Word/Spirit/Fire/Light

We need to be in the Word of God. In it, we see what God accomplished for us through Jesus. We will also see what it says about God's long-suffering and endurance with man. The word reveals the tendencies of humans and our forgetfulness. 

In the Word of God, we recognize the flawedness of humanity and our need for help, rescue, and resuscitation. This Word points us to an answer for what ails us. Many never accept this condition and spends their life trying to prove this reality wrong. However, it is a reality. We are incapable of being in a correct connection with the One who created us. We long for it, but we cannot make it happen. The Creator had a plan. He told us if we live our lives according to these instructions, it will go well with us. He longed for it to go well with us. He designed us to have full lives. Lives of hope, joy, and love. We fall short and need help to be right. He made a way for us to be right through Jesus. This is the answer to humanity's frailty. 

Be in the Word of God so that the Word of God can be in you. It will transform you. The Word is where you will find out about the answer which is the Best News Ever for us. 

As you read the Word of God, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you as you read. Allow Him to set the words ablaze in your soul so they truly come to life within you. This is where the Word of God transforms you from the inside out. You become a "living word" to those around you. The world begins to see the glory of the Lord demonstrated through you. This is how we bring light into the darkness of this world. What a magnificent privilege we have to be a vessel for the display of our Creator and Father.

So as we go about our day today, let's be the light!!!

Spirits and Idols

I am becoming aware of my tendency to bow to idols I never realized existed.

There are spirits that can control us. They can be spirits of unworthiness, arrogance, control, subjection, passivity, legalism, or hyper-emotionalism. You name it. I believe those of us who are in Christ and live lives controlled by the Holy Spirit should not fulfill the desires of our flesh. But I also believe that there are times when our flesh wins, and in those times, we are corrupted by sin. Sin is like a sticky substance that allows spirits to attach themselves to our lives.

The remedy for us is to confess our sins. When we do, the Bible promises that He is faithful to forgive us. 

When we do not confess and receive forgiveness for sin, we begin to walk in a manner controlled by a spirit other than the Holy Spirit. We then can become a spiritual tripping hazard for others and for ourselves. We will begin to process our environment through the lens of that controlling spirit. As we do, we will in essence be bowing down to that spirit. If we stay in it long enough, we will begin to expect everyone else to bow down to it as well.

When encountering someone under one of these influences, we will either bow down to that spirit as well, or we will reject the person. I believe we have to stand up to those spirits. 

My tendency is to back away. I am beginning to understand that my passivity to a spirit is, in itself, me bowing down or being controlled by a spirit of passivity. Many of us Christians see combat, warring, and standing up, as the opposite of Christianity. But I am beginning to see a bit differently. Why were we told in scripture to be courageous and not fear? Why are we told to get our ARMOR on? Why are we told to grab our sword of the Spirit and our shield of faith? It is because we are in a war. We are in a battle.

As believers, we are commanded to put on Christ, to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, and to live our lives in obedience to our Commanding Officer’s marching orders, which are found in His Word.

If I am to take a stand for Him, I cannot bow to spirits that are attracted to my sin–nor can I bow to those spirits in others. In our modern world, we no longer bow down to statues erected as idols. Our idols are more subtle. If we give into the influence of a spirit in ourselves or in others, we are bowing down to it. It is time to stand up against this. We need to know who we are and Who we belong to. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, ask for forgiveness for our sins, cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and obey the Word of the Lord. This is the best way to stand up against controlling spirits. 

As I processed these truths before the Lord, I discussed what I wrote with a trusted set of friends. I had one of them review it for me. I am so glad that I did. It was great to get another view or perspective on my story. She simply asked me, "Are the spirits and idols interchangeable or distinct." As I ruminated over that question, it was obvious that I must clarify this. They are indeed one and the same. I think that was the major epiphany I had after I sensed the Lord calling me out on this. I thought I was being godly, and He showed me I was actually bowing down to idols in the form of spirits that were controlling my behavior. He called me out and I see it very clearly now. That clarity is what motivates me to share it with others.

