I Promise You: True Peace is Possible

I know that true peace from the true peace that was modeled for me by my "peace-filled" mom. Tough times didn’t overtake her peace. It almost seemed she was in a bubble of peace that no-one or no-thing could pop that bubble. I’m so grateful she modeled that peace for me, because that’s the peace I abide in, cultivate daily, and am adamant about living in that peace. I am so passionate about living in that peace that I titled my daily blog: MyPeaceZone.com

My children and grandchildren are aware of my absolute insistence on that peace. They’ll see me remove myself from atmospheres not conducive to peace. Sounds a little over-the-top, doesn’t it? Especially when we’re supposed to be peacemakers in controversy or disagreements. I’ve come to realize that often being a “peacemaker” is more about silence than speaking. Jesus set a good example of that “walk-away” when He was persecuted, spoken negatively about, or when others were antagonizing Him.

Life was hard for my mom as our only breadwinner, caring for my very sick daddy and me. She lived in those times and so did I, as a child, and later in dealing with and overcoming life struggles and caring for my very sick husband. Life can be really hard for all of us. Sometimes it’s easy to despair over finding peace when trouble seems to lurk around every corner. When hard times come, the easiest thing to do is allow our many emotions to rule our hearts and mind. Peace seems to be the emotion we sense the least when life turns topsy-turvy. But that sure isn’t God’s plan. He gave us the answer to those emotional highs and lows and days that are anything but peaceful. He gave us the rock-solid PEACE possibility right in the midst of the most tumultuous storms.

Peace is His perfect will for us. That peace is a state of quiet or tranquility in the middle of anxious thoughts, emotions and trials. This kind of peace that God gives….remains. It’s not something that comes and goes depending on our circumstances. Since God gives it, that divine peace should be governing our lives in all things at all times. When the things of life start to throw us into a state of anxiety and tummy jitters – you know -- that stack of bills, the washing machine breaks down, relationship disappointment, that speech we must deliver to a large crowd or anxious feelings of inadequacy -- we can still find peace.

Here’s the good news: We can have that kind of peace. Jesus told His disciples, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27). Sounds like a command to me! The peace Christ gives is fully satisfying. It’s peace of mind, heart, body and soul. It’s contentment knowing that no matter what happens, we are in the care of the Almighty. The outcome will be His plan for our good.

In times of doubt and fear, let peace rule. Resting in God’s promises gives us the hope we need to stay focused on Him and His faithfulness, instead of on our circumstances. One way we can be certain that we’ve really placed our trust in God is when we experience an indescribable peace. I know that peace and it’s my absolute requirement for where I go, who I hang out with, and what decisions I am trying to make. No peace – no God. Know peace – know God! Perfect peace.

This is one of my mainstay scriptures. I urge you to join me in “My Peace Zone”. It is such a blessed and sweet place to be. Demand it. Refuse other options. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!" (Isaiah 26:3)

Boldly Moving from the Back Seat to the Front Seat

We’ve taken the back seat long enough. We’ve allowed others to drive us to places (figuratively speaking) where we really didn’t want to go. But because we’re good back seat listeners rather than front seat speakers, we are complacent, quiet, and seem agreeable to wherever they go and whenever they go there. Instead of sitting in the back seat, it’s time we took our place in the front seat and “steered” the conversation.

When my sweetheart passed away, I had to become a take-charge, confident, fearless and BOLD gal. I played the "widow" card for a while and it worked in negotiations for my new home, getting some special treatment for services and getting lots of TLC from friends and family. Before long, that card expired and I had to step up to the plate and be a strong, resilient and capable businesswoman, entrepreneur and coach to those who faced similar circumstances.

I know boldness can often come across as pushy. And when we "go bold" on our own, it isn't a pretty sight. You know those folks: demanding, controlling, domineering. Ugh! I do my best to steer clear of them and I sure don't want to be one of them, either. Those take-over approaches don't honor God and, in fact, they even repel when we want to draw folks in. We want to lift people up -- not bring them down.

Boldness, in the hands of God, can be such a gift. I love Queen Esther's boldness. She was willing to approach the throne of King Xerxes, though it could have meant her life. She said, "I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish," (Esther 4:16). What a role model for women in every century! But her plan was not her own. Before she put her life on the line to save her people, she wisely asked them to fast and pray, that she might be given favor by the king. And great favor she received.

Boldness can be risky business when we do it on our own. But when we allow God to be in the driver’s seat, we can rest assured He will take us to where we need to go and get there safely and in His perfect timing. We can trust Him completely without fear. In fact, we can leave the driving to him entirely – knowing the outcome is always in His capable hands.

I'm thanking God for giving me victory over intimidation and helping me in my quest for boldness. With His nudging and reminding me of His abilities in me, I sold two homes in Oklahoma and purchased a home in Texas. I left the driving to His capable hands. I’ve silenced the voices of intimidation and have boldly stepped into my seat of boldly blogging and speaking about God’s faithfulness and goodness.

