I am a therapist and writer who is passionate about family, faith, and recovery. I am the author of Remade: Living Free, a book that explores topics related to substance abuse, recovery, and unhealthy relationships from a biblical perspective.
BE STILL by Nicole Byrum I love the summer. I mean, I really, really love summer. Everything about it is amazing to me: the early sunrises and late sunsets, warm (even hot!) weather, ice cream, bike riding, swimming, ball games... the list could go on and on. In the cold, gray winter months I daydream of potential vacations and yearn for the feel of warm rays of sunshine on my skin. Summer is my jam. But there is one thing about summer that I love the very most. I love a good sunrise (and sunset) as much as the next person, but as a runner, there is something kind of magical about being on the road when the sun greets this nook of the world. It may sound crazy, but few things in life make me as happy as an early morning run in the summer. Over the years I’ve enjoyed hundreds of these glorious morning runs, but there is one in particular that holds a special place in my memory. I was 19 during the summer of 2001 (which, incidentally, was somehow 19 years ago) and working in Wauconda, Illinois as a camp counselor at a church day camp. Like most mornings, I set out around 6:00 am for my morning run. But on this particular day, I got a little adventurous and strayed from my usual route. I had crossed a major highway and found myself running in a quiet neighborhood by a small lake. It was a picturesque scene as the sun glistened on the water. There were many homes in the area, but not a soul had yet stirred. 16 | ON M AG AEVERY Z I N E N ACORNER ME FAITH
Now, the next part is a little fuzzy, but at some point, I came across a dock. Thinking back now, I’m not entirely sure if it was someone’s private property or if it was for public use. (Details, right?) But either way, I strongly felt that I needed to stop running to go sit on that dock. To be sure, I’m definitely not in the habit of interrupting my runs - especially all those years ago when I was in my prime. But I was experiencing an unmistakable nudge to take a break. To be still. I’m not sure how long I sat on that dock, perhaps ten minutes. During those brief moments, my eyes took in the simple yet gorgeous surroundings of the morning. I felt sunshine on my face and a warm breeze on my skin as I sat there talking to God. As I prayed, I knew a lifelong memory was being created. I knew God was telling me not to forget this experience - to remember at times to hit the pause button on my daily routine. To put aside my agenda and be obedient. To be blessed by a beautiful moment with my Creator. To be still and know that He is God.
