Thank You for the Pauses

Dear God,

Thank you for helping me find the quiet moments that interrupt this noisy world. In a season that feels full and hurried, you kindly and gently invite me to breathe, to notice, to rest, and to become aware of your presence. This Advent season, meet me in the ordinary pause, in the brief stillness between tasks, and in the soft whisper that reminds me I am not alone.

Help me be thankful for the pauses that feel inconvenient at first. The unexpected delay. The conversation that needs more time than planned. The anxious thoughts that invite me to take a deep breath. In these moments, you reveal gifts I would rush past and miss. You remind me that grace does not hurry.

Thank you for these purposeful pauses. A chat with a student on campus. A cup of tea with a friend. Leaves falling outside my window. A full deep breath in my yoga practice. A quiet prayer whispered on a full day. Every still moment becomes a reminder that you are near, especially at Christmas.

I will be forever grateful because you continue to show me that peace is not something to find later. It is something to notice now. It is here in this moment. It is here in my breath. It is here in the space you lovingly create for me.

Thank you for inviting me to pause with purpose and gratitude. Help me continue to find you in every still and sacred moment, at work, at home, alone, and with others, this Advent and this Christmas.

With a grateful heart,
Whitney

Reflect & Respond

• Where is God inviting you to pause and notice peace in the middle of your full life today?
• Take a deep breath with a long exhale and silently pray:
  “Thank you God for this very moment. Help me notice you this Advent season.”