I think the answer to having and keeping peace may be found in being thankful.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…and be thankful.
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My Lighthouse
Keep your eyes on the Beacon of Light shining when in turbulent waters…it will always guide you to safety in a storm.
Do you have a Bible passage that speaks to this to share?
I Got This
The temptation is always waiting to become self-sufficient. There is this inerrant pull to do things on our own-even as toddlers!
My parents would tell me I would often say “ME DO IT” as I was learning new activities of living!
As a mother of a strong willed child I can attest to the frustration of trying to guide or counsel a child who simply thinks he has it all figured out- and The Young Master is only 12…we have the teenage years to even enter yet!
Self sufficiency or self reliance can trick us so easily into thinking we do not need others or God to help us accomplish our goals, simple tasks, or to enhance our current existence.
The repetition of my devotionals this morning tells me I need a guide… a shepherd even.
When unexpected illness beckons on my doorstep- I need someone to guide me in wisdom on how to maneuver without panicking.
When someone you care about suddenly appears saying they are suicidal and needs a safe place to live where they can heal while feeling loved-I need a guide to pave the way before me and a shepherd to protect me from doubts and critiscms that say this situation is hopeless and I am ill-equipped to help.
When a friends marriage falls apart-I need a guide that tells me love still overcomes.
When a car accident steals a child from your community leaving everyone questioning where is God– I need a guide to help me be a source of comfort as I have been one who has received comfort.
When a high school shooting claims the lives of 17 courageous souls and I need to still send my own precious trio to school today- I need a shepherd to protect me and them.
Psalm 23 is one we learn as children but I wonder if it is one we really read?
The Lord IS my shepherd
I have everything I need (not always want)
He lets me rest in green pastures and leads me beside still waters…
He renews my soul
He guides me along right paths- bringing honor to His name
EVEN WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH I WILL FEAR NO EVIL FOR HIS ROD AND STAFF PROTECT AND COMFORT ME.
“Seek to attune yourself to what God is already doing”…not to what you want Him to do in dire circumstances. (Jesus Calling)
“I lovingly go before you and open up the way,careful preparing the path you will follow…and I help you handle the difficulties that remain” ( Jesus Always)
“Fight every battle with a heart of praise and worship, believing that God will work in our life and circumstances…As we worship the Lord, we release the emotional or mental burden that is weighing us down. It is swallowed up in the awesomeness of God” (Joyce Meyer Closer to God)
LOSS
Do I turn to God or away from Him because of this?
I wrote an email yesterday for a weekly prayer to be shared…I tend to write a personal note each time…I re-read that email this morning and thought, perhaps, there is something worth sharing here in it.
This past weekend my community suffered a terrible tragedy that claimed the life of a beautiful girl, seriously injuring her sister and a friend, and forever altering the lives of the others in that vehicle that night. Our school and town are in shocked disbelief…with a resounding question already being asked: “why?”
I have talked to a few teenagers in these last few days that know this girl, her family, and the others involved in the accident…the heartbreaking theology reality is in that one simple word: why…
Do I turn to God or away from Him because of this?
The Sunday School answer is of course a resounding “no”…but if you ever sat with an 18 year old with tears streaming down their face as they ask you if God could have intervened and did not or maybe He could not…the question suddenly becomes harder to answer as you feel their pain.
There is no answer to why…and if there was, it would not change the current reality of loss…nor would it make sense that this precious Student of the Month is no longer laughing with her basketball team and never will again.
Faith is not believing in something you can understand…something you can control…something that you can see. Faith is believing in something that is bigger than you, sees more than you see, and can do more than you can even imagine.
But, sometimes, it means not understanding or liking the events that swirl around impacting us with such excruciating, confusing, chaotic pain and still choosing to believe anyway.
I learned once that instead of asking “why” we should begin to ask “what now” or “what next”…this is our current situation so what we do next with it suddenly becomes important.
