Sunday, March 3, 2024

Wayward Daughter Coming Home

This is in reponse to my daughter's post, "My book of Freedom." Her story of how she got out of an abusive relationship. You can read that on my blog or here:
https://heavenlystrength.blogspot.com/2024/03/my-book-of-freedom.html

There is not one part of me that wants to write this post. It brings back way too many sad memories. I have held off writing this for about 2 years. But, I think it's important because there are quite a few parents whose children are in distressing relationships. That being said, there are many things that I could have written, but this post would have been so much longer, and a bit embarrassing for my daughter. In my parenting, I didn't do everything right, I did many things wrong. That being said, I'm not even sure where to start, so I suppose I'll start with the end.

My daughter's name is Naomi. She is 23 and happily married to the love of her life, Spencer. Spencer is a very loving and patient young man who loves her, his family, and Jesus with all his heart. They live on his parent's property in a cute "mother-in-law" type home, surrounded by a forest with my two cat grandsons.

Naomi has always had a huge heart for God. It was her idea a few years ago that she and I go on two 10-day mission trips to Chacalte Guatemala with a team from church. A trip that forever changed our lives. Currently, she is attending church every week. She ministers to the youth at her church, and she desires to go back to Chacalte for her 3rd trip, where we are sponsoring 2 teenage girls.

It hasn't always been so wonderful for my daughter. She lost her way when she was 16. She met a boy we'll call Tim during her Sophomore year in high school. Tim was not the right fit for her. I'm not sure where he is now in his place in life, but back then, he too was trying to be an adult too early in life. They met at church. He convinced her to move out of our home, and in with him. She loved him and wanted her independence, so she left, in the middle of the night.

Tim was somewhat likable by his peers. We noticed he talked a lot and had high energy. You barely could get a word in, however. But something about him was off. We didn't like him. I tried several times to get to know him, but intuition was speaking loudly that he was a little troubled and not right for her. You see, with the help of a pastor, I was able to realize that she was being emotionally and verbally abused by Tim. He too was a victim of abuse, and he likely was taking his anger out on her.

Naomi's sweet disposition began to change. She was attempting stuff that she wouldn't normally do, pulling away from God, and she was angry. She began to bring up sins from my past as a way to discredit my parenting.

My daughter moved out of our home three times while with Tim, twice in the middle of the night, against my best wishes. They'd break up but quickly get back together. My other daughter would come into our room to let us know that she had left. The first time she moved out, I fought it. I wanted her to stay, but I couldn't convince her. She called the police because she had the right to her stuff since she was 18. The policeman came into our home, with her outside. I sobbed, and he 100% sided with me, but unfortunately she was an adult. He tried to talk to her as a fatherly figure but was unable to get through to her. She loved Tim. There was an instance when she came back home to pick something up. We tried again to convince her he wasn't right for her, but she didn't want to listen. When she came out of the house, I told her that she wasn't welcome at home. I can still remember the look she gave me. The words still haunt me to this day. I have apologized so many times, but it was a bad mistake.

One evening when she was back at home. She was coming back from a church youth retreat. I kept expecting her to return and it got later and later in the evening. I left a message on her phone. But, her battery was about to die. She did text and left a message that she was at the fair. She didn't say with whom. Her phone went dead. I waited and waited for her to come home. When it came time for the fair to be long over, panic sent in. The worst possible thoughts that I could come up with came flooding into my brain. I went down to the fair to look for her, after talking with a police officer on the phone. The parking lots were empty. I had a feeling that perhaps she took her girlfriend home, who lives at a distance. I realized later that this was not the case. At about 2 AM, her car pulled into our driveway and I fell to my knees, sobbing, I was so happy to see her, she was okay. Yet, she had been with Tim!

Naomi had been hired to house-sit for my husband's coworker John (fictional name) for a few days in the summer. The man had two Dobermans, an amazing setup for the dogs, and a really good security system. She was supposed to follow a schedule for the dogs which included a strict diet, and having them inside the house early in the evening. She decided to have Tim stay the night with her and the dogs were left outside until, well until I came over. We learned about her bad deeds when John called Brett late one night to let him know that he could hear a man's voice in the house with Naomi. Remember I mentioned his amazing security system? John was able to hear everything that was said inside his house whenever there was an alert. To sugarcoat things, I went over there and scolded both their asses all the way back to drop Tim off at his father's house. John later mentioned to my husband he would never want me angry with him.

