💥💥💥💥 2,000 and Still Counting 💥💥💥💥

This day, July 11, 2019 -- is the BIG ONE! The BIG ONE as in posting my 2,000th blog. Pardon the personal high-fives! 🤚🤚 I’m beyond grateful for God's faithfulness to me to inspire, motivate, encourage, drop nuggets of His fresh Word, opened my eyes to see the beauty in each day and to savor the moments when I would get an “aha” lightning bolt revelation to share with you. Most of all, I am so thankful for those who commented or “secretly” sent me private messages about how one of my posts was “right-on” for what you needed for that day. Thank you to those who privately asked me for counsel and advice and to pray for you. The praise all goes to God! 🙏🙏

On April 26, 2010, I wrote my first-ever blog. It was the beginning of the faith journey of our lives and I knew God wanted me to live our journey out-loud to document the abiding and constant love that we knew that the Father would pour out on us. We wanted our light to brighten the way for others who may have been facing similar situations. We were embarking on travels that were not without God's oversight and provision. While we had always considered our walk with Christ to be an amazing faith journey, with its many twists and turns and ups and downs, we were always secure in knowing He was on board with us, come what may. But, this new road we were on, was one that came out of the clear blue, unexpected and we needed to put on our combat boots and gear to handle this one. We were so full of faith, determination and great expectancy. Here is that first blog, just in case you’re interested in reading it:
https://mypeacezone.com/our-great-faith-adventure-begins/

If you read it, I know you might think "Bless her heart, with all that faith, their prayers weren't answered.” Oh, contraire! They were answered when he survived the first surgery which the medical industry says is the most life-threatening surgery there is. They were answered when God gave us a first-class medical team -- second to none. They were answered when we laughed and celebrated in the midst of the pain. They were answered when God supplied our needs during the loss of income times. They were answered when friends and family co-partnered with us in prayer, providing meals, and support. They were answered when doctors, nurses, other patients and visitors were touched by the strong courage we maintained. They were answered when the most incredible peace that passed all understanding kept our hearts and minds throughout the journey. And they were answered as this widow still maintains that wholehearted trust in God's faithfulness.

At that time, I was randomly blogging about our faith journey and then in January of 2011, after he passed away, I asked God what my new mission would be for that year. It was as clear as any message I would hear from someone who was face-to-face with me. God nudged me to continue my blogging in my new season of widowhood – to keep letting His light shine in my every day musings. It was still random blogging until 2014 when I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that I was to make blogging a life mission DAILY, posting before 6 am each day. Not just aimless blogging but mind-of-Christ blogging. Being a social media missionary. Consistently being a light in the darkness. Every day. To start the day. For those who needed some gas-in-their-tank, a fresh word of hope, a breath of fresh air, a reason to live, and the knowing – nothing is impossible with God.

Often, it's all about ME because I need those reasons to start my own day. I know I need to get out of bed on the RIGHT side of being a determined, strong, fearless and powerful woman who believes we were ALL created to make a difference in this world, in our workplaces, in our communities, our schools, our churches and our homes!

Here’s the deal. Aimless, selfish, my four-and-no-more thinking isn’t why God created us. He created us to be the ones to step up and out of our comfort zones and our comfortable homes and comfortable mindsets. Our world needs "behind the scenes prayer warriors", social media missionaries, powerful living-out-loud faith-filled, devil-chasing, armor-bearing believers who light up their corners, workplaces, homes, churches, schools, and even the marketplaces with God’s presence and light.

Maybe you are being nudged by God today – to begin blogging, or volunteering for your church or community center. Pay close attention. If God nudges, we best get after it! And, as we go, I'm quite sure when we open our mouths, it will be filled with God's wisdom, and the teaching of kindness will open doors to bring healing and wholeness to our world -- being peace-makers, joy-givers, hope-bringers, lovers, and compassionate healers!
See you tomorrow, for blog 2,001!

My Secret Place is Rock Solid

Yesterday, sweetest memories flooded my mind from 2010. In Cabo, I woke early each morning to take in the magnificent sunrise on the crashing waves. I would find the cleft of the rock formations to sit beneath. How sweet was the presence of my loving Father there – especially as He restored my soul, for it had been in the valley of the shadow of death just a week before.

