Adjusting My Sails

Through all the years of battling cancer, I've had a steady, sweet, God-given peace.  It's a "peace that passes understanding," that defies explanation except that it comes from Him.  He has flooded my soul with an assurance that I'm in His capable hands.

When I got the results of recent testing and learned that my tumor had grown and the surrounding organs were in danger of being negatively impacted - things began to change.  Every time something happened physically, I would feel anxious.  My peace was definitely under attack and being threatened.

After several times of this happening, I began to understand.  I needed to go back to the Lord for a fresh peace.  The new information needed to be submitted to the Lord.  I needed to submit myself afresh to the Lord.  I needed to once again put myself into His hands, trusting Him come what may.

Once I did this, my peace was restored and the anxious thoughts were put away.  What a difference it made!  I still don't know what's ahead, but my trust in the Lord is securely anchored in Him.  I'm so grateful for His peace.

There's an old song that I've sung many times these last 8 years:

"Peace, peace wonderful peace,

Coming down from the Father above!

Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray

In fathomless billows of love!"

I've sung it standing by Floyd's bed.  I've sung it driving home from the hospital with tears streaming down my face.  I've sung it laying weak in bed from cancer treatment.  I've sung it as I've grieved losing Floyd.  The simple prayer of the song always ministers peace to my soul as I let the waves of His love and grace wash over me.

"What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,

Buried deep in the heart of my soul,

So secure that no power can mine it away,

While the years of eternity roll!"

"I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,

Resting sweetly in Jesus' control;

For I'm kept from all danger by night and by day,

And His glory is flooding my soul!"

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."  Psalm 4:8

"May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way."  2 Thessalonians 3:16

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."  Isaiah 26:3

"The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:7

"The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace."  Psalm 29:11

I am so grateful for the blessing of His peace.  It is a precious treasure that only He can give.  It truly does pass our human understanding.  It can only come from our wonderful, faithful Lord.

Another dear saint has gone to be with Jesus.  Joy Dawson passed away in the early morning of Thursday, July 21.  She was 96 years old.  Joy had an impact on all of us as leaders in the early days of YWAM.  Her teaching on the Ways of God and on Intercession helped shape us.

Floyd would sometimes tell stories in his sermons of how Joy spoke into his life at key times.  He was so grateful for her input.  I'll never forget one of her sermons - "It's How You Finish That Counts."  Floyd and I talked about it and set our hearts, no matter what happened in life, to finish well.  

Floyd and Joy both finished well.  I can imagine that they are worshipping Jesus together now in heaven!

A friend of mine was shopping in a garden store for plants recently.  She found a pot that she decided she had to buy.  It said "We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." 

I think that says a lot about how we go through life.  The winds come - in so many different ways!  Whether we want them to or not, the winds blow in and buffet us.  Sickness, sadness, loss, disappointment, financial challenges, conflict - at unwanted, unexpected moments those "winds" come.  Of course there can be some good winds that help us sail along smoothly too.  We all long for those winds. 

We don't have control over the winds - but we can adjust our "sails" with God's help to weather the winds and keep going.  God has been so gracious in helping me to do that with all the winds that have come my way.  I'm so grateful.  He has been with me in the midst of a lot of stormy winds.

 "Look to the Lord for His strength; see His face always."  1 Chronicles 16:11

"Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Romans 8:39

"The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save."  Zephaniah 3:17

"God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."  Revelation 21:4

"Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long."  Deuteronomy 33:12

"We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul - not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives.  It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy."  Colossians 1:11 The Message

When the winds come, He helps us adjust the sails.....and He turns the storms into joy as He walks beside us.....helping us to "finish well."