As Christians, we stand for the gospel. Our lives are to be lived in love, yes. But love tells us to do what is best for ourselves and others–not what makes us feel good. We all need to stand up and fight the spirits that are not in agreement with the Holy Spirit. How will we recognize the difference? The Holy Spirit will always line up perfectly with the Word of God. Always.

If you would like further clarity, feel free to comment or send a message to me with your questions.

 

What is Next After Conversion?

What is next after you have converted to Christianity? What does that even mean? 

There are many opinions. 

Jack Hibbs is a pastor from California who said the church is called to make disciples not converts.  I loved that so much. Why? It is not enough to convert. That is simply step one. We are to Grow Up. The last thing Jesus said before leaving his disciples on earth to start the Christian church was to go and make disciples, teaching them to obey all my commands. Conversion is just the start.

So, to begin with, let's clarify the bad news, good news, and the rest of the story. The bad news is the human condition, the church calls it the fall or sin. We are not able to make ourselves right with God which the church calls righteousness without His help. The good news is that He made a way to rectify this through receiving His Son, Jesus to be the payment we need to set things right and the church calls this justification and redemption. When we turn from our sin church calls this repentance and chose to go in the direction of our Creator, seeking Him and His guidance, accepting His solution for our condition the church calls that salvation. The rest of the story is where we live the rest of our saved, converted, Christian lives.

If we spend time learning what He commanded, we will begin to grow up in our relationship with God and others. This is a process the church calls sanctification. This is a lifelong process that will refine us. The great thing about that is it is with the help of the Holy Spirit. He doesn't save us so we will refine ourselves. He even sets us up in an imperfect family of believers who make up the church. We are not alone.

If you want to learn more about this process, Grow Up is a study intended for those seeking what is next after salvation. It is a companion and guide to encourage you to get into the Word of God so that the Word of God can get into you and transform you.

Are you ready to step into the "what's next" for your journey with God? Take the journey. Call others to join you. Doing it together is much better. Encourage a small group of family, friends or neighbors to do it with you.

Grow Up Website for details

Purchase Grow Up Study Use this link if you are interested in purchasing the study.

Grow Up Blog announcing the latest updates now available.

Grow Up is Updated and Ready!

It is official. The books are up and ready for purchase on Amazon. You can also find a link through the website beverlyverhage.com. 

If you know of others that are interested, please help me get the word out. I would love to get this tool in the hands of any seekers and Christians looking to grow in their faith and in community with others. I would love to start getting the word out to bible study groups, churches, small groups, etc. Study available in this link. 

 The study is about growing up spiritually as individuals in Part 1 and growing together with others in Part 2. The study compares our spiritual growth to the manufacturing process of brick making and brick building.

 

Grow UP is here and ready to purchase on Amazon in English and Spanish.  I have completed the pilot group studies, compiled the corrections and updates, and is now ready. 

If you know of groups that may be interested in this study, please forward any of my information.

If you were part of the pilot group, help me get the word out. Or even better, consider leading this study for a group.

My website is beverlyverhage.com. There is a link to the book on Amazon. I look forward to exploring spiritual growth with you on the pages of this book, but more importantly, through the bible. Many blessings to you.

Recommended Bible Studies

I worked through the Bible in a year with the Bible Recap. I did it through the YouVersion app on my phone. I did it with a group called a D-group. 

I recommend many of Jen Wilkin's studies. Our Bible study group will start in February with God of Freedom. We finish our study on Exodus. We completed the first half of the book in the Fall, and prior to that, we studied her studies of Genesis. God of Creation and God of Covenant.

As I look at all of the studies I have done recently, I am beginning to realize that Jen Wilkin has become my new favorite bible study author. She has surpassed Beth Moore's studies I have done.  At the least, they are neck in neck.

I like Jen's approach because she isn't always asking me "how I feel about a verse." That drives me nuts. It doesn't matter how I feel about God's word. I need to know what it means and how to grow in the truth it reveals.  If it provokes a feeling in me, great.

If you are interested in doing one of her studies, you can search for her by name. At least 4 books and 7 studies.

Additional studies I have done of hers and recommend:

    Better a study of Hebrews

    Sermon on the Mount

    1 Peter a Living Hope in Christ

You can find them on her website or at Amazon.

