Did you know that you can be both responsible and relaxed? You don’t need to carry anxiety in your body and you don’t need to worry about things. You can plan, prepare and work really hard but do it relaxed. With a tranquil mind and heart, you can become a smarter, more productive and life-giving person.

Henri Nouwen told a story about going to the circus frequently and becoming enamored with the flying trapeze swingers. So taken was he with what they did that he started to watch them every day and he ultimately became friends with the performers. Likewise, they were so extremely fond of him that they asked him to go on the road with them, justifying it by saying, “we need a priest to travel with us.” So he began to travel with them throughout Germany and he befriended a trapeze flyer named Rodleigh, who was the leader of the troupe. Rodleigh shared with Nouwen the secret to a successful trapeze act: the flyer does nothing, and the catcher does everything. He said that the worst thing the flyer can do is try to catch the catcher, because if he were to grab the catcher’s wrists, he might break them and that would mean the end for both of them. Ultimately, he summed it up as, a flyer must fly, a catcher must catch, and the flyer must trust with outstretched arms that his catcher will be there for him. Isn’t that great?

Friends, this is the life of the beloved. You trust that God, who is your catcher, loves you enough that He’s not going to let you fall. All the things you worry about — your health, your children, your finances — you pray, you do your best, you apply yourself, but then you let them go and trust Jesus to catch you. With outstretched arms, you allow Him to do the heavy lifting, for He is strong and His timing is always perfect!