Just the other day I was given a list and was asked to pick my top three values in life. One of them is peace. So often I’ve commented on how priceless peace really is. If I could bottle it up and sell it on the Internet, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the orders. Most would pay a hefty price for it. I think I could actually name my price, and many would do anything to pay it.

We live in a world where peace is a rare commodity. A peaceful day comes only once in a while, peaceful slumber is a rare commodity, and inner peace is almost unheard of. Instead, we have stress. It comes in every form imaginable, and oftentimes dictates the quality of our lives. Did you know that a discontent, jealous heart heaps generous helpings of stress onto your body? You have to do more, be more, achieve more, and much much more. It’s never enough. How can a body maintain wellness and wholeness if it is being torn apart by jealous stress? It can’t.

Quiet contentment brings peace. It’s giving yourself permission to be you. It allows you to live your life without looking to the left and right. It protects your heart, your physical body, and your mind. The Bible says that a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body, but that jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Think about it. Think about the world we live in and all the sickness. Sometimes I wonder about that.
Do you?

Today I learned what it means to use the word “Godspeed” as someone is going away. At it’s root, Godspeed means: May God prosper you and grant you success.

Godspeed is not just a general wish for a safe journey or a generic way to express best wishes. It is a prayer that those going will have success in what they are setting out to do, as God goes with them. Knowing this, we can really bless those who are leaving on a journey for God’s specific purpose when we say, “Godspeed.”

Perhaps you already knew the meaning of Godspeed. But for me it was like a precious “find” and a very special way to bless those who go in the name of Jesus…wherever He sends them. It’s almost like living in the times of Jesus when He sent out the disciples to preach the Good News. I can almost hear Him saying “Godspeed” to them…blessing them as they left to accomplish God’s purpose and plan.

Now whenever I get an opportunity to support a missionary or someone going away at God’s leading, I will definitely send them off with that powerful word. A word with deep meaning that will bless their socks off. I can’t wait!!

I’ve been on a sabbatical, but today I begin anew. I have so much to share that I couldn’t wait to get back to you. Life is really interesting, don’t you agree? Everywhere I listen and read, the uncertainties of life sometimes hit me like a ton of bricks. I’m guessing it happens to you too. So as I begin a new blog, I’m going to open up my heart with you in hopes that you can relate.

In my ministry I find that women everywhere want to hear what others are thinking, and they want to be able to share their thoughts. We just want to be heard, don’t we? So in my blog, I want to hear back from you too. Most of what happens in my life gets filtered through life in God’s presence. I can’t think of any other way to live in this world of uncertainties. When I am living in His presence, I thrive. When I’m not, I get into all sorts of emotional and spiritual trouble. In fact, when I’m not living in the moment with God, even my physical well being can be compromised. We can talk more about that later. Oh so much to say in just a few, short paragraphs!!

But I’m glad you’re with me. Together we can figure life out, at least from our perspectives. Being an author of two spiritual books, sometimes I put pressure on myself to be perfect. But those who have heard me speak know I am not perfect. Yes, God did inspire me to write Living and Secrets, but I am on a spiritual journey just like you. So get ready, because now you will get to know me as I share insights and open up my heart about life.

One of the things I like most about the Lord is that He takes initiative with us. The Bible says that God draws us with loving kindness. That sounds to me like He is taking the initiative. And not only does He start the whole thing, God does it with charm. It makes me think of a true gentleman extending his arm to help draw a lovely lady to himself. It’s kind of charming to watch. And then I think of my Heavenly Father with outstretched arms, lovingly drawing me with kindness in His eyes. Who wouldn’t fall into His arms?

Yet for many reasons, we don’t always have that kind of image of our Heavenly Father. Maybe we think of Him as “the boss” and we tiptoe around Him, afraid to make a mistake and get fired. Perhaps we see Him as “the big man upstairs” and we are afraid He is going punish us for not doing this or that. Honestly, I think we come up with more reasons why not to fall into God’s arms than why we would. It makes our Father sad because all He really wants is for us to love Him and be near Him.

It’s so hard to grasp that, isn’t it? Most have spent their years in fear of God instead of in love with Him. Afraid of just about everything concerning God. And God knows that. It saddens Him so much that He’s willing to draw us out of our fears so that we can be near Him. We don’t have to do the work, we simply say “yes” and God takes it from there. How easy is that?

I encourage you to take your Heavenly Father’s charming initiative and fall into His arms. If you do it just one time, you’ll be wanting more!

A good friend sent me an email about a daily devotion she had read. She said the devotion is written as if Jesus is speaking directly to the reader. It said, “Much, much stress results from your wanting to make things happen before their times have come. One of the main ways I assert my sovereignty is in the timing of events.”

Oh my, does that ever speak to me!! How many times could I have avoided a stress barrage if only I’d trusted God’s timing instead of my own? Lots of times, for sure. It’s so easy to assume that God will work a certain way and in my timing. But His Word says that God’s ways are not my ways. I have to remind myself of that all the time. And it also says that God never leaves nor forsakes us. That speaks true love and commitment to me.

One of the hardest things to do is wait on God and trust His timing. Don’t you agree? But one of the sweetest joys in life is when we do wait and trust Him only to look back and see that it was all in perfect timing.