If you are looking for a good book to read on Revelation, I recommend Revealing Revelation

Christmas Card (Light vs Darkness)

As you read this, I pray you will be pressed to turn your eyes upward. Be comforted in knowing the Lord is near. He is Emmanuel, God with us. Therefore, we are never alone if we have received Him.

The darkness is in the world. Can't you feel it? Does it feel like it is getting rapidly darker? The darkness exists within each of us as well.  

It just gets ever-increasingly darker when we do nothing to combat the darkness. That is both without and within. We must actively press back against the darkness.

That is why this great light of Jesus came bursting forth as a baby, who brought the light into the world. He illuminates the darkness that holds us captive and exposes it. He sets us free from its tentacles and guides us into this marvelous light.

 If you sense the intensification of the darkness, look up. Draw in closer to the source of light. He came to bring light into the world. We were not made for the darkness. Sin loves the dark. Run and flee from sin. He is the source of true love, joy, peace, and light.

Only those who love to live in darkness run from the light.

I used to send out Christmas cards every year. I wanted to send them again this year but didn't make it in time. My list needs to be updated, and addresses need to be corrected. So, I decided this year to start by saving the addresses of those who sent and send out cards to those this year. If I start now, I plan to build a new Christmas card list for 2023. 

So, for 2022, this is my Christmas card to each of you. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May the blessings of this wonderful LIGHT fill you with love. May His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May each of you be blessed with the warmth of family and friends. 

Much love to all of you!!!!!

Grow Up: Maturity in Christ Builds Real Community

Today I received word from Amazon that the book I have been working on is finally available for purchase. I am not confident I can accurately express the feelings I have. I am relieved, nervous, and excited, but I am also concerned.

I am relieved because it has been a long, challenging project. I am nervous because I now feel fully exposed. I compare it to having a baby that you believe is the most beautiful in the world, and then you take it out and fear others won't share your insight. I am excited because if I have genuinely written the words the Lord placed on my heart, His work through this book will be amazing in the lives of others and bring Him much glory. However, my concern is always that I do not convey what He places on my heart as clearly or properly. I do not want this bible study tool to be a point of contention. I pray with my whole heart that it will be a place where unity and spiritual growth occur. 

This link to purchase it on Amazon will be both in eBook form and paperback. Grow Up

Please pray with me for the reader. I pray that the Lord opens the eyes of the reader's hearts. So, they may know the power and freedom that comes from walking closely with the Creator of the Universe. I also pray that each reader would become wholly filled with the Holy Spirit and completely satisfied. I pray that the growth that can occur in each brick in the wall of the spiritual church will bring beautiful unity. I pray revival would break out in the church, and our world would turn back to the perfect principles in the Word of God, which is the scripture.

Please consider sharing this blog and help me get the word out about this book.  Thanks, Beverly

New Testament is Refreshing

In reading through the bible in a year, jumping into the New Testament has been like going from the desert to a refreshing water pool. Jesus comes on the scene and breaks the 400-year silence from heaven. He came as a baby. He came as the Word made flesh. I wonder what it was like to hear that sweet baby making his first sound. Oh, how sweet it must have been. I wonder what was happening in the heavenlies as he did? I imagine all of heaven holding their breath in great expectation.

As I was reading the Gospels, each recounts the events of Jesus' life. Some cover a story not covered in the others, or multiple covers a story from different perspectives. I love that they tell the stories this way. It brings such a beautiful tapestry of richness to the stories. 

I was reading about Jesus feeding the 5000 men plus women and children. I have read this story many times in my life. But one thing stood out to me in my reading. It was the time of the Passover. As I am also studying Jen Wilkin's study on Exodus, "God of Deliverance," I am confident that is why I noticed it. We just finished studying Moses, explaining to the Israelites how to sacrifice an unblemished lamb and use the blood to avoid the last plague sent to free them from slavery. He also explained how they were to keep this as a celebration for the years to come to remember how He set them free from slavery. He explains the feast of unleavened bread that they were to observe, which we see observed in John 6.

