CALM ... in HIS HOPE; CALM in HIS JOY

I actually should have done both HOPE and JOY prior to CHRISTmas during the Advent season since both of these, along with LOVE and PEACE are the traditional themes of Advent to prepare our hearts for JESUS' coming. And I also should probably be doing each of these two separately. Yet since they are after CHRISTmas and Advent, and because this is my 3460th blog post ending a season of blogging in 2024 since 2008 (with many of these blog posts hidden in my drafts since 2017), I wanted an even number to end with this year; and perhaps 2025 might take me to 3500, which really isn't that many. I have lost touch with the many bloggers that I use to know, visiting regularly; and many of those were gifted writers that are no longer blogging, which saddens me that the art of blogging has become something else. In some ways, it has taken away the HOPE that I use to be able to have reading and sharing along with them, which causes me in this last week of 2024 to take pause and evaluate my purpose, my mission and whether I still am shining the Light of Jesus in the darkness of this world (at least the technical part for me, since I don't do the other social sites available) and no longer have the community that once existed. 

After Advent is over, and CHRISTmas has come and gone, we still need to hold on to our HOPE for years to come or until Jesus does come. Perhaps the anticipation building toward CHRISTmas is over, however we are still in the WAIT for Jesus' coming (which was the One Word right before JESUS). I WAIT for the HOPE, LOVE, PEACE and JOY to permeate our lives and change the world that we live in still. We can still HOPE in the hopelessness of our lives or the world. We can still bring HOPE to others. 

And believe it or not, I even found another book "Finding CALM in a Busy Day: Daily Reflections on Rest, HOPE and Love" - isn't this cover just CALM looking, like the one from Max Lucado

[image credit: amazon book]

 ... although I could order a used copy (real inexpensively), it's too late in the year of CALM as my One Word and you probably are thinking since I'm now 70, how could I still have a "busy day" but I can assure you that 2024 has been one of the busiest years for me and not doing things that I enjoy, or consider on an ending to-do list of social activities here, there and everywhere - no, midway through the year my life took a turn in a direction that I never would HOPE to be facing again, yet it was kinda inevitable I suppose at some time again. But as I began this past year with CALM as my One Word, I never anticipated this or that I'd be busy so I would never have considered or have time for a book like this ... however we all need REST, HOPE and LOVE. Looking at the sample, I know I still need HOPE in HIS CALM especially in the year ahead and beyond, but my HOPE does not come in any book (Kindle, used or new). Just like PEACE, it comes in JESUS, in any season and all seasons ... we need our HOPE anchored in JESUS! 

Even in Kindle Unlimited, I discovered yet another book "Just Breathe..." (similar to many that I already have) yet no, I don't have this one; and yes, I am putting it in my Kindle Unlimited, which I have until February, unless I continue the subscription with all the books waiting for me there or buy them all. The subtitle on the 1st cover lets you know that you might need this one too "30 Practices to CALM the Weary Heart ..." wait for it - (Pocket Full of HOPE) - book in a series of two. (sigh) The other is "Comfort and Joy: 25 Invitations to Breathe in HOPE ... a little late for the Advent season, however, once again we all could stand to Breathe in a lot more HOPE, with the bonus of Comfort & Joy. [by the way, from what I can see so far, these are more of a collection of beautiful watercolor prints (artwork) with brief inspirational writings] (at least the 2nd one is, on the right)

{Don't ever send me shopping for "books" for you!}

You'd end up with the whole bookstore!

"Faithful Father, I praise You for giving me HOPE through life's situation.(John 16:33) I need You to remind me of this while I'm going through a rough.."

I guess as I believe with HOPE; or when I do, that there is a peace and a CALM that is very present and cannot be denied. If everything is CALM around you, it's easier to have HOPE. The opposite is also true, if you are holding on to HOPE, you will find more CALM in your situation and life can and will seem like Jesus is right there, keeping you anchored, holding you up and encouraging you to keep walking and press on. 