It’s good that God asserts His sovereignty…He has it to assert!! The timing of events is critical, and it takes the sovereignty of God to do it perfectly. I wouldn’t want God’s job, would you? I’d rather look at my circumstance and just watch as God asserts His sovereignty as only He can do. And then…less less stress!!

Recently, my husband and I spent some time on vacation to get away from the busyness of life. I can’t express how much we needed the time away to rest…we had both been working really hard. I don’t know about you, but when I am focused on a project and have no time to enjoy life, I get grumpy. And then when my husband and I don’t have good quality time, our relationship suffers as well. That’s why we treasure our times together, especially get aways and vacations.

The same thing happens in my relationship with God. Time away with Him to rest in His presence is critical to my spiritual health. When I focus too much on the work of the Kingdom and have no time to enjoy the King, I have a grumpy heart. And if I don’t have good quality time with God, my relationship with Him suffers. That’s why I treasure alone time with God. I create mini get aways with Him for spiritual refreshment. It’s amazing to see what 30 minutes alone with God can do!

Living with God in the moment is only possible if we learn to know Him in the alone, quiet times. I encourage you to carve out time in your busy day to get away with God for a while. That’s where you will learn to recognize His voice. And as you spend time in God’s Word, you will also learn more about Him and His character so that you feel more confident about listening for the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Many want to go right to the “hearing God’s voice” part of the relationship….kind of like interviewing God to learn what He has to say about their circumstances. But those who cultivate and nurture their alone times with God are the ones who really grow deep in Him and learn what it really means to live in the presence of God moment by moment.

Do you ever wonder when you hear that people who don’t seem to be following Jesus, are being blessed in all the right areas of life? I do. I wonder why they get to be on the receiving end when they aren’t serving the Lord. If I’m not careful, I can wonder enough to wander into dangerous territory.

I have to remember that for those of us who follow Jesus and serve the Lord, blessings do come. They just don’t always look like they are being deposited in all the right areas of life, at least not by the world’s standards. I also have to remember that the Bible says that God is far more concerned with the condition of my heart than with what I think I’m entitled to.

If I wander into unsafe territory, I’ll find myself judging others, being critical, and full of envy because of their blessings. But when I stroll arm in arm with my Savior, I’ll find myself thinking about whatever is true, right, and noble. Jesus will point out those things that are pure, lovely, and admirable. If it’s excellent or praiseworthy? It’ll be on my mind. Then the peace of Christ, one of the greatest blessings of being His follower, will guard my heart and keep it from wandering dangerously.

The Bible also tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice. I’ll do that. And I’ll also keep my focus on what God IS doing in my life and heart instead of what it seems like He hasn’t done yet. I’m much happier that way, and God can work miracles in my heart to help me be the person I want to be and who He desires me to be as well.

There continues to be more in the news everyday about the controversy surrounding the building of a mosque near Ground Zero in New York City. We all have our opinions. But I think it’s interesting that the American people and media have turned this into a time to decide whether President Obama is a Christian or a Muslim. I’m sure you’ve watched the polls as people weigh in.

I must admit that I found myself weighing in with MY thoughts…I never participated in the polls. But in that, I realized how easy it is for me to be judgmental, if I’m not careful. Whether we should decide what our President’s faith hinges upon…is not the intent of this message. But it does remind me of how fast we judge the attitude and condition of each others’ hearts, and that is weighing heavily on my heart today.

The Bible tells us not to judge others. We’re supposed to leave that up to God, lest we are judged ourselves. Sadly, I can rationalize my own judgmental tendencies by thinking I am simply making a wise assessment about someone. But oftentimes it’s my way of disguising judgment, which is wrong.

Yet there is a brighter side to all of this. You and I can challenge ourselves to take the higher road when the tendency to “make a wise assessment about someone” tries to take the wheel. Instead of giving up the wheel, how about seizing the moment to ask God to show us what He sees and how to pray for that person. It’s a challenge…for sure. But one worth taking on. And if it keeps me from falling into a judgmental trap…then I’m all for it.

A few nights ago, I happened to be awake at about 4:30 in the morning when suddenly there was an eerie, popping sound in the house. We had a power failure…everything was out. My neighborhood has a lot of lighting, so with the power out, all the lighting outside went with it. I’ve never seen that happen because typically power outages happen during the day. So it was very, very dark inside and out…pitch black.

I had a sobering thought. What if this is IT? What if something terrible has happened and lights are out everywhere? Is this the beginning of the end? With all the news lately and the uncertainties of the future, you might understand why those thoughts came to mind. And in the wee hours of the morning; I wasn’t fully awake, so thoughts are plentiful while lying there trying to sleep.

But later that evening, I wondered whether or not I’m prepared if something like that happened. Am I prepared physically, emotionally, and spiritually to handle the drama when all the comforts of home suddenly go out with the lights? I’d like to think I’m prepared, but I think I still have some work to do. Yet the work isn’t physical…it’s emotional and spiritual.

Is my relationship with God where it should be? Am I confident that I’ll hear His voice clearly to direct my steps if something very challenging occurs? Do I trust Him like a little child would? Would I fall apart if stability is no longer a word in today’s vocabulary? I ask you the same questions. If the lights REALLY go out tonight…where are you?