As I read further in John's record of this story, he shares that Jesus tells them they must eat his flesh and drink his blood to follow him. I laughed so hard as I read this.  I was not being disrespectful but just entering into how the listener must have processed that. I was tickled at how the looks on their faces must have been. Can you imagine? 

Then a bit of sadness washed over me as it went on to say that many stopped following him at that time.

Bear in mind that he had just fed 5000 plus wives and children with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish the day before. All ate and were satisfied with those 5 loaves and 2 fish, and when they gathered up the leftovers, there were 12 baskets full. They met him there because they saw what he had done for the sick. He had been healing many. The following day, he said a hard thing they couldn't understand.

How often does the word of God confront and convict us with the hard stuff, and we walk away or withdraw from Him? What if we did more like the disciples when Jesus asked them, will you leave me now? And we answer him and say, where else will we go? "You have the words of eternal life; we believe and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God."

The words he was saying were true. He is the bread that was sent from heaven, raining down on us like the manna, which was the sustenance for the Israelites. Then with the Passover, it was the unleavened bread because they would be leaving Egypt swiftly and wouldn't have time for the dough to rise. This is so full of meaning. During the Passover observance annually, they would break the bread and eat it together. This all ties in with what Jesus was saying about His body being broken for us. Take and eat it. If we come to him, we will not hunger, for he is the living bread, and he says those who eat it will never die. And he says this bread is his flesh. This is how we abide by consuming his flesh, and John starts his story in John 1 by telling us that the word became "flesh" and dwelled among us.  He lived out the word for us to see. 

He also told us we were to drink his blood. Yes, that is what he said. The blood he speaks of is alive. It brings life to the flesh. When our heart stops beating, our flesh dies. He was the perfect unblemished lamb that was sacrificed for us. John the Baptist said of Jesus, behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Just as the Israelites had to apply the blood to the doorframe of their house to avoid death, we, too, must have the blood applied to our flesh so we would not die eternally. Jesus says that those who don't eat his flesh and drink his blood have no life in them. Those who do will have eternal life and be raised with him on the last day.

He says his flesh is true food, and his blood is true drink. He notes that consuming both is how we abide in him and him in us. 

In verse 43, we must note that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him. So, let's pray for the drawing of ourselves, our loved ones, our community, and the world. 

From the Old to the New Testament! YAY

From the Mount of Olives

I have spent this year reading my way through the Bible. By the end of the year, I will have read the entire thing.  The women in our church were challenged to do it in Discipleship Groups. I joined with seven other women, and we are doing it together.

I am so glad that I did this. It is officially the first time I have done it somewhat successfully. I have studied the bible in-depth and probably read much of it through studies. This effort is from Genesis to Revelation. Today was a huge marker for me. I read the last book in the Old Testament. I made it to and read Malachi. I cannot lie. A huge sigh of relief came over me. My takeaway from reading the Old Testament is how faithful, good, and super slow to anger God is. Following that takeaway is how flawed humanity is and prone to mess up and wander. As I read it, I reminded myself that these people didn't have the Spirit of God dwelling within them as I do. So, I had to offer them such grace and mercy. They were fully captured by their human condition. Even the best of them were steeped in sin.

As I ended the book of Malachi, I was washed over with a sense of excitement, and then a thought occurred to me. For the Israelites, it will be four hundred years before they will hear anything from God again. The silence made my heart hurt, but then Jesus broke through that silence and came onto the scene with good news for us all. Hallelujah!

After reading about man's effort to reach God, finally, there is a way.  We will never be good enough, proven repeatedly in the Old Testament books. My right position with God gives me access to God. It gives me access to be in an intimate relationship with my Creator. Before I accepted Jesus' payment for my sinful condition, I was doomed to miss the mark of God's expectations. That means I was lost in my sin. I am doomed to repeat it over and over. However, I am no longer defined by that sin and am now being referred to as a saint by authors like Paul, who authored a good deal of the New Testament. That means I am defined by what Jesus did, not by what I have done.  That is not just good news. It is the best news ever.

I am so excited to start the New Testament tomorrow.