The word CALM suggests a "quietness"; "a settling of the mind". Hope is one of the most essential virtues of a believer according to Christian philosophers like Augustine or Thomas Aquinas, right alongside faith and love. It's a foundational view that we hardly ever stop and realize until we face "that crisis" of just how much HOPE plays in our faith and gives us the strength we need at such times. We are better able to take hold of our faith in HOPE when all is CALM; but it's when life is turbulent that we need to be securely anchored in HOPE and restore our mindset to the CALM so we can cope and/or more effectively deal with the situation or the bombardment from all sides it seems all at once. Life's journey should somehow find the CALM or seek the CALM to continue rationally one step at a time forward with HOPE propelling towards a positive climate and outcome. 

"Augustine describes the theological virtue of hope in terms of expanding the desire of our hearts to see God face to face, stretching the capacity of our souls to contain more in the fullness of His presence." Crossroads Initiative

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which brings us to the
CALM
in His Joy
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JOY TO THE WORLD
JOY, UNSPEAKABLE JOY...
(in Chris Tomlin's version)

"Joy is a deep sense of well-being infused with delight. Joy is an innate human capacity connected to your ability to experience wonder and awe. It comes from within, not from external conditions, people or rewards." Laurie Cameron (from a book)

{I like this quote and set it aside but don't know the author at all, nor her book or beliefs}I think I agree with what she's written though about Joy.
At the time that I am writing this blog post, I have nothing that I can share about CALM and JOY. In fact, I agree with this that "CALM delight and JOY seem like two radically different concepts." It's hard for me too to read James 1:2-4 and "count it all JOY." "CALM delight" is actually considered one of the first definitions of JOY. So I like knowing this and that's enough that I can be CALM and I can delight. That's probably what drew me to the only book I chose.

I don't even have any book list of JOY like usual - but that's because I have chosen the best book for me so I only have one book that I plan on soaking in to gain all I can from the author. 

I listen and I have been listening for quite some time to her podcasts and recently added You Tube videos. When I have more on this, I will write more. Yet I know without a doubt, there is JOY in JESUS. Perhaps I just don't know how being CALM and JOY can relate to one another. I gifted myself this book for Christmas when I shared it on her publishing date so I'm just really getting into it since Christmas. I'm looking forward to learning from her experience and also "five practical Rhythms of Delight: joyful practices found in Jesus ..." {well this is in her book description & more}

You see, I am one of those that need to restore my

JOY

so I don't feel qualified to write on it or share

but I hope to soon

I do believe that Jesus delights in  each of us

and my, how I delight in any moment

with

JESUS

{I'm sure that I left this box & never filled it in with some inspirational quote like this one}

UNTIL NOW

“Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). "Like the inevitable rising of the sun on the horizon every morning, so too we move toward joy when we delight in Jesus. Though sorrow, pain, and suffering may come, we know who holds our future, and it’s a bright promise indeed." Delighting in Jesus, p.13

I highly recommend
Asheritah (and Hannah) on
You Tube
start out with Episode 1
"I'm a Christian - Why am I Not Joyful?"
Let's FIND JOY IN JESUS again!
I tried some You Version 
JOY plans too.
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If Paul, the apostle, found CALM delight (JOY) while in prison,
surely I can ... 
the book of Philippians written by Paul in the Bible is the most JOY filled letter

JESUS
came to bring people
a JOYful life!

C.S. Lewis, in his autobiography, "Surprised by Joy", wrote that we don't find JOY by pursuing it. Joy is a by-product. Lewis ultimately discovers the true nature and purpose of JOY and its place in his life. Not having read this work by C.S. Lewis, I am only sharing from quotes that I've read. But clearly he was "surprised by Joy", which is good to know that he believed and found that "the greatest and most enduring JOY comes from knowing God through Jesus Christ and being a part of His JOYful kingdom." Jesus arrival on earth, as we've just seen in the Christmas story, is announced with expressions of JOY - jubilant JOY from Angels to Shepherds to Kings and of course, Mary and Joseph. New Testament and Old Testament bursting forth with JOY! So there's no shortage in studying people in the Bible and the word JOY, plenty of exuberant examples of JOY and various words in Hebrew and Greek. 
Thinking a great deal about my apparent lack of JOY and CALM in 2024 (and I am ending the year, even worse as regards these two than I started the year, so I seek more of JESUS! If there is any connection between CALM and JOY, then I am thinking when I have one, I'll have both. JESUS brings JOY (since the "J" in JOY is for Jesus, and the "O" is for Others and the "Y" means not to forget YOU, but this is the order for JOY. And we already have the acronym for CALM from Max Lucado (found in Philippians). I know many biblical truths on JOY but the one I hold on to is "the JOY of the Lord is my strength" (and I sing that often, because singing use to be one of my ways to worship and express JOY while being filled with JOY, just like the Angels at Jesus' birth). According to my latest video view, my brain needs to be rewired again!
KEEP CALM
and
Count it all JOY!
[words from an image I saw but choose this one instead]

