BE STILL by Nicole Byrum

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.

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.

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.

That memory always brings a smile to my face and has continued to impress upon my heart over the last few decades. It’s so easy to be ruled by agendas, to-do-lists, and a packed calendar, even in the midst of summer fun. I’m certainly no exception. But when I think about that morning run, I have zero regrets that I stopped what I was doing; for those beautiful moments produced a joy that otherwise would have gone unrealized.

As we head into summer 2020, I am looking forward to all the things mentioned at the beginning of this post. There are sunsets to be seen, baseball games to be watched, warm weather to be enjoyed, ice cream cones to be eaten, vacations to be experienced, and roads to be run. But in the glory of summer, I will be mindful to pause. Mindful to be obedient. Mindful of the words of Psalm 46:10. Remembering that the truest joy is felt when I am still in His presence, praising Him for being God. I pray the same will be true for you this summer.

Click the book cover to order from Amazon.com