I am doing "The Bible Recap" with Tara Leigh Cobble. I use the You Version App, and it is one of the plans you can choose.  Day 274 is where the New Testament starts. The author also does a podcast to help navigate each day's reading. Each time you start a new book of the bible, there is a video by "The Bible Project" that summarizes the book.

This is well done and highly doable. It has been challenging but rewarding.

After you read this, I hope you will go and check it out. Come along on the journey.

If you read this and sense the Holy Spirit prick your conscience, do not ignore it. Respond to it in an honest conversation with Him. You see, I cannot convict you of sin, nor can I convince you of your right relationship and standing before God. What I can do is pray for you. I pray that the God of the Universe will open the eyes of your heart so that you can comprehend how much He longs to spend time with you and do life with you. I pray that you will comprehend that apart from Him, you can do nothing to be right with Him. If a still, small voice is speaking to you right now, do not ignore it. Instead, say YES to it today. I have never regretted saying yes to God's answer to my sin problem. Not once. It changed the trajectory of my life. I will thankfully never be the same again. I pray that you comprehend that you can be a saint by responding to His answer too.

If you already are in Christ, I pray that you will be immersed in God's word so that His word will live richly in you. Once we welcome Jesus as our sin solution, we can spend time continuing to conform to the norms of this world, or we can cooperate with God by His Spirit, who gladly will guide us through all of life's temptations, trials, and responses. It seems that mentioning obedience in today's culture brings a negative connotation, but I think it is a place of growth for us. 

If I am going to drive from point A to point B, the best person to ask is the one that travels it. There may be a multitude of ways you can go. Some may take you off-road, through detours, in dangerous places, but one takes you there quickly and safely. He gave us a wonderful roadmap called the Bible. It is not demanding; it is the best way to navigate this life. It doesn't promise you that there will not be trials on the journey or even storms. Jesus tells us there will be, but it is the BEST way!

The Bible Recap

When Peace is not Found in the Chaos

A day can present us with so many opportunities. Each day is new. Each day is a clean slate. But if you are like me, I don't always live as if it is.

 

 

Once I made the decision to write about peace, I found it very challenging personally to find peace. Maybe a better way of putting it would be to say circumstances have become more challenging as I explore writing about this topic.

I wonder if God is making a point!

There have been times in my life when everything seemed to be going along seamlessly and effortlessly. During those times, I find it so easy to be in a state of peace. However, when times get tough and the storms of life rage on, there is where I find it harder to find peace. Ironically, that is where the backdrop of chaos brings illumination to the peace we find.

Like a spotlight on a painting, my storms can help point me to peace, encourage me to seek it, and be the backdrop to spotlight my peace when it comes.

From the time I focused on writing about Peace Among the Chaos, I have had a great deal of chaos. I believe this is part of the preparation needed for me to be able to write about it. Did I think that would be the case? Maybe. More than likely, I assumed I would be writing from the lessons I learned from my past experiences. HA, Silly me. I guess I would need new material and fresh insight.

But God, in His infinite wisdom, saw that I needed much more training in this area. So out of a fresh batch of insight, I come to you with my latest material.

I have been processing health issues with several family members while dealing with my own minor health annoyances. I had previously mentioned the renovation project at the house and all that came with that. My mom had a sizable project at her home that I worked on, which took longer than I expected. It is always a blessing to do things for others, though. I was blessed to do it for her. What started out as a cleaning project turned into a renovation project. What looked like a weekend effort turned into a month or more of chaos in her home. Ugh? Did that bless her? I doubt it.

On the heels of recovering from major surgery, she had me in and out of her house with all manner of noises, smells, machinery, and other people. As of Wednesday, we were able to move all the furniture in and set the room back in order. Hopefully, the chaos is now gone, and peace has returned as we were able to restore order to her home.

Amidst this ongoing project, I had some other incidents. Monday proved to be a bit of a challenge. I was to take Marc, my husband, to a procedure. My sister would need to take my mom to her doctor's appointment at the same time. However, it was in my town where neither of them was familiar. I usually take my mom to all doctor's appointments in my hometown.

This all worked out great. I was waiting in the waiting area. I was getting a bit cold, so I decided to wait the remaining time in the car. I got in the car to crank it, but the car did not respond! This is the first time since I had this car it wouldn't crank. I called my daughter Sara Kate, who happens to be in town, to come to pick me up and take me home to get another car.

