Perfect Peace

January 17, 2023 Gracie

Perfect Peace Starts With You

Think back.

Do you remember a time in your life when you felt like you were in perfect peace?

For me, surprisingly, it was after our family accident.

As a family, we had suffered a great loss – the tragic, accidental death of our nine-year-old niece Susanna.

It wasn’t until fifteen years later that my husband and I traveled back to Jackson Hole to get some closure.

One of our visits during that return trip was to head up to Rendezvous Mountain – an incredibly peaceful place right there at the top.

We spent quite a bit of time up there, but the highlight was praying on that mountain to God and thanking Him for letting us experience His grace during a time of great sadness. As long as we stayed focused on God and His promises, we felt that perfect peace the Bible verse talks about.

In Isaiah 26:3, the prophet (and great man of God) speaks to the strength and peace that our Sovereign God can provide if we keep our focus on Him.

Everlasting Strength and Perfect Peace Can Be Yours

As Christians, we know that God is good.

We can trust Him to work the circumstances in our lives for the good, even when we don’t understand His plan.

On the other hand, trusting in the things of this world is a losing proposition.

Whatever we trust to the world for, it will be but for a moment: all we expect from it is confined within the limits of time. But what we trust in God for will last as long as we shall last. For in the Lord Jehovah-Jah, Jehovah, in Him who was, and is, and is to come, there is a rock of ages, a firm and lasting foundation for faith and hope to build upon; and the house built on that rock will stand in a storm. Those that trust in God shall not only find in Him, but receive from Him, everlasting strength, strength that will carry them to everlasting life, to that blessedness which is for ever; and therefore let them trust in Him for ever, and never cast away nor change their confidence. – Matthew Henry, Christian Minister and author.²

May you find comfort in this beautiful song, “Stayed on Him” from vocalist Terrian . . .

My sisters in Christ, You are His.

Don’t listen to the voice of fear, but trust God with all your heart and mind.

He is greater and stronger.

He is Jehovah-Nissi, our Banner

Through Him we have eternal victory and our salvation is secure.

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²Matthew Henry quotation, “Complete Commentary on Isaiah 26” – “Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible.”[1706.] Courtesy of Studylight.org., Isaiah 26:3-4, n.d. para. 6. Public Domain. Web. Accessed 11 January, 2023.

Our Exceptional God

Perfect Peace Drives Out Fear

June 23, 2020 Gracie

Perfect Peace Drives Out Fear

Is it okay to love a piece of furniture?

Say yes.

About a year ago, my husband and I bought a new couch since our old one had some big-time wear and tear.

After a lot of searching, we found the perfect one.

Not only is this couch comfortable, it has a little compartment to keep the remote in, drink holders, and even more importantly, it reclines!!

Woot!

I have to admit I’ve fallen asleep on that couch several times.

A comfy, deep, sleep for up to an hour, interrupted only by our dogs wanting to go outside.

How nice it is to put all of life’s troubles aside, even if just for a little while, while nothing but perfect peace envelops my soul.

The TV noise is on, but I don’t hear it as I drift peacefully off to sleep.

If life were only like that every time troubles keep us awake, right?

It can be.

In the verse above, the prophet Isaiah talked about keeping a steady focus on God.

Steady and focused – like your life depends on it.

The assurance we can get from trusting in what the Lord promises can help bolster our confidence in the trying days ahead.

Perfect peace drives out fear.

There’s nothing wrong with writing that down somewhere where you can see that blessed reminder all the time.

You should see all the sticky notes I have lying around in my office.

Can we have perfect peace in God right now?

If you’re feeling troubled, you’re not alone.

I’ve talked with several girlfriends lately.

We’re all basically saying the same thing.

Catnaps in front of the TV aside, it’s hard to stay asleep overnight with everything that’s going on in the world.

Some friends are having nightmares when they finally do get to sleep.

I’ve had a couple myself.

