Come to rest in the middle of it all

The last few weeks have been demanding, challenging and, at times, overwhelming for me. There was so much to sort out and organise, and on top of that came the shock of my father’s health and the many challenges I had to face.

And it doesn’t stop there. The boat is now in Berlin, moored at the boat-building workshop, which has a great deal of experience in fitting out boats. The thing is, I simply can’t afford to have the professionals do everything.

What this means is that, with the help of friends, I have to do almost everything myself and get to grips with a thousand new things:

– What tools do I need to remove rust?

– What’s the best way to go about this?

– What is the best insulation?

– What is the best workflow?

– How do I find the right people to help me?

My head’s spinning. Several friends have encouraged me to take a breather for now – to remain in God’s peace amidst it all. But – how do I do that? Just sitting around doing nothing doesn’t really work for me!

Yesterday, a friend shared a really good idea with me. „I got the impression you should tackle the boat project in the same way you’d write a book!“

I started to smile – that makes sense. Yes, I do have a plan when it comes to books. When I write a book, this is how it goes:

– I have a rough idea of what it’s about, what should go into the book or Quadro, what it should look like in the end, and what effect it should have.

– Then I draw up a summary on chequered paper, listing the four main topics (for Quadros) and seven sub-sections for each – with one box representing each chapter.

– And then I usually write a chapter every day. Sometimes it’s quite clear what I’m going to write about – for example, that the topic „Saying yes to myself“ also includes the topic „Saying yes to my body“. Sometimes, however, a particular detail or aspect becomes especially important to me during my morning prayer time – and that’s what I then focus on.

– I usually write chronologically, from start to finish – but sometimes I jump around a bit…

Because I have a vision, a plan and a strategy for taking things step by step, and because I also make sure to set aside time in everything I do to listen to God, I can remain at peace even in the midst of my work.

So this morning I started by drawing up a rough plan for my ship project:

• Chapter 1: Winterising (complete rust removal, painting, insulation), windows where necessary
• Chapter 2: Installation of heating, water and plumbing
• Chapter 3: Electrical Work and Walls
• Chapter 4: Interior Fitting-Out

Now I’m curious to see how God and I will bring each chapter to life – and how He will guide me through the details.

And yes – I am very grateful for your prayers that I may remain calm, confident and trusting amidst all these challenges, and that I may experience God’s guidance in everything.