I went into the office to inform them that I would have my daughter take me home to get my husband's truck since my daughter also had an appointment that morning. The lady told me I could not leave the premises. I was dumbfounded at this point. My brain was trying to process this. I went outside where the car was parked and tried raising the hood. Had a hard time finding the very well-hidden lever for the hood. A man in the parking lot suggested I call AAA and ask me for my owner's manual to find the hood lever. We together found it. The car was parked in a spot where these LOVELY rose bushes pushed in towards the front of the car. I decided it would be prudent to put the car in neutral to roll back out of the roses, but the car gear shift will not work WITHOUT THE BATTERY. It is all electrically operational.

At the same time, I received a call from my sister that Google had taken her to the wrong location across town. Knowing they would be very late for the appointment, we both tried to call the doctor's office with no luck. So, at this point, I am trying to help her navigate to the office while calls are coming in from my daughter, AAA, the towing company, and the doctor's office where Marc is receiving care. They tell me he is ready to go.

At this point, Sara Kate rides in on her white horse to save the day. She came in with her peaceful face and demeanor. I got in her car, where I was able to cool off from the heat of that day and feel my blood pressure head toward a much more acceptable place. I turn to look at the front door of the building to see Marc walking toward us. He heads straight for my car with its hood up. The nurse is nodding to me to get him in the car. I am trying to encourage him to get in, and he goes into full-blown “husband mechanic mode” while almost face planting into the rose bushes. Yikes!

We finally convinced him he needed to get in the car and go home. My sweet daughter took him, and I stayed with the car until help from the towing company came.

I wished that had been it, but NO! The tow truck came, and the guy did his diagnostics. He told me the boost would be sufficient if I drove the car around long enough to recharge the battery. On my way home, I called Marc for advice, and he suggested I take it by the car place where we service this vehicle. Almost 2 hours later, I was told the battery was fine, and the car was ready to go. I paid for their services and went to get in my car to head home. Guess what happened! Nothing! It would not crank. So already being at the service place, I figured this would be convenient. NOPE!!! I go back to the desk and tell them the car will not crank to be met with a guy who says he can't help me, and the guy who helped me was gone to lunch! I was thankful at that moment for sunglasses because this was the point my temper flared, and my top blew. When I get angry, I cry. Tears began to flow. I had to walk away. I didn't know where I was going to go, just that it needed to be anywhere but there.

Finally, I got my composure and walked back in. I went directly to the employee lounge, and unfortunately, I am ashamed to say I interrupted the guy's lunch to ask him for help. The two of us came out, and "I can't help you guy" had a charger in his hand to jump-start my car. I was so out of sorts at this point I could not even make eye contact with the guy.

They ran a diagnostic on the battery again and said it was a good battery. They jumped it off, and I refused to remain there any longer for them to do anything else. I headed home. By this time, Marc was back to himself, and we decided to take the car to our local Firestone. They ran diagnostics on the battery and immediately determined there was a bad cell on the battery. We replaced the battery and have had no more problems since then. Simple as that.

So, what does this have to do with Peace? Everything. Did I find peace in the middle of this day? NOPE! Why? Because the circumstances screamed loudly, and I listened. Simple as that.

Amidst this cloud of noise, I didn't even look for peace. My circumstances became my focus. Did I feel condemned? No! I just recognized my reality and moved on from there. My circumstances that day were LOUD; if circumstances had intent, they were a bit cruel. But the truth is I could have found peace if I had taken the time to seek it because peace is found outside of my circumstances. I know this.

The day went on to night, and the morning began after that. Just as the word of the Lord says, "His mercies are new every morning," I am able to begin again fresh the next day or even the next moment after I have blown it. I didn't behave as I wished I had, but it only stands to show me that I am not perfect. But I do serve and seek after a perfect One. I have peace with Him no matter what. My peace is beyond my circumstances and stands strong above the shouts of this life. I have peace with God because of what Jesus did on my behalf. This peace is always there, but in times of chaos and storms, those circumstances can drown out my internal peace if I allow it. I simply set my eyes on this peace with God, and peace can wash over me and my chaos. It may not wash away the chaos, but it can settle that internal storm that rages inside me in the middle of it.

