LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
(Isaiah 26:12)
Peace is knowing that I am not expected, or qualified, to accomplish, achieve, succeed, or win. It's not my job. I simply serve the One who was. I serve the One who is. I serve the One who always will be.
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12)
Peace is what goes before me, clears the way, and leads me into joy so beautiful, I can't keep it to myself.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Peace is not something I search for; it's something I allow myself to be filled with. It's the hope of a power greater than my own, in whom I put all trust.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Peace exceeds all, yes ALL, limitations of my understanding. Peace is what's left when all my answers, solutions, and bright ideas fall flat. Peace is given through prayer, thanksgiving, and the coming before the throne of the Prince of Peace.
I have peace here. Sure, it felt "right" to help my friend Marimot from the fishing village hang her laundry in the hot, Haitian sun. My heart is certainly happy as I rock babies to sleep during Kelsea's English class, so that moms and dads can learn. When I walk to the gas station and have to stop 4 times to visit with friends I see along the way....I feel right at home in my neighborhood. Yet, that's not the definition of peace, is it?
I have peace, only because Christ dwells in my heart. With the Prince of Peace running the show, I no longer have to memorize my lines, or worry about my cues; Peace floods my life as my God leads me to embrace the beauty in each moment. Surrender to His journey results in my success, regardless of the answers I am yet to understand, the Creole words I've yet to learn, or the cultural cues i've yet to study. I'm so privileged to come before the throne, with nothing to offer, and a life of complete peace to gain.
Every day here has been more beautiful than the one before. I've realized that the more I think, the more I simply get in the way. The Savior who lives in me continues to be everything I need for each day, one moment at a time. I've learned to listen, not to my heart, but to the one who dwells there. I've been back in Montrouis for less than a week now, and I've seen God's raw Agape love more clearly than my previous 5 months here. I have peace. His name is Jehova Shalom.
Would you join me in thanksgiving for:
*The peace of Christ that has enabled me to already build deeper relationships with several friends through vulnerability and trust.
*The ease of my first attempt back in the eye clinic this morning! God provided me with more Creole than I thought I knew, and allowed the moments of their patient waiting in line to be used for much love and laughter through our "small talk."
Would you petition with me at the foot of His throne for:
*Continued discernment on how to provide housi from the women recently unemployed in the fishing village.
*My change of location once rent begins, that the peace of God's promises would remain clear and authoritative in my decisions.
THANK YOU
for investing in my piece of His story!
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