Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love. It is there for each and every one of us.” ― Teresa of Ávila.- 

 The meaning of peacemaker is a person who brings about peace, especially by reconciling adversaries.

Ten verses in the Bible reference the word peace. 

To fully understand the word “peacemaker,” we must look at the meaning of its root word, which would be “peace.” I found such peace in my soul when I discovered that in the translation of the Hebrew word shalom, which, according to Jewish theology, comes from a Hebrew verb meaning 'to be complete, whole'. ... The term-'peace' originates most recently from the Anglo-French pes, and the Old French pais, meaning peace, reconciliation, silence, agreement" (11th century). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace)

Most of us are likely familiar with the distinction between being at peace and being in a state of unrest and discord.  We all strive for that beautiful state of mind. It affects our hearts, our souls, our minds, and how our life in general operates. 

We know what peace is… But what is PEACE-maker? How do they intercede between two parties that have a conflict? What are their attributes? 

Here are my thoughts. They must have a gentle spirit. They must be good listeners.  They must be able to maintain a neutral understanding heart. They must look at both sides of the dispute with an open mind. They must maintain a loving disposition toward all parties.  But the peacemakers are not without scars. They take the conflict into their soul. And they make every attempt to bring peace to all parties. 

However, they stay troubled when their mission of being the peacemaker fails or falls short. But there is hope for the Peacemaker… Their mission might fail, through no fault of their own. But they know time is on their side. 

Where do they go to maintain their own peaceful existence when they need to refuel??

I must admit when my thoughts went to the attributes of a peacemaker, my mind pictured Jesus. He is all the above and more. And we all know when His peace is shaken, He goes to our Heavenly Father. 

Now if we go back to the Hebrew word shalom, which, according to Jewish theology, comes from a Hebrew verb meaning 'to be complete, whole'. ... 

That must be the answer. When our souls are at odds with others, we are fractured. Our hearts are broken. But when we are with the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, we are whole. They give us peace that surpasses all human understanding.

If we were to study Jesus and try every day to emulate His attributes, we could become peacemakers.  OUR TROUBLED WORLD NEEDS PEACE. BUT PEACE IS NOT EASY, IT TAKES WORK, IT TAKES UNDERSTANDING, IT TAKES LOVE… 

I would like to acknowledge that we have all had our challenges. Our peace has been eroding a little bit at a time. Many relationships have been stressed to the max. Some are even broken.  

As we travel in our journey of life. I challenge you to be the peacemaker. Let’s heal all wounds. Let’s bring LOVE alive in our hearts and in our lives. And if you do not think you can be the peacemaker.  Let’s help the Peace-Maker complete His mission. 

It’s Him, It’s always Him.  

Shalom! 

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” KJB Luke 2:14 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9

So, then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Romans 14:19

As it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Romans 12:18

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Bible Verses From KJV  / Sinner's Prayer

Music from YouTube

Peace (Official Lyric Video) - Bethel Music feat. We The Kingdom | Peace

Darkness will not gain victory over the light of Christ. In faith, there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't…

The meaning of dark the absence of light in a place: darkness, blackness, absence of light, gloom, gloominess. 

Dark in the Bible is referred to 225 times.

Dark or Darkness I believe touches everyone at some time in their life... I chose this word today because as I write about this word I am sitting in the darkness of my room... 

Darkness can be an overwhelming scary place. It’s where creepy things go bump in the night... It is the anticipation of things unknown. We can become paralyzed due to fear.  It can rob us of so much life. During my journey, I did experience a time of darkness. It made me feel a loss in my soul, it made me cry, it made me bewildered and sad. Looking back I found out that in my darkest hour I found out a lot about me.  I do believe there are times we are given life trials so we can grow. But I also found out that no matter how sad or difficult things might seem I was never alone. I did find out that God never left my side. His gentleness and love held me when I felt lost. He became my best friend, my confidant, my guiding light...The darkness that tried to consume my soul had no choice but to flee... 

I did learn over time to appreciate the darkness, those “stillness” moments, those quiet times when the house is void of light and family noise! This dark hour is when I find my Heavenly Father, my quiet time with Him, and His word breathes light into my soul. He fills my heart with a love that is difficult to contain. If I love Him? Is no longer a question. It becomes IF I get up a few minutes before everyone ... I will find my golden hour ...my solace, my LOVEs ... 

