Peace, Be Still

Ten days into our Nicaragua trip, Cousin Gene Addink emailed from South Dakota.
His message began, “Congratulations, you have the best blog I have ever read.”

What a hook! It was the best lead sentence possible.

And he’s an accountant.

He described himself as “an aggressive businessman for whom getting ahead in business is what I think about most of the time.”

Then he wrote about his June trip to Dominican Republic:

I decided to go and taken on NO responsibility for the trip other than to show up where the leaders to me to show up and do what they told me to do.

It was a glorious week of no responsibility.

And when my mind was free, it allowed God in.


I had filled it so full of daily “duties,” that I had only allocated a small amount of time in the day to let him speak to me.


Since that trip, I allow myself time to communicate better with our Creator.

In business, I have always known that in communication with others it is better to listen than to speak.

In Dominican Republic, I learned that same principal applies to my communication with God.

I learned to listen more, speak less. . . .

Three weeks ago, I resonated with Gene’s email. In recent years, I too have learned the richness of listening prayer.

This morning I think again about his email. I realize that I’ve been    listening non-stop to God’s people in Nicaragua.

Not allowing time for my soul to catch up with my body.

Not emptying my heart and soul and mind in selfless yes to Him.

So, I sit in the wicker rocker.

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know.


Be still.

Be. . . .
By the way, my cousin’s concluding line was also a zinger. He ended:

Oh, and did I mention this before? Your blog site is also the FIRST blog site I have ever read.