Heidi Bratton - Finding Gods Peace in Everyday Challenges: 100 Meditations for Women

Copyright 2015 by Heidi Bratton

All rights reserved.

Published by The Word Among Us Press
7115 Guilford Road
Frederick, Maryland 21704
www.wau.org

19 18 17 16 15 1 2 3 4 5

ISBN: 978-1-59325-278-6
eISBN: 978-1-59325-471-1

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Koechel Peterson & Associates
Inside photos by Heidi Bratton

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other, except for brief quotations in printed reviewswithout the prior permission of the author and publisher.

Made and printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015946178

To my dad, Don Egan, for a childhood filled with
nature and unconditional love. Thank you for
breaking the chain and overcoming such odds.
See you in glory!

To my mom, Carolyn Egan, for a childhood filled
with beauty and unconditional support. Thank you
for hanging in there to the very end.

I love you and like you both.

Of course, I should have expected a firestorm of conflict when I agreed to write a book on the virtue of peace; every project worth its salt has a laboratory section to go along with it, right? Whether it was in spite of or because of that oversight, writing this book has shown me that there is nothing quite as convincing as a trial by fire and that Jesus Christ really, truly is our peace. So to my dear peace-loving husband, John, thank you for not only sticking with me on this one, but for also pulling me out of the fire on several occasions. I love you always and am ready for that weekend trip, now. Lets go!

Behind every good author is a really great editor, and this book is no exception. Thank you to my incredibly empowering editor, Patty Mitchell! It is a joy to work with you. Thank you also to Jeanne Kun for graciously following through on a chance meeting. I appreciate you! To my most encouraging author/comrade in arms, Lisa Hendey, and to the strong women in my inner circle of support, I am personally indebted to you and buoyed up by your faith daily. Thank you, Nicole, Olivia, Lucy, Marie, Karen, Amy, Jennifer, Diane, Greta, Yvonne, Molly, Teresa, Lisa, Theresa, Debbie, Birgit, Anne, Pam, Barb, Heidi, Peg, Betsy, and Sr. Maria Faustina. To each of the women who have shared their stories of finding peace in the midst of everyday challenges, thank you for your transparency and trust in sharing those stories. Thank you, most of all, for helping other women to know that they are not alone in seeking to know the peace of our Lord Jesus amid the ups and downs of everyday life.

So, whats your new book about, Mommy? my six-year-old son inquired as he bounded into my home office.

Well, hello, little man, I answered, surprised that he had escaped from his fathers careful watch. My new book is about peace. Do you know what that is?

Nope, he replied, swinging off the back of my office chair, trying to twirl itand meaway from my computer.

I paused, thinking how to put peace in terms that a six-year-old could grasp. Well, peace is when someone is not hurried and not worried, I said, and then, seeing that no bells were going off in his head, I added, Like when you and I finish our chores, and you are not hanging off my chair, and we have all afternoon to swim at the lake. He pondered that for a minute, hopped onto my lap and, looking at me with wide eyes, whispered, Are you like that, Mommy? Are you not hurried or worried?

I hugged his innocent little self and didnt know whether to laugh or cry. His question was so sweet and sincere. Was I not hurried or worried? Was I at peace? Should my answer reflect how I was feeling in this exact moment or in general? Of course, he wouldnt understand the difference, so I went for the truest big-picture answer.

I am, I whispered back. Because God is so good, Mommy is not hurried nor worried, my little man. I am at peace because I am holding on to Jesus with both of my hands!

In reality, no matter how much we desire peace and want to be peacemakers, hurry, worry, and all sorts of big and little skirmishes get in our way. Peace is not a steady state of being but a dance with time, stress, conflict, money, misunderstanding, sorrow, and even outright evil. The real question is not Are we at peace? but Can holding on tightly to Jesus, the Prince of Peace, keep us steady on our feet, even when forces to the contrary try to send us twirling in unexpected circles?

The very first piece of good news that I bring to you in this book is Yes! For those who embrace the peace of Jesus Christ, remaining steady on the dance floor of life is not only possible but to be expected. And Im not talking about the slender, kid-friendly definition of peace that I gave to my son, or an ethereal definition of peace that wafts through the imaginations of dreamers, poets, and songwriters. Im talking about a boundless yet grounded definition of peace that is lived out in our everyday actions. Peace, as it turns out, is possible and is real because it comes straight from the Lord Jesus, who is our peace (Ephesians 2:14).

Does this seem a little unbelievable in a world of alarming headlines and frequent claims to the contrary? Maybe. But if we look to the family of faithfrom biblical heroes to the lives of the saints and even to our fellow believerswe find continuous testimony to the truth that God desires to give his people peace. In both miraculous and mundane ways, the God of peace and grace and blessings moves among us, allowing peace to triumph in the midst of everyday challenges.

I pray that these meditations will introduce you to the stabilizing peace of Jesus Christ. May they help you quiet your heart and open your ears to his comforting words of peace. I pray they will provide you with a few new ways to let the peace of Christ reign in your life and help you live with less hurry and worry. Above all, I pray that you come to a fuller understanding and appreciation of St. Pauls words to the believers in Philippi:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in mepractice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)

So, dear reader, welcome to these meditations on finding Gods peace. Welcome to learning some new and more grace-filled steps in your dance with everyday challenges.

Heidi Bratton