“I will extend peace to her like a river . . .” (Isa. 66:12)

God can speak to us anywhere, through anything. Often, he uses nature. After all, nature is his creation, and his fingerprints are all over it. Over the years, I’ve found peace by taking walks, enjoying the fresh air, and studying the things that God has made. But I’ve found the most peace—the place where God speaks to me the most clearly—near water.

When I was growing up, I thought I was more of a mountains kind of girl. Each summer, my parents, brother, and I traveled through the Rockies on our way to visit family in Nevada. We took a detour to the Pacific Ocean once, but I was too young to remember it. We also visited Lake Tahoe, but again, I don’t remember it. In the pictures from that day at Lake Tahoe, my brother and I are wearing jackets and jeans, so it must have been cold.

For some reason, I never felt quite at home in the mountains. They’re majestic, to be sure, but they also made me anxious, with treacherous climbs, sharp drop-offs, imposing cliffs, and all sorts of hidden dangers.

It wasn’t until my family and I visited an almost-deserted beach on the Atlantic Ocean a few years ago that I felt the peace that had eluded me elsewhere. I felt that peace again at Lake Michigan, which is more like an ocean than any lake we have here in Oklahoma. And I felt it again near the rushing river near my brother’s home in Michigan.

So what was it about these bodies of water that spoke to me? Perhaps it was the quiet—the seclusion. But I’ve been to rivers and lakes in Oklahoma during less busy times, and none of them had that effect on me.

Maybe that means it has more to do with me. When I visited these bodies of water, I was on vacation, surrounded by my family. The typical distractions I faced each day weren’t bearing down on me like they usually were, and my family was there to lighten any load I was carrying.

So how do I find this peace now that I’m back to the daily grind? Taking walks still helps, but what about those moments when I’m in the middle of something and can’t get away for a walk? Here are some of the techniques I’m using.

• Remember what that peace felt like. When I’m feeling overwhelmed by the events of the day, I can pull up my photos of Lake Michigan or a video I took of the burbling river, and I’m transported back to that location. But more importantly, I’m transported back to the feeling of peace that I had while there.
• Seek moments of solitude. Even though I work at home alone, moments of true solitude can be difficult to come by with a puppy as active as my Charlie. But he does take naps, and those are the perfect time to steal a moment of peace and quiet for myself. I can use it to read my Bible app, pray, or write in my journal.
• Take deep, calming breaths. Focusing on my breathing takes my mind off my problems, and it also opens my lungs to let in more oxygen. Praying while inhaling and exhaling is a great way to refocus.

Finding peace looks different for everyone, but God will provide peace when we seek him and ask for it.

What works best for you when you need to find peace?

Dear Jesus, thank you for the peace you provide through the wonder of your creation. When we find peace, help us to stay close to you so that we can hold onto it. Amen.