I Am Peaceful

The Lord is at hand;  

do not be anxious about anything, 

but in everything

 by prayer and supplication

 with thanksgiving

 let your requests be made known to God.  

And the peace of God, 

which surpasses all understanding, 

will guard your hearts

 and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:5-7

Good morning, Girlfriends!

How are you today? 

"I am peaceful; thank you for asking."

I am interested to know how many of you would respond to that question this way? If I had to guess, I'd say, oh, about....ZERO. In today's world, peace does not seem to be the reigning state of mind or heart. Instead, we are more likely to be anxious, stressed out, busy, occupied, sad, concerned, depressed, or sick. Once in a while, that questions catches us on a good day--probably a Saturday--and we might respond with a more positive tone, proclaiming temporary happiness and contentment. Check back a day or two later, though, and most likely we will have reverted back to the former answers. Ladies, I admit, I have never heard anyone, including myself, admit to a peace-filled state of existence. Never. Not once.

Until today. 

Surprise! The words came straight out of ME. Yes, Girlfriends, I am peaceful. Thank you for asking. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:7 ESV

Not as the world gives...

Ladies, I have every earthly reason to be in a state of complete turmoil and emotional upheaval right now: 

1. I am married. I am a mother. I am a daughter. 2. My husband started a new job five states away this week. I miss him. 3. We are moving. I am still here, trying to sell our house in an over-saturated, deflated market. We are going to lose thousands of dollars. 4. My teenage son does not want to move. I am the mom he loves, but I am the enemy moving him. Love/hate relationships. I feel his pain. 5. Another daughter left home to college last month. I miss my babies, aka my lovely daughters. I am trying to be a good, long-distance parent, nurturing tender wings as they encounter the harsh winds of real life. 6. My oldest daughter is in extreme physical pain from a life-altering, medical error. I hurt because she is hurting. I can't fix it. I am pleading with God to heal her. She wants answers, including Why? I can't answer. I try to lead her to the One who can. 7. This same daughter's husband started a new job this week. She is moving to the opposite coast from where I am moving. 8. I am going to miss my mom. And sister. And mom-in-law. And girlfriends. I wish I had been a better daughter. I want to take them with me. 

"I am peaceful; thank you for asking."

Girlfriends, in the midst of life's pandemonium, this tumultuous turmoil, I have peace. Despite all these circumstances swirling around me, surpassing all understanding, the peace of Christ is guarding my heart and mind. 

Peace did not find me, however. I had to go after it. Go after Him. Seek Him. Pursue Peace. God, in His grace and mercy, offered me His peace but the work was mine to do. Do not get me wrong. I did not earn it. Peace was freely given to me. But I had to choose to claim it. I could be anxious and worried, stressed and depressed, or I could follow His Word:

do not be anxious about anything, 

but in everything

 by prayer and supplication

 with thanksgiving

 let your requests be made known to God. Phil 4:5-6

My peace comes from trusting God. I give Him thanks and praise, even in the difficult times. I believe He is who and what He says He is. As proof, which we humans seem to demand, I stand on His examples of past faithfulness. To me. To my family. To others I know. To His beloved people written about in His Word. I submit my life to Him: the good, the bad, the ugly, the in-between. I chose to offer every issue up in prayer and then trust in His will and His plan, which is far greater than I will ever understand. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

Ladies, peace is yours. Take hold of God's will for you. I pray today that you will seek the peace that passes all understanding. Do not sit idly by, waiting for it to come upon you. Do the work. Make the choice. I pray you will choose Jesus. Give thanks. Give praise. Lift up your face. Lift up your life daily. Peace is lasting but your efforts cannot be fleeting: prayer today, gone tomorrow. Be consistent and persistent in your pursuit. And be patient. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:14

So, I ask you Girlfriends, how are you today?

Peace be with you.

Lift Up Your Head

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2 NIV
 

Girlfriends, welcome to hot, hot, hot July! Wherever you are in the world, I hope you are staying well hydrated in this heat. You are the bright and beautiful flowers in my garden of friendship. Today, I pray you will also receive some refreshing, spiritual watering deep in your souls. Let's dive in.

Key Verse

When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, 

because your redemption is drawing near.

