inner peace among outer confusion...

I have more than many things on my heart to blog about. Like, I've never had this many things go on in such a short span of time. But, in time, you'll be about as caught up on my life as I am... which really isn't that much... like, whatever happened to my work out class??? Haha... that was so many life instances ago, that it is miniscule. I'll get to that soon...

My heart lately has been overwhelmed with heaviness and joy, peace and confusion, tears and laughter, exhaustion and energy, thoughts of temporal life and life eternal.

God has honestly turned my world upside down recently. And I keep going back to the passage of Philippians 4. Truthfully one of my favorites... but I find my self lingering at verse seven...

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

This verse is PACKED with blessings. Like, even more packed than my "closet" hanging rack that has broken several times this summer... :/
1. The peace of God. Never has there been a more glorious thing. The peace that the Creator of the universe has. His peace.
2. ...which surpasses all understanding. God has really shown me recently that it's not just a peace that is beyond our understanding, but BETTER than our understanding. We can rest in His peace when we have NO UNDERSTANDING. God has not yet shown me why I'm in the situation I'm in and bombarded from every side... but I can rest in Him and know that I have NO NEED for understanding (about my circumstances) when I have His peace. HIS peace. His PEACE.
3. ...will guard your hearts and your minds. We are not just promised a good feeling that keeps us grinning and happy-go-lucky. He promises that His peace will GUARD us. Keep us secure. Ward off doubts. Ward off insecurities. Remind us that we are bought. Remind us that we are sealed. Remind us that when tears flood our eyes and loneliness fills our stomach, He can give us a peace that not only goes beyond our understanding, but even replaces understanding.

Recently I've been working on a list of things I really need, and things that I just want. Talk about convicting...

All I need is "Christ, who is my LIFE."

Talk about reassurance when nothing else remains constant!!! Christ can be and should be my LIFE. Not my religion. Not my Sunday mornings. Not my lonely times. Not my confusing times. But my LIFE.

More to come on the journey that is my life and the lessons that are the grace and peace of my God! :)