[image credit]


I'd love to sing
"I got that JOY, JOY, JOY JOY down in my heart"
but the problem for me is that I don't want it just down in my heart
although I depend on this and am hopeful that it still is
yet when JOY isn't bubbling over and
flowing from me
I'm not sure that I do have that JOY!
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Most of us 
have 
much 
JOY
before, during & after
CHRISTmas
(which leaves me feeling like the "Grinch" this year)
but at least I'm still not to the "bah, humbug" of Scrooge yet.
LORD
restore the JOY of my salvation
(well that's true & I do give thanks for this)
yet help me with more
JOY
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Checking my spiritual JOY tank?
(and believe it or not, in the last moment of this ending)
I found a book
"Stay CALM and JOY-Up"by Dr. Candi Dukes

I'll hold on to this first truth I found in her book sample
that I do believe
"Jesus brings Great JOY to the world"[Chapter One]since JOY is the believer's secret weapon
I know that I need this for 2025!

FOCUS: December ONE WORDS

For the month of December, these are the next 4 One Words for us to "FOCUS" on:

SURRENDER 

WORDS

SIMPLICITY

OBEDIENCE

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However

In our devotional book, 

there are still 4 more One Words to FOCUS on:

WITH

p. 188

FAMILY

p. 191

WAIT

p. 194

JESUS

THIS WEDNESDAY

CHRISTMAS DAY

[image credit: Sue Boldt]

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

" ... there's just something about that Name ..."

These last 4 seem to be more appropriate to me for DECEMBER.

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Perhaps we have enough One Words 

with our FOCUS on the themes of

ADVENT:

HOPE, JOY, PEACE, LOVE

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{I may be adding more to this blog post during each week}

SURRENDER

{week of December 1}

 this is linked to Bible Study Tools

Bible Hub  for Topical search

[certainly seems like a good One Word for the first Sunday of Advent]

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

James 4:7 ESV; Mark 14:36 ESV; Proverbs 23:26; Galatians 2:20 ESV

one of my resources shows that there are 177 verses that contain 
SURRENDER
{that's plenty to SURRENDER}
In Hebrew, "surrender" means to "align or arrange oneself under the command of a divine viewpoint"
I found this link interesting from gentle Christian parenting on "What it means to surrender?" and "How?" 

<>2nd One WORD

[image credit: Bible (dot) com (YV)]l

WORDS

{possibly midweek Weds. pm December 4}

 or else week of December 8 depending 

on your choice

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart   be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 119:14 ESV

Proverbs 12:18 NIV; Proverbs 16:24 NIV; Matthew 15:11 NLT; Ephesians 4:29 NIV

"Jesus, help my WORDS to reflect Your Word"

🙏

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[image credit: KJVBibleDaily]

{moving forward with this for the Week of December 8}
or else for the Week of December 15

SIMPLICITY

"... God is not a God of confusion but of peace."... 1 Corinthians 14:33 a

[image credit: Kim Hojnacki]

Proverbs 23:4 MSG; 1 Timothy 6:6-7 NLT; Psalm 51:10 ESV; 2 Timothy 2:15 ESV

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[image credit: Pastor Rick's Daily Hope]

{later with this at mid-week 12/11}
or else for the Week of December 22
OBEDIENCE
James 1:25

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Luke 11:28 NIV; 1 John 5:3 ESV; Psalm 112:1 ESV; Ecclesiastes 12:13 ESV

<><><>
{the following is for the Week of December 15}
or else if you do One Word a week, this would end up in the last week of December 29

Isaiah 7:14 [image credit: Bible (dot) com]

WITH

Matthew 28:20 ESV

... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Isaiah 41:10 ESV; Exodus 4:12 NLT; Deuteronomy 20:4 NLT; Joshua 1:5 NLT

[image credit: Jesus Calling 📧]

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{with FAMILY at mid-week 12/18}
if you do or did one each week the Rest of these will end up in 2025as Left-over One Words

[image credit: Parade]
Acts 10:2

FAMILY

Romans 12:10 ESV

Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.

