Sandra Heska King

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Monday Meditation~Breathe

January 17, 2011 By Sandra Heska King

Praying out with the bad air, in with the good. Out with the bad thoughts, in with the good. Out with the darkness, in with the light. ~Karin Fendick (HisFireFly)

My niece (T) has asthma. She had an attack shortly after marriage. Her husband (B) drove her to the emergency room and tried to calm her down.

“Breathe,” he insisted. “Just. Breathe.”

After treatment, she finally relaxed and breathed easily.

B sat on the edge of the bed, his back turned to her for a moment, when he felt an arm around his neck, choking him.

“Breathe,” T hissed. “Just. Breathe.”

My daughter had lung surgery last week. While under anesthesia, she breathed with the help of a tube. She had chest tubes inserted. After the procedure, even shallow breaths triggered stabbing pain. And yet she had to breathe deep–and cough–to keep her lungs expanded and to prevent infection. She also needed to keep moving–sitting up in the chair and walking in the hall–in spite of pain.

We naturally want to avoid pain at all costs.

But pain can be a gift that signals a problem. And sometimes inflicting pain is the only path to healing. And moving through the pain brings faster healing.

So what do we do when life chokes life? When circumstances suffocate? When our strength is gone, and we can hardly breathe? When all we want to do is crawl under the covers and stay there?

We stand up.

We keep moving.

We lean on Him.

And we just breathe.

Just.

Breathe.

Him.

“If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.” ~Psalm 34:18 (Message)


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Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Anne Lang Bundy says

    January 17, 2011 at 4:46 pm

    Beautifully said, Snady. Without Him, we are unable to breathe out the toxicity and make room for His fresh life.

    Without Him, this life has little value. For the believer, this life is as bad as it gets. For the unbeliever, this life is as good as it gets.

    • Sandra says

      January 17, 2011 at 9:19 pm

      Wise words, Anne. Thank you.

  2. Jennifer@GDWJ says

    January 17, 2011 at 4:57 pm

    Breathing with you …

    Much love and prayers.

    • Sandra says

      January 17, 2011 at 9:16 pm

      🙂

  3. nance marie says

    January 17, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    oh man…this is true. hard and true.

    • Sandra says

      January 17, 2011 at 9:19 pm

      But so worth it in the end.

  4. S. Etole says

    January 17, 2011 at 6:44 pm

    His breath … our need.

    • Sandra says

      January 17, 2011 at 9:18 pm

      I love how you always say so much in so few.

  5. Brock S. Henning says

    January 18, 2011 at 12:01 am

    I’m slowly learning this, month after month, year after year. I catch my breath, then life chokes and I’m struggling again. But somehow if I can manage to just crawl a little, eventually I can stand again. Encouraging message, but I hated to hear of your family’s recent circumstances with breathing, literally!

    • Sandra says

      January 19, 2011 at 11:35 pm

      There’s a lot to be said for staying low–near His feet. And isn’t that where the air is when there’s smoke?

      As far as our latest crisis, it’s all good. And once the docs know what they are dealing with (pathology not known yet), my daughter will be able to undergo treatment for another issue with the appropriate drugs.

  6. Natasa says

    January 18, 2011 at 4:15 am

    Encouraging message. Thank you.
    Breathe. Him.

    • Sandra says

      January 19, 2011 at 11:35 pm

      Thanks, Natasa.

  7. richard dahlstrom says

    January 18, 2011 at 11:02 am

    I love this! Thanks for sharing… i wrote an entire book on this subject, unpacking the spiritual disciplines and showing the relationship of inhaling and exhaling – so important to inhale deeply, regularly – both physically and spiritually. The book: “Breathing New Life into Faith” is here: http://amzn.to/i73h7l

    • Sandra says

      January 19, 2011 at 11:36 pm

      I just added that to my wish list for my next order. Thanks!

  8. Duane Scott says

    January 19, 2011 at 2:38 pm

    Just. Breathe. Him.

    I’m not going to make a lengthy, thought-filled comment. I just loved that thought.

    And Karen’s quote.

    You ladies inspired me today.

  9. Sandra says

    January 19, 2011 at 11:37 pm

    You inspire me often!

Trackbacks

  1. Don’t Stop Growing (vol 11.3) | Serving Strong says:
    January 21, 2011 at 6:48 am

    […] Breathe  by Sandra Heska King […]

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