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The Beauty of Whitespace

By Bonnie Gray • October 8, 2009 • 33 Comments

After reading the comments from the last post, The Bloom of Becoming, I was struck with putting out a Faith Barista challenge.

It was apparent from the responses that we share a common desire to break away from results oriented thinking and simply enjoy love oriented living.

But, how can we be motivated to simply rest in becoming?

An idea occurred to me as I read Break Through By Taking Breaks, an article written by author Matthew May on Open Forum.

The article offers scientific evidence that taking down time is actually required for creativity and new thinking.

New studies show that creative revelations tend to come when the mind is engaged in an activity unrelated to the issue at hand; pressure is not conducive to recombining knowledge in new and different ways, the defining mark of creativity.

It was fascinating to learn that “putting pressure on ourselves to try and work harder, more intensely, or more quickly, may only slow down our ability to arrive at new insights.”

If this is true in the makeup of creativity in the arts, writing, and scientific invention, what would be the implications for spirituality and faith?

The necessity of whitespace isn’t just a 20th century art form. God has been calling us to the creative art of rest and renewal for generations.

“In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

My Spiritual Whitespace

One Saturday a month, I leave the house by 7:30am in the morning. I pack my journal, pen, camera, and Bible into my backpack and head outside.

Depending on mood, I’ll go for a walk. Maybe I’ll sit on a bench or a spot on a trail. If it’s raining, I find that coffee houses early on the weekend are quiet.

There’s no goal other than breathing and enjoyment. It’s inevitable that when I place myself in quietness and beauty, my de-sensitized ears open up to God’s voice. My spirit is once again touched by His love and rest.

My absence at home is brief.  Refreshed, I return to Hubby who is still in one piece with the kids. With a kiss welcome home, we spend the rest of Saturday together.

A Whitespace Invitation

It’s been a sanctuary having my Saturday morning timeout regularly scheduled on the calendar.

It’s a helpful reset button, but I must be careful to include a key ingredient, so that my unplugged time isn’t simply an exercise in external rest.

After all, we can physically unplug, but still remain emotionally unsettled, fixated on our shortcomings.

Jesus says in John 6:26-28:

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.

The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

It’s compelling to note that the original Greek word for believe in this passage is pisteuo, which means “to place confidence in, to entrust oneself to [Jesus]”.

Inner whitespace of the heart is created when we place ourselves in God’s hands and trust that He will complete the work of renewal.

The more we spend time with Him, we learn to trust and become free to receive.

I’d like to invite you to take the Whitespace Challenge this weekend.

The Purpose: Practice enjoyment and being with God, as you are.

The Details:

1. Do something that encourages you to be at rest, avoiding activities that are performance oriented or focused on meeting expectations.

2.  Choose an activity that carries the element of quietness.

3. Enjoy it with a cup of coffee or a brew of tea.

(Well, #3 is encouraged, but not required.)

Each person’s whitespace looks different.

How do you create whitespace?


Do you want to hear a song that goes with this post on whitespace?
Then, check out this Worship Smoothie:  Is Your Heart Spoken For?
Today's post is Part 6 in a series titled, "What's New With You?".
Be sure to catch the entire series:
Introduction:  Your Best Days Are Ahead Of You
Part 1: Never Too Late To Make Room For New
Part 2:  Faith Isn't Sci-Fi:  Change Takes TIme
Part 3:  Sink or Swim, God's Love Won't Quit
Part 4:  A Faith Intervention
Part 5:  The Bloom of Becoming
Would you join me and share what new things God is doing in your life? 
Please comment.  
It would be wonderful to be encouraged by sharing in your current faith walk.
Your experience would weave fellowship into my spirit.
If you enjoyed today's post, you may like reading my post on Simple Pleasures:  
Baby Steps To Recapturing a Life of Joy.SUBSCRIBE NOW to catch FaithBarista updates hot and fresh directly in your mailbox
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33 Comments

  • Reply Heather Sunseri October 8, 2009 at 2:46 am

    Great post, Bonnie! I wonder how many people actually take time out of their busy schedules to just sit and be with God? If they don’t, they don’t know what they are missing!!!

  • Reply *Michelle* October 8, 2009 at 3:31 am

    I love me a good challenge…..and now that it can include coffee, I’m totally in! (sorry, it’s the competitiveness in me!)

    Seriously….I really want to thank you for this encouragement. This one was written just for me (but I’ll share!)