John 15:12-13 ESV; Galatians 6:10 ESV; 1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV; Ephesians 4:25 ESV

<><><><>
So you may still have more Left-over One Words for 2025
if you're not doing the following ones this week
{for the Week of December 22}

WAIT

Lamentations 3:25 ESV

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,  to the soul who seeks Him.

Micah 7:7 ESV; James 5:11 ESV; Habakkuk 2:3 ESV; Psalm 27:13-14 ESV

Psalm 27:14

[image credit: todayintheword (dot) org]

"WAIT...
"in wisdom and grace"
"trust Jesus to show you how"
"BE STILL AND KNOW...
that He is God and
we are not
🙏
"Jesus, in the WAIT,
I learn who You are"

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{with this One Word mid-week 12/25}
CHRISTMAS DAY

[image credit: Air1 on "X"]
Acts 16:31 NLT
JESUS
Acts 4:13 NLT

The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

John 15:7 ESV; Matthew 5:8 ESV; Acts 1:8 ESV; 2 Corinthians 13:4 ESV

At least we all begin the month of December with SURRENDER
and at some point you should end 
WITH
JESUS

Each One Word FOCUS points us to
JESUS
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Please share in comments each week.
(or mid-week)
What stood out to you or your favorite quote or verse(s) with the One Word?
or just whatever comes to you from the devotional, or God
Thank you.

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Whatever you choose to do or However
Pace yourself and no Pressure
to do two a week; just continue to
FOCUS
on
ONE WORD
then move to the next when you're able
I certainly do not INTEND to complicate your Season
and time spent with family and so much already
Do What You Can as You Can
(even if it means that you continue into January 2025 for the last 4)
I cannot do that because I generally am offline 
for January
ushering in the New Year with my 
FOCUS on PRAYER
and 
JESUS
AS I SEEK MY 2025 ONE WORD
(or sorting out the Ones I think might be & listening for God's direction) 
We'll see where HE leads 
Just
SURRENDER
all to
JESUS
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Happy ADVENT
in the WAIT we
PREPARE HIM ROOM
that's what's most important

JESUS
in the center of our everyday
FOCUS
Merry Christmas❣️

CALM ... in His PEACE

When I wrote last week's
CALM ... in His Love
I also mentioned midway through ...
"CALM
along with the Peace it brings"
(which helped me to FOCUS on CALM ... in His PEACE)
so I begin to think on this
PEACE
when the following popped up in my email

from Sarah Young's devotional
"Jesus Listens"

with the following image & quote 
from her  devotional for December 18th
to
"All-wise God"
so I got out my "Jesus Listens" to read page 368-369

[image credit: 📧from Jesus Calling Daily]

Of course I was drawn to this image and the bold large words

"COMPLICATED MAZE"

because MAZE is part of my Blog Title

and to say the least is to share

that much of my life has

had many MAZES

but

I am always aMazed how

God somehow

has been able to get me through each one.

I'm going to share some of Sarah Young's prayer to 

"All-wise God"

{HE really is!}

" You have been teaching me that understanding will never bring me Peace. Your Word instructs me to trust in You with all my heart instead of relying on my own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 HCSB). This verse challenges me every day of my life." ...

Frankly, I couldn't agree more. And then Sarah Young has written about "trying to figure things out" ... oh my, how she goes on to confess to our "All-Wise God" how the "world presents (us) me with endless series of problems". {That sure is the truth!} and then she continues on explaining with "mastering one set of difficulties" and how another one arises. And on and on, how our minds repeat and gear up & strive for understanding, etc. instead of seeking our Lord, our Master. Then Sarah asks for His forgiveness and help to seek Him above all else.(Jeremiah 29:13) {oh, yes!} but we get ourselves into this repetitive cycle, this MAZE. And then we arrive to the line on the image of being "thankful that His PEACE is not an elusive goal" - "hidden at the center of a complicated MAZE." And Sarah Young ends with these words that we all can pray:

"... Because I belong to You, I'm already enveloped in the Peace that is inherent in Your Presence. The more I look to You, Jesus, the more of Your precious Peace You give me."

