My wife and I just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary(!).  In 2005 I wrote her a love song melody called “Captivating,” inspired by Proverbs 5:18-19 where it says, “…may you rejoice in the wife of your youth…may you ever be captivated by her love.”  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (the fruit of the Holy Spirit) are attributes that I need each day to be captivated by my wife and to be captivated by my faith journey with God.  These cannot be lived out in my own strength, but only with God’s help and by His grace.

A few thoughts on calling and purpose that I was reflecting on this morning…”The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” – Frederick Buechner.  The realization of the call in a person’s life may come quickly like a clap of thunder or it may dawn gradually, but however this awareness comes, it is always accompanied with the undercurrent of the supernatural – something that is inexpressible and produces a ‘glow.’ If you will agree with God’s purpose, He will bring not only your conscious level but also all the deeper levels of your life, which you yourself cannot reach, into perfect harmony.” – Oswald Chambers

Having some quiet time this morning, I was remembering my favorite summer job at Adventures Unlimited canoe rental in the Florida panhandle. I began to learn the importance of including times of solitude in my life as I would work to unload 100 canoes early in the morning, then rest in the river listening to the breeze, the birds and the flowing water. Solitude plays a vital role in pausing to listen for God’s voice in my life and in the creative process with my music.