peace – Page 5 – Amy Linnea

Contentment

Published on August 4, 2014April 30, 2023 by amylinneaLeave a comment

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Waiting on God.

Trusting the process.

Surrendering – and finding peace along the way.

That’s contentment.

Are you content?

Peaceful?

Or are you filled with anxious thoughts?

What if nothing ever changed in your life ever again.

What then.

Would you be miserable all the rest of your born days?

Maybe. Some people are like that.

They hate their life and refuse to do anything about it.

Or they hate their lot in life and unless they wake up in a new body and lifestyle with everything going their way, they will never be content.

So what if God told you this was as good as it was going to get?

Would you be utterly disappointed?

I have to admit I would be.

I have things I’d really love to do.

Living on the beach is at the top of my list!

Don’t laugh, it is, but that in itself would not cause me my greatest disappointment.

But that will be solved in a matter of days when I marry my beloved. !

Psalm 37 reminds us if we trust in God, He will give us the desires of our heart.

When you align yourself with God’s heart, the desires He places in you are His.

But it doesn’t say He gives us the desires of our hearts whenever we demand them.

God will deem the perfect time to reveal His plan for you.

In the mean time, are you content in waiting?

Happy to let God be God?

Or are you griping at every passing unfulfilled moment.

Maybe, just maybe, God is refining you in the process.

Maybe He is teaching you to trust.

Maybe He is testing you.

Pass the test with flying colors.

Then, when you least expect it, God will be there in the midst of your contentment, handing you His plan on a silver platter.

And the timing will be perfect.

Photos by Mark König, José Pinto, & Krists Luhaers on Unsplash

Don’t You Dare Stumble!

Published on July 24, 2014April 30, 2023 by amylinnea5 Comments

Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life. Psalm 54:4

Ever feel like you are trying too hard?

Like you are holding everyone and everything up by yourself?

It’s precarious.

One small bump and everything can come crashing down.

Falling into pieces.

One word.

Don’t.

Let God carry everything.

He holds the entire world in His hands.

He can hold your world too.

You can’t control circumstances.

Reactions are others to give.

Yes, you can do your best.

And you should.

But leave the results up to God.

Stand in His peace, knowing He has your back.

He’s got it.

He’s in your hands as you care for your children.

He’s in your words.

Actions.

And prayers.

I know, I’ve said this before.

Many times.

But we all need reminders, don’t we?

And here it is:

God’s got this.

He’s in charge, you are not.

So let Him carry whatever it is that is bothering your precious mind.

And just simply be.

Photos by Don Starkey, benjamin hershey, & Jose Francisco Morales on Unsplash

Gently Leading

Published on June 10, 2014April 30, 2023 by amylinnea1 Comment

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Psalm 119:1

How does a shepherd lead his sheep?

Building trust and gently leading them home.

Protecting their every step along the way.

The shepherd’s physical presence leads by example.

How are you leading your family?

Gently leading by example? Loving them for who they are?

Providing a restful haven in a world full of chaos?

Or are you demanding they follow you.

Prodding with a giant stick, forcing them to obey your agenda.

Sometimes it’s not so dramatically obvious.

Your temper, your reactions, how you cope with life.

The grace with which you embrace life is what they see or don’t see.

Do I want to be like you, they ask.

Are your beliefs something I want to hold dear as well, they ponder.

You are an example of God to your children.

He uses you to reach them.

God’s mercy and love must flow from your lips and hands.

God disciplines us as well, but His motives are pure.

His ways are perfect.

As human parents, we make mistakes.

We fail our children on a regular basis.

Do we try our best? Usually.

But unless we ask God to fill us with His parenting wisdom, we will rely on our own strength, which, I can tell you, is faulty.

Weak.

Flawed.

I desperately want my children to seek the face of God.

To know Him personally.

Fully.

Intimately.

Because they see God through me, I must reign in my own self, for God’s light to shine.

I must allow God to use me for His purpose – to parent His children.

Comes down to watching my lips, my hands, my eyes.

I must be like a shepherd leading his sheep home to safety.

To rest.

Not demanding one thing while acting like another.

As we ask God to pour Himself into us and our families, our children will take root and those roots will produce fruit for years to come.

Might not see it for awhile, but it will come.

And it will be very good.

Photos by Tanner Yould, Sam Carter, Judith Prins, & Antonello Falcone on Unsplash

Utter Selfishness

Published on May 29, 2014April 10, 2023 by amylinnea2 Comments

Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright. Proverbs 20:11

I stood face to face with selfishness last week.

Utter full-blown rebellion, actually.

It was ugly. Super ugly.

It screamed in my face, demanding attention.

Demanding I cater to it’s selfish whims.

And when I refused, the reaction was not pretty.

The many witnesses saw how not to act.

How silly it looks to demand one’s way so obnoxiously.

And me, I was thankful the child was only mine during the school day.

But then it hit me – selfishness stinks in any form.

Am I different then the child in my school room?

When I put my own needs before others, I’m no different.

My demands might not be so obvious.

And when I don’t get my way, I never scream.

But sometimes I’m selfish.

And that stinks.

It’s hard to continually place other’s needs before your own.

As parents, we know too well how little time we have for ourselves.

Precious time.

But the next time you are interrupted by someone’s needs,

don’t have an instant reaction to gripe.

Pour yourself out.

Because with God’s strength, you’ll never run out.

God will keep you in perfect peace when your mind is focused on Him.

Photos by TK & Linoleum Creative Collective on Unsplash

Thankfulness

Published on May 18, 2014April 10, 2023 by amylinnea1 Comment

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:12

It’s easy to thank God when times are good.

When life is smooth, it’s easy to raise our hands to heaven, thanking the One who created all things.

How ’bout when life turns ugly?

When your life hits a speed bump and you are thrown to the ground, what then?

Are we still required to give thanks during those winter months?

Yep.

Seriously?

Uh-huh.

When God places a boulder in your path, thank Him for giving you directions around it.

When God moves you firmly out of one job into another, thank Him for rescuing you.

When God lifts you up and places you down in an entirely different life, thank Him for His protection.

You have no idea what God is protecting you from when He changes your course….your direction.

Thank Him.

He knows all things and is more aware than you realize.

Change your perspective. Begin thanking Him for the storms in your life.

Storms are when God shows up in powerful ways.

Sure, He’s there in times of sunshine as well, it’s just harder to see Him work.

When life is smooth sailing, you don’t need God as much.

When life is hunky dory, dependence on yourself increases. You become less thankful of the good things, because they surround you.

During storms, little pops of glory are obvious, filling our thankful hearts with hope.

Cultivate a heart of thankfulness. Regularly communicate your gratitude during your constant conversation with the One who created all things. The One who orchestrates the music of the universe.

I guarantee your attitude will shift and peace will return to your soul.

God has a plan. And He will reveal it to you in due time.

In the meantime, thank Him. Because we owe Him everything.

Everything.

Photos by Ben White, Vladimir Fedotov, & Zwaddi on Unsplash

Already On Its Way

Published on April 20, 2014April 9, 2023 by amylinneaLeave a comment

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments. Psalm 103:17-18