Breathing in God's Peace

Peace.  That's what we're all looking for, right?  A place, a person, a reason to slow down, focus, and breathe a little bit.  As a twenty-something Catholic who is trying to discern what exactly God wants for her and how exactly God wants to use her, this is all I want!  Plus, my job as a youth minister is no picnic in this idea of peace, that's for sure.  My brain is constantly thinking a thousand thoughts at the same time...

     ...Who should I ask to chaperone that summer trip in four months?

          ...Why has that person not responded to my email yet?

                         ...Why is my friend acting so strangely today?  Or maybe that's just normal...

     ...Who do I still need to get together with for lunch?

                    ...How do I help that teen to see that best way to love God AND her boyfriend?

          ...Why did that person give me such a bad critique?  Am I good enough?

                              ...My prayer life could use some new life.  Maybe I'll get back in to Night Prayer.

     ...Have I been working too much lately?  Who's up for a movie night this weekend?

                    ...How can I get more teens to want to come to our Life Nights?

                                 ...How do I get more adults to want to commit to our Life Nights?

          ...Why am I not 100% sure of my vocation yet?  Should I be doing something differently?

                               ...Is this what God wants for me?  Is this what You want for me, God?

I think I can safely say that no, this - the list of endless thoughts that take me in circles - is not what God wants for me.  All He wants for me, and all He wants for any of us, is to find peace - and specifically, the peace that He gives us when we run to Him with open arms.  Every once in a while, I find that peace and let myself really revel in it.

The reason why this blog exists is two-fold:  I hope to find peace within it, and I hope to give whoever reads it some peace as well.  That doesn't mean I won't throw out some challenges - what fun would that be?!  However, I don't expect to be the reason behind any of the peace it might bring, either to you or to me.  Instead, I want to focus on the peace that God brings us - and the only way we get peace is because of this word breath[e]...

breath, the breath of God

breathe, breathe it in

Whenever someone comes to me with a problem, explaining the long back-story with all the ins and outs of the issue and ranting about all the different people involved, the first thing I tell them (after listening to the story) is to breathe.  First, you have to breathe.  The only way we can be inspired by God, living in His love and finding His peace, is to breathe in His Spirit.  It's how He gave us life in the beginning - why do we think it would work any differently now?  This blog is one of the ways I'm trying to take a step back from the rambling thoughts, sit in God's presence, and breathe in His Spirit.  I'll leave you with the prayer that God placed on my heart this past summer:

Patience & Peace

will lead you to Grace.

Focus.

Trust.

Be still.