Breathe in. Breathe out. That’s right! You’ve got it.

One of the most essential parts of living is inhaling and exhaling. All too often, we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. There’s laundry to fold and put away, dishes to be washed, homework to submit, parent-teacher conferences, virtual meetings, basketball tryouts, track meets, and the list goes on and on and on.

On top of all of that, there’s bills to be paid, a business to run, and quality time to be spent with the family. It is no wonder why there are times we find ourselves completely burned out. While all of this is happening, it is easy to forget to consciously breathe in and release.

I don’t know about you, but I’m so guilty of getting lost in the sauce and feeling anxious about my life. The bible clearly tells us, “not to be anxious for anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, and let your requests be made known to God” yet anxiousness sets in from time to time (Philippians 4:6). We get caught up in worrying about how things are going to get paid. We find ourselves grappling with what are we going to eat or wear tomorrow. We wrack our brains trying to figure out what our next move is going to be. Have you ever been there?

If you’ve ever found yourself pondering any of the thoughts mentioned above or have ever felt consumed by the uncertainties of life, take a deep breath and know that you are not alone. Be reminded, “not to worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear…” because God has already taken care of it all.(Matthew 6:25). If we allow it, this scripture has the power to release us from our day to day worries. The aforementioned scripture continues to say, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26). Of course you are!

As valuable as we are, uncertain times will still come, but we must trust that God has a plan for our life. Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Reread that again! Listen, this whole scripture is a vibe. It’s a breath of fresh air! This scripture speaks to every anxious thought toward where we are and where we are headed. This scripture releases us from having to figure things out on our own. The thing that also makes this scripture so sweet is that God’s plan for our life is a GOOD plan. It’s not just the better plan, but it’s the BEST plan. With God’s plan comes prosperity, breakthroughs, miracles, and so much more.

Though we may have a lot going on in our world, we owe it to ourselves to find rest and peace in the midst of it all. God encourages us to “cast our cares upon Him for He cares for us” (1 Peter 5:7). Casting our cares upon God is so important because it frees us from having to carry around the weight of our day. God wants us to pour out our heart to Him. We may scream if we have too…cry or whatever; but it is crucial for us to relieve ourselves of the stresses that robs us of the peace that God desires for us to have here on earth. Peace shouldn’t be something we look for only in death, but at night when we lay our heads on our pillows, our sleep should be sweet because we’ve decided not to be burdened by the troubles of this world. We must decide to lay every weight at Jesus’ feet so that we are able to breathe with ease.

If you’re reading this post and thinking, ” Well, I’m dealing with far greater problems than this” or maybe you’re thinking , “I can’t breathe with all the injustices in society”, please continue reading below.

There are families out there mourning the lives of loved ones that are gone too soon because of police brutality and it feels hard to breathe.

There are families out there who have been evicted during this pandemic and does not have a place to stay and it feels hard to breathe.

There are children being separated from their mothers and fathers with little to no hope of being reunited and it feels hard to breathe.

Wherever you are at this moment–physically, spiritually, emotionally–no matter whats going on in your life, remember that God is as close to you as your very next breath. It is He who “formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). Everyday, God is breathing life into our bodies. He is our source and He is our strength.

God is our life-line. God is the reason we can sit on the couch at night after tucking the kids in bed, and realize that we’ve made it through another busy day. God is the reason we can return to work the next day prepared to tackle another hectic agenda. God is the reason we can keep breathing even in the midst of pain and suffering. God is the reason why we can’t give up.

Things in your world may be hectic and hard right now, but you have the ability to breathe life. I want to encourage you to keep breathing.

When the anxious thoughts come, breathe.

When you’re feeling afraid, breathe.

When things are uncertain, breathe.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, breathe.

Your life depends on you breathing.

Your dreams and aspirations are in your breath.

Hope is in your breath.

Justice is in your breath.

Change is in your breath.

Breathe life.

Breathe life into your situation.

Breathe life into your finances.

Breathe life into your marriage and/or relationship.

Breathe life into your business.

Breathe life into that creative idea.

Press pause for a moment if you can. Close your eyes if you have too. Slowly inhale. Hold it! Now, slowly exhale. You’re doing great! Just keep on breathing.

Much love and God bless,

Takelia