A calm and quiet soul

My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty;

I do not concern myself with greats matters or things too wonderful for me.

But I have calmed my soul and quieted myself,

like a weaned child with its mother,

like a weaned child I am content.
Psalm 131

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This is the tale of a goat named Richard.

Richard was a wether (castrated male) we purchased as part of a herd when we bought our farm.

His mother had been sold so he was a bottle baby and Richard could suck down a bottle, I tell ya.

Twice a day we would bottle feed him and goodness knows if we were late to get his bottle, he would let us know.

“Beh heh heh heh.”

Anxiously he would try to cut the line to beat out the other bottle babies and once he was finished with his own meal he would try to take from rest.

Eventually he was big/old enough to be weaned so we cut back on his feeding and removed him from the herd of does and put him with the buck and other wethers.

“You’re a man now, Richard.

Well, sort of.

Sorry about your testicles. I didn’t take them.”

Richard stayed in his new paddock for a week and then one day the boys came running to the house,

“Mum! Filthy Rich (that’s what they called him) got back to the herd and he’s stealing milk [from the lactating mothers]!”

Sure enough, I went out to the herd and there was Filthy Rich trying to nurse from whomever would have him.

We managed to wrangle him away from the herd but this exact same event repeated itself several times a week for weeks.

No matter what I did to secure him, he would not stop franticly searching, searching, searching.

Searching for a way out, searching for milk, searching for the herd, searching for a mother.

He was determined to get what he wanted but it was manifesting in anxious behavior, frantic hunting that exhausted him and quite frankly put him in danger at times.

Animal husbandry has become one of my greatest teachers over the years. Stories like Richard’s have illustrated many a themes God has tried to teach me in a direct and effective manner for my mind to grasp.

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I love a feisty woman as much as the next person.
No one admires a pushover, it’s the women that don’t take crap from anyone that we rally behind, that we want to be

A street-smart women that know the deal and make things happen is what we look to in times of difficulty.

These days it’s become very popular to be a “brassy and sassy” lady.

The Beth Dutton personality has become queen in the time of #girlsruletheworld and ladies be out there setting everybody straight, bossin’ and brawling when necessary.

But to be a bold and strong woman that commands respect in real life, you can’t be a chaotic, antagonistic, drama-filled being inside.

You can’t display that angsty wandering energy of someone that is always frantically seeking and never settled.

Being warrioresses means having your ducks in a row, having your emotions under control and being prudent in how and when you exert your energy.

Without a spirit of power, love and self control (2 Timothy 1:7) we can find ourselves picking fights (often mental) and fighting the wrong battles constantly-to the detriment of our health.

We can become fatigued and strung out from fighting and struggling all the time that we don’t actually have energy and clarity to battle the battles that need fighting.

When I think of a wise woman I think of someone who is not afraid of speaking truth or doing what needs to be done, but she’s also not flying off the handle all the time.

She’s not desperately searching for meaning, validation, security or busyness.

She has a calm and quiet way about her.

It’s not easy to be calm and quiet when there are so many unknowns in the world. When responsibilities follow our plates, people are unkind or unfair and neighbors are begging in the New World Order, it can be an uphill battle to find serenity. I honestly don’t believe we can do it alone because we need to lean on certainty somewhere.

To have a quiet and calm soul is to rest in the abundant love and power of an all-knowing God.
To remember that He is in full control of everything and that His plan will always prevail.

It’s not having anything to prove, it’s not fighting above your weight (without the aid of the Lord( David may have fought Goliath but he didn’t do it in pride but in humility in defense of his God.)

It’s submitting to the Lord’s plan, His ways and receiving His rest.

There’s a humility in this process, a letting go, a surrendering.

I find it very difficult but also soothing and so calming.

My tension and nervous energy drops significantly when I rest in the Lord, exhale all my worries and wait on Him.

It can be scary, it can feel directionless it requires a ton of patience and focus on seeking the kingdom, not just our own desires and needs.

A wise women stands firmly and steadfastly in her design and purpose God has for her and is ready for battle when the time comes.

She knows herself and her abilities because of who she serves and how diligently she serves and honors her God.

He holds the future and He holds back no good thing from her, so she can find peace wherever she is

When the heat turns up or securities are removed, she doesn’t fret or go searching.

She is steadfast and planted knowing that she was made for “such a time as this” and her Redeemer will provided the way forward.

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Richard never did settle here so I found him a new home, removed him from the temptation and source of his anxiety, hopefully.

Poor thing just never was able to calm and quiet his soul.

Always searching, never secure.

Israel put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.
Psalm 131

Prayer:

Hallowed be your perfect and holy name, Lord.

You are mighty. Let everything in nature preside you and may we all sing your praises today through our words, action and thoughts.

Lead us all to a calmer and quieter version of ourselves.

Help us to rest in your peace, your power and your plan for us.

We seek you and submit to your design for us.
Make us the women you want us to be.

Make us wise.

Calm and quiet our souls.

In the name of your son we ask it all.

Amen.

Sharing this song with you this morning.

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xoxo,

Sarah