in perfect peace

Encouraging Word

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
I never listened to KLOVE in the states... but since I've been living in Peru I ran across it and we listen to it in our home alot. Even our friend Kenedy who knows just a little English likes to listen to it. I like to hear the news stories and some of the fun stuff that's going on. It's also there that I learned that operation christmas child began in WV, I had no idea! We've even tried to call in a few times to win some free CDs... although I don't know if theyd be willing to ship oversees...
I went onto their website today, and found their verse for the day. It's funny how in different moments through various sources God can speak to us, even in different translations of His word. They've written it in New Living Translation. I usually read in English Standard Version, although my new Spanish/English Bible has the New International Version. There are so many! But, after reading that verse on their site, and contemplating it a big, I looked it up in the verses I usually read in and it just didn't jump out at me like the first. And I'm thankful that it did, I needed to hear a few words on peace. Peace and I have trouble keeping up a regular relationship. No matter how many times I'm told I can lean on God or reminded of His sovereignty, anxiety catches up with me. Anxiety and I are in a constant battle. It strikes at the oddest moments at times in small or large portions. I finally learned through a very wise and good friend/mentor to pray to God his glory or count how great He is or praying verses just like the one above.. instead of telling God all the reasons I was/am anxious. Because when you do that, you just get yourself caught in a circle and trust me, you don't want to be in that circle. Those kind of circles don't just make you want to go back to bed, they make you go back to bed. For longer than a nap. 
Side Story: One thing that often makes me anxious... too many people. A few days ago Julton and I went in search of some Christmas decorations for the tree... the little store that has all the pretty ribbon and everything you need... was smaller than our room, and filled... absolutely filled with pushy people buying ornaments as though it were the 23rd of December. I couldn't take it, we had to break into the store, take a quick look around, then dash back out to the street to discuss if we saw anything we liked. After doing that a few times over I waited outside by the guard and the kind of fresh air while Julton actually made the purchases. Thanks to God for giving me a husband that can understand me. 

I'm also thankful for old friends...today I met up at Starbucks with a friend I have known since I've been here. He's older, has kids my age (or older...) and we all called him Tio (uncle). He's a pretty busy guy traveling to and from Lima all the time for work. And even though he is Catholic he has been attending our services in the new church in the center of town for a while now. I had such a great time catching up with him. In a time when everything is changing and changing and changing again, all my old students have pretty much moved on, or moved to another city and I don't see them often, it was good to talk with him and have some familiarity. It made me feel like Heather and Gillian were back in town and SALI was still on the noisy busy street corner it used to be. Oh how times have changed. I also just recently got to spend some time with some old students, Angela (who now lives in the jungle, back with her family) and Johana ..who is expecting a baby girl!!! LOVED getting to catch up with those two. Angela and her aunt together have taught me to cook some great jungle food over the time I've bee here... and Johana... has helped me out with so many things, from introducing to my favorite salon to having her sister do my nails for the wedding. Those girls have been good to me. God has been very very good to me. Amen.