The Quiet Place

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have an original poem written by our monthly contributor Sandra Gilmore. To find out more about Sandra stop by the about page.  Guard Your Heart  Guard your heart above all else. (Proverbs 4:23)  Employ His faithful ones:  His Love and Trust and Joy and Peace  From dawn ‘til setting sun.  Through the day, they’ll do their part  Steadfastly manning their posts;  Protecting your thoughts and the words you say,  Faithfully serving their hosts.  With Love at its post, (I John 4:18)  No fear can stay.  For perfect love casts it out.  With Trust at its post, (Proverbs 3:5)  No worry can stay;  No turmoil, no stress, no doubt.  With Joy at its post, (Psalm 16:11)  No sorrow can stay.  His Presence fills joy to the brim.  With Peace at its post, (Isaiah 26:3)  Only peace can stay,  For those wh...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have our monthly contributor Sandra. Sandra is sharing her heart on this month's theme Humility. You can learn more about Sandra on the about page.  Do you remember experiencing a humiliating moment or situation? I remember one moment very well. I was standing in line at the grocery store check-out, with my arms full of items. So you’re thinking this was just a typical situation, frequently common place. Except this day was extremely hot and I was about 8 months pregnant. Even though I was standing still in line, the elastic on my slip wasn’t. It had crept its way over the horizon of my big belly. Sweat was trying very hard to keep my temperature balanced on this balmy day but the slip was having none of that balancing act. Gravity - - a higher calling and stronger force than my dignity - - had exclusively summoned the slip. The thin silky fabric was surrendering under the gravitational pull.  Calm on the outside, I could s...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we our monthly contributor Victoria. She is sharing her heart on this month's theme Gratitude. You can learn more about Victoria and her blog on the about page. P. S. If your interested in Guest Posting or Contributing send an e-mail to hillary.thequietplace@gmail.com ! “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion…The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom a bubbling brook.” Proverbs 18:2&4 I am a talker. I will talk about anything with anyone. I love hearing people’s stories, asking them questions, and discussing what we think about any given issue. I long for my words to be true and helpful and encouraging. Recently, I received some terrible news. My Mom basically told me that my words have been full of unrest lately. This really made me stop and think. She is one of my closest companions, so she gets to hear my uncensored thoughts. Her rebuke slammed hard aga...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have our Monthly Contributor Buife.  Today's post was previously written and meant for an earlier month this year but somehow I missed it. But no worries because I definitely am making sure you ladies get to read these wonderful words from your sister today. Enjoy! - Hillary Psalm 14:1 says: The [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, there is no God. (Amp.) When Jesus was born, some astrologers from the east of Judea, having seen the rising of His star, came to Jerusalem to seek Him. Some translations refer to these astrologers as wise men . The bible calls the man who says there is no God a fool; and we're told these 'wise men' journeyed to Jerusalem of Judea to seek Jesus because they believed that somewhere in that town, the King of the Jews was. Ladies, this is wisdom. We cannot claim to be really seeking for Someone if we have doubts concerning His existence. God's standard principle remain...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have our Monthly Contributor Victoria. Victoria is sharing her heart on this month's theme Hope. You can learn more about Victoria and her blog on the about page. In February here at The Quiet Place, we talked about faithfulness. When I hear the word “faithfulness”, I always begin thinking about God. He is faithful to the glory of His name, to His will, to His people, and to remaining true to who He is. Last week, I finished reading the Old Testament and one thing stood out to me. I might have been looking for it, but I really don’t think that I was. In those pages, I saw God declaring the truth about Himself. Over and over again as we follow His people through the days leading up to the coming of their long awaited Messiah, we see His faithfulness on display. My words here are nothing compared to what you will see if you commit yourself to reading His Word! Grab a chronological plan and read for an hour every day. (I read about a “week...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have our monthly contributor Sophia. Sophia is sharing her heart on last month's theme faithfulness. You can learn more about Sophia and her blog on the about page.  So many us of know the popular Bible verse:  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."  Deuteronomy 31:6  This is what we know.  We know that God is good, He is faithful, and He will never leave us.  But what can we say of ourselves in return.  I can recall that when life was not going my way, I used to get mad at God, my faith was shaken in God, I thought that He had let me down.  However, we know that God will not let us down.  It is impossible for God to lie, and so if we know that God will never leave or forsake us, then we know that He will always be with us no matter what we go through.   As people we are...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have our monthly contributor Meg. She is sharing her heart on this month's theme faithfulness. You can learn more about Meg and her blog on the about page.  Faithfulness. Something I think a lot of us think we have, but when it comes down to it, we might be found lacking. Lately, I’ve been studying James, specifically chapter 1, with the idea of wisdom and steadfastness and faithfulness. In verse 5 James tells us “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. “ But let him ask in faith… Don’t we always ask in faith? Maybe not. I think sometimes we (I totally included) ask things that we think God should answer, but maybe hold on to knowing it probably won’t happen. That’s unfaithfulness. And like the ve...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have our monthly contributor Victoria, she is sharing her heart on this month's theme Faithfulness. You can learn more about Victoria and her blog on the about page.  “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”   1 Corinthians 15:10 We all know what it looks like when faithfulness fails. We’ve felt the pain of failed marriages, broken families, and friendships that have come to an end. These failures to be faithful are difficult and yet they show us something. They show us our great need for the grace of God.  Each time something or someone proves unfaithful, we can be reminded that God never fails at faithfulness. Each time we are unfaithful, we can be reminded that God is never unfaithful. These reminders are opportunities to help us continue to lean on Him, depend on H...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have are monthly contributor Meg sharing her heart on this month's theme Seeking God. You can learn more about Meg and her blog on the about page.  Do you ever feel stuck, searching for God’s will on something? Maybe it’s a job situation, to take a promotion, or not to take a promotion. Or a move to a new place. What courses to study at school? I think a lot of times we allow ourselves to maybe hide behind the idea that we’re “seeking God’s will” on something… but when really, God can move in whatever we do. Yes, God can be and many times is involved in very seemingly minute details of our lives, but sometimes, God seems to sit back and let us have more free will and do what we think is best. The key to those times, when it feels like God is being more silent, is to remember the truth that He speaks through scripture. We know from verses like  2 Thessalonians 3:5 that  the Lord directs o...

