11 Aug Newsletter from Mrs Moody – Second Quarter 2021
Dear Family and Friends,
Experiencing the Peace of God
Another year of celebrating July 4th…which also happens to be my birthday! During this last year, we have seen many lives disturbed and really having no peace. The Lord has brought many things in my life that I have gleaned from. I would like to pass some of these along – to maybe encourage you and help you not go down some of the paths I’ve been down.
A few years ago, I was struggling with the absence of the peace of God in my life. Circumstances – too many to tell you about – had overwhelmed me. After speaking to and listening to many in the service of the Lord – I found I was not alone.
Peace is not the absence of problems but knowing the presence of Christ in the midst of it all. Peace with God of course is salvation. I knew that part. Peace with others is a struggle sometimes. People are our greatest “peace stealers” but without people we don’t have a ministry. Paul realized this in Rom 12:18 when he writes…”If it be possible…live peaceably with all men.” I believe his basic message in this passage is you can’t control what other people do, but you can control the way you respond. And then that Peace of God which seems so allusive. Phil 4:6-7 makes it very clear we have to get our minds off of self and on Christ. A prayerful and thankful heart changes everything. Then we can experience…”the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Dixie Fraley’s husband, Robert, died in the airplane crash that took Payne Stewart’s life, a Springfield native. She shared a quote that has profoundly impacted my life: “If God subtracted one pain, one heartache, one disappointment from my life, I would be less than the person I am now, less the person God wants me to be, and my ministry would be less than He intends.”
Do you have that kind of peace? I’m still working on it. Trusting in the sovereignty of God everyday and through everything will help.
Oswald Chamber, My Utmost for His Highest, devotion of August 26 smacked me right in the face. “Are You Ever Troubled”. Read it sometime. One of the quotes was, If you are not right with God, you can never turn your mind on anywhere but yourself.” Ouch, that hurt!! But how true. I had allowed my problems and circumstances to become who I was and they had overwhelmed me. We as women are emotional creatures and I was trying to worry my way out of the problems. I was not taking God at His word and I got what I deserved. No peace… and I believe it was of my own making.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Accept His peace and do not live with a troubled heart. You will destroy everything He is trying to accomplish in your life.
We pray you are looking forward to the days ahead and what the Lord will do with all of us, if we will just learn to trust Him. We so appreciate your supporting this ministry. We are praying for more laborers and covet your prayers for that also. There are so many needing help, financially and with physical labor. Time is short, laborers are few, and the Lord is coming soon!!
Mrs. Randall Moody