The Lily Letters

The art of Solitude Psalms 23:1-3 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.[a] He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness[b] for his name's sake.” Back in January, I had the most spontaneous idea ever. I decided to book a hotel room away from my parents for the weekend for Valentine's day. This specific resort may or may not have been next to my house. During that weekend I was able to reflect and hear more from God and also relax from being busy with my job and school. There were different times where Jesus took time alone to pray and to spend time with God. This introduced the spiritual discipline of solitude, where we intentionally withdraw ourselves from our daily routines to focus on God. Richard J. Foster states that Solitude can help: 1. Free us from distractions 2. Find our true selves 3. Communicate with God 4. Develop Hope. Some simple ways we can practice solit...

The following devotional is adapted from a sermon titled "That All My Know," given by Rev. Jennifer Mullins at Gayton Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia on October 13, 2024: Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 17:32-37; 41-50 David and Goliath is one of the top recognizable stories around the world, whether in secular or religious circles. So recognizable that it is a popular trope in pop culture. For example, have you ever seen or heard a story or show that depicts: The little guy standing up to a bully... A ragtag, underdog team winning the championship against the favored yet despised team... A small lawyer winning a case for a small town against a large corporation... These are the David and Goliath stories we all know. We love the fearful becoming courageous, the weak becoming strong. After all, we want the giants in our own lives to fall. It inspires us. Yet this is not the actual point of David and Goliath. Instead, here are 4 major lessons more importantly gleaned fr...

We all struggle with spiritual discouragement and lethargy. Some days our circumstances threaten to overwhelm us, and we struggle just to pray. Many times we just don’t feel like doing the things we know we should. For one reason or another, God sometimes seems far off and unreachable. David faced times like these in his life. The Psalms are filled with verses that express his despair and feeling of abandonment. Yet the Psalms also give us the key to living victoriously during the dark periods of life. Let’s take a quick look at Psalm 119:89-95*. “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands. They stand this day according to Your ordinances…” My circumstances or feelings have not changed God. He is the same God today as He was when He hung the stars in the sky, led the Israelites through the Red Sea , and fed the five thousand. “For all things are Your servants…” All things, ...

Confession: I made a huge mistake during my time as an active sister in SAO. During my senior year, I was so hyper focused on the picture perfect life: meet my boyfriend, get engaged prior to graduation, graduate, and get married. However, that was not the case. I remembered going to our formal during fall semester without a date. I could have made a choice of savoring the moment and dancing with my friends, however, I just sat there pouting because it felt like everyone else had a date. I made the mistake of being hyper focused on this perfect picture life. I definitely broke one of the teachings Jesus taught. “ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”- Matthew 6:33 Instead, I was seeking first the kingdom of me and all the things that I really needed such as friendship, and a community was being taken away. A couple of years after I had graduated, my hyperfixation was hurting the ones I love and I felt so far away from G...