Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  II Thessalonians 3:16

     I love this verse, don’t you? I want that. But sometimes life hits you so hard, you think you’ll never have peace again. That is exactly what happened to Janet Taylor (Family Circle, February 2017). She shares that one spring day her husband of 23 years turned to her and said, “I don’t want to be married to you anymore.” Can you imagine?

     She writes, “Anger, resentment and confusion immediately clouded my mind. The dark reality of my present overcast the bright promise of my future for longer than I’d like to admit.” She doesn’t say how long; that is a tough path to walk through. She does say that eventually she came to realize that she had the opportunity to create something new. Even though it was not her choice, it was still a new beginning. So she began to ask herself, “How do I want to spend the years ahead?”

     She went to work on “My Life List” and recommends it for everyone (no divorce required).  Write down everything you want to do in your next chapter. Be realistic but dream big, she says. (I have trouble doing that. My “realism” tends to kill dreams!) Maybe it is getting into shape or learning a new skill—even living in a new place or creating and strengthening relationships. She recommends that you read your list and pick one thing to turn into action.

     She writes, “Claiming the life you want shouldn’t be stopped by real—or perceived—barriers. Get out of your head by tuning into your heart. Find hope in your struggle and joy in working toward your dream. But, most important, gather courage to let go of the pain of the past and push through to the genuinely amazing possibilities of your future.”

     She doesn’t mention God, but He is an expert at new life. He will help you; He will speak to you; He will open doors and give you hope. You may not have had a life-shattering event happen to you, but a new season is upon you. Instead of wishing for what was, begin looking for what can be! You never know, it could be that the best is yet to come.

*Without stopping to edit, write 10 things that you would love to do. If you have more, keep writing. If you have less, keep dreaming!

God, You say You have plans for me to give me a hope and a future. You know all my days before they even happen, so I am turning to You to speak to me about my next step for my future. I am listening. Give me hope and grant me Your peace. Because of Your sovereignty I pray, Amen.


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