We belong to a foursquare church and we were at a worship night. I was also battling with another hard decision. We decided to get a dog and were trying it out. It was really bad timing to get the dog. The dog itself needed a therapist. I decided two things that night: 1. I didn't want the dog, and 2. I didn't want to be at the church that night. So after a while, we got up and left. We walked out of the sanctuary, going the long way back to our car. We could still hear what was taking place inside the sanctuary. We all of a sudden heard a prophecy being spoken over a family that has a wayward daughter. It was about us! We stopped in the doorway to listen. It was a few minutes long but mentioned that she would be coming home. I was stunned. I have never had a prophecy spoken over me in my walk with God. Even though I had goosebumps, I felt my spirits lifted. Little did I know, her coming home, wouldn't be instantly and without more struggle.

A few days later, I heard from God. He said, "You know what to do." I started reading scripture over her daily, I would pray getting down on my knees and face on her behalf, and I'd dedicate Christian songs to her. I'd invite her over to talk, and I told her I loved her. Not only did I seek counseling, but I encouraged her to do the same even though it meant, my image of being a Theology student might be shattered. That didn't matter, her getting help was most important. I spoke with a woman over the phone from our church, and one of the most important things that she said to me was, "God loves her more than you do." He wasn't going to let her stay in this condition, far out of reach for long. God was going to bring her back to Him.

One of the afternoons, I tried calling her, but she didn't pick up her cell phone. I just wanted to know if she was alright, I grabbed my younger daughter and we went to their place. What I saw peeking through the window was extremely disheartening. That wasn't her. I saw someone troubled, in a bad place, who wanted out. This was one of several times that I had to go looking for her, even very late in the evening and it didn't always go without the police being called.

They would break up so many times, and she would always run back to him. She was being pressured to stay with him: pressure because she wanted to live on her own and unfortunately, he would use sexual coercion to pressure her to stay. Naomi was being manipulated emotionally. She felt threatened, belittled, humiliated, and was often talked into having sex.

I remember praying desperately that God would just send someone that she could be just friends with for now, and quickly. So this person could provide a distraction. And, I told her, you keep going back to Tim, you keep holding on to him with all your might. What you don't see is that God has someone better for you, but you can't see it." She eventually had the courage to leave him for good. When she used her willpower to leave him, God opened up the doors of heaven, intervened, and helped her. Then, in walks Spencer...

I have since prayed for Tim many times, and I truly hope that he too has had a touch from God, is in repentance, and doing the will of God. We hold no ill will towards him.

It was a few months ago that she told me she was raised right. One evening about a month ago, she and Spencer came with us to a worship night. When I saw her worshiping God with her arms stretched high toward heaven, tears came streaming down my face and I breathed out a sense of relief, knowing things were as they should be.

If you too have a child who has lost their way, never, ever give up. Keep telling them you love them, and pray. Give it all to God, because he too loves them more than you do.
Photo by Kayla Horton https://kaylahortondesign.wixsite.com/kaylahorton
National Sexual Assault Hotline Hours: Available 24 hours 1-800-656-4673 https://abuserecovery.org/

My Book of Freedom

Written October 2021 By Naomi Horton, guest writer

I was in an awful and abusive relationship. None of my family and friends approved of it. They always told me that he was not good for me and he would drag my life downhill. My mom would sit me down at our polished dining room table with ice-cold water and plead with me to come back home. Every time, I felt the need to shrug her off because I loved him, at least I kept telling myself. Each time I pushed my mom’s words away, it reminded me of the truth I refused to confront. I was in a very toxic environment that I was in with him. I was sad and angry for many reasons, And I had let go of so many rules and morals for him. I used to be a youth group leader, healthy, outgoing, and organized, but that’s not how the world looked for me anymore. The culture of our apartment was unsalvageable as it seemed to mirror the relationship we had. Piles of random belongings sat in every square foot, and a designated mountain of trash sat next to the reeking kitchen. When he wanted the place cleaned up, it was just me tidying it up and him lurking on the couch with advantage written in his eyes. He had made all these different promises on trips we would go on and dates that would just linger in dying excitement. He was a liar, abuser, and cheater, and it was time for me to move on.

