More CALM, less fret ...

It seems as if I go round and round with these same versesas I "think on these things" and hope to uncover the key to CALM

... Philippians 4: 4-6-7;  Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!  5Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. 6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  7Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

followed by these verses in my November "Pause: Gratitude" of

... Philippians 4: 8-9 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

[the new book my Jennifer Tucker is focused on verses 8 and 9]

But it is blatantly obvious that I need all of
Philippians 4:
from the 
Exhortation, Encouragement and Prayer
followed by
God's Provision
then to
"... Stand firm in the Lord ..."
yet this is written first to us in verse 1, not after or just at the end;
A DEFIANT Joy (10 day plan), Defiant JOY (5 day plan)
or perhaps
this may be why I am drawn to 
Asheritah Ciuciu's upcoming Joy book and her current (12.1-13) podcast
however
I need to stick with and find the
CALM
in
2024

still in 2024. and on into 2025

I shared Max Lucado's acronym for CALM a few times already this year here and here and ... which follows Philippians 4:4, 6, 8 (and the definitions even more) yet I still could use something more and some CALM. Since the passage from Philippians is the most highlighted passage, I'm not alone (nor are you) apparently we all could use a word of comfort as we seek CALM in this earthly dwelling place, and for me, the whole world is just becoming more and more unsettled and upside down and highly concerning to me of our future here. Another book I have from Max Lucado and a great quote is "Less Fret, More Faith" (2017) so that's what I plan to do but know 2024 will not resolve with more CALM for my life, however, I have more tools and just need to keep working at applying all I have gleaned from this One Word this past year, holding on to it even more as we approach and enter what I consider to be a tumultuous time in 2025 forward until Jesus rescues us so I might still be searching for more CALM day by day until that time, but the by product is "More Faith" - "standing firm in the Lord"; learning to "keep my heart steadfast and CALM" but let's not overlook that this comes "through confident Trust" in Him. Since this book by Max was written pre-covid and also before many others that he's published since and "What's Next?" the most current one I have. I just sense that they all line up with helping me cope and learn to be CALM - and not fret. 

FRET: to be grieved, troubled or displeased. Constantly or visibly worried or anxious. [Angst (unease) and xious]. To burn or to be kindled with anger. [various sources in my book Notes] 

So for right now, I am checking out my coping strategies and accessing my tools. Yes, I'm starting over again and praying for His "...peace that passes all understanding" with more of His reassurance "Everything is secure. You can rest now." Max wrote "five verses with four admonitions that lead to (that) one wonderful promise" in verse 7 from Philippians 4:4-8 and I add 9 to complete this. My problem right now is I struggle with verse 4 and letter "C" of CALM to Celebrate ... "Rejoice in the Lord always" but this is closely followed by "A" to "Ask God for help. (verse 6) which I immediately do (have to do) upon reading that Rejoice always part ... so it's definite that I really need to Learn to "L" Leave my concerns with Him. So Lord (🙏from Max's Intro in this 11 week action plan) {I probably already shared but I need to pray it again} 

🙏"Dear Lord, You spoke to storms. Would You speak to ours? You CALMed the hearts of the apostles. Would You CALM the chaos within us? You told them to fear not. Say the same to us.*** We are weary from our worry, battered and belittled by the gales of life. Oh Prince of Peace, bequeath to us a spirit of CALM ... will you turn a new leaf in our lives? Quench anxiety. Stir courage. Let us know less fret and more faith. In Your name, amen."🙏"Less Fret, More Faith"

*** I have much more FEAR in my life now in November than I did when I started 2024

I am beyond thankful always for His aMazing
Grace
Thank You Lord Jesus!
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"LORD
Grant me the wisdom to remember
that You are not the source of *anxiety (or *whatever)
Rather, help me remember that resting in You
provides relief from all worry.
Give me courage to choose what is
good and pure, even when it is hard or inconvenient."
end of Week 1, Max Lucado, Less Fret, More Faith

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I'm sure come December
I will need more JOY and fa-la-la
but this November
I'll keep giving thanks for ...
the C.A.L.M. 
(any and all CALM)
and my Faith in Jesus, standing firm 🙏

