Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. Gen. 2:7
Recently my husband and I traveled to Europe for a healthy getaway from the chaos of life. I highly recommend this for all couples in the midst of parenting and needing to catch their breath. We needed that renewal and inspiration to keep going. To be inspired – literally means to breathe. This adventure breathed life into the doldrums of the everyday which has a way of wearing one down. Experiencing the food and culture was amazing – especially the street markets. My husband and I realized that we enjoy being tourists but are also excited about experiencing some things local – as much as our excursion afforded us. We enjoyed exploring and utilizing the subway system to go off the beaten path to find the street markets and subway art. On our journey of discovery and trying to find rare “Banksy’s” (a famous English graffiti artist) we uncovered another famous trendsetter, in the preacher/evangelist and revolutionist of the Church of England, John Wesley.
The Methodist museum housed the chapel, home and grave site of John Wesley and told the story of this young, aspiring priest who was filled with the Spirit to share the gospel with all who would listen. He was an encouragement to many and his words continue to inspire and fill churches with beautiful hymns. Learning more about the heart of John Wesley inspired us. His influence reached across the globe. My husband benefited from his influence and was educated at a Methodist school.
In the museum, I was inspired by this letter from Wesley to William Wilberforce.
“ Dear Sir,
Unless the divine power has raised you up to be as ‘Athanasius contra mundum’ (The Courage to Act Alone), I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy (slavery) which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Go on, in the name of God and in the power of His might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it. “
I realized on this trip that being inspired is like breathing. One of the definitions of inspiration is the drawing in of breath. God breathed His breath of life into creation – for us to be creative, be trendsetters and influencers of life, love and godliness. Take time today for yourself to just breathe…visit a street market or museum, read a book, connect with a good friend and release the cares of life to Him. Keep breathing and keep being inspired. Breathe the life God has planned for you!
Be Inspired
Adventure. Feast. Breathe.
Who inspires you? How can you inspire others to live life with love and godliness?