podcast show notes | episode 012 | stillness
This blog post serves as SHOW NOTES for our podcast -- Cultivate a Good Life. This is not a comprehensive outline of everything discussed in this specific episode. The notes, links, and tips below are just some of what was mentioned. Everything we're highlighting here will certainly make so much more sense when you've listened to this episode. If you haven't already listened, you definitely should. And you should also just go ahead and subscribe to the podcast. It's good stuff. Also, these notes show up in the order that they came up during the show.
episode description
Noise can take over our life without us realizing it. “Noise” can audibly sound like absolutely nothing and yet clutter our mind and our heart if we’re not careful. Singer / songwriter / inspirational speaker Hilary Weeks is our special guest in this episode and our discussion is based on why stillness is vitally important and how to intentionally cultivate moments and patterns of stillness in order to be better centered and grounded and focused in life.
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Link to this episode on iTunes: Episode 012
Hilary Weeks
We are so honored to have Hilary as our special guest AND our sponsor for this episode! Be sure to check out her phenomenal subscription: Hilary Weeks | Live All In
Hilary has written 12 brand new songs. Each song was written with the intent to help you and I feel loved and encouraged. Each song is meant to inspire us and help us be powerful, directed women who fulfill our purposes in life. But instead of putting all those songs on a CD or throwing them on iTunes, Hilary created something that goes a bit deeper.
Hilary has created Live All In: A Monthly Musical Toolkit for Fully Embracing Life. When you join Live All In,each month on the first of the month, you’ll receive an original song from Hilary that isn’t available anywhere else, an instrumental track of the song, the sheet music, beautifully designed lyrics, a printable meme featuring a line from the song that you can hang in your home, a special monthly surprise like a music video or ring tone, and most importantly – each toolkit comes with a song study — basically questions and quotes for you to go deeper into the message of the song and really center on what matters most.
Follow her on Facebook: Hilary Weeks
Visit her website: Live All In Today
Visit her Instagram: @hilaryweeksmusic
show notes
For this episode, we invited guest Hilary Weeksto join us and talk about stillness. Hilary is a song writer and recording artist who has had several records in the top 10 Christian Billboard charts. She has been married to her husband Tim for 26 years. Together they have 4 beautiful daughters.
These are the main points we covered in the show.
Keep in mind that all of these are expanded upon in the episode. This is just a refresher to remind you of some things because there was so much covered.
Stillness - what does it mean?
A time to connect with God and connect with ourselves
It can be many things: reading God's word, listening to music, meditation, a walk...
Turn off the TV, turn off your phone
“Unless we are intentional about finding stillness and making moments like that, they are going to slip away from us and our whole day is going to get filled up.”
The most powerful moments are when we pause and make time for the quiet.
Why do we struggle to find stillness in our lives?
Don't know where to start
Health concerns that stand in the way
What does it even look like?
Intense amount of guilt
3 Examples from the Bible:
Samuel - about to be a new King. Saul goes to meet a prophet, Samuel. He arose early -- first thing in the morning. There is power in arising early, even if only 10 minutes early.
Samuel 9 - Saul essentially says, "Let’s just stand still awhile (mid-day)." For example, the moment you get in the car, don’t turn the radio on straightaway. Pause before lunch and say a prayer. It's small moments like that.
The Word of God - Turn to the Word of God and take in His love through the scriptures.
What happens by doing those things?
Samuel 10. He was turned into another man.
"God will be with thee." Every day, every minute, every hour.
He will show us what we should do.
God will give us another heart. If we feel bitter or sorrowful or broken or unforgiving ... He can fix it.
What does stillness look like for Hilary?
Morning hours - She gets up an hour before anyone else. She might sit on the couch, drink water, and start with prayer. She asks God, "What do you need me to do?" Then sit and stay and listen. The key to praying is listening.
We learn where we want our lives to go when we are still.
Stillness together in your marriage.
At the beginning of the day when you first wake up, spend 4 minutes together. This is do-able! You can sit on the couch, talk, cuddle, not cuddle ... whatever you want. Also do this at the end of the day or when your spouse walks in from work. You set the rules. This changed everything for Hilary and her husband. You may need to adjust some of your personal scheduling / timing, like waking up earlier to make that time to connect.
Stillness and Kids.
Our kids are surrounded by noise all the time. Thing after thing after thing.
Experiment with not filling every moment with something (a.k.a. noise).
We live in an age of so much technology, but it adds noise.
Take 30 minutes after school for some down time before jumping in to homework.
Stillness through music.
Slow down and push pause.
Monthly tool kit to help us. Live All in Today.
"Develop habits through intentional stillness."
Links discussed at the end of the podcast:
Video Series about Stillness with Hilary Weeks
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