CALM for my 'JUSTICE SEEKING SOUL'

... in order for me to "Remain CALM", I must speak out

I cannot sit STILL and allow what last week's national decision

puts into action in this country to just go unnoticed ...

while half celebrate & the other half literally mourn

And this is only one of the many issues that will be going into affect in

2025

with profound impact and injustices

but what

"If Jesus was an Immigrant" 
(written by an immigrant to the United States, fact verified by my immigration attorney) shared with permission by the author

"Jesus would never qualify for any of the categories of visa status to legally immigrate to America. He doesn't have a PhD or Masters level education. He doesn't have family relation. He's not marrying a US citizen. He's poor and probably couldn't afford the paperwork, if He did have a category.  If Jesus had money, He could start his own company for a minimum of $150,000 (USD) and apply for an EB 2 visa. If He had $800,000 to $1,050,000 (USD) He could skip to a Green card with the EB 5 investor visa.  He might qualify for a clergy/religious visa, but He would have to have a track record of working 2 years in an established church. It would have to be verified as a "real" church, not just some new unheard of religion, and have 501c non profit registration in the U.S. Then there is the fact He is a Jew, and could have been sent back like Anne Frank and other Jews being persecuted who would ultimately die because the US wouldn't let her and the ship of Jews escaping Germany in.  So that leaves asylum. In which case He must wait 5 to 7 years for a hearing to prove His case. Is He REALLY being persecuted? 98% of asylum applicants are denied by conservative judges.  What if Jesus was a DACA kid, if Mary and Joseph brought Him here as a child to escape King Herod trying to kill Him? He would have been happy to receive status and grace from a president in 2012 that created a visa category for Him. But then another would come along in 2017 and rip away DACA status and try to end the program. He would now be in legal limbo, being used as a pawn for political gain and He wouldn't know from one day to the next if He was going to be torn away from His family and deported to somewhere He never lived. And separated from His family that brought Him to the US. He would be worried for His parents who chose to bring Him here for a better life, and pray that the citizens of America forgive them. He would pray for new laws that would allow a pathway to citizenship for His parents and Himself. He would be sad that most of the people who fight against pathways to citizenship or "amnesty" ie forgiveness are the ones that follow His religion.  If Jesus were deported to El Salvador, Haiti, Afghanistan, Venezuela or any other dangerous country, He would probably be ok, because He's Jesus. He can make Himself fish and loaves out of thin air. But what about the others that aren't Jesus, the ones that need help, a home, refuge, someone to welcome and not reject them?  "But we can't save everyone". I know, but what would He ask of us to do? I earnestly ask you to consider this, and consider if the Son of Man has no room at the Inn, or no way to fit into a U.S. visa category, maybe we do need to think about immigration reform, other than just "deport everyone". "

By the way, this "immigrant author" is not from south of the border, but north from Canada.
Those south of the border, even have more difficulties, and there are some from those countries with even more restrictions,hardships, and impossibilitiesbut they are willing or forced to take the risk for their freedom and their lives.
I thought about writing by own "IF JESUS ..." but when I read the above by S. AdamsI knew I could not capture the complexities as well as "you" have. 
Thank you for writing this & sharing to try to gain empathy, from your own experience & standing in the gap to fight & speak out for others.
IF ONLY
the others fortunate enough to be born inside the borders of this country understood and would come to empathize with this nightmare about to be unleashed upon "families" similar yet worse than the tragedy of those 
"SEPARATED"book by Jacob Soboroff previous Film; recent Film 
"Welcoming the Stranger"World Reliefbook by Matthew Soerens & Jenny Yang
video of interview
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In my opinion
MASS DEPORTATION
defies the very foundation of this country,
of our ancestors, my grandparents
(from England, Ireland, France & Sweden)
and what can be read on the
the Statue of Liberty
which states,
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
{I'm pretty sure that God's Word, the Bible speaks to this also}
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More importantly,
what would you do if this was someone in your family?
someone you love or someone you know well?
what will you do?
if it's your neighbor, or someone from your church, 
or your community & state? 
What if it were you?

