What we need to live is often taken for granted—until it’s gone. At the Women’s Sabbath on August 22 at the Hamburg-Harburg Seventh-day Adventist Church, breath became a symbol of God’s life-giving presence.
Under the theme “God’s Breath,” Kerstin Dan took the participants on a special journey. Drawing on her experiences as a lifeguard, she explained the importance of a proper breathing technique while diving. As long as you have enough air, you hardly think about it. But after a dive, that first deep breath suddenly becomes precious. This experience led directly into the day’s biblical message: God’s breath and Spirit are also invisible—yet essential to life. Ezekiel 37:5 states: “Behold, I will put my breath into you, and you shall live.” The Hebrew word “ruach” can mean breath, wind, and Spirit. Where God’s ruach is at work, new life emerges.
In keeping with this theme, a new song, entitled “Breath of God”, written by Kerstin and Eri Dan, together with Matthias Steinebach, was introduced and sung. The chorus—“Just as the wind moves the world, your breath flows through time…”—not only lingered in our ears but also captured the day's central message.
We, too, experience times when we feel as if we were in the Valley of Dry Bones: exhausted, weak, and empty. The story from the book of Ezekiel reminds us that God can give new life right there. We don’t have to fix everything on our own before we come to him. This perspective also applies to the life of our churches. The church should be more than just a well-filled calendar. We don’t want to be merely busy—we want to be alive. For that, we need God’s Spirit and the willingness to make room for Him.
After a fellowship meal, this message became a very practical experience in the afternoon. In a lovingly designed prayer garden, the participants were able to linger at various stations, read Bible passages, and try out prayer exercises—including a simple form of breath prayer:
Breathe in—God’s Word.
Breathe out—my worries.
Breathe in—God’s promise.
Breathe out—what I want to let go of.
The participants also made commemorative bracelets with the words “ATEM” (breath) or “RUACH.” While the women enjoyed their Women’s Sabbath, the men also had their own program with Eri Dan. The day together closed with refreshments. What remains is a simple yet powerful memory: The God whose breath gave life at creation is also present today. We may come to Him just as we are and ask, “God, breathe Your life into me anew.”