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The Pursuit of Peace in 2024!

The Pursuit of Peace in 2024!

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We made it! We have crossed over from 2023 into the year 2024. I am always excited to go from one year to the next. Being able to look back over the previous year, yet not knowing what this new year is going to bring.

This year I have determined to pursue peace. And I’m not just doing lip service. I know that because it really wasn’t my idea. God spoke it to me during one of my morning devotions, and He gave me scripture to back it up. Psalm 34:14 in part says, “Seek peace, and pursue it.” Here’s the thing…I didn’t really know what pursuing peace meant. How do you “pursue” peace? 

So I did what any good Christian would do. I googled it. One definition said that it means to actively chase after, to follow, or to seek out. But I liked the one that said peace is being at rest in Jesus. Pursuing peace is pursuing Jesus. That revelation just blew me away.

I know it’s not going to be easy, because once you actively pursue anything for God, the enemy comes in like a flood. But the Bible says in Isaiah 59:19 that when that happens “God will raise up a standard against him.” That means that whatever that thing is that’s trying to come against us gets God’s attention, and he will put up a barrier on our behalf. 

Look. I don’t know a lot of things, but I know the Bible says that “He will never leave me nor forsake me (Deut. 31:6). And that gives me all the strength I need.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Hold On To Your Peace

Hold On To Your Peace

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My prayer every day is that God will allow me to be a blessing to someone, and He never disappoints me. And it doesn’t have to be anything big. Sometimes it’s just smiling at someone, or holding up the traffic to let someone merge in. Little things that really don’t look like much, but could turn someone’s whole day around 

I was thinking about that recently, because I was out dI’riving, just trying to take care of a few errands. As I rounded the bend trying to merge over into traffic, the other driver sped up so that I  couldn’t get in. Thankfully, the person behind him had a little more grace, and slowed down so that I could get in. But I was so angry. I had to talk myself down, because I couldn’t understand why the other driver took it as a personal attack. I wanted to catch up to him to give him “the eye,” but God reminded me about the grace I had just received (I hate when He does that)…sigh. And on top of that, why was I taking it as a personal attack on me? That person didn’t know me, he never even turned in my direction. 

It made me think about the scripture in Matthew 7:3 when Jesus says, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank that is in your own eye?” Even though I didn’t like it, I had to admit that it was kinda funny. Here I am praying every day to be a blessing, and at the first sign of someone else’s bad behavior, I was ready to throw it all away, and lose my peace…over nothing. 

It just goes to show, there will always be opposition. But we can’t allow things or even other people to dictate how we respond. We control our response…especially when it comes to our peace of mind. No one can take that. But we can definitely give it away.

Until next time…

Be blessed

I Want That Peace

I Want That Peace

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This time of year always makes me look forward to spring. I can feel the seasons about to change…even though winter is still very much present. It sort of reminds me of what it felt like when I gave my life to Christ. When God came into my heart…it was like coming out of a long cold winter. I felt brand new, like I could do anything…and that everything was possible. But, then I began to get distracted with “works,” and lost my way a little. I forgot who God was. Although He does good works, and He expects us to do good. That’s not why Jesus went to the cross. He went because He loves us…even before we were born. And there is no “work” that can make Him love us any more than He already does. I thank God for Jesus, and I thank Him for the Holy Spirit…one died for me, and the other lives within me. How awesome is that.

I think many times, I have tied God’s hands. There is so much that He still wants to do for me…for all of us, but we have a hard time trusting Him. Even though He has shown Himself to be faithful, we still find it hard to believe that He will be there when we need Him. We still compare Him to our current circumstances. God’s word says in Isaiah 26:3 that, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” I want that peace. I want to keep my mind on Him, and not be distracted by the things I see. 

So, let’s all make this the year that we begin to walk in the love and grace of God. That we really begin to believe not only that God is who He says He is, but that we are who God says we are.

Lord, we praise you, we lift you up. We bless Your name. We thank You for loving us in spite of us. Help us to be all that you have called us to be. We give you all the glory, and all the praise.

In the precious, matchless, powerful name of Jesus, the Christ we pray…Amen.

Until next time…

Be blessed.

Together

Together

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So much is happening in our world right now. It’s hard for me to wrap my brain around it. We were already in the midst of trying to cope with the Coronavirus and all of the social distancing, lost jobs, closed businesses, and shelter-in-place churches…now this. Another senseless death. 

There was no reason that Mr. George Floyd should not have made it back home to his family on May 25, 2020. For eight minutes, and 46 seconds an officer of the law…someone who took an oath to uphold justice, to protect and to serve, threw it all out the window as he jammed his knee into the side of a man’s neck until he died. I don’t think I will ever understand that kind of hate, and I am glad that I won’t. We should all be outraged enough to do something. But what do we do to stop that kind of hate? How can we make a difference? What do we say to our Black boys/men? How can they ever feel safe? How can any of us feel safe? I have more questions than answers, and maybe that’s how it begins. We have to ask the questions that will help us understand the problem before we can work on the solution. 

We cannot afford to be passive about this issue anymore. Shaking our heads, and locking ourselves behind closed doors is not going to solve the problem. We have to be bold enough to enact laws, and legislation that will hold people accountable for breaking the law…especially if they wear a badge. We have to put our money where our mouth is by helping to fund those initiatives. We have to put people in office who walk the talk, and when they don’t…we have to vote them out. We have to make our communities a safe place for our families and children to live and to work, because whether we like it or not, we are in this together. Contrary to what some may think…this is not a Black issue–it is a human being issue, and it affects us all.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Stay focused

Stay focused

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When I am feeling down, my two cats, Bizzy and Jack always find a way to make me smile. One day, I was working at my computer, and I was having a hard time completing a task for work, and it was starting to get the best of me. I was sitting there feeling kind of useless, when my cat Bizzy meowed. When I looked at him, he quickly began moving towards me. 

At first, I didn’t pay it any attention, but then I noticed that as he was walking, he wasn’t looking to the left or to the right–just straight into my eyes. It was amazing. I couldn’t stop watching him, and for some reason, it hit my spirit in a way that made me feel all weepy inside. What I realized was that I wanted to be just like that when I look at God. I want to be able to keep my eyes on Him…no matter what. That even if the world were crumbling around me, my focus on God would not waiver. 

More than ever, our world needs something to hold onto right now. Our faith is being tested like never before. This Coronavirus is like nothing most of us have ever seen. There are so many updates, statistics, and warnings that it is overwhelming. I have spoken to people who are fearful of going out, and to some extent…of staying in. But, I am determined not to live my life in fear. So, in the midst of all of this uncertainty, God is answering my prayer by giving me the opportunity to be just like Bizzy, and keep my gaze fixed on Him.

Until next time…

Be blessed