The day we met felt like another ordinary 10th-grade day for me. We were both going to our church’s youth group. The lukewarm air smelled like freshly grown flowers surrounding the church’s premises, and the leaves were just beginning to sprout tiny green leaves. When we met, my friend wanted to show me a guy she was interested in. She pointed him out from across the loud hallway filled with excited students, waiting at the youth room door ready to play games and sing their hearts out to worship. He made his way over to her, but her friend distracted her, greeting her with hugs and excitement. For a moment, he and I stood there like statues until he introduced himself to me. We hit it off great and kept sneaking in conversation during the entire service. After the message was over, we continued to talk outside in the dying sunlight. At this point, he was quick to open up about his past abuse and relationships. I felt strongly empathetic towards him. How could such a charming, bright guy go through that much for being so young? When it was time to go, we exchanged phone numbers and continued our conversation over text. I opened up to him too, which had no comparison to his tragic story. I never felt more ordinary in my life at that point. Some time went by, and after a few days of talking over the phone, he asked me out. Longing for love, I said yes. Little did I know that yes would trail into three long years of heartache and pain.

I was so desperate to get out of the relationship. I felt hopeless. Each day that passed, I became angrier and angrier with myself that I kept allowing time to pass by. I let down my family, friends, and even my beloved cat Braiden for not being his cuddle buddy at night.

I went to my youth pastor because I wanted to know if I was still allowed on the youth leadership team or not. With a deep sigh, she informed me I could not serve on the team and needed to work on myself. I felt sentenced to a life full of abuse and regret. Tears streamed down my face. What she meant was until I broke up with him and moved out of his place. I didn’t blame her. I wanted out too. It was hard to relax back on the soft fake fur beanbag chair, even with the humidifier spitting out soothing peppermint fumes on the corner shelf. I stared down at the floral church carpet zoned out with tears covering my face. I felt embarrassed and as if I had let down everyone close to me. I knew I wanted to leave him too. I was desperate to, but I loved him, and that’s what sucked. My focus zoomed back in on the book my pastor had given me. I wiped my tears away on my warm, cotton sleeves, now covered in smeared mascara, and took the soft-covered book from her hands. The cover has a tattooed-like picture of a heart with a dove flying across the middle trailing a golden ribbon with the bold red font, Swipe Right, by Levi Lusko. Little did I know, this book would save my future, my life.

The book Swipe Right is filled with examples of many happy relationships and lives that I hoped could be my own. My heart burned with inspiration, and it assisted me in looking at my relationship. I realized my relationship was genuinely abusive, depowering, and he was someone I did not want to commit my life to anymore. Reading this book also made me painfully realize I had no love for him because, in the book, the author describes his marriage and what a healthy relationship looks like. In the author’s eyes, relationships are not constant screaming matches or controlling in any situation. They’re supposed to be full of love, 50/50, and decisions that are made are supposed to be equally agreed on. I found myself in awe and jealousy. As I read, I became more and more eager to turn each page.

I may have taken away so much from the book, but my eyes and cheeks never remained dry while reading it. My relationship looked nothing like anyone else’s. I had no love for him in a very long time. Part of me still wondered if I could fix him. But each time I found hope that maybe I could help heal him, my heart split in two, reminding myself I couldn’t help him. I always tried to help him by talking about his faith, suggesting talking with counselors, etc. Nothing ever seemed to work out. It was hopeless.

