Tag Archives: Peace

Perfect Peace

2 Jan

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Isaiah 26:3+

You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in You.

Trust in the Lord forever; he will always protect us. He has humbled those who were proud. 

Lord, you make the path smooth for good people; the road they travel is level. 

We follow your will and put our hope in you; you are all that we desire. 

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

Tags: , , , , ,

From My Heart

24 Nov

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

I spoke with my son on the phone yesterday. I never take that for granted. You see, in September of 2021 my son had Covid really bad. As on a ventilator bad. The prognosis wasn’t good. In his early 40s he had tons of co-morbidities. He was in a local community hospital and eventually transferred by helicopter to a major medical center over 300 miles away. (Truly a God thing.)

And as per Protocol, no one could be with him. It was traumatic for those who love him. But praise God, after more than two weeks in the hospital he was off the ventilator and able to go home.

Here is what I want to share. As we talked about his time in the hospital, he said he didn’t remember anything. Not going to the local hospital, not been intubated. Nothing except being asleep and having weird dreams.

We were devastated that he was alone. My mother heart could barely endure that.without the comfort that only God can give, I don’t think I could have endured it at all. Yet, our son doesn’t recall experiencing any anxiety.

As we talked I felt that sharing his experience might bring comfort to the heart of someone whose loved one didn’t survive and was alone.

I truly don’t know if his experience was the norm, but I hope it was.

I'm a winner

After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience.  Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites,  Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  

My 2022 goal is continue to use my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media.

Tags: , , , , ,

The Shelter of the Most High

31 Oct

My Take

DiVoran Lites

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust! Psalm 91:1-2

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

Tags: , , , , , ,

Quick to Listen

24 Oct

My Take

DiVoran Lites

My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart: Be quick to listen; but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry, for human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God’s righteous purpose. Therefore, (with the help of Holy Spirit) abandon everything morally impure and all forms of wicked conduct. Instead, with a sensitive spirit we absorb God’s Word, which has been implanted within our nature, for the Word of Life has power to continually deliver us. James 1:19

Photo Credit Pixabay

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

10 Steps to Turn Chaos to Calmness-Part 1

5 Mar

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Reblogged March 5, 2022

March 4, 2022

A few years back, the plane landed in Quito, Ecuador. I had packed excitement and anticipation in the suitcase of my heart. What joy it is to have the opportunity to address hundreds of women in this beautiful city.

And, as usual, I prepared my trip by calling the airline ahead of time. “I’m blind and I’ll be traveling alone. Can you provide an escort for me to navigate through the airport?”

They did. And once in Quito’s airport, the friendly escort led me through immigration, luggage claim and to the exit door. “My friend should be here any minute to pick me up,” I said.

We waited, and waited. No one came to pick me up. What would I do in a new city, with nowhere to go, no cell phone service and unable to see my surroundings?

But peace remained because that morning I had prepared my heart before leaving the house. I put on headphones, heard Bible verses and pondered in their meaning. God was in my heart, filling me with peace, with reassurance and confidence.

I carried all that as I waited for someone to pick me up. Two hours later they did.

It had become a habit for me. As I travel alone across the U.S. or abroad, these are the ways I manage to keep that calmness only God can provide. (NOTE: This post contains the first three of ten steps. The remaining 7 steps will follow on March 18 and April 1.)

  1. Make God a priority.

“How do you do it?” my friend said to me when she called to ask for prayer. “I try to make time for God, but life is so hectic.”

I smiled. I’ve been there. Kids’ demands the moment they open their eyes. Schedules need to be followed. Chores to do, places to go, husbands to please. When do we find time for God?

“It’s a decision,” I said. “It begins with the mind, the thoughts, and the resolve.”

When you set time for Him first, God will give you all you need. He will give time. He will give peace. He will give wisdom. That’s why the Bible says to…

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

  1. Set a time and place for you and Him alone.

I was a bit envious when my friend described the special place in her home for her quiet time with the Lord. She set a table by the window, placed a beautiful lavender candle, her Bible, a pad of paper, pen, and a group of cards with her favorite verses. She sat on a comfortable chair, making that spot the silent, quiet place to spend with the Lord.

Not me. Our home was so small that the place for me when my kids were little was the bathroom. With the door closed, it was only I and God.

God doesn’t look at the physical surroundings as long as our heart can be still enough to allow His precepts to penetrate our heart and His Word to seep into our soul. That’s when peace washes over us knowing that He not only sustains us but He’s the one who fights our battles.

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. (Exodus 14:14)

  1. Consider the rewards.

“I’m addicted,” my friend said. “Sometimes I even take my phone to the bathroom. I’ve got to check what’s going on, what my friends are up to, and post stuff myself.”

She tried to go into a Facebook fast. But it didn’t last. She tried to put her phone away; that lasted half an hour. She tried to find a friend to make her accountable, but the friend also struggled with the same social media madness.

