But now

the LORD my God

has given me rest

        on every side.

There is neither adversary

        nor misfortune.

And so I intend to

build a house for the

name of the LORD

             my God....

        1 Kings 5. 4-5

(If we wait for the ideal

circumstances,

for all well and good,

nothing will get done.

But if the peace of God

      indwells us,

the peace that totally

  makes no sense

  in this crazy situation,

how differently

we respond to

     every opportunity.

His peace does not

   on circumstances,

but His peace totally

 changes our hearts

   how I see things,

   how we see

     what is before us,

   how we respond,

how we follow Him

     into this day.

God is with me.

Nothing random at all.

God does not just

   rescue or help.

God redeems.)

O LORD,

May Your peace

crowd out any fear

or anxiety

or distraction.

May Your peace

prevail in our hearts

that we would realize

 Your way and power,

and that others

  would witness You.

Seeking and following You

will not dispel

         the hard stuff,

but grant us

Your strength and peace

to be faithful to You

as You bear fruit

          through it.

Even now.

Even this.