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Be Still

Writer's picture: A'Leeyah PonderA'Leeyah Ponder

"Be Still" – These words often come in the form of a command by a grandmother watching you run around the house, or a mother trying to do your hair, or God; well, those are my first encounters with that phrase. I am quite familiar with being told to "Be Still", even as an adult. I am either thinking about the next thing on my to-do list, creating a to-do list, or looking for it. I have had a hard time with stillness because I feel there is so much to do in such little time.


... But what if we have more than enough time to get everything we need to get done done? What if the practice of stillness doesn't rob us of productivity time, rather energizes us to maximize the time we do have to be more productive?


One of my homegirls recommended a "morning routine". She told me it matters how I start my day, and the disorder and lack of organization I experienced throughout the day could be attributed to my hasty and unorganized mornings. She did not lie! On any given morning, I would wake up, pick up my phone, hop on social media, and get to scrolling until another alarm went off prompting me to get out of bed; OR, I would be woken up by my phone vibrating from an incoming call from any given person and I would either watch it ring, or answer. CHAOS. COMPLETE CHAOS.


Since our conversation, I've started developing a morning routine that implements stillness and pause. It goes like this...


  1. Pray

  2. Journal (Free-write or affirmations)

  3. Stretch

  4. Drink some tea and/or water + Read my Bible

  5. Get ready for the day


Now the routine is still under construction, but I've seen a major different in my peace throughout the day. During each step of the routine, I pause and get still. I focus on my present moment and task without rushing; and this is undeniably the most levelheaded i've been in years: Not to say I've been losing my mind, but it is to say, some of my anxiety can be attributed to the lack of order in my life which heightened my worry, anxious thoughts, fear, and feelings of being overwhelmed.


In all of these efforts to get more organized, I've also seen God. When my parents or mentors are advising me to get still I am reminded of Jesus saying "Peace, Be Still" (Mark 4:39 King James Version, KJV) in the book of Mark.


Mark 4 (New Living Translation, NLT) reads,

"35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?

39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”"


Girl, why should any of this matter to me? And why are you sharing these scriptures?

Well, if you've ever felt like your life was chaotic or overwhelming, destroying both your peace of mind and your overall well-being there is hope. Imagine the world's affairs are the waves in the scripture, your mind, is the boat, and you are inside of the boat watching your mind and thoughts, impacted and beat-up by the world's affairs. This is stressful, but above stressful, it's scary. If the board of education is defunded how will I pay for college? If my friends or family members are deported due to their U.S. citizenship status what does that mean for my community? and what does that mean for them? Would certain elected officials make it impossible for me and my peers to get justice in the face of hate crimes and systematic oppression in the United States? BE STILL.


Although you can not tell the world's affairs, our political systems, or your boss(es), to "Be Still" you can tell your mind and body. You can find stillness amidst the chaos. You can find and sustain peace admits the world's affairs threatening to tear your life apart. You have the power to choose stillness and peace.

So, in the face of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and the 2025 Inauguration day, choose to create a routine that prioritizes stillness or find intentional moments of pause to get grounded.

The waves, and the world, may seem to be threatening your safety, security, and peace of mind, but you don't have to get it that power. Know that you have the power to say, "Silence! Be Still" or "Peace, Be Still" when you are tempted to worry about the waves and the world throwing you off balance.


You got this! <3 :)


I love you! Jesus loves you most!

Get quiet and get still.

Your peace is still in reach! And peace is too expensive to give away, so don't forfeit it.

Be Bold. Be you. Be loved.

With love,

Miss A'Leeyah Ponder

____________________________________________

Citations:

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


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