"Being present with someone I love is never a waste of time."
- Philip Yancy
I have a front porch. Nothing fancy. Basic really. As a girl, I always wanted an old white farm house with a wraparound porch, but instead I have been blessed with a 1951 remodeled green farm house with a small front porch that looks out toward a grassy berm separating me from Park Lane.
1951 2025
During these past summer months, it has become a sacred space for me. By sacred I mean, a place I connect with God, and with an unscheduled summer break, I've had the luxury of sitting out on my porch in the mornings unrushed and unhurried. My front porch has turned into a venue for my soul to breathe, to contemplate, to listen, and to reflect.
Each morning the sun faithfully meets me with its warmth and brightness on my face, a reminder of God's new mercies and His presence every day. I look up at creation and say, "Good morning, God." Staring at the sun, taking in its rays, I can't really explain how real it is to communicate with God with no words. To just be still and allow my soul to speak in its own language with its Creator. No translation needed.
The front porch has become the space where I let go of all expectations of myself, the to-do list running through my mind, my need to perform or impress or seek approval, but to rest in God's shining penetrating love, assuring me that I'm not in control and I don't need to be. I'm simply a child of God with limited knowledge. My only priority is to sit with God, experience His love and presence, and live out my life from that space, from that source, and then trust God with the rest.
I tend to race time, but on the porch is where time slows down for me even if it is just for a moment. It is where I watch the sun travel over the tops of the trees, small birds rustling in the bushes to find breakfast bugs, the hibiscus says hello with the display of its blooms, and the robins sing a melody of praise to start the day.
I don't always carry this serenity with me throughout the day, but every day is a new opportunity to practice the placidness of the porch. I hope "The Front Porch" can be a place for you, who serve in ministry every day, to just BE still...to stop for a moment to breathe, rest in His light, and allow God to speak to you in a way that meets you right where you are at.
If you don't have a front porch space, perhaps this can be yours wherever you pause to connect with God, to reflect, to sit in your rocking chair and feel again the rhythm of God's design for you and your life.
"Attention, all! See the marvels of GOD! He plants flowers and trees
all over the earth... Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me,
your High God, above everything."
Psalm 46:8-10 (Message)
What is your "Front Porch" sacred space? Where do you and God love to meet?
The Front Porch by Joy Williams (song)
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Health Tip #1: Do you know that looking at the morning sun is actually good for you?
Barbara O'Neill, an Australian naturopath & nutritionist, states in her handbook of natural remedies titled Sustain Me, "Eyes need sun, as does the brain, and the eyes are how the brain receives its sunlight. We should never look directly at the sun, except for early morning and late afternoon. This gentle sun gives messages to the brain, which benefits our sleep, and resets our circadian rhythm, essential for proper brain function. As the brain receives these light signals, it also releases serotonin, the mood hormone."
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