After taking 11 weeks to read and learn the message in this book, more pain began to set in. As I compared my relationship to all the book’s teachings, I felt influenced. I put my foot down, demanding to myself, I am finally getting out of that unceasing relationship. I finally decided to move back in with my family. The minute I told my mom I wanted to come back home, I felt immense relief as if I had felt a raindrop in the middle of a California drought. Impassioned that same evening, I quickly but cautiously drove my way back to his apartment and finally poured out my bruised heart to him. It felt as if I had bricks stuck in my lungs that I could finally spit out. His vicious protest did not affect me as I gathered my things. It sounded just as pathetic when he used to yell at me like that before. “No! Do not fucking hang up on me!” He used to say on the phone with deep breaths of anger. Or “You're such a spoiled little brat,” said with fake laughter mixed in his words. Those words affected me back then, but they don’t affect me now. After shoving all my belongings into the trunk of my car, I finally took my car through the windy neighborhood roads for the very last time. I was so exhilarated to be back home and be back with my family into their loving, open arms, hearing them tell me with eyes full of tears how proud they were of me.

It was a massive wave of peace in my life knowing I’m out of the storm, and I have other opportunities in front of me now for a better life and a better relationship to come.

Although I may have gone through an ocean of pain and heartache through my last relationship, I can’t take myself to regret going through it because I had no idea how one little 200-page book could change the course of my life. I was walking through the bushes and stumbling over large boulders instead of taking the clear path. I am immensely grateful for receiving Swipe Right and becoming who I am today. I have a great family relationship, I’m back on the leadership team, and I just passed my six-month anniversary with the absolute love of my life, all because of the great experience I had with My Book of Freedom

Friday, March 1, 2024

Daring to be SOBERLY Different

Alcohol is a depressant that can alter our emotional state. It energizes us and lowers our inhibitions. We relax and unwind when it is consumed. Honestly, drinking alcohol, for most, is fine, but only under the right circumstances.


Alcohol advertisers spend about $2 billion per year on alcohol ads. So, through the media, we're constantly bombarded with alcohol ads. The ads suggest things like, after a long, hard day, we've earned the right to relax and have a drink. The ads say, "Going out with friends? Relax and have a drink! Stressed, bored, lonely, or need to relax? Have a drink!" Why has drinking alcohol become the catalyst for fun and relaxation? Is drinking the answer? We see our favorite celebrities and very attractive people drinking. They're laughing and having a good time. Advertisers have portrayed drinking alcohol as something good, happy, and even sexy because they are paid a lot of money to do so. We see these ads, and we compare what we see with our own lives which may be less than glamorous and a little lonely. We think that we too can be like those people if we only drink alcohol. It's a pressure.

There is this expectation in our society that by the time we are 21, we have earned the right to have an alcoholic drink. Young adults are asked, "Where are you going out on your 21st birthday?" "Who's going to be your designated driver?" And everyone close to the young adult wants to be there to witness that "special" moment in their life. It's implied the 21-year-old is going to drink. Well, why not? They are finally 21! Right? That's pressure.

There is nothing wrong with most people having a drink or two. Many people can and will continue to enjoy drinking alcohol and they will never cause any problems to themselves or others. But there is this constant portrayal of alcohol through the media that we won't be hurt by drinking, that it is normal and fun. In reality, drinking has a dark side. Alcohol is a drug and can cause problems. Drinking alcohol causes people to make bad decisions, alcohol can cause accidents, illness, disease, fights, abuse, sexual assaults, injury, and death. According to the CDC, about 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use in the U.S. each year. When we lived in California, there was a teacher who had a few drinks one night at an adult party, and he drove home. He ended up hitting another driver, and the victim died in an accident. The teacher went to jail. He was a family man and a well-respected teacher who made a terrible choice one evening and had to pay the consequences for a terrible decision. I also know people who have had a few too many drinks and have been seriously injured.

I have two adult daughters, yet when my kids were young, I was hurting from a situation that I was in, and so I drank to numb my pain. Back then, I'd have more than a 5-ounce glass of wine, sometimes several, or I'd drink hard alcohol. My bottom was the day when my daughter was in preschool. I had at least 6 shots within a few hours. When it was time to pick her up, I drove to get her with my younger daughter in the car. Luckily for everyone, I didn't have to drive far, but I was still in no position to do so. I remember putting them in my car to drive home. My neighbor was parked next to me and I swore he looked at me strangely. For weeks, I thought he and everyone at the church preschool knew, but nobody said anything. I was so ashamed of what I did. For years, I didn't mention this incident to anyone, until one day I read somewhere, "What is kept in darkness, has power over you." I knew that Satan had control over me in this situation, and so I confessed it to my Bible study. And, the roof didn't come tumbling down upon me. I was prayed for, and delivered, and I felt so much relief.