In times like this, I need to set my thoughts on the eternality of my peace, the past tense of my salvation, and the reality that I can have peace with or without the storms.

Perhaps the point God is making to me is that peace is not the absence of chaos and storms; instead, peace is found in a relationship with the one who created me. Internal peace can wash over each of us that looks beyond ourselves. Inner peace can come regardless of our circumstances. But if you are like me, you may listen to those loud circumstances and get overwhelmed, blow your top, and even shed some tears. It is ok. Peace is on the other side of recognizing our right standing with God our Creator through the finished work of Jesus and enjoyed by the filling of the Holy Spirit within us for those who have accepted His wonderful gift.

I pray you can take a moment to reflect on this truth. Search yourself. Have you accepted this wondrous gift? If not, would you do that right now? If you have already accepted, would you ponder the peace you have with God? Whatever is going on in your life today, whether storm and chaos or calm and order, think of this wonderful peace. Where do we set our eyes? Looking at our circumstances, thinking about the past or future, material possessions, relationships that we do not have, or those we do. Wherever we are looking can alter our peace. If we look to an invisible God, we will need to do it on purpose. We will need to seek Him with our whole hearts. Where we find him, we will find peace.

 

Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

In Isaiah 9:6, we find the Prince of Peace. Peace is a person!

Peace Among the Chaos, REALLY???

Are you kidding me? What on earth was I thinking? Why did I think it was a good idea to write on this topic?

Years ago, I had a title in my head for a book. It was to be called Peace Among the Chaos.  It rested in the back of my mind and surfaced occasionally. I remember watching a movie with Steve Martin, Parenthood. At the end of the story, his character was struggling with the news he would be a father again at the same time his oldest daughter was also pregnant. The grandmother in the movie started talking about how she loved the rollercoaster.  She said some prefer the Ferris Wheel that just goes around and around, but not her. She loved the thrill of the ups, downs, twists, and turns. He couldn't understand why she would tell him this. He dismissed her. Then in the middle of a school play, his youngest son caused a great deal of chaos, causing the backdrop to fall, and then like dominoes, one thing after another fell. Steve Martin was so upset, and the camera shot the scene as if he were on a rollercoaster. He is upset and does not like it at all. He looks at his wife; she is laughing and enjoying the ride. Slowly he starts to smile and then laughs through his tears. He gave in to the chaos and found a way to enjoy the ride.

Recently, I finished writing a bible study, Grow Up. My mind started pondering my next project. As I did, Peace Among the Chaos came back to my mind. No sooner than I decided to write the first blog about it than the chaos began.

I had started a home project that required coordinating different contractors. Before these workers came to do their part, I had a good bit of prep work to do. As with any big home project, many things can go wrong. I live in an older house, and every home improvement project is challenging. This home improvement project included installing cabinets in our storage room and second garage, which serves as a shop for Marc.

I started out so organized. The plan was simple, I would not use my garage bay for my car during this project. Instead, I would be able to move all of the storage stuff there. As I moved the things into storage, I planned to sort it all, get rid of some of it, throw away some and organize what remained.  It was going great until the calendar was getting closer to the installation, and I still had a lot of work ahead of me. So, I did what we all do, I just moved it all and piled it up, and it was CHAOS. In the midst of it, we moved my youngest daughter back from college.  She was starting an internship in another city, and we would need to store her things in the interim. The best thing we decided to do was to rent a storage facility. It gave me an option to manage the chaos.

Part of the project required two walls to be removed that had been put up to create a darkroom to develop film for photos by a previous owner. We used it for storage and called it the “man cave.”

Like all storage areas, they can get out of hand if you do not stay on top of them. Let’s just say I had not stayed on top of managing it.

