Peace, Part 1

This post is a part of the online book club for The Finishing School. Click the category Book Club to see posts on each chapter for additional content. 

The chapter on Peace is the chapter that I have reread the most. Satan will always try to rattle our peace so even when we make huge strides in this area, we will still face fear again. He actually did it in a big way while I was wrapping up writing The Finishing School. I had a panic attack and faced fear head on over the next several weeks. I started to feel like a fraud for writing a chapter on peace or thinking I had a better handle on it. I had preached peace and joy and felt it was my mission to inspire women in that area. But this situation didn’t negate it, it actually enhanced my story because I could relate more with those of y’all who had similar experiences and not just be someone who SAID I had peace or joy. I was starting to live it out even when it was challenged. 

Since then, my mission to inspire you to find peace and joy has only grown stronger. If you need little snippets of encouragement, check out the hashtag #vmppeaceandjoy. 

There are lots of tips in the book so I won’t rehash that. Today I wanted to share two things with you that I have learned since writing the book: 

1. God gives circumstantial strength.

I learned about this in Holley Gerth’s book, You’re Going to Be Okay. I remember hearing a story that emphasized this idea but never knew it by name. The story was about two Christians who would be burned at the stake the following day. The younger one had a candle in his room and waved his hand over the flame and tried to see how long he could keep his hand their. He was getting a feel for how hot/painful it would be. The older man told him God’s strength came when it was needed. I can attest to this in my own life. If you had told me what 2016 would have been like. If you had said that Tyler would lose his dad, that my cousin would pass away, that it would be the hardest year we’ve had financially the list goes on, I would have pictured myself in the fetal position all year long. But this is because I pictured all those circumstances without God. I have less fear now as I see how God carried us through this year and so many hardships. I know He will be with me. I know they will still be hard but I see them much less threatening. 

2. PRAY!!

Ok this one is obviously, in the chapter too, but y’all, we cannot underestimate the power it has to bring us peace. When we correctly order things and realize God’s sovereignty over EVERYTHING, we fear Him. And fear of God and fear of man/circumstances cannot coexist. When we do fear, we are simply bouncing back and forth from fear of God and fear of man. I have read a few books on prayer this year and wrote a 31 day study and the constant study on prayer has only made me more passionate about it and more committed to it!! Here’s a list of my favorite books on prayer so far and a link to the Fresh Start journal if you need help making prayer a daily habit! 

Have you think of a time you have experienced this circumstantial strength?