It was a trip my husband and I had hoped to take with my son and family that year for Thanksgiving. As it turned out, only my side of the equation made the trip. His trip was to heaven, a week before Thanksgiving. And, though without him here on this earth, I sensed him with me each morning as I walked the beaches at 5 am. and hid in beneath those massive rocks. My little guys joined me later in the mornings. It was heaven-on-earth then. Yesterday, I asked my Bear (aka, 2nd oldest grandson) to be our photographer and help me re-enact those sweet moments from nine years ago with my two youngest grandsons. Sweet captured moments of my two little guys, 5 and 3 years old then to now, 14 and 12 years old.

When I shared about my “Secret Place” amidst the rocks, Lobo, a Spanish mariner I met called it “El Lugar Secreto”. What a special gift it was to go to such a peaceful and tranquil place. I continue, to this date, to live daily in the secret place. Psalm 91:1 says -- "He that dwells in the SECRET PLACE of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!'"

Why shouldn't I feel this peace? God promised it to me if I would live in that place. It's a choice I purpose to make daily. And, that’s my address: 911 Peace Ave. You will find me there most of the time, except for when I forget where I live, but His watchful eye and tender care seems to always draw me back in, Yes, I continue to go forward -- cherishing the memories, the sweetness of loving and being loved, choosing to be care-free and unafraid…….and daily living in el lugar secreto!

Does life seem overwhelming to you today? The deadline is long past, and you're still endeavoring to get the project done? Are the kids more than a handful? Did you get a pink slip from your employer and you wonder how you and your family can survive? Are you or a loved one so ill that you wonder if you or they will make it? Do you feel like you're at the end of your rope?

I've been there..... and each time that I found myself in places like that, I found my answers, my peace and my comfort in the One who is the Rock, and I realize those overwhelming circumstances were ultimately for my good....because they drew me to the Source of answers, my shelter, and my SOLID ROCK.

When the earth all around me is sinking sand,
On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand
When I need a shelter, when I need a friend, I go to THE ROCK!

Hang On!! Help is Coming!!

Yesterday morning was wonderfully cooler and cloudy so Bentley (the family dog) and I embraced the opportunity to just bathe in God’s creative beauty from the patio. As I looked out at the hills of Austin, immediately the scripture in Psalm 121:1,2 came to mind: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” THAT’S the answer yesterday, today and forever to our plea for help in the moment of distress, worry, concern, fear, and pain. That scripture is our emergency 911 call number 24/7. It should be our first line-of-defense – NOT when all else fails. We are reminded many times in God’s Word to “Seek FIRST….the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things (finances, healing of relationships, physical healing, decision-making), will be added to us.

I know there are those of us who have a built-in positive attitude. We are like the little engine that pushed up THAT hill saying “I think I can. I think I can.” And, indeed a positive attitude is what we achieve when we get the right order: First God, in first place in all matters of our lives. Not just "I think I can", I KNOW "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. My HELP comes from the Lord.

My "teacher" instincts drive me to know more about scriptures and their meaning. I checked out this one from a Bible commentary. This chapter was called the Song of Ascents as Jews made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem for annual feast days. With that in mind, it is plain to see that this is a pilgrim's song that speaks of the dangers of the journey, and of the help, God provides along the way. This verse is first a cry of despair. "Where does my help come from?" Obviously, there is danger lurking in the hills above and is waiting for an opportunity to pounce upon the weary traveler. When that happens, where can the pilgrim turn to for help? The psalmist answers his own question by reminding us that "the Lord is our help"!

Yesterday morning, I wasn’t worshipping the hills I saw, but I was certainly appreciating their beauty as I worshipped my Father Who created them. Here’s the value of looking to God for help. Like I said earlier, He is available to us 24/7. He is always with us. Relying on friends for advice and comfort can be a problem. They are not always there when we need them. But, God is!

We are all pilgrims on our own pilgrimage that began the very moment that we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior and it will continue until we step out of this life and into eternity. In the meantime, we're still here and no doubt there are dangers lurking all around. There are enemies that desire to rob us of peace, joy, and victory. There are problems that try to strip us of trusting in God’s power. I've been through those difficult times myself. Times when dangers surrounded my life and I wondered where my help would come from. You might be there right now! If so, maybe you're the reason for God giving me these words today. Please take them to heart. The HELP the Psalmist is referring to is the source of help Who is greater than any problem we can imagine. The HELP is our friend, our ally, our Father AND the Creator of the hills and the universe. If God can make this world, then surely, He has the power to take care of me! Our Helper is none other than the very One who stood on the edge of nothing and made everything with His words. Hang On. Our HELP comes from the Lord and HELP is coming!none other than the very One who stood on the edge of nothing and made everything with His words. Hang On. Our HELP comes from the Lord and HELP is coming!