God Gives Us Peace

Hi this is Joelle. I wanted to share something on my heart. Sunday we were studying in Matt. 5 and talking about The Beatitudes. Something hit me as we were talking about them. Someone in class said that we never focus on "Blessed are" but more on the attitudes. I started really started thinking about it. We are blessed when we go through trials and it stirs us up. One of the hardest things that I struggled with after our house burnt to the ground was after we moved in our rental. I walked around a home I didn't recognize. I felt so empty. Nothing was familiar. I was thankful don't get me wrong, but I hurt inside. One day I woke up crying, tears just rolling down, and I couldn't stop them. I had no control over my life and no idea what was ahead of us. I felt so misplaced. I never could stop crying that day. My heart broke for Kendra when I picked her up from school that day and she said Mommy are you going to always cry now. So that night Mike came home early from his mountain bike ride and found me in bed and Kendra roaming the house. The next morning I wasn't any better. I knew I couldn't do this on my own. So I cried out to God and asked him to help me trust in him and to give me peace with whatever was to be. I didn't want to try to make since of this anymore because it really didn't matter. Everyone tried to give me reasons why this happened and it was making me crazy. So I gave it COMPLETELY to God and he gave me peace and I was able to have joy in it. I really don't think I really understood the true peace and joy that God gives until that day. I'm so BLESSED to have a closer relationship with my God who grants us such peace and joy that we could ever get on our own. I think it is impossible. I want to leave you with this....

Worry compromises your joy,
cramps your peace,
and confines your freedom.
June Hunt