Will We Survive the "Major Lunar Standstill" Event?

A once in 18.6 years event where the moon stands still...kinda.

Last night, on July 10, the Full Buck Moon rose in a way it hasn’t in nearly two decades, hugging the southern horizon in a low, golden arc. This rare event, known as a major lunar standstill, only occurs every 18.6 years, when the Moon reaches its most extreme declination. It’s a quiet marvel, easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, and guess what? If you're reading this, you survived! There was no real danger; I was just being dramatic. But for those who took the time to pause and gaze upward, it was a poignant reminder that even the heavens move according to a divine rhythm.

This month’s moon has carried several names passed down through generations:

• Buck Moon, marking the time when young deer begin to grow their antlers.

• Thunder Moon, echoing the summer storms that roll across the land.

• Salmon Moon, tied to the migration of fish in northern rivers.

• Hay Moon, when fields are ripe for harvest.

Each name reflects a season of growth, change, and preparation, a theme that resonates deeply with the spiritual journey.

“He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows its time for setting.”
—Psalm 104:19 (ESV)

This year’s Buck Moon didn’t soar high overhead. Instead, it lingered low, casting a warm amber glow across the southern sky. It’s a humbler posture, almost as if the moon itself is bowing in reverence. And maybe that’s the lesson: not every season is about rising high. Some seasons are about waiting, trusting, and remaining faithful even when the path arcs low.

In our lives, we often crave the mountaintop moments, the breakthroughs, the clarity, and the answered prayers. This is so evident in addiction recovery; I have seen it in myself, and I see it in those who are early in their walk of recovery. But God’s timing doesn’t always follow our expectations. Like the moon’s slow dance across the sky, His plans unfold with precision and purpose, even when they seem delayed or distant.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
—Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)

The Buck Moon’s return to this rare position is a gentle nudge from the Creator: He is still orchestrating the cosmos, and He is still orchestrating your life. The same God who set the Moon on its 18.6-year cycle is not late in fulfilling His promises to you. He is simply working in rhythms we may not yet understand.

So anytime you step outside to watch the moon rise low and golden, let it speak to your soul. Let it remind you that waiting seasons are sacred, that growth often happens in hidden places, and that God’s timing is always perfect.

“The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.”
—Lamentations 3:25 (ESV)

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Buy someone a cup of coffee. I am always looking for ways to engage with guys who just need a friend or someone to talk to. The best way for me to do this is to invite them out for a cup of coffee.

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