Peace

There is a scripture that I have always known and most of us can quote:

"and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:13

Our China journey has brought me to a place where I finally really understand the peace of God.  Sure, I have always thought I knew about it, but I still worried about this situation or that issue.  Never have I felt the peace that I feel sitting here 3 days before a trip that will change the course of the life of our family. 

It has been a busy, busy time for us.  We have made trips to see family, last planning for China, countless trips to Walmart (each time I say this will be the last time).  It is a challenge to prepare what to take to a place you have never been and don't know what's available. 

I had the honor of being a part of a most beautiful wedding ceremony for our dear friends' daughter.  I created the cake. 

Without a doubt it was my favorite.  It turned out exactly how the bride and her mother wanted.  I think it was my favorite because of the love I have for the family I got to serve.  The Stricklands are the picture of Christ--in their marriage, in their giving, and in their family, their parenting. Their lives reflect our Father in a georgeous way.  It is amazing.  They, like us, are called to "Go".  They are headed to Mozambique.  And, like us, love China.  Their 3 young sweeties are adopted from there.  The wedding was an amazing, blessed night! 

I had so many people leading up to the wedding ask me if I was "ok?"  And my only answer was a smile and a yes.  You see, God planned this week for me in the most spectaular of ways. I returned home from New Mexico in time to recieve a very special envelope that revealed to some very dear friends the gender of their upcoming baby.  I was to make the cake to reveal to them along with our small group.  

 

It is a BOY!!! Stephanie and Joseph have 2 other boys and have the honor of rasing these young men into warriors to take the kingdom of God to the nations!  To Bring Heaven to Earth!  We are so excited for them!! 

Then the wedding was next.  But God, in his mercy and grace, blessed me with a fun busy week that has flown by.  One that, in the midst of what some would deem as stressful, for me was full of joy, rest, and peace! 

My fleshly nature is one of control and planning, one that likes to know what is next.  And yet in the natural what is going on in this season of my family's life is full of questions and very few answers, where I have no control whatsoever.   However, I have more peace than I have ever had in my life.  It is supernatural, it is peace that can only come from my Abba Daddy.  I am confident that He knows the next step when we get off that plane in China.  He knows what the next month holds.  He KNOWS, so I don't have to know.  I just have to take the next step and trust, in faith that He will work it all out because he loves me and my family so very much.  We are the apple of His eye!  So, I have no stress...I am blogging instead of cleaning, doing  laundry and packing.  This peace that truly surpasses understanding is guarding my mind.  It is keeping out the fears.  It is fully allowing me to trust that my Daddy is NOT going to let us stumble or go astray.  I have learned that this kind of walking is the way I want to walk the rest of my life so that HE can work His good will in our life without my "help"- just my obedience to his every word. 

So I leave you with this scripture - Colossians 3:15:

"And let the PEACE of God rule in your hearts..."

And the challenge to really let that peace rule in your heart, nothing compares!! 

Now, stay tuned...the trip is literally, just around the cornor.