As you know, I read Jen Hatmaker’s 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess this year. I finished a few weeks ago but have wanted to do this post since then. The final chapter in her book talks about the way out from under the stress we all live under. And her guide was Seven Sacred Pauses by Macrina Wiederkehr. These are seven times a day where you pause and pray which Wiederkehr describes as “breathing spells for the soul.”
So for the next seven days, I will observe the seven sacred pauses and write about a different one each day. The pauses are these:
The Night Watch (midnight – this one may or may not get observed every single day)
The Awakening Hour (which for me will be 6 am and hopefully accompanied by a walk)
The Blessing Hour (midmorning, or 9 am for me)
The Hour of Illumination (noon)
The Wisdom Hour (midafternoon, or 3 pm)
The Twilight Hour (which is early evening or 6 pm, but since that’s dinner here it may be our dinner prayer sometimes)
The Great Silence (I will observe at 9 pm)
During these seven days, I will also try to treat my body well so as to nurture mind, body, and spirit. I will not drink alcohol or eat sugar and I will try to eat naturally. I will also try to spend my Awakening Hour walking or doing something that is exercise. This is not a journey about beating myself up if I miss a pause or eat a tortilla chip. This is more time to reflect and learn and actively listen to what God may want me to hear or an intercession He wishes me to make.
Hello Gindi! Mandy @hearts undaunted introduced me to you and I’ve loved my visit here!
I read 7 as well, last year, and was surprised the number it did on me! (confession: I wasn’t expecting it to…) I’m trusting God moves through you as strongly as He did me during this exercise. which for me ended up being a discipline of letting go of me and focusing solely on Him…amazing how much we don’t need when we focus on His face.
Hi Nikki! So glad you’re here. Yes, this time has been powerful, I was stunned by all the silence today – as if it was orchestrated, no one on the streets, my kids not waking up my whole time getting ready, stillness as I left my neighborhood, incredibly intense.