Today on the blog we have are monthly contributor Kiki, she is sharing her heart on this month's theme Seeking God. You can learn more about Kiki and her blog on the about page.  I'm obsessed with capturing the little moments and details in life and I will also proudly admit that. I love snapping photos of raindrops falling off leaves, steam rising from hot coffee, and my dog snoozing in the sun that streams through the windows in the morning. I like searching for the little things in life that make life that much fuller. But do you know what I have a hard time truly seeking out? Jesus. I forget that Jesus is in the details in life, or really, every single moment in life. That He's there, waiting to be found. But what do I do instead? I try and push Him away and think that I can do life all on my own. But truth is, I can't. I can't do it on my own and I need Him in my life. And part of my need for Him includes my need (even if I don't k...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have are monthly contributor Melanie. Melanie is sharing her heart on this month's theme Seeking God. You can learn more about Melanie and her blog on the about page.  For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.  Psalm 108:4 When my mind is still, the children in bed, the house quiet, dishes done and I fall onto the couch into His embrace. When I’m driving alone, no voices interrupting, sunbeams gleaming warm on my face. Those times I’m not moving and thinking at a frantic, hurried pace like a wind-up tin trinket toy. Moments sitting by the seashore, salty wind grasping and spiraling strands of my hair, seagulls soaring, white foam kissing my toes. Times silently observing mountains drizzled in orange sunrise, evergreens dipped in ribbons of white. When I’m not looking for oversimplified answers, a quick Sunday School verse. For all those times and a million more, I we...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have are monthly contributor Meg sharing her heart on this month's theme Ruth. You can learn more about Meg and her blog on the about page.  Many times we read through stories in the Scripture and we tend to gloss over them or maybe think “oh that was a nice story.” But do you realize that each and every word in Scripture has a purpose? Each story is pointing toward the Redeemer… toward the perfect plan of Jesus Christ. That’s just what the book of Ruth is. A story that some can look over and not really grasp the full meaning of. Or maybe even get caught up on what exactly she did at Boaz’s feet the night she laid on the threshing floor with his covering.   Side note: I don’t believe she did anything seductive.   One study I read said that it was common in that time for servants to lie at their master’s feet and share coverings. I think this was her asking for him to be her redeemer. Ok… back to the ov...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have are monthly contributor Melanie, she is sharing her heart on this month's theme Ruth. You can learn more about Melanie and her blog on the about page.  This isn't the Christmas story you’d expect.   No manger, no star, no wise men. However, it is a narrative full of great suffering, a newborn babe, and a redeemer.  An interweaving of courage, grief, and grace as real people live ordinary lives.   It's not the story of Jesus; yet it’s ALL about Jesus. I’m referring to the book of Ruth.   It’s all about Christ because Ruth’s choices directly impacted the lineage that led to Christ’s birth. Naomi and Ruth were grieving.   Their men dead.   Naomi losing her namesake, as both sons died.    Her husband also deceased. Naomi knew she had no future as a widow—a nobody in their society, living rejected lives. In grace and kindness, Naomi tells her daughter-in-laws to go back to their famili...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have are monthly contributor Victoria, she is sharing her heart on this month's theme Ruth. You can learn more about Victoria and her blog on the about page.  “The life of the godly is not a straight line to glory, but they do get there.” John Piper Four falls ago, just before my 20 th birthday, I had the opportunity to move to Plymouth, MA to complete my student teaching requirements. I was young and I had no idea what I was in for. It wasn’t always easy, but those months were nothing short of amazing. About a week after I arrived, I had a stirring in my soul for the book of Ruth. After reading it several times, I got on to Desiring God LINK: http://www.desiringgod.org/ and typed “Ruth” into the search bar. My search returned a four part sermon series that would change my life. I spent the month of September listening to those sermons and allowing them to guide my study. I began to see that sometimes circumstances an...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have are monthly contributor Kiki sharing her heart on this month's theme Ruth. You can learn more about Kiki and her blog on the about page.  I'm not exactly sure how old Ruth was when her husband died, but I imagine that she was probably not much older than you and me. When I think of her circumstances, I instantly think of the heartbreak, the sadness, and the tragedy that she faced. Not only had her husband died, but her father-in-law and brother-in-law had as well. She, her sister-in-law, and her mother-in-law were all widows. And after all of this had happened, Naomi, her mother-in-law, told her to return home. To go back to her hometown. And that's when I'm amazed and inspired by Ruth's bold response. "Ruth replied,  “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God"  (Ruth 1:16, NLT). Can y...

Founders Note: Today on the blog we have a post from are monthly contributor Victoria. Since we had SO many posts this past month we were not able to squeeze this post into November. Thus, here is Victoria's post on Community. Enjoy! As we approach Christmas, we begin to prepare our hearts by remembering the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Christ came that the glory of His Father might be known throughout all the world for all time. Christ’s death and resurrection accomplished reconciliation between God and His people. What a treasure we have in Him! When Jesus Christ walked on earth He gathered men and sent them out together. God continues gathering His people and sending them out together. When we are reconciled to God, we become part of the community of believers. The more time I spend on this earth, I find myself amazed and overwhelmed at the bond that Christians share. I could talk for quite a while about all the times I have met Christians and have been welc...