As a wise pastor once said, "Faith is not a feeling!"

Thank the LORD!

Faith is simply believing in God; trusting Him. Faith means we take God at His Word, and believe that He loves us and is always working the details of our lives together for our best--just like we loving parents do for our children and others that we love.

Somehow, we do whatever we can to make their lives better. We don't want them to suffer. We want them to have good health and strength joy, and lots of every good thing that they need; even what they want (as long as it won't hurt them).

We want them to enjoy life!

We want them to have peace.

What is "peace"?

It is, in my own words and experience, not just the absence of conflict or trouble. It is a great freedom from trying to make this life "work." It is know that there is a much bigger, stronger, higher Power (Who is Elohim the Creator and Sustainer of life; Who is the LORD of Heaven and earth; Who is our darling devoted Daddy!).

It is truly trusting Him to make everything all right, as our LORD in I Peter 5:7 (AMPC) urges us:

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

Trust in God is what Adam and Eve lost in the Garden, when they sinned by doing what God said not to. He was not withholding from them; only seeking to keep them from experiencing evil.

I could write a long time, bragging on God and why we should trust in Him. Ask the LORD to lead you to Scriptures that will be exactly what you need to strengthen your faith in Him.

You're busy and so am I--with Zoe Life (John 10:10); not just activity, but meaningful, purposeful operations to develop our relationship with the LORD and to advance His Kingdom in the ways in which He shows us! Hallelujah!

So here are some tips to help you find Peace:

(1) Read and listen to the Word of God!  God has provided so many ways to do this, from printed Bibles (The Bible is still and always will be the best-selling Book of all time!), to electronic printed versions to audio versions to videos.  Hallelujah! People in remote countries may not have all we have in the USA, but they can have cell phones and get online to access the living Word!

You don't have to carry a printed Bible with you, although there's still nothing (to me and many others) like holding a real book. You can download a Bible app on your phone. But the essence of every book is the words and the spirit behind them, so God can touch you as powerfully through reading His Word on a cell phone as He can in a printed Bible. Hallelujah!

Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to Scriptures that you need that day. He knows you better than you know yourself, and He loves you and wants to help you in every way. He is faithful and He will!

There are many excellent Bible apps that are easy to navigate. Sometimes, however, I've had to just look up a phrase on Google if I didn't remember where the verse was, or something. But no worries! God will help you as you seek to learn His Word!

In my toughest of times, when I literally thought--because I'd been under so much pressure, and things in my world had just gone so crazy--that I might lose my mind, the LORD helped me. He is so gracious! He helped me take notecards and a pen and my Bible to a quiet, private place, and just look in the Word and copy Scripture after Scripture after Scripture.  It healed my mind, and started me on a wonderful lifestyle of reading the Word daily and copying Scriptures--and posting many of them in places I'll see them every day (bathroom mirror, refrigerator, walls of my office, in my wallet, etc.). 

The Word, of course, started doing what it is meant to do: transform my mind from carnal thinking to thinking more like Him (which is why we are on the planet--to become more like Jesus and show Him to the world, so we can win them for Christ and take them with us to Heaven, to live with Him forever. Halllelujah!)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.--Romans 12:1-3, AMPC

You can never have too much of the living, life-changing, soul-soothing Word of God!

As He leads you, you can start speaking the Word of God, for it shapes your life and those you influence! Find Scriptures in the Word that apply to how you want your life to be, and start declaring that your life and loved one's lives are going to line up with those Scriptures! Things usually don't change overnight, but they will change, for the Word of God is a Seed that never returns empty; it always produces, as the Word says in Isaiah 55:11: so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

(2) Worship! This ranges from singing along with your church, with the radio, with a video on the internet (cell phones are very handy for this!), to singing a capella (without accompaniment of instruments, or even other voices). About 20 years ago, when I was a single divorced mom of a very young daughter, I'd sing along with her "kiddie" CDs and videos. Then, when the radio stopped working in the car, I sang a capella (like we do in the shower, when we just sing out and are free, cause we think no one's listening. But the LORD is, and He delights in our praise!)

3 But You are holy, O You Who dwell in [the holy place where] the praises of Israel [are offered].--Psalm 22:3, AMPC

God loves it when we worship--thank, praise, acknowledge, adore, revere, honor Him! He alone is worthy of our worship! He alone is awesome!

(3) Pray! The LORD is faithful to hear us when our prayers are sincere, and when we pray His will, we have what we ask (I John 5:14-15). Sometimes it takes a while for our prayers to be answered--even years. That's because, almost always, the free wills of other people are involved. The LORD is very patient with all of us; slow to anger and abounding in love, not willing that any should die (in any part of life, not just physically! Jesus came to give us abundant life (Zoe), as He says in John 10:10)!

Prayer is simply talking to God. There are many kinds that I won't go into here, but the real deal is that we we are born again by believing in Christ Jesus as our Savior and LORD, we have a relationship with God. He becomes our Father, and loves to talk to us and with us! Hallelujah! He becomes our excellent, all-knowing, all-wise Spirit Guide (The real One, Who always leads us in right paths for His name's sake; Who always leads us only in the truth and the best way for us, His precious kids!). Hallelujah!

But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].--John 16:13, AMPC

(3) Read good Christian books and watch Christian-produced movies and videos. There is a series on now about Jesus that is just phenomenal. We are truly chosen to seve Him for such a time as this, and this series gives a greater understanding of the LORD's humanity; yet that He is forever divine.

The LORD works in many creative ways to reach people. This ranges from new songs and books to prophetic art and dance, and more. He can and will use anything we have and want to do to glorify Himself--His goodness--and reach people with the Love of Christ, for God is Love (I John 4:8)!

Ask Him for ideas, and He'll gladly supply you with them. You may have to get alone and turn off the electronics to hear His sweet, quiet voice.  But He loves you and He will speak!

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence  and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].--Philippians 4:8, AMPC

(5) Volunteer to help others in need. This is an excellent way to find peace, because when we help others, we forget ourselves. The LORD will direct you, and you can ask around or look on the internet for places to volunteer. Go with the place(s) that interest you, and ask the LORD to connect you divinely. He will! Then yield to Him to put His words in your mouth and empower you to be and do what you need to in order to bring Him glory and show others His love. You will be using your endeavors to heal yourself (Proverbs 18:9)!

(6) Repent! This was the first thing both John the Baptist, who preached before Jesus, and then Jesus, preached. It just means to stop doing what's wrong and start doing what's right. We know the difference between wrong and right by reading and hearing the Word of God, the Bible, and getting rid of wrong thoughts! Many of us were taught wrong, even in church, or not taught the whole truth. Anyway, that's why every Believer should read the Bible for him or herself! We have a direct line to God, once we are born again through faith in what Jesus' blood did for us on the cross. Hallelujah!

Not only do we need to ask God to forgive us of not following His Word, but sometimes, if an issue keeps happening, even after we've repented (sincerely, for the LORD knows our hearts; whether we are serious or not), there are strongholds in our family line, where our relatives (mother/father/grandparents/back to Adam and Eve!) went against God and never did repent. I can't cover all that here. But just ask the LORD. He'll help you find out about these things.

GOD IS FOR YOU AND WILL HELP YOU! He loves you and wants you to have a wonderful life; Heaven on earth! Do any and all of these, and you will grow closer to Him and have a better life--you can find PEACE!

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.