There’s a lot of fear-promoting on social media/TV, and also outside our doorsteps.

We all have to make sure we have our spiritual armor on over our PJ’s.

Every Christian who is attempting to live righteously is called to this battlefield for his entire life. We are in a spiritual battle. But in grace and mercy, God gives the faithful believer an entire suit of armor for the fight (Ephesians 6:13). ¹ – Got Questions website.

I heard an analogy recently, and it’s a good one.

We have to remember that the symbol for our Christianity is the Cross, not an easy chair.

Amen!

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¹ Courtesy of gotquestions.org, from “Why is following Christ so difficult?” n.d., para. 8. Web. Accessed 17 June, 2020. Retrieved from https://www.gotquestions.org/following-Christ.html

Our Exceptional God

Finding Peace In The Chaos

September 18, 2019 Gracie

Looking For Peace Of Mind

Just gonna’ say it.

I am ready for a vacation.

So ready.

Like right now.

Trust me, these past few months at our house have been very busy and physically exhausting.

Who’d have thought I’d end up with two sprained knees and a swollen ankle when it was all over?

Not kidding.

Heavy boxes and I have a complicated relationship.

We don’t like each other.

Now it’s time to slow down, or at least that’s my goal.

Calgon, take me away!

There are so many places we’d love to visit again, including Myrtle Beach and Charleston, SC.

The last time we were in Charleston it was a birthday surprise from my husband. He got a few points for that one.

Looking for peace

If you haven’t vacationed in Charleston yet, you might want to put it on your bucket list. But, there’s a “but”, as you will see below.

We stayed at this charming downtown hotel within walking distance to everything you could possibly want – from restaurants, to art galleries, shopping, and more.

It was seventh heaven.

As soon as we checked into our room, it was back downstairs so we could walk around town and sample the delicious waterfront cuisine.

By the end of the day we were exhausted and ready to hit the sack for a peaceful night’s sleep.

All was quiet until 4:30 the next morning.

We heard a very loud bang outside our upstairs window.

Both of us jolted awake.

“What the heck was that?”

And then there was another bang, and another (times about 10).

It’s so loudddd.

I cautiously opened the blinds and saw the city garbage truck down below doing its trash pickup right outside our upstairs window.

Why hadn’t we noticed that when we checked in earlier?

The noise and beeping went on and on and seemed to get louder.

The idea of pleasantly sleeping in while on a vacation floated right out that window.

Excuse me, Concierge, where can we buy some earplugs?

Garbage in Garbage Out

Our experience with the trash truck reminds me of the “noise” circulating on TV and social media on a daily basis.

Lots of “noise” and loud angry voices – full of so much hate and division-promoting rhetoric.

I don’t know about you, but I have to turn it off.

Who can live with that much anger day after day after day?

There’s still so much good left in America that I don’t listen to those who try to tear her down.

Finding Peace in the Chaos

Looking for peace amidst the chaos

No one said it’s going to be easy to blot out all of the angry noise – especially with the popularity of social media and 24-hour news coverage.

But what we can do, is continue to trust in God’s will and cultivate an active prayer life which can help calm our anxious thoughts.

When we walk in peace even though our surroundings are unpleasant, God is glorified.¹– Chuck Swindoll, Christian pastor, author, and educator.

Here’s something else to consider.

Amid the “noise” of the world, why not shower someone else with grace in the name of Jesus Christ?

Good deeds don’t get us to Heaven, but they do take the focus off ourselves as we aim our attention on others.

I recently watched a video and loved the ideas presented.

Here’s the mission: on your next birthday, whatever age you are, that’s the number of random blessings to aim for over the next year.

Let’s see, for me that would be . . . 30 years old . . . 40 . . . We’ll stop right there.

There’s a wonderful feeling you get, sometimes hard to put into words, that comes from the smiles and/or tears you witness when you anonymously bless someone else. Add a note to your anonymous gift about God’s love for them, and you’ve planted a seed. For me, it’s an excellent way for finding peace in the chaos.