Years later, I had my drinking under control. I had spent many years between the time my kids were little and 2013 as a long-distance runner. Running was my outlet, not wine, even though I still would enjoy it occasionally. I would have just 1 glass of wine. It was enough for me. After seriously injuring my knee, I was told by a physician that I wasn't an alcoholic but was addicted to wine. When he asked how much I drank, I sarcastically replied, "Well, a glass is considered 5 ounces, but since I don't like to follow rules, I have 6 ounces." For years, I only had one 5–6-ounce glass of red wine. I even measured it. My husband always asked me why I needed to keep measuring it. Well, because I enjoyed my evening glass of wine, which came within the 7 o'clock hour, and didn't want to shortchange myself. If I had a late outing, coming home at 8, I'd still have a little. I was considered a wine snob. I told everyone that it was biblical to drink, as 1 Timothy 5:23 says, "No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments." I didn't necessarily have a problem with drinking by any kind of alcoholic definition: I was not an alcoholic. But it was a problem. And there was always this nagging feeling deep within that I needed to stop my nightly glass of wine. I was addicted to it and became way too dependent upon it. As a religious person, drinking wine had become my idol. Instead of turning to God, I turned to my beloved glass of wine.

I was part of "fun" Facebook pages and groups that made you feel that it was fine to drink a lot. Some of these people were admitting to and normalizing drinking a whole bottle of wine. There were fun pictures with cute sayings that made drinking fun, even the pictures with a woman with her head in the toilet. No, this isn't funny or normal.

I have been suffering from depression since 2021. My nightly glass of wine was relaxing. I looked forward to it. Yet, my nagging feeling that I should quit drinking became more urgent. I felt that if I quit drinking, I'd be able to sleep better at night. I was currently taking 1000 mg of Valerian root, 5 mg of melatonin, and 75 ml of CBD oil. Yet, it was hard to sleep soundly. I always woke up. As a person who loves studying and researching. I started studying. I learned that nobody with depression should drink alcohol. It is a depressant and can make depression worse: especially if you're not sleeping. Heavy users of alcohol can make their antidepressants less effective.

I quit having my nightly glass of wine on October 3rd, 2023, and I have been sleeping so well since then. I have had some alcohol since then to taste, but I get overwhelmingly sleepy, and I don't want it. I don't want to drink. If you, too, would like to quit drinking alcohol for whatever reason may be, know that you are not alone. You can get control of it. There's no reason to be ashamed. For starters, I recommend speaking with your doctor and a trusted person. I also recommend the book Quit Like A Woman by Holly Whitaker. It is written for women, but honestly, anyone can read it and get so much out of it.

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Happy 80th to my beautiful mother

I'm truly grateful to have my mom still, and in such good health that she planned her own 80th birthday party.


A mom's love is like no other. A mom is someone we look up to when we're younger. I likely took advantage of her love as a teenager and didn't understand it until I had children of my own.

Mom's sacrifice a lot of their time, sleep, needs, and reputation sometimes and are often on their knees in prayer on their children's behalf.

An example of this is the love of Mary, the mother of Jesus who watched her Son die a horrible death on the cross. I can't imagine her pain. I only wonder if her reputation was damaged because of those who chose not to believe in Him, who mocked, despised, tortured, and killed Him. Her love for Him was great, but watching Jesus being treated the way He was crushed her.

My own mom has the appearance of being strong, but I wonder if she is a lot like me: it's just an appearance. My mom left home when she was 18 and paid for her own college. She was a high school teacher for many years. I understand the sacrifices she made to ensure my siblings and I had a wonderful childhood: we truly were blessed. I understand her flexibility now in allowing us the freedom to have our own rituals during the holidays. Her pain and loneliness when her children left home. I had sympathy for her when she lost her husband 10 years ago: my father.


Yesterday, we celebrated with her her 80th birthday, and she was bubbly and cheerful, surrounded by many of her friends and family. I hope she feels so loved because she really is, and I know I don't tell her enough.

