You see, I turned 35 a few weeks ago, and just like many people 'evaluate' their lives at the beginning of each new calender year, I like to take stock of where I'm headed at birthday time as well... a bit like a mid-year reassessment of where I am and what I'm doing, especially when it comes to spiritual things. This year, I felt one thing very strongly moving forward and it was that I have to pursue living in peace at all costs. I've often thought about living in peace and have in many ways already made steps towards making it more of a priority in my life, but with this birthday there came a new conviction that living in an abiding sense of peace in my day-to-day existence is not just a good idea, but is actually mandatory if we want to experience the fullness of life that Jesus died to give us in the here and now. Now you may think, what do you mean by peace? I am talking about an inner state of being that enables me to remain calm, tranquil, and free from fear, despite what my surrounding circumstances may be. I'm sure there are better definitions out there but those are just a few attributes of peace that come to mind when I think of the word. Who knows? I might even change my definition as I go...
I thought that I might use this blog over the next year to document some of my discoveries about this 'state of being' and what changes in my life as a result of making peace a priority rather than just a nice word that I throw around but rarely experience internally. I have had to acknowledge to myself as I've begun this journey -for that is, in fact, what I feel this is - that much of my inner life has been chaotic or fearful and while I have had periods where I've been peaceful, much of my time has been spent fretting, worrying, and 'thinking' myself into states that are anything but peaceful.
Another reason I'm writing this is because I enjoy putting my thoughts into words on a page and I've thought about writing books and other 'publishable' material for a long time now but other than journals I keep at home, have never really pursued this dream. I have heard it said that if you are not taking active steps today towards your dreams, don't fool yourself into thinking that you will suddenly reach a 'perfect time' when all of a sudden you will take action. Basically, live today as though your dreams are a current reality... don't put it off because you only have NOW.
I am hoping to update this blog regularly with any insights and experiences I have along this path of peace in the hopes that it will encourage, uplift, and maybe even challenge the reader to reevaluate their own priorities and ask the question, 'At the end of the day, what is REALLY important in my life and am I structuring my everyday living to accommodate this end goal?'
Peace has become a 'pearl of great price' to me, and so other things must go in order for peace to remain. One of those things is my 'need to be right' - but that can wait for next time.
