Straight from a Light-Headed Heart
By Lisa Elliott

My mind was full! Thankfully, not merely filled with all bad things, but full nonetheless. Things like: care of my aging parents, concern for my adult children, wonderings over my growing grandchildren, prayerful discernment in how best to use my gifts to serve in our new church, and rehearsing upcoming speaking material. And, on it goes.

We all know how things can keep us awake at night and creep into our dreams when we finally find sleep. Much less keep us from breathing at regular intervals throughout the day. Yes, those things.

Whenever I’ve fallen prey to a series of full-on mind-full activity, I typically find myself doing one of two things. Either holding my breath or taking in shallow breaths. Neither one consciously. But, in both cases, I catch myself notably neglecting to take deep breaths.

Often when my mind is full, I walk it out or talk it out. This particular day, however, in a very timely fashion, I chose to have it massaged out by my amazing RMT. Helping me release some of the things that were playing on my mind, weighing heavily on my shoulders, and burrowed deep within my heart.

As I lay face down on the massage table, I sensed I also needed to take some intentional time to breathe it out before the One who gives me breath and breathes life back into my lungs.

I had heard of “Breath Prayers.” But hadn’t ever really put them into practice. By breath prayers, I mean taking a scripture verse or passage and using it to pray. Inhaling and exhaling as the verse lends itself to a rhythmic cadence. Deep breathing exercise in the truest sense.

For example, 1 Peter 5:7;

INHALE: Cast all your cares upon him
EXHALE: For he cares for you.

Or, Matthew 11:28;

INHALE: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,
EXHALE: and I will give you rest.

Seeing as I knew I had an hour on the massage table, I chose to breathe in Psalm 23. Pausing at appropriate intervals to absorb what each prayerful breath represented in my life. Here’s how it went:

INHALE: The Lord is my shepherd,
EXHALE: I lack nothing.

INHALE: He makes me lie down
EXHALE: in green pastures,

INHALE: he leads me beside quiet waters,
EXHALE: he refreshes my soul.

INHALE: He guides me along the right paths
EXHALE: for his name’s sake.

INHALE: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,
EXHALE: for you are with me;

INHALE: your rod and your staff,
EXHALE: they comfort me.

INHALE: You prepare a table before me
EXHALE: in the presence of my enemies.

INHALE: You anoint my head with oil;
EXHALE: my cup overflows.

INHALE: Surely your goodness and love will follow me
EXHALE: all the days of my life,

INHALE: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
EXHALE: forever.

By the end of the massage, I felt, shall I say, light-headed? In a good kind of way. All because of a little air exchange.

Exchanging my heavy burdens for His light and easy yoke. Laying my future down in exchange for His assurance and hope. Giving up my mental exhaustion in exchange for His refreshment. Handing over my grief in exchange for His comfort. Forfeiting my fear in exchange for His love. Casting my cares upon Him in exchange for peace.

What’s weighing heavily on your mind? Why not give prayer-breathing a try?

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3, NIV).

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Need a little extra encouragement? Discover more inspirational blogs by Lisa Elliott, Straight from the Heart.

About this Contributor:

Lisa Elliott is an inspirational speaker and award-winning author of The Ben Ripple, Dancing in the Rain, and A Ministry Survival Guide. She’s also a writer for Just Between Us Magazine, theStory, and Good Ground. She and her husband, David, have four children (three on earth, one in heaven) and serve the Lord together in Stratford, ON, Canada.