If you have ever lived with someone else, you know what it is to share space.
Growing up, perhaps it was a sibling. (Mom! She is on MY SIDE of the car! Her toys are in MY part of the room! She is breathing MY air!)
During our young-ish adult years, perhaps it was a roommate. And perhaps said roommate was such a space invader that a duct tape line had to be placed on the carpet and any stray items that crossed the line were fair game for the trash can. #AskMeHowIKnow
Then maybe it was marriage. Lord in heaven– why does my beloved ALWAYS lay his wet towel out to dry on my half of the bed?
Now? Kids. Space to myself has reached a new level of precious. No longer is taking a bath solo any time of day an option. It is a strategically calculated action of relaxation. And don’t even get me started on actually going to the bathroom alone.
So yeah. A place for legit space can be a high commodity in this world of all things family– especially as we follow Jesus.
Which leads me to how a Sunday in church a couple of months ago changed my life.
We were sitting there, listening to our wonderful preacher preach on… Something. Although I can’t remember the big message now (Philippians? Ephesians?) he did say something that changed the way I do life.
He was talking about how he was just in a “mood” one Saturday and needed to be re-centered on God. Then, quickly as those words came out of his mouth, he mentioned something about spending some time in his “prayer closet.”
Holy bells and whistles started going off in my head. Prayer Closet?!?! YES! I want one of those!!! NOW!
The wheels were spinning. My walk with God had been a little forced as of late thanks to my attempt to do quiet time at the kitchen table in the morning with my not-so-quiet toddler.
Most of the time I ended up more stressed and frustrated than relaxed and God-connected.
I grabbed the bulletin and scribbled a note to my husband:
Me: Prayer closet! Can we get one of those?
Brandon: I guess.
Me: Will you help me make one?
Brandon: Now?
Me: <eye roll/sigh.>
Brandon: I guess. Where?
Me: I have an idea.
Clearly you can tell who was more excited about the prayer-closet prospect. Fortunately, my enthusiasm didn’t fizzle out. Brandon had to randomly go to work that Sunday afternoon for a few hours, so as soon as Tiny Human was down for her nap, I sprung into action.
In less than an hour, I had purged/reorganized our moderate-sized master bedroom closet. I smooshed all of our hang-up clothes and shoes to one sit. I sat up a TV tray and mushroom chair. I grabbed a cross statue and a couple of votive candles, along with some pens, my journal, sticky notes and markers.
Our initial prayer wall… That continues to grow.
Boom. Our prayer closet was born.
And let me tell you friends: That space is one sacred place to me. It has been a refuge. A place of peace. A place to re-center.
A place to be.
Is it perfect? Nope. Is it fancy? Nope. Does my poopy-pantsed toddler sometimes still invade my space and stink up the joint? Yes.
But it is a rich, quiet, space to meet with Jesus when the world becomes just too much.
So that is today’s challenge: Make a space for 2015 to meet with Jesus. Think of it as your favorite place to “Date” Him.
Dream a little bit. Do you already have a special Jesus meeting place? If so, what does it look like? If not: where could you create a sacred place to meet with Him with your current resources? What would you include? What would it look like? Join the conversation and leave a comment.
Make some space for Him, be it a corner, a chair or yes– even a little clothes-filled prayer closet.
Sacred place for spiritual space.
Living for Him,
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” ~Mark 1:35 NIV
Linking up today with Kelli via Unforced Rhythms, Laura at Playdates with God, Joan’s Beauty in His Grip, Jen over at Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood, and Hazel via Tell Me a Story. Be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