    Life can get so busy, even trying to keep up the pace of “The Walk of Christ” that we forget about the importance of just being still and giving God our everything.

    I know from my past that giving it all over to Him and trusting is such a rewarding and freeing experience, yet I don’t do it all the time…..then I wonder why I feel so tired and drained from carrying the burdens myself.

    For me, my “time” usually is when I take my husband’s truck to get hay, feed, etc. His CD player works (someone stuck ju-jee beans in the one in my van)…..I crank up some serious worship music and get into my own praise/prayer. I will tell you that I have some great convo’s with God as we rock out together. But now that you speak of the element of quietness…..I can only imagine how much more I would hear from God in that silence.’

    Great post……and I am going to take you up on this challenge.

    Peace~
    *~Michelle~*

  • Reply Kelly Langner Sauer October 8, 2009 at 5:38 am

    Bonnie, I love reading your stuff. You come at it from such a *functional* spot – I’m all abstract and desperate… 😛 I’ve known the truth of this since my freshman year at college, when I had to take Wednesday nights and Sundays completely off from studying while the rest of my classmates worked non-stop. I’ve been craving that “white space” again lately, but now I have a toddler, and where I go, my baby belly goes too, so I am never alone. Thanks for sharing, for reminding, for encouraging.

    Oh, and I have a poem for ya – God gave it to me during that year. I come back to it often when everything is going crazy around me…

    My Quietness

    O Thou who art my quietness, my deep repose,
    My rest from strife of tongues, my holy hill,
    Fair is Thy pavilion, where I hold me still.

    Back let them fall from me, my clamorous foes,
    Confusions multiplied;
    From crowding things of sense I flee
    And in Thee hide.
    Until this tyranny be overpast,
    Thy hand will hold me fast.

    What though the tumult of the storm increase,
    Grant to Thy servant strength, O Lord,
    And bless with peace.

    – Amy Carmichael

  • Reply Russell Holloway October 8, 2009 at 6:47 am

    “Love oriented living.” That really touches my heart this morning.

    . . . Father, thank you for this message you have sent us through your servant Bonnie. Father, command our spirits to slow down, so that we have time to love and be loved. So that we spend more time with you. In Jesus name . . .

    While I was praying a thought came into my head. Why are we in such a hurry. We have eternity…

  • Reply Anne Lang Bundy October 8, 2009 at 8:11 am

    Okay, Bonnie. I’ll take the challenge. I’ve put “whitespace walk” on the calendar for Saturday AM. I’ll try to go at sunrise, and I commit to going out even if it’s a downpour. And I promise to keep in mind the words of Doug Spurling which you quoted on Twitter yesterday, “We’re human beings, not human doings.”

  • Reply Doug Spurling October 8, 2009 at 8:20 am

    “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 ~ (Love it.)

    It’s inevitable that when I place myself in quietness and beauty, my de-sensitized ears open up to God’s voice. ~ (awesome)

    Dougism: Relax – you can see clearer. (I should add hear better too huh?)

    Thanks Faith B.

  • Reply Maureen October 8, 2009 at 8:28 am

    I’m definitely up for the challenge!!! (though it will have to be on Fri. for me as Sat. is my Shabbat and I’m off to service). And, absolutely, #3 is a must for me as well 🙂

  • Reply Ginny (MAD21) October 8, 2009 at 11:36 am

    I hate to admit it, but I don’t think I have any ‘whitespace’ time in my days. I’ll have to think about when I can do that. Thanks for the idea!

  • Reply Tweets that mention The Beauty of Whitespace | Faith Barista -- Topsy.com October 8, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bonnie Gray and Bonnie Gray. Bonnie Gray said: New Post: Break Through By Taking Breaks http://bit.ly/eY8FI The Beauty Of Whitespace […]

  • Reply Bridget Chumbley October 8, 2009 at 12:18 pm

    I needed this idea! I’ll be taking the challenge and #3 is icing on the cake!
    Thanks, Bonnie.

  • Reply Melinda Lancaster October 8, 2009 at 12:23 pm

    I am definitely up for the challenge. Thanks for the wonderful post!

  • Reply Are You Spoken For? A Child’s Love Song To Daddy | Faith Barista October 9, 2009 at 12:29 am

    […] was the song I felt best expressed my sentiments, as we break for the weekend and step into The Beauty of Whitespace, to find rest and repentance.  Quietness and […]

  • Reply Peter P October 9, 2009 at 11:37 am

    I’m scared. Whitespace? Is that allowed?

