Peace Be with You
Did you receive a mini-art card? One that says, “Peace be with You?” Instead of passing out business cards, I decided to hand out "Blessing Cards." Want to know more about Peace? We hear all the time about Peace - we need peace in our land, in our country, in our world. There’s so much heartache, so much struggle, so much pain. We just need Peace.
Let me tell you a bit of my story of finding Peace. And, when I say, Peace, I’m not talking about a momentary emotion of joy or ecstasy or contentment or whatever state of mind or heart you think of as peace. No, I’m talking about finding Peace that does not depend on the circumstances of my life or on the particular emotions I am feeling.
Peace, I am learning, is a Person. A Person, who by His life, His love, His actions, is the true definition of Peace. I’ve known this Person for most of my life and I’ve experienced periodic seasons of what I would consider Peace in my life. But there would always be something to interrupt those seasons and I would no longer be “at Peace.”
Last year, 2023, my youngest son died. He was 42 and lived on the streets in Seattle, Washington. He was addicted to drugs and suffered from the terminal mental illness of schizophrenia. Through the years we attempted to help him and provide a safe place for him but those times didn’t last. He would choose to go back to the streets. When we learned of his passing, my peace was threatened. My joy was threatened. It took me time to understand that Peace did not depend on my sorrow, my grief, my pain. Instead, I learned that Peace, the reality of Peace, is this Person and, in knowing this Person, I would have Peace. I would carry Peace with me through everything. I learned that Peace and grief can co-exist; that Peace and suffering can exist side by side in my life.
If you do not know by now who I'm writing about - this Person who is Peace - then, let me introduce you. This person is Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace and He extends Himself to you, to everyone. So, when I gave you a card with "Peace be with you" on it, I was sharing Jesus with you. My prayer is that you will experience Peace - Jesus - too.
If you don't know Jesus, then let me share a bit more with you to help you in this discovery. I've borrowed this from the study, "Savoring the Peace of Jesus in a Chaotic World", by Melissa Spoelstra.
Did you know your heart tends to run from God and rebel against Him? The Bible calls this rebellion sin. A verse in the Bible says, "For everone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." Yet, inspite of all of this, God loves us and wants to save us and offer to us new lives of hope. Jesus said, "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." To give us this gift of hope and new life, God made a way through Jesus that we could receive this gift. You receive this gift through Faith. Faith is a decision of your heart that is demonstrated by the actions of your life. Another part of the Bible says, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Another place in the Bible says "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved." If you trust that Jesus died for your sins and want to receive new life through Him, I invite you to pray this simple prayer. Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died to forgive me of my sins. I accept Your offer of eternal life. Thank you for forgiving me of all my sins. Thank You for my new life. Thank you for bringing me Peace. From this day forward, I will choose to follow You."
If you have trusted Jesus today, please share with me your decision - you can email me at pwalshenator@gmail.com. If you do not attend church, please find one where you can worship and grow in your faith.
Let me tell you a bit of my story of finding Peace. And, when I say, Peace, I’m not talking about a momentary emotion of joy or ecstasy or contentment or whatever state of mind or heart you think of as peace. No, I’m talking about finding Peace that does not depend on the circumstances of my life or on the particular emotions I am feeling.
Peace, I am learning, is a Person. A Person, who by His life, His love, His actions, is the true definition of Peace. I’ve known this Person for most of my life and I’ve experienced periodic seasons of what I would consider Peace in my life. But there would always be something to interrupt those seasons and I would no longer be “at Peace.”
Last year, 2023, my youngest son died. He was 42 and lived on the streets in Seattle, Washington. He was addicted to drugs and suffered from the terminal mental illness of schizophrenia. Through the years we attempted to help him and provide a safe place for him but those times didn’t last. He would choose to go back to the streets. When we learned of his passing, my peace was threatened. My joy was threatened. It took me time to understand that Peace did not depend on my sorrow, my grief, my pain. Instead, I learned that Peace, the reality of Peace, is this Person and, in knowing this Person, I would have Peace. I would carry Peace with me through everything. I learned that Peace and grief can co-exist; that Peace and suffering can exist side by side in my life.
If you do not know by now who I'm writing about - this Person who is Peace - then, let me introduce you. This person is Jesus. He is the Prince of Peace and He extends Himself to you, to everyone. So, when I gave you a card with "Peace be with you" on it, I was sharing Jesus with you. My prayer is that you will experience Peace - Jesus - too.
If you don't know Jesus, then let me share a bit more with you to help you in this discovery. I've borrowed this from the study, "Savoring the Peace of Jesus in a Chaotic World", by Melissa Spoelstra.
Did you know your heart tends to run from God and rebel against Him? The Bible calls this rebellion sin. A verse in the Bible says, "For everone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." Yet, inspite of all of this, God loves us and wants to save us and offer to us new lives of hope. Jesus said, "My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." To give us this gift of hope and new life, God made a way through Jesus that we could receive this gift. You receive this gift through Faith. Faith is a decision of your heart that is demonstrated by the actions of your life. Another part of the Bible says, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Another place in the Bible says "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved." If you trust that Jesus died for your sins and want to receive new life through Him, I invite you to pray this simple prayer. Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died to forgive me of my sins. I accept Your offer of eternal life. Thank you for forgiving me of all my sins. Thank You for my new life. Thank you for bringing me Peace. From this day forward, I will choose to follow You."
If you have trusted Jesus today, please share with me your decision - you can email me at pwalshenator@gmail.com. If you do not attend church, please find one where you can worship and grow in your faith.
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