It's 8:47 pm in Chicago. I'm sitting on my porch swing in the cool off the night. It's loud tonight. Police sirens nonstop. Tons of helicopters. My place of peace cannot seem to provide that for me tonight. I am in desperate need of peace. Of quiet. Of rest. I just left a vigil of the one year death date of a young man who died too soon to gang violence. The weight of my city, the violence is heavy. My soul has been wailing for weeks and it seems to take more strength to hold it together than to release the flood of emotions...the flood that has the potential to drown me. Sirens.Helicopters.Horns. Trains.Yelling. Waiting for the church bells. Waiting. I need to hear You OVER the noise. It is then that God reminds me, though the waiting can bring the most anxiety, it also brings the most power. Calming your soul is a practice...a discipline. Noise will always compete for your peace. You pressed to meet Me here...wait for it...waaaiiittt for it. Then I heard the bells and it was as if it was the only thing my soul heard. ‪#‎PorchSwingLife‬ ‪#‎SelfCare‬ ‪#‎KissOnForeheadFromGod‬