Will you just turn away, look away & allow this to happen?
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WOMEN OF WELCOME

"... a community dedicated to diving into the whole of scripture to understand God's heart for the immigrant and refugee. We believe God calls us to a deep love for the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the forgotten. Together we're on a journey to understand biblical hospitality in an authentic way."

Since I returned from being a missionary (my heart and I never really stopped missional). I chose to stay connected and one of the ways was to receive emails and continual information from organizations and ministries from people like these with a heart for all people.
Hopefully, I can become more engaged and involved again soon.
I want to not just do Bible Studies,(although I highly recommend theirs and other studies)pray and read books, including the Bible,if I'm not going to put what I read into actionand practice the love & grace of Jesus Christ outside of my family or church family or  with those that are like me, or that I am comfortable with ... but with ALL who Jesus calls "our neighbors"I need to be stretched and stand up for all that I believe
How to Help?Immigration Information
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"The Top 5 Immigration Myths Debunked"
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Dear People,
You need to open your eyes and see the truth
Not what you have been led to believe through deception
Things are not as you've been told by social media platforms
and even leaders, especially if money & power are involved
Open your hearts and your minds.
Let's be more like Jesus!

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I never realized how important these 2 books would become to my life:
(1) "Be the Bridge" Pursuing God's Heart ... by Latasha Morrison
and
(2) "Rest for the Justice Seeking Soul"by Rev. Dr. Susan K. Williams Smith,
who "has CREATED a life-giving book that will sustainthose who are seeking new sources of strength in this challenging time."
and now there are so many more.
[excerpts]
"We are instructed (in Amos 5:6-9) to "seek the Lord and live." ...

... "On this day (and every day), we pray, O God, that we remember the purpose for which You put us here. The arms of evil are too short to fight You; strengthen our arms so that we can sap evil of its strength. Stand with us as we affirm our faith in You and our determination to fight back against evil for the sake of the "least of these"(Matthew 25:40), who desperately need to know You are real. Help us to go out today and "hope" somebody." (2)

"Lord, help us to come alongside our brothers and sisters as their hearts and eyes are opened. Equip us to serve as worthy guides on this journey [to "be the bridge"] ["where we were silent on issues of injustice, we now commit to speaking up boldly for biblical justice in our land"].Help us offer them grace and love as they are learning Your truth, just as we would want people to be gracious and loving toward us."(1) Kristin Hemingway & Latisha Morrison

the part between the [insert] is from another prayer in this liturgy
YES
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
What is Jesus speaking to you?
how I wish I could help you understand 
but until you "walk in their shoes" or
realize the privilege you have been afforded
thanking God because of where you were born and
know that it was nothing you did, or 'they' didn't
and nothing that they had a choice over, but a dream 
to hold on to and a chance for many to live
"with liberty and justice for all"
That's what Jesus would want, 
now what will HE do through you?
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It has been a week now, and we cannot turn back the hands of time
but we can begin to seek justice
by not allowing this to
happen
and
take a stand
so that we can remain
CALM
with
JESUS
in each immigrant because
He was an immigrant! He was a Refugee!
(other Biblical immigrants)Biblical Archaeology
Jesus is our Refuge!

STILL ... CALM

Better said
CALM
is 
STILL 
my 2024 One Word
however
it is far from being reached
and quite the challenge
it has become to
Remain
CALM

 

Honestly, it is the furthest word from my life, or how 2024 has been going, and this "gratitude" month has me stalled in wondering how to give thanks for the CALM - any CALM. Yet from the beginning of this month, CALM is not to be found. In fact, I sense that God purposed this One Word for just this very reason and for this very season, hoping that all the previous months might prepare me better for remaining CALM. 

CALM - no matter what - seems to be what I need (and so many others) in this time yet finding our CALM just does not seem possible anymore and each day it looks further and further from the horizons of our lives. Yet I believe that we serve a God that takes the impossible and turns it right around, making it possible. I certainly understand why God spoke this One Word into 2024 for me. I'm really holding on and trying to hold on for CALM to come and be a part of me before 2024 ends to face 2025, yet instead "fear" seems to be creeping in and causing me to be even more unsettled. Trust me, I don't want that word to be my next One Word for 2025, however, I'm thinking that I do have an inkling of one. Often, I have thought perhaps CALM was meant to be my One Word for 2025 and I jumped the 'gun' on it. CALM seems to have eluded me. (I hope that's the right word or use of it). I am sure that others around me would not tell you that I seem more CALM after spending 2024 with seeking all I can about CALM.

