Tag: peace

Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men

Posted on by Staci Mauney

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

During the second week of Advent, we focus on peace. When you think of peace on earth, what comes to mind? Often, we think about the absence of war or conflict. Peace of mind, peace in relationships—all can be boiled down to the calm that comes when there’s no conflict.

That is one meaning of peace, but the peace mentioned many times over in the Bible is not just the absence of conflict but also the presence of God. Continue reading “Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men” →

Peace like a River

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“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. Continue reading “Peace like a River” →

Longing for Peace

Posted on by Staci Mauney

This post was originally published on December 23, 2019.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is 9:6)

Peace is elusive. With the invention of the smartphone, we are constantly connected and bombarded by dings, rings, and chimes. Instead of finding activities to engage our minds, we pull out our phones when we’re bored and pass the time on mindless games or scrolling through social media. We have email on our phones, so even when we’re away from the office, we’re still available and always on call. “Downtime” isn’t a word that’s even in our vocabulary anymore. Continue reading “Longing for Peace” →

For the Directionally Challenged

Posted on by Staci Mauney

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace . . . (1 Cor. 14:33)

I recently started attending Sunday school at a new church. It’s like a small city, and for this woman who grew up in a town of about 200 people, it can be overwhelming to walk into a building with more than 20 times that number of people milling about at one time.

I’ve attended the class only a handful of times, so I’m still trying to figure out the layout. On my second trip there, I went in a different door and asked the volunteer if I could get to where I needed to be from that entryway. She directed me around the corner and down a hallway that took me to the atrium that connected to the Sunday school classroom hallway. Confused yet? If not, maybe I need to take you with me next time. Continue reading “For the Directionally Challenged” →

Calming the Storm

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm…” (Mark 4:39)

In Oklahoma, we understand how unpredictable the weather can be, especially in the spring. We have weather apps on our phones and text alerts for when severe weather strikes. For those of us who grew up here, we know how quickly the day can turn from bright and sunny to dark and stormy.

In October 2001, I lived in a small town that was hit by a tornado. On my way home from work, the wind picked up, and it started raining. Storms occur at any time of the year here, but I didn’t think it could be a tornado because it was so late in the year. Continue reading “Calming the Storm” →