Psalm 46 + Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

In a world that rarely slows down, God invites us to be still. In this first season of Be Still: A Walking with Purpose Podcast, Lisa Brenninkmeyer explores six Scriptures that teach us how to stop striving, quiet our hearts, and trust Him in the middle of real life. Through the wisdom of the Bible and the companionship of great books, we’ll discover how God gently holds us steady and invites us to be still—right where we are.

Today we’re going to slow down together with one of the most beloved verses in all of Scripture: “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

We often picture this verse as soft and peaceful—but Psalm 46 was written in the middle of chaos. Mountains fall. Waters roar. Nations rage. And right there, God says: Be still.

Stillness isn’t the absence of trouble. It’s the decision to trust God in the middle of it.

In this episode, Lisa reflects on Psalm 46 alongside Wendell Berry’s novel Hannah Coulter, a quiet story about one woman’s faithful life of loving her family, tending her home, and staying rooted in one place. Together, Scripture and story remind us that holiness is often hidden in the ordinary.

You don’t have to hold the world together.
You don’t have to chase a bigger life.
God is already present in the one you’ve been given.

In this episode, we explore:

• What “be still” really means in Hebrew (stop striving, release your grip)
• Why stillness is trust, not passivity
• Wendell Berry’s vision of “membership” and belonging
• The sacredness of ordinary, everyday faithfulness
• How Mary at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10) models the same posture of presence

Journaling Questions

1. Where in my life am I striving or gripping tightly—and how might God be inviting me to release control and trust Him instead?
2. What ordinary people or places has God already entrusted to me that I’m being called to love more faithfully this week?

Key Scripture
Psalm 46:10. Be still, and know that I am God. 

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