I mention Emily P. Freeman’s podcast often. Hers is the one I look forward to dropping on Tuesdays. She has a calm voice, interesting insights, and a love for Jesus that draws me in. Today, she shared 10 things that are “saving her life right now.”
What does “saving your life” mean
That idea of what is “saving your life” right now comes from Barbara Brown Taylor. In one of her speaking engagements, the host asked her to address that question – “What is saving your life right now?” Typically we know and can articulate well our concerns, the issues in our lives, the worries or struggles. But it seems a greater challenge to identify the things that give us life. These can be big or small things, even things that seem trivial to others but for whatever reason are giving us joy.
“What is saving my life now is the conviction that there is no spiritual treasure to be found apart from the bodily experiences of human life on earth. My life depends on engaging the most ordinary physical activities with the most exquisite attention I can give them. My life depends on ignoring all touted distinctions between the secular and the sacred, the physical and the spiritual, the body and the soul. What is saving my life now is becoming more fully human, trusting that there is no way to God apart from real life in the real world.”
Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World, A Geography of Faith
I hope you’ll share in the comments something saving your life today!
My FIVE Things
Here are five things that came to mind – these are saving my life today!
- Sleeping with the window open next to my bed and waking up to the cool air in the morning is so pleasant. I love opening the doors and windows in the early morning hours with temps in the 50s and 60s. We’ve been able to leave the air conditioning off until the afternoons when the temps are still hovering too close to 90 degrees. What a joy the change in seasons is.
- Listening to women teach the Bible is filling up my soul. Courtney Doctor and Paige Benton Brown are amazing orators, but even better, their hearts and lives are devoted to the love of our Savior, and they know the Scripture! Just wow!
- Similarly, saving my life right now is sharing in Bible study with tables of women who love the Lord and desire to follow Him well.
- Making simple fruit smoothies with plain frozen fruit, almond milk, and greens (mostly spinach & kale) has been so much fun, healthy & satisfying! Like having a daily dessert!
- Talking with teachers online about their craft, the art and science behind their work, reminds me that we don’t appreciate our teachers enough! Talking with them also encourages me that there are many men and women out there giving themselves daily to serve our children well.