Luke 21:28 NIV

Looking Down

Ladies, I have spent a lot of time walking lately, trying to sort out in my mind, and spirit, the direction my life is going. One day while traversing the sidewalks and pondering my existence, I noticed that I am always looking down. (I have seen more cracks this month than a plumber's assistant.) Even when I exercise by climbing the limestone stairs at the toboggan run, my eyes are fixed on the rising or falling of the steps--which by the way are covered in dirt, bird poo, and creepy, crawling (or smashed) insects. I realized that the visual stimulation received during my soul searching walks is not enlivening nor enhancing my thought process whatsoever. In fact, the blandness of the concrete and the repetitiveness of the fissures are depressing reminders of the routine ruts into which we can fall as we march through our days. 

Recently, I decided that one of my twelve laps up and down the 125 stairs would be taken backwards. As I began my reverse ascent, I tried to look down, straining my neck to see the next stair behind me. I turned to the right, but my neck hurt. I twisted to the left. My neck still hurt, and now I was also dizzy. Finally, I looked up and straight ahead, allowing my foot to find the edge of the next step behind me by feel and faith. I continued to climb backwards in this manner, gazing out at the beautiful green forest in front of me the entire length of the rise. Suddenly, I arrived at the top of the flight, unaware of how many steps I had taken because my eyes were captivated by the beauty displayed before me. Yes, my legs were noodly and my breathing labored, as usual, but this loop passed quicker than the others I believe because my gaze was upward and the view was pleasant.

How many of us spend the majority of our lives looking down? Take a walk in any crowded place and try to catch someone's eye to offer them a smile or a wink. Chances are most people are gazing downward--at the ground, scanning for possible impediments which might cause them to trip and fall; at their phones, searching for meaningful relationships in a text message or on facebook; at their ipods, hoping to find solace, or inspiration to keep moving forward, in the next artist's song.

We all do it. We travel this world looking down, focusing on our earthly life with earthly problems, scarred by sin and disobedience, fearful of the uneven pavement, of the bumps in the road, of the rocks in the path upon which we may stub our toes, or trip and take a tumble. But what if we could walk by faith, lifting our eyes upward, focusing on the things of God, of the heavenly and perfect realm, of the promise we have been made? How would life change? How many eyes would we catch, smiles would we share, knowing glances would we exchange? The beauty of this life is found by beholding the magnificence and wonder of the next one, and God's creation is the greatest peek we have into that eternal life. Ladies, look up and behold the wonder of it all!

Looking Up

In today's key verse, Jesus is telling of the future destruction of Jerusalem and the end of time. He is describing dark days and events, but then He says, "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Ladies, the advice of the Lord can be applied to any season in your life. When the end seems near, darkness surrounds you and nothing feels right, stand up and look up--raise up your head! Redemption--your Savior Jesus Christ--is drawing near. My friend, draw near to Him. Lift your eyes from the ground, from the madness all around you, and catch His twinkling eye, the smile on His face, the expression that states, "I am here for you; I am in charge; and you will be fine."

Girlfriends, I challenge you for the next week to walk with head, chin, and eyes lifted high. God is trekking with you; He has your back. 

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

He will catch you if you fall; He may even warn you of the danger if you acknowledge His presence on the journey. 

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6

Turn off the distractions and converse with Him. Be still and know He is your God. (Psalm 46:10) Seek the wonder of His world and be amazed. Your insight, your vision, your direction will be brighter, clearer and more spectacular. Do as my favorite singer, Mac Powell of Third Day, sings: Lift Up Your Face!! 

My dears, I pray you will see the sun and moon shining instead of the gum and gunk stuck to the ground. I pray you will count the smiling nods you receive and the birds in the trees instead of worrying about stepping on cracks and breaking your mother's back. (Ha Ha- remember that old rhyme from childhood? If not, you probably think I am a cruel idiot right about now!) I pray the treasure you find in the colorful clouds of a beautiful sunset will be greater than the value of the occasional penny or quarter you may discover on the ground. I pray you will walk hand in hand, sharing with your best friend, instead of wandering aimlessly with cellular or electronic device in hand searching for affirmation from your virtual friends. Most of all, I pray you know and accept the love of God, your Savior Christ, and the indwelling Spirit of the Lord, whose beauty will grace your life forever more. Look Up!