Wonderful Peace

1. Oh my dear friends! What a night I had last night!  After writing to you yesterday about fear...and especially about saying "Do Not Fear!" or "Never Be Afraid" when faced with doubts or fears or worries, especially during the night...well...that old devil just had to put me to the test during my sleep last night.  I was plagued with dreams that were full of anxiety and fear, so much so that my hubby had to wake me up and ask me what was wrong.  As soon as he did, I immediately started to say, "Do not fear! Never be afraid!", and I added, "In the Name of Jesus, all fear must go!"  My poor hubby was quite perplexed with what was going on with me, and as he began to soothe my troubled body and mind with comforting words and tender caresses, I began to calm down.  As I drifted back off to sleep the chorus of the song "Wonderful Peace" just seemed to rain down on me...exactly as the words say: (click on the following link for just the chorus with the Gaithers Homecoming group singing)
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Peace, peace, wonderful peace, 

Coming down from the Father above!
Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
In fathomless billows of love!

I could literally feel God's wonderful peace sweeping down over my spirit, mind and body..."in fathomless billows of love".  I could picture in my mind this soothing peace flowing over me like a gentle breeze blowing a very sheer and beautiful white gown all over and around me, enveloping me in perfect peace and calm. These words don't really do justice to how beautiful and comforting this was, but I hope you can feel this imagery in your mind as well.

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3. Wonderful Peace (click here to sing along with the first couple verses)
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5. Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
   Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
   In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls
   O’er my soul like an infinite calm.
   • Refrain:
     Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
     Coming down from the Father above!
     Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
     In fathomless billows of love!
6. What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
   Buried deep in the heart of my soul,
   So secure that no power can mine it away,
   While the years of eternity roll!
7. I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
   Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
   For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,
   And His glory is flooding my soul!
8. And I think when I rise to that city of peace,
   Where the Author of peace I shall see,
   That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing
   In that heavenly kingdom will be:
9. Ah soul, are you here without comfort and rest,
   Marching down the rough pathway of time?
   Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark;
   Oh, accept this sweet peace so sublime!

Praying that you will have a peaceful and restful night's sleep tonight!

For another post about sleeplessness and peace, click HERE

Serving With Grace

A place of grace and peace in our Memorial Garden

At the beginning of this year I selected my One Word for 2016...GRACE. (Click HERE for more about that) , and since then I have been noticing all the different forms of grace that God has demonstrated in my life.

Right now I am being tested in the area of "Serving with Grace".  I won't go into all the details, but let me just say that being a caregiver for loved ones and/or friends with physical and/or emotional issues can be very trying and draining. The one thing I am realizing the most is that if I don't maintain my own physical/emotional/spiritual stamina, it doesn't take much to throw me over the limit of my endurance.

How can one maintain her physical/emotional/spiritual stamina when circumstances beyond her control keep pulling away at her reserves faster than she can refuel?  Here are some ideas on this:

1. Recognize the signs of exhaustion.
2. Look for opportunities to rest...take a quick nap, short walk, read a book, go outside and get some fresh air. Look at or tend to flowers/plants.
   
3. Ask others to take over for a few minutes while you do something for yourself.
4. If other helpers aren't readily available, then take advantage of the moments when the one you are caring for is napping or quiet. Put on some pleasant music that is soothing for them and you and let it soothe you both.
5. Start the day spending time in God's Word and prayer. It doesn't have to be long periods of time or reading. Read a daily devotional, a psalm, something from the Gospels or Epistles...or Proverbs.  Words that uplift, encourage and comfort.
   
6. Whisper prayers throughout the day...for yourself, your patient, your family, others around you.
   
7. When you get the opportunity, do things you enjoy...a hobby, cooking, writing, reading, photography, sewing, knitting, whatever relaxes you.This is being written for my benefit as well as yours.  In order to serve with grace, I must first be full of grace.  This can only come from being tuned into the grace of the Lord...by being filled with His Spirit, and by resting in Him.

This past week I had the opportunity to take a friend to a doctor appointment. We were both feeling pretty exhausted...she from health issues, me from not getting a full night's sleep...and as we were coming down on the elevator we saw a sign inside the elevator car that spoke to both of us at the same time.  I've been trying to memorize this verse all week because it truly ministered to me at that moment:

"I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." 

Psalm 4:8

I knew as soon as I saw this that it would be a verse that would soon be committed to memory...or else it would be written on a sign and put above my bed...(I've put my order in to my son, who is a sign-maker...so when he gets around to it I will post a picture of it...but that may be a while) 

Perhaps this is a verse that you need to learn as well! How many of you have sleep issues...or feelings of anxiety or fear due to living alone or in adverse conditions?  Psalm 4:8 might be for you as well.

"Lie down in peace and sleep....and dwell in safety."

Good Night.

"Wait, I say, on the Lord!"

Psalm 27:13-14 "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!"


Have you ever felt like your prayers were never being heard, let alone answered?  Have you wondered if God was even listening...or if He actually cared about the things that concerned you? I am certain we have all felt that way more often than we'd like to admit.  I've noticed that I most often feel this way during the night, when I lie awake struggling to get back to sleep. That is when I find myself laboring over the long lists of things that are troubling me, whether they be viable concerns or subconscious fears that boil up to the surface when I am least able to control them. 

Like the Psalmist in Psalm 119:145-148,

"I cry out with my whole heart; Hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes. I cry out to You; Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.  I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word.  My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word."

Actually, I would be much better off if I would take advantage of that wakeful time to meditate on God's Word.  I find that I am usually so frustrated at being unable to get back to sleep that I forget to do the very thing that would bring the desired result the quickest way...pray, claim God's promises, and trust in His Word.

Psalm 28:7 says, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him."

So tonight when those voices of fear, doubt and anxiety start whispering in my ear, arousing me from my much needed rest, I will remember these promises of God...I will "be of good courage", I will let my heart "trust in Him", so that I will be helped and strengthened by His love and power.  I pray that I will awaken in the morning with a song of praise on my lips and a heart full of courage.  I also pray that I will remember to "wait on the Lord." Then I will definitely see "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

How about you?  Did you need this reminder today?  If so, it is my hope that God will meet you in your time of need and help your heart to greatly rejoice...and with your song to give praise to Him.  When we deliberately determine in our hearts to praise Him, there is no room for fear and doubt to remain. It has to flee.

Me and My Daddy

Good Night, Sleep Tight! ("don't let the bed-bugs bite")...Sweet Dreams...and May the Lord bless you with His peace.  Amen.