As time was getting closer to new flooring and cabinets, I felt the urgency to clear the room and tear out the walls. With each step, I would find a new step that needed to be added to the project. Once all my prep work was done, it was time for the flooring to go in. I coordinated with a local company that had installed the flooring in the house several years before. We were able to get the same flooring to continue into the adjoining room, and all seemed to be going fabulously. The install day came, the project was maybe a fifth of the way through, and I heard my name called through the house. One of the workers told me that the boards were not locking into each other. The project would be halted until we could get a new batch of flooring.

There was a small window of time between the flooring and the cabinets. This delay was going to push these install dates closer together.  We were not even sure the flooring would come in in time. I had to be out of town for the second install appointment, so Marc would have to be at the house. The flooring went down, and the next appointment was the cabinets.

The day came, and the crew showed up on time. All was moving forward until the foreman asked me for electrical tape because they had sawed into a cord for one of the power tools. Then I heard him call my name. I had flashbacks to when the flooring guy called, which was the same tone. He told me they didn’t have all the needed parts to finish the job. I looked around the area and noticed the countertop going into the garage was not the surface I had ordered.  I had paid an upcharge for a more durable surface since Marc's work in the garage could be harder on surfaces.

This was about a month ago. The foreman said they would send someone out the next day to finish up. I still haven’t seen them. I regularly call to determine the status to be reassured that each person was taking care of it.

Why do I share this story? Because once I decided to write about having peace among the chaos, I have had chaos.

My mother found a lump in her breast in the middle of this. I had to take her to have a mammogram scheduled at the same time as mine.  I called to reschedule mine and went to my mom's instead. No big deal. We found out after several doctors visits that she would need a mastectomy and it would need to be done immediately. The care following would require my sister and me to coordinate our schedules. We were both blessed to do it. She is doing great, but nothing can tempt me to lose my peace like concern for a dearly loved person in my life. With each step of this process, I found ways to lean into the Lord and trust Him with the outcome.

It was time for my rescheduled mammogram. It was followed by a call for me to come back. They had seen something “unusual.” On the heels of my mom’s experience, are you kidding me? I called to schedule a follow-up appointment and had to wait about a week. No problem.

I started to think that writing about peace among chaos may not be the topic for me.

I went to the appointment and the second mammogram showed the same concern, so I was sent to have an ultrasound. I lay there enjoying the conversation with the technician. She and I talked about my recent experience with my mom, who had gone through much of the same thing with her grandmother about 10 years ago. It was so comforting to talk with her.

As she finished, she told me she had to talk to the person reviewing my case and would be right back. Then she turned to me and said, “but I do not see anything of concern.” Upon her return, she said, “you are free to go; the tissue is just dense.” This situation allowed me to lean in and trust the Lord through this time.

These things have been chaotic and tempted me to lose my peace. I can say that when I read scripture, talked with others about what I was going through, and prayed, I was walking in some anxiety, but also, there were plenty of times of peace.

I did not do it perfectly. I got agitated. I got a little scared. But the thing that kept coming to my mind was, “ok, why not me.” We all go through hard times and times of chaos. How we react to these times determines our peace. No difficulty can rob our peace.

My peace comes from knowing that no matter what comes, I am at peace with God, my creator. I know I can trust Him and that if He allows me to go through something, there is a reason. I have found that I can find peace in the chaos of my life. In the busyness, if I seek Him, I find Him. Do I always seek Him in these times? NO! But that is okay. Each situation gives me a chance to learn. Each situation shows me new things about myself and about Him.

Some chaos may even allow us to learn to enjoy the ride we are on. Not every circumstance will be pleasant, but I believe we can enjoy the ride together if we are on the journey with others. Look around. Who are you on the ride with? Perhaps what you are going through may be hard and even painful, but I believe we can make the best of it based on who is riding on the rollercoaster with us. Raise your hands, see if you cannot rise above the chaos, and maybe even enjoy the ride. 

Do I get this right? NOPE neither will you. That is not what this is about. It is just saying we can remind ourselves in these times to search for peace, engage in fellowship with others, and try to make the best of the rollercoasters when they come...and they will come. Life seems to guarantee that. In the middle of it all, look for the Lord and seek to trust Him.

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Philippians 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:15  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Based on these verses, how can you find peace today?

 

 

What things have you found that help you find peace in the chaos? Comment below so others can learn from your examples.