Be still.

The first time I spoke in church was at a stake conference. I was about 15 years old. I had planned and prepared my words – and I knew the address well. Well enough to zoom through it – talking with a teenage tempo times ten. After the meeting, when I finally relaxed with relief, an old lady tapped me on my shoulder and said, “Honey, I sure would have liked to hear your talk today … but you talked so darn fast, I couldn’t understand a word you said!”

Ah, yes:  “Slow down.”

I’ve heard it my whole life – from my childhood piano teacher (bless her heart!), the speed limit signs (and enforcers), my angel mother and many more. Even as I write, I write too fast and miss simple, silly errors. I must have some of my dad’s racecar roots within me. I tend to go fast.

But speeding along in life, even with a direct destination straight ahead, leaves a blur all around – and often within.

Stillness can be tough to find in today’s multi-tasking, ever-racing world. So, I’m consciously seeking stillness on the inside (even when I’m moving quickly on the outside).

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalms 46:10.

This scripture has carried me through tumultuous waters. It has answered my questioning heart. It soothes my soul with peace. It calms my frantic worries and replaces them with tranquil trust in an all-knowing, all-loving and always perfect God.

I have found a few tried-and-true places for stillness – like along wooded paths or within white and holy walls of a temple. Yet those places aren’t always accessible right when I need that stillness … So …

Lately, I’m learning that my own heart can remain still no matter where my feet stand.

By silencing my internal monologue, downshifting my racecar roots, smiling on the inside and looking for the divine details in everyday moments, I’m quieting down and easing the tension. I’m feeling less stressed! I’m feeling more still. I’m finding assurance that if I do well my part, He will always do His.

I’m trusting Him … and I’m letting go of me. In return, I worry less about what others think because His thoughts are all that matter. It’s freeing and fulfilling ….it’s joy.

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