Romans 5:1; 
2 Thessalonians 3:16
Prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:6
"Majestic Jesus, Prince of Peace"[more to read from Sarah Young]"Let me Fill You with My Love, Joy and Peace"
Many of Sarah Young's books have PEACE in their titles(or Joy)but there's one specifically called"Jesus Calling, 50 Devotions for Peace"
Our world certainly could use more of PEACE
In fact, I found another book(yet not even considering this, so late in this year with CALM)"Deep Peace: Finding CALM in a World of Conflict and Anxiety"[above link is to Google]
I'm also sharing this link to Amazon because of the Note from the Author(way down the page)Why Write Deep Peace{clearly this is more about Peace, which comes with more CALM}but it struck a deep chord within me, reminding me of the song with"Let Peace begin with me... let this be the moment now"from "Let There Be Peace on Earth" (Vince Gill)
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It seems to make sense to me that the more we allow ourselves while making any changes in our lives, to slow down, stay CALM, and lean more into Jesus, that the Holy Spirit will have a chance to lead us into Jesus' Peace instead of us falling into a 'pressure cooker' situation and avoid setting off all the alarms, bells and whistles; or yet again winding and complicating our lives even more by yet again following into the unending MAZE, we can breathe and lean into His everlasting arms of Peace - it is possible. And so much better, to realize this before we end up in the MAZE. Yet God will use every MAZE (and each part) of our lives to impart His Holy Spirit to lead us through and back to our Peace in God and the CALM (after the storm, during the storm or even preparing us before any old storm hits us) because that is Who our God is - our Peace, our Way Maker, our storm breaker and our CALM in & out of the MAZEs!

 "... Since Jesus is our Peace, the more we draw near to Him, the closer our relationship {becomes} with Him, then the more we will experience that Peace of God ..." [from The Worship Center blog article] and another blog post ["Finding Peace and Calm"]. I share the articles because I see no reason to restate what has already been shared well. 

I reflect on how this year of 2024, I do have a deep Peace that has held me throughout this year and I am so thankful that I can still find His Peace, in a year that has been further from CALM or Peaceful than many years of my life and the situation in the forthcoming years seem to be filled with less and less certainty of Peace in our world or lives, so now more than ever, we need to lean in to the Prince of Peace; and experience the Peace of God. Jesus is Peace personified! (I liked that from the YV plan noted at the end of this blog post) which the plan shows in the 5 names given in Isaiah (9:6) and prophesized by Isaiah 7:14 Immanuel - God WITH us; representing Jesus' human and divine side: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace because Jesus is Peace fulfilled.

Oh, there are plenty of worldly ways and books to meditate on CALM and find your Peace (that's what you'll find in a search of CALM & Peace) but might I strongly suggest that the best Way is JESUS and the best book is the BIBLE, because the Prince of Peace, would not have had to come into this world or ours and leave this world were it not true, with His closing words to His disciples:

"Peace I leave WITH you, my Peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled

and do not be afraid." ...

John 14:27

Reading these words 

again and again

I find 

CALM

and His reassuring words

 certainly bring me

His Peace.

I'm not sure if I achieved the purpose 

in this blog post

but I do hope and pray

you seek the

Prince of Peace

and

find CALM in His Peace.

🙏

Pray for PEACE!

Ukraine

the Middle East

the USA

our world - everywhere

our homes, our lives

our minds, our hearts

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Come

Prince of Peace

Come

and aMaze us!

💙

May your "Silent Night" be a "Holy Night"

filled with Peace, Love, Joy & Hope

wherever & whenever

you find that

CALM

in

the

Prince of Peace

🕊

King Jesus Christ, our Lord

🎄

However, if you're still

"Missing Peace"

You Version has a 7 day plan

by that title that might help you

and the 3 day one

"The Words of Advent: PEACE"

{the FOCUS: December One Words will republish Sunday evening at 6 pm with WAIT & JESUS as our final two One Words for 2024; JESUS will be the One Word for CHRISTMAS Day and all the days after}