Corona peace & things I KNOW

35 years on earth. Happy birthday, me.

I started this blog one year ago, high on a dream to share & connect with the people in my world. I found the challenge of navigating a blog website, with all it's unknowns and technological curiosities, a tad overwhelming, and despite feeling called, I found myself hiding from the weekly mandate to write & produce content. Well, here we are a year later, under government mandated lock-down as a result of COVID-19, and irregardless of the millions of directions I feel pulled in here at home with my husband and our 11, 9 & 3 years old kids, I once again feel that clarion call to these blank pages with my sword in hand.

I can't shake the call to say these things, so here I go.

Things I know: I know that right now we are a world in need of PEACE and that all our usual crutches that get us through the day are falling to the ground, rendered worthless, in the face of real uncertainty. I know that feelings like hope, despair, joy, depression, love & fear are the most basic shared emotions between us. We share in these human experiences together, on this earth, at this time, and in this place right now and together. Regardless of our nationality, language, skin color, education or economic standing, we are one family, children of the same Creator God.

Some things have been on my heart to share and I consider my birthday a perfect day to stand confident & grateful before your well wishes, prayers & celebratory emojis, as the woman I am: in process but proud to be growing daily.

I feel led to share a little bit about this otherworldly peace I have in Jesus. It’s become apparent that anxiety is aggressively fighting against so many right now, and I long to be a vessel of truth & encouragement to the oppressed. The peace I have experienced in my life does not make sense. It is not of this world but is a gift of God from the very essence of who He is, the Prince of Peace. These days are troubling for many reasons. The fear of the unknown, the uneasiness of living with unanswered questions, not knowing when this will be over or what life will look like post COVID-19. It is a palpable and community-wide limbo and I think that if we don’t properly engage in this conversation together, so many will continue suffering with anxiety and fear.

Here’s what I know: I’ve walked through profound personal loss in my life, as I’m sure you have. I’ve found myself victim to the depravity of mankind, as you have. I’ve lost my way too many times to count, as you may have too. I’ve flung my tears in search of peace, hope, justice & redemption, searching for a deeper truth that satisfies. But the only peace or hope or justice or redemption I’ve found that has had REAL transformative power, (regardless of circumstances!) has been found in the face and name and friendship of Jesus Christ.

Life with the peace God gives looks like daily surrender, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) That painful, stretching-kind of surrender that enlarges your capacity to see and hear Him, and to grow. But it’s also an anchoring in the soul that is unshakable. Over the past few years, I’ve shared a lot about my faith in Jesus and what He has done in my life. Identifying as a Christian has become so much more than a cultural/societal identity, but the single most important aspect of who I am. I believe that Jesus is who He said He is - all those years ago- and that He will do and IS DOING what He said He would do, and that, consequently, I am who He says I am. I have conformed every aspect of my life to this single identifying & anchoring belief and it has brought unspeakable joy, satisfaction, peace, growth, protection & wisdom.

Today, if you don’t know Jesus the way I know Jesus, the way I know He longs to be known by you, I encourage you to talk to Him. He is God of mercy and love. Speak His name, invite Him to your home, open a Bible and read about Him (Matthew, Mark, Luke John are great places to start!), let the eyes of your heart be enlightened by His love. He is salvation. He is the door of Hope. He is Love and the absence of fear. He knows the end from the beginning. He is God of all Gods, King of all Kings. The ancients knew this and trembled. They feared the God of Israel because of His mighty acts of power. They knew He protected His own. God is a refuge to His children. A strong tower, a mighty fortress, and an ever present HELP in times of trouble.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10

“God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

“The Lord draws near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 34:18

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Phillippians 4:7

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Ephesians 3:14-21

Days before Jesus was tortured to death and crucified by the Romans, he told his friends this: "Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me....I will not leave you as orphans--I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them....I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you; I am going away, but I will come back to you again…I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe. I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over Me, but I will do what the Father requires of Me, so that the world will know that I love the Father.” (John 14:1, 18-21, 27-31)

I pray your spirit is greatly encouraged in this. If you know someone who needs to hear this message, please pass it on. Keep your hearts tender to God, talk to Him, ask Him for His peace, and please please, reach out to me if you want to pray over the phone. I would love to!

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3

It is my personal belief the next ten years are going to get even more interesting than this, so buckle your seat-belt. Peace & God’s perspective are a MUST. Stay sharp & don't let the media think for you!

Peace, love & hugs,

Natalie