Yes, CALM eludes me! (I actually found this used like this in someone's poem)

I don't think that I have processed the One Word CALM like I do with the weekly One Words yet.*Forgive me if I have & just forgotten; so bear with me revisiting my One Word study of 

CALM

"Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (n.) Freedom from motion, agitation, or disturbance; a cessation or absence of that which causes motion or disturbance, as of winds or waves; tranquility; stillness; quiet; serenity. 2. (n.) To make calm; to render still or quiet, as elements; as, to calm the winds. 3. (n.) To deliver from agitation or excitement; to still or soothe, as the mind or passions. 4. (super.) Not stormy; without motion, as of winds or waves; still; quiet; serene; undisturbed. 5. (super.) Undisturbed by passion or emotion; not agitated or excited; tranquil; quiet in act or speech. "

I'm quietly watching all these definitions play out throughout 2024.
I think my own personal choice of definition
might have been #2 or #4
however
I am definitely being awakened to them all.
Which definition do you think of for CALM?
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I think it was when I received an *email from Ann Voskamp at the end of October
that I decided that I should have spent more time just with my
One Word: CALM
*"5 Secrets to CALMING, Comforting Prayer"
(sigh)
this is where I want to be like Ann
in that
SACRED PRAYER
that SACRED PLACE with
God

If you've ever met or seen Ann in person,
she appears like the CALM person
I'd like to be (like).
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It was around this same time, I received another email from CrossWalk
"Your Daily Prayer"
(although I frustrate in these emails because you don't get the 🙏without clicking over to their site).
"A Prayer for Serenity and Inner CALM through Turmoil"Isaiah 43:2
Earlier in October, I received this:

in my "Jesus Calling" emails that alternate between Sarah Young's books
I really like "Jesus Always" but this onewas enough for the whole of Octoberto hold on to & keep my heartCALM
orso I thoughtuntilNovembercame
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There are plenty of verses that contain
CALM
(or a form of the word)229 according to one source
Bible Hub says:(18 occurrences) 
35 verses from The Voicewhich are part of that first search of 229
for now I choose
Psalm 62:8
that goes with the image above
but "Jesus Always" has others like these words
which spoke to me from God

... "I want you to depend on Me not only in stormy circumstances {and there have been plenty} but when the skies of your life are CALM. {that's easier to do but too often we don't} This is a daily discipline - preparing you for whatever lies ahead. It is a source of great Joy. Relying on Me involves staying in communication with Me: an extraordinary privilege. This rich blessing provides you with strength, encouragement, and guidance. When you stay in touch with Me, you know you are not alone. As you walk in the Light of My Presence, I help you rejoice in Me all day long. {IF only} Depending on Me is a most joyful way to live." Sarah Young, Jesus Always - Matthew 7:24-27; Psalm 89: 15-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

November 6th, 7th, 15th & December 29th 
share other messages with 
CALM
I needed the 2 on November 6th & 7th
which brought me back to refocusing on my 2024
One Word
CALM
right when I truly needed to be surrounded
CALMLY
"The One who takes hold of your hand and
CALMS your fears is 
the Living God!" ...
... "Rejoice as you ponder this astonishing truth."...
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Stay CALM
Remain CALM
Be CALM
STILL
He's got this
today, tomorrow and always!
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Even though the One Word for this week has been
EXPECT
well, I just EXPECT the CALM 
and 
Jesus knows exactly how to bring
His CALM
in the middle of a storm
🎵"Jesus CALMS the Storm"🎵
or even when the skies are blue
He is with you
and the dark becomes light
in His Presence, in His Peace
so
just Be 🎵STILL🎵& Know ...
the 
CALM
because
🎵HE IS🎵Worship Him Only!
WHO?
JESUS CHRIST
the only King!
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Note: Yes, I did share this back here (which wasn't too long ago) oh Lord, short memory too.