This morning I had breakfast with mom, spoke with a friend who might become a business partner and cleaned a house. I went back to the office before going to my daughter’s cross country meet.

During that time I pondered being still, waiting and silence. Those are three things I’m familiar with because I’ve engaged in each one. I’m not bragging about it because I really don’t know how well I do them, but it doesn’t really matter because life forces you into them whether you want to do them or are good at doing them.

These thoughts were born out of the reading of a book called Called To Create. I’m not finished with it, but it has already given me many things to think about. It’s about being an entrepreneur, and it’s rooted in the fact that God was the first entrepreneur who works through many of us to create something out of nothing.

I went to a business conference last week called BAM323 at my alma mater, and every participant received Called To Create. Jordan Raynor is the author, and he was delightful to meet and hear speak.

Jordan writes about being still, waiting and silence, but that’s not his semantic. He writes about rest and failure, and of course everyone has both of them, so in a round about way he does drop those things.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or not doesn’t matter because everyone is called to be still, wait and exercise silence sometimes. Children have the toughest time at this because they don’t have the frontal lobe development nor the experience to be proficient at it. As adults we aren’t good at it when we compare ourselves to others, and when we feel like we are receiving our fair share in life, and that is probably due to the comparison trap.

I think that’s part of why I love baseball. I’m watching the Cubs play the Pirates right now. Our nations favorite pastime has taught me a lot about being still, waiting and silence in some cases. Believe or not I actually have our tv muted because I don’t want to hear the biased announcing from the Pirates analyst! Go Cubbies!

The hard part about those three things is knowing when to speak, write or hustle on a dream. Jordan and my acquaintance Jon Acuff are both eloquent in how they balance that paradox. You can’t hustle 24/7, and you can’t rest 24/7. It’s sometimes a hard balance to achieve, but I definitely think it’s possible or else I would never have written this post!

We are spiritual beings who have been called to create, but we must learn to be still, wait and not squirm in the presence of silence. Some of out best thoughts can come when we are still and silent.

Put the phone down. Take the headphones off. Turn the tv off. Sit down with Jesus Calling, the Bible and a cup of coffee. Find a book rooted in Jesus like Called To Create, or visit Black Dog Book Company in Nashville for a great classic, novel or young adult novel.

Be still. Exercise some Lectio Divina, and inhale peace as you exhale love.

Repeat Scripture silently from memory, and set a goal to memorize one Bible verse a month to start off and build up to one per week.

It will draw you nearer to our Father who is a master at being still, waiting and exercising silence.

Grace and peace dear ones.