That’s when she chose to exchange. She put aside the small rewards that social media brought. And, instead, she relished in the sweet joy that moments in the presence of the Lord gave her.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)

Let’s Pray

Father, from now on, my life will find moments in stillness before You. I thank You for the beautiful gift of peace you offer. In Jesus’ name.

What do your moments before the Lord look like?

Janet

______________________________________

I invite you to dance with me—celebrating one of my books, “Contagious Courage: A 30-Day Journey to Overcoming Stress and Anxiety.” Get your copy HERE and tell your friends, too.

Did you know I wrote a book filled with words of encouragement, uplifting thoughts and illustrations of real-life triumph to empower you? Its title, Trials of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life. You can get it HERE.

CLICK HERE for a one-minute inspirational video.

Looking for a speaker for your upcoming event? A great speaker makes the difference between a so-so event and one that shines with impact. I invite you to view one of my two-minute videos HERE.

Please share: Feel free to share Janet’s posts with your friends.

Let’s connect:

Comments: I welcome your thoughts; please consider leaving a comment. Just scroll down to the bottom of this blog post and look for the word REPLY. You can post your comment there. Please note: Everyone leaving a comment must first log in using the link provided. If you haven’t yet signed up, this link will also walk you through the steps.

An Opportunity for You

If God spoke to you through these writings, would you prayerfully consider joining us in spreading the goodness of Christ Jesus to those who are lost and hurting?

With immense gratitude, JC Empowerment Ministries welcomes your tax-deductible donations.

One click will take you to the place for your gift. You can GIVE HERE.

Thank you for helping the ministry reach souls!

Janet Eckles Perez

Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR

Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.

www.janetperezeckles.com

Tags: , , , ,

Just a Little Talk with Jesus

7 Sep

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

Of late, I have been singing myself to sleep with the song “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” One of the many seeds of faith planted in my child heart that now sustains me as our child faces a difficult decision. Oh parents, isn’t it the hardest when we have to stand by while our child struggles?

Isaiah 55:11 is a frequent verse that I have often associated with those turning away from God, praise God it also means the seeds of His truth planted in our hearts will not be lost, but will grow. They will multiply. They sustain me.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

I have precious memories of my family and my mother’s sister’s family singing this song. My uncle Connie could really hit the low notes. My dad sang tenor and played guitar, mom added her unbelievably beautiful alto and my aunt Della her clear, high soprano. How I wish we had the modern recording abilities then, but memories live beyond every new technology.

I listened to two versions of the song on You Tube. One with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash The other an unknown to me group of African A Capella singers, Jehovah Shalom A Capella. The celebrity rendition was snappy and upbeat but I loved the smiles and blending voices of the African singers.

The days we are living in are hard and some days hope seems to have vanished. Even friends who have remained positive during the season are weary. I am weary. And yes, there is a song from my childhood for that. Come Unto Me. To keep my mind from dwelling on the negative I try to fill my mind and heart with God’s peace.

When churches were closed, so many went online and that has been a huge blessing to me! I regularly watch First Baptist Orlando. The pastor, Dr.David Uth is kind and loving and teaches in an easy to understand manner. The congregation is diverse and the church cares about the community and devotes time and money to it. The singing is wonderful. The 8:30 service music is a blend of traditional and contemporary and I enjoy it. The old songs soothe my heart and the newer ones lift it!

My Florida home church, Gateway Community is also online. The pastor, Clay Stephens is totally different from David Uth but they both love and serve God and although both can be called Doctor, neither uses the title. We call ours, Pastor Clay. He doesn’t have the smooth delivery of many, I am 100% positive the man has serious ADHD but a pastor doesn’t have to be perfect to serve God. Our small church is blessed to call him pastor. He is currently doing a series on Revelations available on You Tube. I have heard this preached many times but I appreciate that Clay admits to not having all the answers.Each week he stresses God’s love for all through the difficult times. Although, unlike the Orlando church we are small, we operate a food pantry to assist our neighbors.

All of the above to say, there is hope and there is peace to be found. You don’t have to venture into a church to find it. You are not alone and you are loved.

I'm a winner

After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience.  Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites,  Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix

In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general  “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books  

My 2021 goal is continue touse my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.

Tags: , , , , ,

Peace

14 Mar

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Credit Pixabay images

Recently, I wrote a post called “Fear.”  I kind of vented a bit in that one.  And so, today I would like to take another tack.  I said that “fear is not from God.”  And that is the truth.  God has said over and over throughout the scripture that He wants us to “be courageous and do not be afraid.”  He said it to Israel in the Old Testament.  He said it to Joshua as the children of Israel were about to go into the Promised Land.

Credit Pixabay images

He says it to you and me today.

Once again, I remind you that I am a TV follower of Dr. David Jeremiah.  He is pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, California.  He has a TV program called Turning Point.  (www.DavidJeremiah.org)   I’ve not listened to his radio program, but I suspect it’s called Turning Point, as well.  He preaches God’s word, and we are blest every time we watch his TV program.  He also has a daily email that we receive. 