Ready
A thought to ponder as I brace myself for the day:
“Ready means to be in for condition for immediate action”…
How often do I ask my kids or my patients “are you ready” and receive a begrudging “yes” before realizing they have not brushed their teeth, cannot find a backpack, or suddenly need to use the restroom.
How many times have I been “ready” and, as I walk out the door, realize I cannot find my keys?
As a mom, a homeowner, a nurse, a wife, a caregiver, a woman heading into ministry, a student-I feel I need to be ready for any thing at all times.
My “life is like a car with the engine idling”!
The Bible tells us, encourages us, to not be busy but to be ready..
What will it take for me to simply be ready for whatever next comes?
A nap?
Better organization?
Simplify my life?
Lower my standards to something more attainable?
Relinquish control?
Or…the theme of this weekend retreat…submit fully to God-so my plans, all,my past, all my fears, all my future, all my loves, so my dreams…
And do it face down before a loving, just King NOT with my hands up and back against the wall.
Ahhh
Aaahhh, Lord…You have made the heavens and the earth by Your power and outstretched arm. NOTHING is too hard for You~ Jeremiah 32:17
So…
We wait in hope for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield
~Psalm 33:20
I AM MORE THAN YOU THINK I AM
He knows I am more than I appear.
This may well be a rant.
Today is Thursday.
Every Thursday the same thing happens because it is garbage day.
And every Thursday the same thing also happens…everyone forgets it is garbage day except for me.
Reminding those in my house each Wednesday to empty all the garbage cans in preparation for the next day to come is met with the same reaction:
“Why do we have to empty the garbage?”
” I did it last week why do I have to do it again?”
“I forgot to do it”….even though the exact same reminder is there EVERY WEEK ON THE FRIDGE.
Emptying the garbage in the house is only half the battle: we still need to get the can to the curb in time for the garbage truck to come and do what it does with it.
Apparently, this is also something that only I can remember because of the five in this household, if it is forgotten, the responsibility of that act falls on my shoulders as the rest are seemingly clueless that this happens ON THE SAME DAY EACH WEEK.
As I lugged the big can out of the snow bank my sons had buried it in when they shoveled the snow this week (thank you for that extra effort guys), I found myself feeling despondent.
In my 18 years of marriage, I have long since figured out it is never the laundry, the toilet paper roll, OR the garbage that is the issue….there is always something deeper.
Fifteen minutes after getting it to the curb, the truck came to empty it.
I made it just in time!
It is a simple, uncelebrated, unrecognized victory.
And that was where the sadness came into play….
Somewhere inside this yoga pants wearing, pony tail sporting, doing dishes at 7 in the morning, part time working RN dealing with a ton of unwanted work stress and responsibility, part time ministry student, wife, daughter, mother of teen boys I feel myself screaming to be SEEN.
I am MORE than the one who annoys you with my enthusiasm over your life skills and concern over your well-being.
I am MORE than the only one who takes the time to make dinner in this house.
I am MORE than a poor substitute Department Manager.
I am MORE than your cheerleader.
I am MORE than your other half.
I am MORE.
I have feelings.
I get scared.
I get lonely.
I need hugs.
I like to be wanted and not just needed.
I have opinions that want to be heard.
I should be valued and appreciated as a functioning member of society.
I am smart.
I am funny.
I love deeply.
I hurt easily.
1 Chronicles 28:20 is King David talking to his son Solomon. David had received all the plans from the Lord to rebuild the Temple…but God told him he would not be the one to have the honor of doing the task- his son would.
He tells his son all the details he would need to know to get this enormous task completed. And then he gives him encouragement:
Be strong and courageous.
DO THE WORK.
Do not be afraid or discouraged…
for MY God is with you.
He will NOT fail you or leave you
until ALL the work for the service of the Lord is completed.
Do not be discouraged for God will not leave me until the task is completed that He created me to do…that He placed me in a position to complete.
Do not be discouraged???