Thursday, May 18, 2023

For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.

One sunny Saturday afternoon, I'm sitting outside with my husband, and I say, "Our neighborhood is so boring!" I said this because
nobody else was sitting outside, walking by, playing outside, doing yard work, or riding their bikes. It was like a deserted ghost town. I recently read that the average person spends 93 percent of their lives outdoors. It would appear people would much rather spend their days in a square box with artificial lighting than outdoors in nature, listening to the birds.

Being someone who suffers from depression, when it is nice enough, I'm outdoors as much as possible. It's good for the soul. We are new empty nesters, and I have to say, I enjoy it. I might have even smiled a little when I saw my backyard neighbor clearly scolding her child. Gone are those days for us. But still, I need to find ways to destress and not take on all the woes, negativity, and ugliness of this world. I need to diligently seek out the positives. One of the ways that I can do that is to make my priorities a continuous top priority. Here are the ways that I do that:

1. I no longer let the dogs out of their room. My husband does it. I love my dogs like the next person, but since I'm not a morning person, their hyperactivity and bit of annoyingness is too much 1st thing in the morning. Don't worry, they are let out 20 minutes later, and we get up early.

2. In the morning, I read my bible while drinking my tea, with headphones on listening to pleasant instrumental music. Since I started Theology school 8 years ago (I graduated with a master's), I have been reading the same thing. I read 2 chapters from the New Testament, 1 Psalm, 1 Proverb, and 3-4 from the Old Testament. You don't have to read as much as I do, but picking up something as positive as the Bible and spending time with God 1st thing in the morning is a great start to the day. You even journal your thoughts if you'd rather.

3. Keep a book of remembrance and a book of thanks. The book of remembrance is to write down things that have beebeen a blessing for you, something that you cherished, something God has done for you. The book of thanks is a book of things you're thankful for the day, and try to write new things.

4. Exercise for at least an hour a day. I am a runner, but I got a stress fracture 3 weeks ago, so I've been cycling again. I ride on a scenic bike route, and love the sites, the beauty of nature, and the thrill. But, I miss running. I also lift weights at home 4 times a week. I have 2 dogs, so once I'm healed up, I'll take them again on their walks. My husband has been doing this after work.

5. Turn the news (garbage TV) off and find a good book to read outside.

6. Send people hand written notes just because or to thank them for something kind they did instead of sending them a text. When was the last time you got a handwritten note? You'll put a smile on their face, I promise.

7. When I'm at my best, I enjoy making dinner. I enjoy coming up with new recipes. Lately, since becoming an empty nester, I've been cooking for 6 when it's only the 2 of us, not sure what that is about.

8. Don't keep your cell phone near you at all times. You don't need it, especially when you're at dinner with others. Next time you're at a restaurant, look at how many people are on their phones instead of being fully present with others. It's rude. Put it away.

9. Keep a to-do list or a daily planner so you don't forget things. I even go as far as keeping a helpful life tips. I have in their things like when it's the best day to go to DEQ, when my daughter was engaged, the last time we bought our sheets, etc.

10. Laugh. Laughter is joy. Laugh as much as you possibly can. Laughter is the best medicine. Proverbs 17:22 says, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

11. De-stress: Breathe in, then out and say, "God, I give everyone and everything to you."

Monday, May 15, 2023

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

We celebrated Mother's Day at our house yesterday. We had a barbecue, and I made everyone Dirty Monkey's. It's an alcoholic drink we learned about in Costa Rica. It's delicious, and many have noted they can't taste the alcohol. But, it actually has quite a bit. My dog Phoenix loves it when we make them because she's been to Dutch Bros so many times. She knows what the can of whip cream is.

One of my daughters gave me the beautiful flowering plant, and the other gave me the adorable cat planter that I had my eye on when I went to Fred Meyer's.