One of his recent emails was titled “The Calmness We Need.”   He told a story of a son and father.  The son later wrote:  

“The peace which our Savior gives is exclusive in its origin, for it is a peace which the world cannot give. It is exceptional in its character, for it is not what the world speaks about, fights and dies for…. No, it is something real, something restful, something refreshing.” (S. Franklin Logsdon, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1949).

 During emergencies, we find strength when the Prince of Peace is captaining our lives.

Dr. Jeremiah: 

Years ago, a pastor gave us a scripture and thought that has stayed with me for all these years.  It is found in Exodus 14:14.  The Israelites were being pursued by the Egyptian army and were afraid they would be overtaken and destroyed by the army.  Through Moses, God told the entire Israelite nation: The Lord will fight for you; you only need to be still.   And we all know what happened to the Egyptians, don’t we?  God actually parted the Red Sea, the Israelite nation crossed the sea ON DRY LAND.  And the waters closed over the Egyptians and they were all destroyed.

You see, God is ALWAYS there before us, and will fight for us.  We only need to stand still, put our faith and trust in Him, and let Him fight our battles for us.

That brings us the peace that God intends for us to have – in Him!

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 14:27

At the end of the email message, Dr. Jeremiah placed this blurb:  

When your knees are knocking, it might help to kneel on them.

Anonymous 

Credit Pixabay images

Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .

  Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.

After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.

Tags: ,

Tune In

20 Mar

My Take

DiVoran Lites

God TALKS With Text

Author, Poet and Artist

DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn.  She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”

Tags: , ,

A Great Light

3 Jan

Meditation Musings

DiVoran Lites

Reblogged from Rebekah Lyn Books

Painting by DiVoran Lites
Painting by DiVoran Lites

Beloved,

Look what is happening! A great delight has come into your life. Once you lived in a shadowed land. Now you have a light to guide you. You have a right to ask for help. You have the amazing counselor, the one and only God, the loving Father, the Prince of Peace, the host of wholeness living inside of you. Angel armies hover all around taking care of you. You no longer have any need to worry. I have made my home in your life. From here, we go along together, forever.

Your heavenly Father,

Isaiah 9:6-7

His Banner Over Me is Love

Tags:

Seeking Peace-In the Everyday

9 Aug

My husband asked what I planned to do today. “I’m not sure, just piddling around,” I answered. I needed to put a clean cloth on the dining table and I wanted to spend some time working on new tweets for Rebekah Lyn Books.

I usually work on my computer at the dining alcove table so I decided to change the tablecloth first. I knew that staring at a task undone would annoy me.

I enjoy choosing a fresh tablecloth and had one in mind as I opened the drawer, a cheerful one with splashes of blues and flowers. But lying on top was a vintage tablecloth that had belonged to my mom. For years I didn’t use it because it is about 2 inches shorter than my table, then one day I said, what the heck. Each time I use it now, I am reminded of delicious meals and interesting conversation around the table. For me, the the tablecloth represents love.

I spread the cloth and began to choose what other items to add. Yesterday my husband brought in a yellow gladiola and I had placed it in a tall hot pink vase, enjoying the vibrant colors. I definitely wanted to enjoy it on the table.

When I turned 50 my family threw me a surprise birthday party. I received a flower pot in the shape of a VW van with flowers and peace symbols on it. I was a child of the Flower Power generation. I can’t remember if it was a gift or a decoration. For decades it has been simply a decoration on a shelf. A pleasant memory.

This year I decided to put it to use as it was intended, a flower pot. In Florida, I loved a plant called pink splash or polka dot plant as some are also green and white.. The plant was hard to grow as it does not flourish in the heat and I killed them summer after summer. The first time I grew them In North Carolina, I was shocked at how rapidly they grew and how large. Definitely not a small house plant.

For my flower power pot, I planted cuttings from the ones by my front door and they rooted immediately. Then I waited a week until they were healthy enough to trim. I didn’t want leggy plants.

The final object on my memory table, that’s what I began to call it as I wrote this piece, is a hot pad my daughter gave me as a souvenir from her Ireland trip. On our family trips each summer, I would purchase a hot pad with a picture of the place we visited as my souvenir memory. So this item touches memories past and present.

If you have been reading her blogs detailing the trip, you know how appropriate the umbrella is!

After all this chatter, here is the picture of my memory table. It is certainly not decorator quality, but it makes me smile and soothes my heart.

Often the slow times in our day can lead us to focus on the negative and we end up dissatisfied and angry. To guard against this, I find it helpful to remember the excellent advice of Phlippians 4:8.

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.

OOPS! I forgot the most important thing I needed to do this day. Make my husband a Keto peanut butter pie for his birthday tomorrow. He has lost 68 pounds!

Tags:

← Older Entries

%d bloggers like this: