Being Still

​​I recently attended a women’s retreat sponsored by my home church at Country Lake Retreat Center, Underwood, Indiana. I went, thinking it would be a chance to see lots of old friends. There were a few, but mostly it was a time of meeting new friends—younger women who are picking up the torch of encouraging women in their walk of faith and running with it.

The theme was rooted, from the Ephesians 3:17 reference to being “rooted and established in love” as the way to experience God’s power and know his love in your life. We talked a lot about Quiet Time/personal devotions/ time alone with the Lord because that is one of the best ways so many of us find to nurture our faith and stay rooted. A lot of us are big on doing, making lists, checking things off. Things like Quiet time. Then Jen Derkson stood up and read this poem.
​
Oh, yeah.
 
Sit and Be
I’m here
I’ve got my pens
                  my notebooks
                  my books
                  my Bibles
                  my CD’s
                  my plans
                  my letters
Ready to find you out
 
I’m here, let’s go
I’ve got to do, lots to do
Doing is knowing
Doing is how to find You
 
Where are you?
Didn’t you come?
Didn’t you hear all I said?
Didn’t you see all I did?
Didn’t you feel the weight of all I brought?
 
What?
 
I can’t hear you.
 
Just sit?
 
And do what?
 
Bee…is there a bee?
 
Just sit and be?
What should I do as we sit and BE?
 
I know the three steps of Inductive Study
I know the P.A.R.Ts of prayer
 
No?
 
5 minutes of enforced silence
 
Just be?
 
Be what?  
Reflective?
Insightful?
Inspired?
 
NO?
 
Just sit and be with you
 
And then what?
 
And then nothing?
Huh
Just sit and be with You
That’s all
 
That seems easy
 
                  That’s what you think
 
-- Jen Derksen and her husband of 13 years, Daniel, live in Carmel, IN.   She is a stay-at-home mom with 4 school-aged children.  A graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Jen loves teaching the Bible to children and adults, encouraging others to grow in their intimacy with the Lord, reading, taking walks, and praying with her Moms in Prayer group.

One of the gazebos along the lakeside prayer walk at Country Lake Christian Retreat Center, Underwood, IN.