    We’ll see… but I don’t want to try too hard to rest 🙂

  • Reply Holley October 9, 2009 at 3:02 pm

    Brilliant and beautiful, Bonnie. I was just praying about this very thing and here you are writing about it. Your words came to my heart at just the right time. Thank you!

  • Reply Bonnie Gray October 10, 2009 at 3:42 am

    @Heather: Yeah, I wonder about that, too. It is definitely something not to miss out on! It’s simple and hard to do. Isn’t that the rub of simplicity? But, oh, the reward!
    @Michelle: Uh-huh. Being tired definitely is a great wake-up alarm for me, too. I used to think it was just sleep I needed. Yes, I DEFINITELY need that. But, I also know it’s God’s presence I need. I love your line, “someone stuck ju-jee beans” in your CD player! That is so cute. Thanks for sharing. And cool we’re on the challenge together!
    @Heather: Wow, you’re one of those college friends 😉 .. often calm and collected, with a smile that encourages me. Yep, I was the ones working non-stop (except Friday nights and Sunday afternoons) 😉 THANK YOU for that beautiful poem by Amy Carmichael. Gosh it’s arrestingly delectable. Keep being abstract and desperate. Makes killer poetry!
    @Russell: Thank you for the prayer, Russell! What a blessing! Thank you, God!
    @Anne: Yeah, that Dougism was totally awesome. Another whitespace challenger to keep me company. Cool!
    @Doug: Good ones. Keep ’em comin’, Doug!
    @Maureen: Shalom on your Shabbat, Maureen!
    @Ginny: Yeah, if I don’t schedule it, all my time is easily eaten up. Kids are always hungry! 🙂
    @Bridget: #3 makes the world of difference, huh?
    @Melinda: Thanks for being here, Melinda! Wonderful – another fellow whitespacer!
    @Peter: LOL! Totally allowed and encouraged! 😉
    @Holley: A faith connection! It’s too exciting when that happens. God is real!

  • Reply Billy Coffey October 10, 2009 at 3:37 pm

    Loved this, Bonnie. I try every day to get my whitespace in. If I don’t, there seems to be a lot of gray.

  • Reply Bradley J. Moore October 11, 2009 at 4:55 pm

    Bonnie, once again you nailed it. I think most of us know this intuitively, but we get too caught up in the moments, and get into this kind of inertia of getting things done (which is paradoxical, I know…). I have found that getting good sleep also counts as white space. I recently saw a lecture by a sleep Dr. who had some pretty profound things to say about the scientific corellation between getting a good 8 -9 hours of sleep and one’s performance/creativity output.
    I also have found that getting on the treadmill in the middle of the day (my company has a gym onsite) and turn up the ipod, and just let it all go, I tend to get some amazing ideas for writing – even the exact words coming to me. I have to scurry off and scratch them all down after the workout’s finished!
    And then, the nothing-time, like you said. How luxurious does that seem. I try to at least take a vacation alone with God once a year (check out my story which is posted at Insidework.net on Thurs-Fri). That also has proved to be a huge spiritual boost.

    Thanks for such a great post.

  • Reply Bonnie Gray October 11, 2009 at 6:27 pm

    @Billy: “I try every day to get my whitespace in. If I don’t, there seems to be a lot of gray.” Spot on. What memorable play of words that ring true. No wonder you’ve got creativity coming out of your ears! Not surprised.
    @Bradley: I’m impressed that you have the discipline to get on the treadmill at lunch rather than slipping in some more desk work! Thanks also for the footnote on the doc’s lecture on correlation between sleep and creativity. So, the Sunday afternoon nap and beauty rest isn’t just for looks, huh? It’s for the inner beauty of creativity. Great addition to this post. Thank you!

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    […] weekend, on my whitespace appointment with God outdoors, I heard the call of the […]

  • Reply Debby October 18, 2009 at 8:52 am

    I’m all for some white space! God and coffee….things I love.

    I was reading some other posts here, and I’m pleasantly surprised at all the thoughtful comments. You seem to bring out the inspiration in writers!

    Blessings!

  • Reply Bonnie Gray October 18, 2009 at 11:05 pm

    @Debby: Hi, Debby! Wonderful to have you here. I am with you. I am so inspired and encouraged by the insightful thoughts people share in the comments! Blessings, back!

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