When we let HIS boldness pour through us, we’ll discover, "He crowns the humble with victory," (Psalm 149:4). My crown is not the likes of Queen Esther, but it's one I wear proudly because it's one that God placed on my head and it's called the Crown of Boldness. I've learned not to hold back from sharing God's love to those who are hurting. Here's God's Word for you and I today: Joshua 1:9 "This is my command: Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid. Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." So, let's be bold, be strong, for the Lord our God is with us....and, like Queen Esther...."for such a time as this!"

Is God Sleeping or Wide Awake on Your Boat?

This may or may not be my last post related to fishing. The inspiration just keeps coming! It was Wednesday, May 29th, and we heard it was supposed to rain all day, starting at 7 am. Staci, fisher-woman extraordinaire, announced the night before, "If we’re down at the river by 6 am (sun-up), we’ll get in at least an hour of fishing before it starts. And, so, it was. We showed up at 6 am and at 7 am, no rain; 8 am to 2 pm – still no rain. It was an entire morning of hauling in loads of fish and, to boot, it was a morning of helping a young boy and his mom learn how to fish for trout. For lunch, we made a campfire and roasted hot dogs on dry tree limbs and logs. Thank you, God, for the “little things” – keeping the rain away for us to enjoy this morning. We were satisfied with our full morning and some of the afternoon. Go ahead, God, let it rain!

THEN, torrential rain came which made for great afternoon naps! All of us! By the way, we didn’t have access to wifi at our cabin so we weren’t aware of anything other than a good old downpour and thunder that makes for great snoozing! We all woke up when our electricity went out at 5 pm. Fortunately, we took plenty of flashlights and candles. Our plans for baking our lasagna were spoiled so we had sandwiches, guacamole, salsa, and chips. .Yummy -- no complaints! And, while the thunder rolled, lightning flashed, winds howled, and rain pounded on the roof, we, in our serendipity world….played cards – expecting any minute for the electricity to be restored.

The rain stopped. Larry and Staci and the kids headed out to see when our electricity would be restored because, by now, we started thinking about our refrigerator getting warm and the haul of food we had in there could be in jeopardy. The Park Ranger declared “There’s no electricity between here and Texas – we were just hit by a tornado! There is damage all around the park – trees down, RV’s damaged." WHAT??? And we weren’t warned?? Supposedly, the Park Rangers had been on their air horns announcing imminent danger – but again, in our little calm and peaceful “boat” – we were completely secure knowing Jesus was on board. It never entered our minds that there had been a potential danger.

On the other hand, what good would it have been to have known and been worried and concerned? We didn’t know and we played games, slept, ate and made it through the storm just fine. When we implicitly place our trust in He Who is on board our "life" boat – we can be at peace in any storm -- in the natural, and in our spirits.

I sincerely believe that when we place our faith in our Father, stay closely knit to Him through all phases of life, He will keep us calm in the storms when we live by Psalm 91:1 (911 - our emergency number) "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Remember Jesus, His disciples and their "boat" story in Mark 4:38-40? "But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

God is looking out for His kids -- let's let Him!

He MAKES Me Lie Down in Green Pastures

In yesterday's post, I mentioned I was heading over to the main house as my month-long hiatus had come to an end. Famous last words – little did I realize that the flu virus hanging around Austin had caught up with me. “Lord, have mercy” was my prayer for the next 24 hours. After I had gone through the worst of the effects (I’ll spare you the details), as I was lying in bed, I heard “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Green is the operative word here. LOL! I thought that I had been in this sweet place of green pastures for over a month, but this was a step further of total reliance on my God for comfort and restoration.

Indeed, there can be extremely uncomfortable times for us, but I often feel closest to God during those times because I come to depend on Him more. I have a yearning in my heart for Him to transform every nook and cranny of my life. I want Him to be my all-consuming thought, desire and passion, and I want Him to make my life REALLY mean something. I desire that He give purpose to these adventurous times. Isaiah 30:15 says “This is what the Almighty LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “You can be saved by returning to me. You can have rest. You can be strong by being quiet and by trusting Me.”

Maybe someone reading this today is in a world of clamor and confusion. Then this post is for you. Maybe you're feeling -- physically and mentality spent -- completely exhausted from stress and overload. Could THIS message be heaven-sent to you today? Could God be urging you to STOP for just a while for reloading, recharging, and restoring? Wouldn't it be a good thing to go nestle down in some green pastures -- where your body and soul finds rest, peace and restoration? Where you’re at is no surprise to Him and to step away for a few minutes, hours or even days to give Him your undivided attention, could bring the restoration, healing, and peace that you know you need.

As the scripture in Isaiah says, I'm convinced that in quietness and confidence in God’s faithfulness, I will be strengthened. That’s when all the noise and activity are shut out and we clearly hear His voice saying, “Trust Me. I've got this!"