. I want to be curious, not afraid, about the next step, the next curve in the road. Because no matter what the road looks like, I know Jesus is walking with me. And that is the only thing that matters. Life with Him is in the here and now and also just around the bend.
 
 
Lord, thank You that You are always with me, even when I’m afraid of the future. Help me live in Your perfect love, with curiosity instead of fear, knowing You have a plan for me as I travel life with You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
PS – No photos were taken on the winding road on Maui – for obvious reasons! The attached photo was taken on a recent trip to Scotland.
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of gorse-bordered road near Scott’s View in the Scottish Borders, Scotland.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”  Exodus 3:5
 
 
In Scotland are many abbeys. Often called monasteries, these ancient stone structures seem to be everywhere. On my recent trip to the Lowlands of Scotland, I visited six abbeys. Each one was unique and had their own story to tell. Some were only shells of their former selves, having endured wars or just general decay and neglect over the years. One in particular was fully standing, except for the wood roof that had long disappeared.
 
My favorite was Dundrennan Abbey located in the Dumfries and Galloway area, near the quaint town of Kirkcudbright (pronounced “kirk-coo-bree”). Perhaps Dundrennan was my favorite because it was the first one I visited. Perhaps it was the age of the structure that impressed me as it was built in 1142. Or maybe it was the calmness and sacredness that was almost palpable. Like Moses in Exodus 3:5, I was walking on holy ground.
 
On the day I was there, the sky was ashen with threatening showers. It was cold and damp. The massive dark grey sandstone structure, what was left of it, stood in contrast to the luscious green grass at its feet. There was a silence there, of secrets untold, of stories and legends within its walls. Mary, Queen of Scots, spent her last night in Scotland here in 1568 before traveling to England where she was imprisoned for 18 years and then executed by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. What other stories could these ancient walls tell? Who else, grand or otherwise, graced its space for a time?
 
Dundrennan Abbey is a hallowed place, where Cistercian monks worshipped and worked while living out a simple existence. My heart was drawn to the quietness, the stillness, as I wondered what life would have been like in the 12th century in this holy place. Life was uncomplicated. Worship was experienced 24/7. I envied the monks for their lack of distractions in praising God. This begged the question of myself: what distracts me from worshipping the Lord? What distractions do I allow that keep me from communing with God throughout my day?
 
Years ago, I read a book by Brother Lawrence entitled The Practice of the Presence of God. Brother Lawrence’s job was to wash the dishes. In his work, he was able to praise God while performing his duties, praying constantly as he labored. His activity was not a distraction but a gift he offered to the Lord as he went about his day.
 
The Bible says we are to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is merely a conversation with God. There are no trappings, such as ornate churches or austere abbeys, which are necessary for us to direct our thoughts heavenward. Dundrennan Abbey challenged me to bring that serenity of soul into the everyday where life with God becomes a minute-by-minute reality, not just saved for Sunday mornings. My heart is the hallowed space where I can pray anytime, anywhere.
 
I doubt that Fergus, the Lord of Galloway, had future tourists in mind when he had Dundrennan Abbey built. But I am thankful that the abbey has stood the test of time and remains today to speak into this traveler’s heart of God’s holiness and peace.
 
 
Heavenly Father, thank You for places like Dundrennan Abbey that remind me of Your holiness. Help me to pray continually throughout each day as I abide in Your peace and presence.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Dundrennan Abbey, Dundrennan, Scotland.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

 
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”   Genesis 50:20
 
 
Sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph found himself in Egypt where he was falsely accused of rape and imprisoned. Even his fellow inmates who promised to help him failed to remember Joseph when they were released. See Genesis 37-50.
 
Incredibly, nowhere in the Bible do we see Joseph angry, bitter, resentful, or vengeful. When he finally meets up with his brothers, they are so afraid Joseph will seek revenge. The amazing truth is Joseph had long forgiven his brothers for mistreating him. With tears in his eyes, he tenderly tells them he has forgiven them. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph says they meant to harm him, but God used those circumstances for good. God brought about the salvation of Egypt and neighboring nations like Israel during seven years of famine because of Joseph and the power and wisdom that God had invested in him.
 
When we’ve been hurt by someone, it’s easy to hold a grudge. We feel in control and less vulnerable when we are angry. But when we don’t forgive, we create a spiritual Alcatraz in which the only prisoner is us. Anger, bitterness, and resentment hold us hostage, negatively impacting our lives and spilling over into the lives of those close to us.
 
The key to unlocking this prison is realizing that even though someone intended to harm us, God can and does use these experiences for our good. The “good” is how God uses our pain to draw us closer into relationship with Him as He creates in us the person He wants us to become. Romans 5:3-4 says “we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” When we forgive, we are free to live our lives as God would want us to live, without this weight of unforgivingness wrapped around our ankles like a ball and chain. We are free to become the person we are meant to be. We have hope.
 
I may not be thankful for these negative experiences, but I am thankful that God has taken them and turned them into good. Choosing to forgive unlocks the prison of anger, bitterness, and resentment so I can live freely and fully with God at peace with myself and with others. It is truly by His grace that we can forgive as we have been forgiven by God through Jesus Christ. And that reality, like Joseph forgiving his brothers, is the amazing truth!
 
 
Lord, thank You for forgiving my sins.  May I freely forgive others as You have freely forgiven me.  Set me free from this prison of an unforgiving spirit as only Your grace can do.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 
 
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California.
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™