I've raised my children, we are empty nester's. I once heard on the radio about a poll that was taken: who's happier,married couples with kids or without? It was with, but only when they are out of the house. If you know our story, you know parenting wasn't always easy. One of our daughters had a bad boyfriend and lost her way for a while. It was really hard. She was the same loving daughter that I had always known, but he clearly wasn't right for her and was hurting her emotionally. The lessons I learned from the experience are:

#1 Give it to God and let go of the situation. Just tell your child you love them.
#2 Allow other people to intervene into their lives,to speak truth, light, and love to them.
#3 Speak how you want to see them living, not how they currently are. For example, in this case. "My daughter is with who God has planned for." And, speak Bible Verses over them daily. Never give up.

That daughter is now doing so much better, happy, and in a great relationship. My other daughter is married and happy. They are both sweet, loving, intelligent, and beautiful girls. I'm proud of them immensely.

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Isaiah 26:3 devotional

 

Easy to read devotional on Isaiah 26:3 using the SOAP method. (Scripture, observation, application, and prayer)

Scripture: From the amplified Bible, Isaiah 26:3 reads, “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind {both its inclination and its character} is stayed on You because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.”

Observation: This passage promises a perfect and constant peace to those who keep their minds on Christ. Christ came so that we would have peace. After His death and resurrection, and before He went home to be with our heavenly Father, Christ left us His peace. Peace is one of the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit that a believer and follower of Christ will have. Christ's peace has nothing to do with our circumstances, it is His, and His peace is constant, good, and perfect. It is a gift given to us through our faith: our Faith in God, in Christ, and what He did so that we would have right standing with the Father and have eternal life. This peace cannot leave us because it was never ours. It is Christs'.

The verse also says that God will guard us. When we keep our thoughts on Christ: His goodness, and the truth of His Word: instead of the things of this world and the lies of the enemy: God will guard us. He responds to His Word, our righteous thoughts, praise, and thanks to Him.

Application: How can we apply this verse to our lives? With the world that we live in right now, with everything going on all around us, it is easy to be consumed, discouraged, and fearful: to feel as if we are losing our peace. Just listening to the nightly news for a few minutes or reading an MSN headline may make you feel like you need to cover yourself back into your warm bed and forget about the cares of the world.

If you find yourself feeling anxious and worried, what are you thinking about? Have you noticed that your thoughts have turned to discouraging and untrue? If we allow our thinking to wander to thoughts of worry over our present adverse circumstances or concerns of the future, our thoughts are no longer on the truth of what God says about us, and His perfect plan for us.

Discipline your thoughts and put your focus back on God. When we keep our thoughts on Him, we will have perfect and constant peace. He is our Father who purposely chose and adopted us as His children. He is our restorer. His love is so great that there is absolutely nothing He would not do for you. Who or what are you putting your hope on? The things of this world? Or the things of God? When we put our hope and expectation on God, we feel peace. We are no longer overwhelmed by our circumstances, but we know that God cares about all things that concern us. Give Him all of your cares, all of your circumstances, and say, “I’m done with this God, I give it all to you, I know that you will take care of this for me.” If you find your thoughts wandering back to the situation, say, “Thank you, God, for your goodness and grace, you are my restorer, and you are turning this situation around for me.”

Turn your thoughts back to God. God wants us to give Him all of our concerns, not just what you consider the big stuff. When you find yourself thinking, “I don’t want to bother God with this; He has bigger things to deal with.” Ultimately, what you’re doing is putting God in a box: choosing for Him what you want Him to care about. God cares about us wholeheartedly. None of our concerns are too big, too small, or unimportant to Him. He wants to be actively involved in every aspect of our lives.

The world needs us: They need our encouragement, our smiles, and our prayers. When you are out and about in your day or scrolling through social media and notice someone who seems discouraged, be bold and say, “Hey, I care for you and what you are going through. I will pray for you.” Don’t concern yourself with whether or not they believe in Christ or you’re afraid of making a fool of yourself. God will anoint you and give you His strength at that moment. Christ will plant a seed in their hearts when they see the light of the Lord shining through you.

Prayer: Let’s pray: “Father, I thank you that you came so that we might enjoy our lives. You have given us Your peace as a gift. Thank you that you care for all things that I care about. Thank you that your agape love surrounds me. Help me to help others who might be struggling. Shine Your loving light through me so that others will see You and Your love. I love You. In Jesus name, Amen.”