God has primarily chosen to reach people through people. So engage them, and most importantly, keep praying for them. Give it a try, and you will discover what a joy it is to tell others about Jesus. I pray that God will give you a burden for people like you have never had before.² – Greg Laurie, Pastor, Bible teacher, and author.

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¹Chuck Swindoll quotation, courtesy of Insight For Today, A Daily Devotional by Chuck Swindoll. “Peace Amidst Unpleasant Circumstances.” November 28, 2017. para. 21. Web. Accessed 15 September, 2019.

²Pastor Greg Laurie quotation, courtesy of Harvest.org, “5 Ways to Love Your Neighbor.” Ebook. Page 22. Accessed 15 September, 2019.

Our Exceptional God

Symphony Of Colors

April 16, 2024 Gracie

God Created The Symphony of Colors

God's symphony of colors

Do you have a favorite time of day?

If I had to pick one (okay I’ll pick two), it would be early morning and dusk.

The peacefulness of the morning and then, later in the day, the rich red and orange colors painted across the sky during a sunset are captivating.

My photo library is filled with pictures I’ve taken of these God-created wonders.

Sunrise symphony of colors

Each day I love to walk outside to witness God’s symphony of colors.

Sunrises and sunsets are just a few of the many reasons I delight in Him.

Don’t overlook these simple joys.

Recently, I came across a poem that captures this theme beautifully and I wanted to share it with you.

Beauty of the Morning

In the beauty of the morning
When the sun awakes the world
When the birds begin their singing
And the clouds are all unfurled.

Have you ever stopped to listen
As the darkness fades away
When the golden dawn is breaking
and heralds in the day?

If you’ve never seen the glory
of the rising of the sun
Now’s the time to do this
For at least, just even one.

Your heart will swell with praises
As you see the beauty there
You will find your spirit soaring
And your heart bowed down in prayer.

– Author unknown

With thanks to our Father in Heaven, the beauty of God’s sunrises and sunsets are a pleasant reminder that we have been gifted another new day!

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The Faithfulness of God

January 16, 2024 Gracie

The Faithfulness of God

One of the best things I’ve heard in a long time was said to me by a dear friend recently.

She said, “If you’re wondering what God is doing, think about what He has done.”

That is so true!

When I take the time to reflect on my years past, I can see the fingerprints of God all over my life.

Challenges that seemed daunting at the time are now distant memories – part of the progression in my spiritual walk to make me stronger and more bold for Christ.

The faithfulness of God When your life goes off center, and it seems like there’s no end in sight, remember what God has already done.

You are not alone, and you never were.

Like a shining beacon in any storm, the faithfulness of God is our spiritual lifeline.

We can count on the fact that God is already there at the end of it – no matter what our circumstances.

When our hearts struggle with fear, discouragement, loneliness, pain, or grief, reminding ourselves of the constancy of God’s love can be a tremendously encouraging game-changer. If our faith falters, we must remember God’s immovable, undying, steadfast love. – gotquestions.org.¹

Great is the Faithfulness of God

As the Creator, God has the power to carry out His perfect plan for our lives and to accomplish His perfect purposes through our suffering. And as the faithful Creator, He can be counted on to do it. Therefore we can consciously entrust ourselves to His care with complete confidence, and hand the safekeeping of our lives over to Him, believing that He will do what is best. When we do that, we will have peace in the midst of adversity. – Richard L. Strauss, Author and Theologian.²

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¹Quotation from gotquestions.org., “What does it mean that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases (Lamentations 3:22)?” n.d., para. 4. Web. Accessed February 3, 2024. Retrieved from His love never ceases.

² Richard L. Strauss quotation is courtesy of bible.org. from “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, para. 37, May 18, 2004. Web. Accessed January 13, 2024. Retrieved from https://bible.org/seriespage/great-thy-faithfulness

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