Another mundane task quickly turned into a messy frustration while vacuuming the stairs…
My God will not leave me until the work He has set before is completed…
So…DO THE WORK AMY.
My God is a God who sees me…
He knows me….and knows what I need… because He created me.
He knows I am more than I appear.
The Bible says to ask and you will receive….
Well, Lord, I ask that the desires of my heart would be met because they are Your will for my life. I ask that the hurts of my heart would be taken care of because you are close to those who are hurting. I ask that my purpose would be found in YOU. I ask to be content with what I am currently enduring through and see the lessons you will have me learn while in this place of being seemingly unseen. Thank You for hearing me…
Psalm 34:4
I sought the Lord and he answered me.
He delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant:
their faces are never covered in shame.
No matter the size of the task, it will never have a chance to get done until you start it.
To Treasure
I am sitting on this for a bit.
Cut
Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts the Lord will be kept safe.
I was caught off guard last night by a personal criticism that cut me to the core.
“Self righteous” and “judgmental”…
Wow.
That is humbling to write.
It is painful to hear from the heart of someone you thought you knew.
Talk about stirring up my “people pleasing” nature but quickly recognizing the defeat as I cannot possibly counter such an attack without confirming both those attributes in the eyes of the accuser.
People will see what they want to see, I cannot control that.
People will perceive what they want to perceive….I cannot control that either.
Thank you Sarah Young, for your Jesus Always today..
You must not let circumstances define your sense of security
Preach it!
Though it is natural for you to want to be in control of your life
Yup.
I (God) can empower you to live supernaturally, resting in my sovereign control
Did you say REST??
I (Christ) help you face unwelcome changes…
Don’t even get me started…
and even catastrophic events, without fear.
Here comes the word picture–
Instead of letting anxious thoughts roam freely in your mind, LASSO them by voicing your hope in Me.
For the 1000th time, God keeps revealing Himself to me to say “quit trying to figure this out”, “trust in Me”, “don’t try to please everyone in this because you can’t….please Me instead“.
Take captive my thoughts.
Believe what I know to be true.
Let my faith be my eyes.
Trust the God of the impossible.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Clinging to the criticism caused a war in my mind leaving me with a headache and heartache…anxiety waged as I could not make it “right” nor did I feel justification of my personality or choices would be an act of love.
Silence and forgiveness…letting go and moving forward…confidence and strength found in the quietness….acceptance that this is what is… but that I am still who I am…
an imperfect, growing, child of the Living God.
Whoever trusts in Me is kept safe
Words still hurt, relationships still struggle and stumble…but safety and security can be found in the arms of my Savior….all because I choose to trust in Him and not me or my circumstance.
PS It is hard to be honest…even here where I should feel safe. But if I cannot find the words here to express then they hold power over me. Thank you for accepting my transparency.
1+2=3
I enjoy working out a simple equation. I appreciate the consistency of math. Yes, there are variables and arguments that could be had but for simplistic thinking (which is more calming to my mind than looking for a problem where there isn’t one).. I will stick with this equation~
1+2 (always)=3
2+1 (still always) =3
It just is what it is.
Phillipians 4:4-7 is kind of like that:
Rejoice in the Lord and do not be anxious (or worried) for the Lord is near.
Because He is close, tell him everything-take it all to him (the joy,sorrows,angst of your heart) and be thankful for His listening and for being someone who has the ability to do something (at a restaurant we take our problem with our meal to the one in charge right? Why? Because they can do something about it…God is the same..why complain, beg or plead, or praise just anyone? I want to make my case to the One in charge!)
THEN, when you do all that, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will be given to you. That peace will guard your heart and mind.
Notice, the “=3” does not say an alleviation of the problem or a solving of the situation….instead we are given PEACE through it…we are HEARD and UNDERSTOOD in it….we are SAFE as we ride this out.
Do this, get that.
I like it!
What Kind of Peace Is This? 