Jesus Came to Bring Peace

I really wanted to share a little about what's been going through my mind lately about peace.  Children and ducks are pretty peaceful if you really think about it.  They are not stressed but relaxed, enjoying life and the blessings it brings.  I took these pictures today of the little boys playing together and holding our 3 week old ducklings.  So I will put them interspersed in this post about peace.

Lately, I've been feeling overwhelmed with the cares of this life.  My children's health always seems to be an issue and with that bills accumulate.  We are now a part of a Christian Share Program in place of insurance and I love many things about it.  On the other hand, it's a new way of handling our medical bills that we aren't used to and requires more foot work on our part.  Since Rich is working the majority of the day, this responsibility has fallen on me.  Along with home schooling, disciplining to keep peace in our home, planning all the meals, keeping up with my children's social calendar, entertaining for the holidays, well, you get the idea.  To say the least, my life has not been at all peaceful.  

 I don't usually struggle with stress but lately it's seems to be out of my control.  One day I just found myself overwhelmed, short with my kids, an emotional wreck.  I felt like a weight was sitting on top of my chest making it hard to breath.  Too many decisions had to be made and I felt like I was the one to make them.  Which doctor do we take our struggling child to?  How much money will it cost?  Paperwork and more paperwork piled high on my counter.  Bills that needed to be paid, forms to fill out, and calls that needed to be made.

The boys weren't getting along, I was behind on laundry, the house was continually a mess,  the older kids needed me to take them places, and shouldn't my oldest son be driving by now?  Oh yeah, that's up to me!  Whatever it was . . . it was too much for me that day and so mommy had a meltdown.

The next day, I concluded I had to get into God's word and needed to hear from him.  

I've been making my way very slowly through Romans 8.  It is so chalked full of golden nuggets of wisdom and Christian principles that I can't ever get very far into it without having to stop and just chew on what I read for a few days.  So I picked up where I left off. . . 

Romans 8: 26-27

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Did I feel weak?  Did I feel like groaning to God?  Did I need Jesus to intercede for me?  Yes, yes, and yes again!  Did I know how to pray for myself and all my issues that were stressing me out?  Absolutely not.  I really didn't even know what my issues were.  As I thought about the Spirit groaning for me because words just don't seem to cut it sometimes, I was comforted.  

Jesus came to help our weaknesses.  He knows we live in a sinful, decaying world and it's not fun for him to watch us suffer.  So he came to bring us peace.  He came to give us life.  He came to set us free from the bondage of sin but also from our burdens!

I Peter 5:7 says:

Cast all your cares (anxieties) on Him, because He cares for you!  

I know this verse by heart.  I learned it as a child.  I know God wants to take my burdens but you know, He won't take them unless you release them to Him.  

I took a deep breath that morning, closed my eyes and gave him my cares.  None of them were too big for him.  I prayed that I would walk through that day looking up at His face, like a child looks up to his Daddy.  Oh, may I walk hand in hand with my Heavenly Father looking into his face.  Not at my "to do" list, or at my child's health issues.

We have begun our Advent Scripture readings in anticipation for Christmas.  As we lit the first candle and sat around the table listening, I was struck again that I had no peace about the currant appointment we had scheduled for our Daughter that following week.  I had run out ahead of God and made that appointment out of panic for her situation.  I decided right then and there while that candle flickered, that I had no peace about it and God was speaking to my heart about it.  I had to cancel it, get my deposit and heath records back.

The following day, I called the right doctor who I should have made the appt. with initially and after talking with the receptionist, I knew it was where God was leading us.  I then had to "eat dirt" and call the other doctor and cancel everything.  You know what, it wasn't that difficult.  They were understanding and have mailed back everything I need and have even offered to help us in the future if needed.

Since then, I've been able to breath again and handle what comes my way. My child is still struggling with her health but I have confidence that we are moving in the right direction for her. The bills are coming in but this share program will eventually reimburse us.

Remember this Christmas that Jesus came to bring us PEACE.  Take time to breath and look up into His face this Christmas.  Walk hand in hand with Him as you face life's struggles.  It's so worth it!