Slice of Peace

I always seem to want to write around Thanksgiving. While some may think of it as a secular, all-inclusive type holiday, for me it's one of the most "religious". It's an entire day devoted to gratitude! No gifts, just grateful. Feasting on abundance, full, thankful. Family shhhing for grace. Bowing our heads. An over-cooked turkey, paired with raw thanks.

Paul says in Philippians,

"Don't worry about anything, 
instead pray about everything. 

Tell God what you need 
and thank Him for all he has done. 

Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."


Unending Thanksgiving begins by not worrying, but instead choosing to pray.

And prayer is two-part: 1) Tell God what you need (ask for help!)
                                  2) Thank Him for all He's already done (praise 'em!)

Only in doing the above will we know peace, God's Peace, which is so great it's beyond understanding. And that very Peace will protect our troubled hearts and worry-prone minds. Guarded for Good.


My practical way of following through with Paul's priceless advice has always been taking an old notebook and T-ing up all the pages. Then pouring it out as often as I can.

Tell God what you need / Thank Him for all He has done

Prayer is incomplete without thanksgiving and Thanksgiving is incomplete without prayer. Simple.

-Take life, omit worry. 

-Substitute with prayer. 

-Mix together some asking with thanking.

-Bake at 450* and enjoy.

Slice of Peace anyone?

Philippians 4:6-7

Can't Do Attitude

I grew up in a home that taught confidence. Beginning with The Little Engine That Could ("I think I can, I think I can") to reciting Muhamed Ali quotes in the mirror ("I'm the greatest. I'm the best. Nobody can beat me!"). It was great as a kid thinking I could do just about anything I put my mind to. I believed I could, so I could. But as I grow older, as a mom, a wife, and a plain-old human being, I am learning the value in admitting "I can't". Now I'm not talking about having a negative attitude on life or abilities, but a surrendered attitude. Replacing "I think I can, I think I can" with "I know You can, I know You can".

Philippians 4:13, I like to say, is the motivational saying to end all motivational sayings. If you know, believe, and assure yourself over and over again of this, there's no need for Dr. Phil phrases or Oprah Ah-ha moments. It certifies that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Through Christ is the key. Not through trying really hard. Not through wishing. Not through thinking about it. But through Christ and the strength that only He can give me. I can do everything I need to do through Christ, because He strengthens me, helps me, equips me. He can, but only when we're willing to confess we can't. We can't overcome our addiction. We can't stop worrying. We can't forgive that person. Whatever it is you just can't do, it's OK and true to surrender and declare that (on your own) you CAN'T! But through Him, you CAN! Through Him, we can do all things, says the Word of God, but without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). So why do we have it so flipped upside down in our heads sometimes? Instead of reassuring yourself about yourself, reassure yourself of Him. He is ABLE, and through Him we are able to do all things, this and that, everything. Face any circumstance, all conditions, every situation. The Amplified Bible translation, which goes more in depth with some of the original Hebrew or Greek definitions, gives this beautiful version of the motivational saying to end all motivational sayings:

 ^"I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me. I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency."

He empowers me. He infuses inner strength into me. Christ is all and through Him I can do all. Without Him, I can't. It's OK, say it... I can't.

"Strength" Training

So last night I went to the gym after dinner instead of my usual morning routine. It was amazing to me the difference in atmosphere. I think 9 a.m. is not too early and just early enough to have a solid, motivated workout. And there are always lots of people there around that time who seem lively and friendly. But this is not the case around 6 p.m. Everyone seemed straight angry and not one person talked. It was seriously miserable. I guess after a long day at work, going to the gym is less "fun". But after a long day with two little ones, I thought some time to myself sounded good. But once I got there, surrounded by silence and looking out the window to a pitch black scene, the last thing I felt like doing was getting a good sweat. I actually managed to leave there without a single drop on me as a matter of fact. And I never intend to return for another sad, dark, cold, somber night workout again.

But... if I absolutely had to, I'm sure I could. Whenever I feel like I can't push myself any harder, I often remember a dear friend of mine who used to take my fitness class in New York. She would reluctantly take a spot in the back corner of my class and wait for me to hand out the tortuous little resistance bands. Then, mid-exercise she would yell out with her powerful, Black voice, "Oooh, help me Jesus!" It always made me laugh, but I know she was more than serious. She was looking for some divine help to get her through when she was at the point of giving up. And amazingly enough, that is a promise we are given from God.

Philippians 4:13 assures us we are able to do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Whether it's what keeps you going at the gym or what pushes you out of bed in the morning... who or what is your source of strength? I know late-night workouts aren't for me (yes, 6 p.m. now equals "late-night" in my world), but I also know I have a source of strength that I can count on any hour of the day. A never-ending energy drink that pushes me forward when I need it.

Next time you reach your breaking point, try taking a lesson from my old friend:

bellow a big "help me, Jesus!" and let Him show you that He can. :)

" But you, LORD, do not be far from me. 

   You are my strength; come quickly to help me."

  ~Psalm 22:19

COM 101 - Intro to Prayer

Isn't it absolutely insane that the God of the universe actually cares enough about you that He specifically told you to bring your needs to Him? Sometimes it blows my mind and other times I think, "Well, of course that makes sense." As a mom, the one who gave birth to my children, I could only hope that they would come to me in times of need. Just the same, the One who created you desires that you bring your little and big concerns before Him, so that they can shrink in His powerful presence.

 It's not so much an attitude of "Don't worry, be happy". 

But instead, God says, "Don't worry, talk to Me about it."

Phillippians 4:6 says plain and simply, "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything." 

EVERYTHING. Nothing is too little or too big for Him to handle. He WANTS you to bring it to Him. 

The verse goes on to say, "Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." 

When you thank God and ask God, He will bring you peace. This peace comes from relationship with Him and a relationship requires communication. When it comes to prayer, it is not selfish to put yourself first sometimes. He wants you to get insanely honest with Him, run to Him to celebrate your highs, and fall in complete desperation at His knees. He wants intimate conversation with and about you. If I remember anything from my COM degree it's the following definition that got pounded into our brains: communication is when a sender gives a message and a receiver hears the message and provides feedback. I drew a version of this model, much like the one below, on many exams (if not every flippin one!). But if we want relationship with our Creator there has to be communication (*medium = PRAYER).

Even though God knows your heart before you speak a word out of your mouth, He wants you to talk with Him about yourself, not just to be heard, but because He knows it will bring you peace. And also because He just wants to chat with you... you're His child and He wants to know what's up. Again, much like typical a parent. When we know something is wrong with our child's heart and maybe we may even already know the exact reason why, we still desire that they talk to us about it because 1) we care! 2) they'll feel better if they admit it out loud, and 3) we can most likely help them with it.

Likewise... God definitely cares enough, He told us prayer gives us peace beyond understanding, and God (unlike us) is most definitely equipped to do something about it! So go ahead... He already gave you His Message, now give Him some feedback. Chat it up. He's waiting for your call.