Daily Devotional 5.8.20 Brian Anderson

Kristin, Sophia, Kiearan, Douglas and Brian Anderson

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27 (NIV)

“Do Not Be Afraid.” Though the Bible states those 4 words as a phrase over 400 times… I am unable to practice that very well right now. There is much uncertainty, unknowns, questions, concerns, changes as the world continues to live into and through this COVID-19 pandemic.

I am living at a heightened level of anxiety, as many, if not all of us are. I am realizing my temper is extremely short (and I am not at all my ‘normal’ self) and anger and frustration are close by. Experiencing those emotions so much more frequently the past six weeks, sadness becomes a traveling companion. Sadness of who I am in the midst of these turbulent times, of who I am to myself and to my family. I am reeling through a roller coaster of emotions daily, sometime hourly, and fall into bed, earlier than normal, exhausted, only to wake up not feeling rested and the cycle continues through updates and an overload of information.  How do I face today renewed? Joyful? Peaceful? Playful with my family? Supportive at work? Thankful of going to work?

I pause. I turn off the news. I close the computer and put my phone out of arms reach. I sit. Be. I open my arms for the children to climb into my lap with one or many books. I watch the trees as they begin to bud. Spring is bringing forth new life. Renewal and resurrection are happening during the Easter time.

“Do Not Be Afraid” is at the end of that verse. Working backwards I find encouragement and strength. “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Ok. I’ll practice that too as I slowly re-read and listen, hear and become aware of my demeanor right now seeking to not be troubled by the external forces.

The verse begins with a Divine gift. Not offering or giving what we think we need, want, or desire through the understanding of the world, but on a deeper and more soul nourishing channel. A gift of immense measure. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”

So I read this verse again slowly. Taking in a breath, holding and releasing before I begin reading. This time focusing and hearing the words in the present, not reading to get to the end. This creates space to turn down the pressure cooker, release the steam, and know the peace. So by the end of this verse, a mere 32 words later, I am open and ready to truly, deeply receive the words without trouble, without being afraid. Now I know peace. I experience peace that was left for me, that is a gift to me from above and from within… to you and for you as well. Know peace this day. Be at peace. Be peaceful.

Let us pray.

Creator, guide us as we seek the peace you offer us each day. Help our thoughts and actions to exhibit the reality of not being afraid as we choose to care for each other in new and vibrant ways through this time of change and challenge.  Let our hearts not be troubled, let us be joyful in your presence, being present here and now in all we are and do. Amen.

Hello, I am Brian Anderson. I am married to Kristin Anderson and the father of three delightful children: Douglas, Kiearan and Sophia. I am the chaplain at Alaska Pacific University and also work at AK Child & Family as Spiritual Life Minister. We stay busy in the day-to-day cycles of our family life sharing plenty of laughter.

Daily Devotional 5.2.20 Lia Slemons

Lia, Daphne, Freda and Jason Slemons

“Before mountains had been shaped, before hills, I was brought forth. When he had not yet made earth and fields, or the first dust of the world, when he established the heavens, there I was, when he drew a circle upon the face of the deep, when he made skies from above, when he founded fountains of the deep, when he assigned his limits to the sea, that waters shall not transgress his command, when he marked the foundations of the earth, I was beside him, a master workman, and I was delighting day by day, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in the world of his earth, and my delight was with the children of humankind.” – Proverbs 8:25-31

Every spring I am stunned by the overnight greening of birch buds. How they sneak up on me (again)? I’ve read the textbooks about a tree’s capillary system, but it feels like magic. 

Our family backyard project last week drilled right into the magic, and now we can see, feel, and taste it. And collect it in jars, bags, and growlers. The birch are pumping sap by the bucketload! The invisible transformation is filling all the glass jars in the cupboard of containers that I ought to have thrown out by now and I’ve made a fire today just to enlist the woodstove in boiling it down to a sweeter solution. Free candy!

Are these invisibly vibrant trees full of wisdom? We don’t really know that from this Proverbs introduction to wisdom, but they were crafted by God and wisdom delights in that and with the children of humankind.

I wish that I could drill beneath the surface of this period of disorientation and see what magic, if any, is flowing to green the buds. Are we gaining confidence in truly asking and answering, ‘how are you doing?’ Are we noticing how a routine helps, or how it is better to toss it out and restart? Are we holding onto neighbors on the margin? Are we sharing suffering and sharing joy? Are we nurturing (or exhausting) patience? Is wisdom deepening our roots?

The birch have a surer purpose with their sap than I do. Some members of my family are lobbying to make syrup, but my kitchen fairy wand doesn’t appreciate a thermometer tether … although it could be another experiment. We boiled the heck out of it and sipped (or gulped) sweet spring tea this morning. The first cup we drank straight from the tree. The birch don’t need to know that their sap will bring leaves.

I wish that I knew when and what leaves will grow this spring, but I can be aware that life is flowing, and remember to drink some water.

Dear God, thank you for your invisible presence, both when I can’t feel you and when I am surprised by your gifts. Thank for you creating us to grow and to give. Help me trust that you are a guide who is present when we are entering new lands. 

Lia Slemons is a wannabe skier who runs a lot. She works for the KMTA National Heritage Area on community trail connectivity. She is held together by her husband Jason and her daughters Freda (6) and Daphne (almost 3).