There is no darkness that can rob me of His eternal light.  You see this darkness is not a place, It not something we can see with our eyes. It's a place deep within our souls. And I have found when we invite God into our lives,  His light begins to shine from within.  He gives us that light that shines even in our darkest hour. Because we can be confident that we are never alone. We do not have to fight life demons by ourselves. He is victorious over all things we may encounter. He stands tall, strong, and ready. So pick up the light sword and be ready for any battle that may rage from within... Being ready is half the battle... 

The power of light that we feel is from within... 

It’s Him!!  It’s always Him.

Photography & Written by Lori Garner Bible Verses From KJV, Easy  Sinners prayer Inspiring Music: YouTube

God's Light Shines in the Darkness 2011

 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will give rest for your souls" Matthew 11:28-30 

Meaning of rest an instance or period of relaxing or ceasing to engage in strenuous or stressful activity

The word "rest" literally means to relax in peace; it also implies people's mourning for the dead. In the Bible, the word "rest" appears over two hundred times.

When I closed my eyes to rest my thoughts on the word rest... This mental image appeared... Fall leaves bright orange with beautiful deep hues of red. They danced so gracefully across the ground as the wind gently pushed against the beauty of the moment. 

Are we much like leaves in the wind?  Or do our souls yearn for a peaceful existence? Unrest can cause anxiety and fear. 

With our world pulling at our time, our hearts, and our obligations? How do we find the precious time to rest? 

Exactly what happens to us when we rest?  We can expect our breathing to slow down and our body to relax. "When you wake up, it's almost like you've time-traveled, feeling like you only fell asleep. 

I must confess I am having a difficult time writing this word after a full day of activity. Determined to take what we call a time out ... I put on my PJs grabbed my electric blanket sat in my lazy boy... Put on my headphones and tuned in to my favorite playlist.. and away I went to that magical place. Where our worries disappear, where our body becomes limp ... and our mind and soul are free to experience a beautiful blissful state where dreams can whisk our way.  

What an amazing gift from our heavenly Father.  He knew our bodies could not keep up with our freed souls... And created rest so our bodies could repair and refuel.. while our soul connects and communes with our Creator  ... I must say when I find Him it is the sweetest, the most love-filled relaxed moments in time... My soul soars with delight and my heart is filled with abundant joy. I could stay there forever... as a matter of fact, I have asked Him to let me stay more than once... But just as this amazing dance begins to pick up momentum... the moment and mood are broken with that familiar annoying buzzer sound. 

The alarm..ugh .. hit that snooze button and you try as you might pick up the moment just where you left it? Sadly you discover it has vanished into thin air... but the sweetness of this relaxing getaway lingers on you like the fresh morning dew. 

He is amazing!! How did He think of so many wonderful gifts to give His Children??? 

Well, I have more time. I am going to meditate on Him... I am going to rest on Him... He moves my soul !! 

It’s him. It’s always Him!!! 

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Inspiring Music:

Rest in Jesus

The world needs less heat and more light. It needs less of the heat of anger, revenge, retaliation, and more of the light of ideas, faith, courage, aspiration, joy, love, and hope. Wilfred Peterson

Meaning of hopeless feeling or causing despair about something.

We located thirty verses that speak to the word hopeless. 

I woke up this morning with sadness in my soul... My thoughts and my prayers go to the innocent lives that through no fault of their own are caught up in the evil snare of war...! Greed, power, and no regard for life... War... is an ugly word. 

It will never be viewed as necessary by my Creator... it’s man-made and dark... 

As I sit like many in the comfort of my home and watch this war unfold... It breaks my heart to see homes and lives being destroyed ...  How can we find hope in a hopeless situation??  

We can pray. We can ask, we can beg “Father take this cup from me”... Historically we know that things do not always turn out the way we think they should... But why????

I can only cling to the hope that my Heavenly Father gives me. He sees everything from the glandular to the bigger than our human mind can understand. We are all part of His masterful plan... A great plan with a beautiful promise that supersedes the life we have grown to know... 

You may say, it is easy for me to say look past your present situation and look to a beautiful new future. I am not in the fearful trenches; I do not have my scared children clinging to me for comfort. I like you, wish I had the answers… I wish I could change our world. But I do not have that kind of power… But I know someone who does… 

I can only send my heartfelt prayers and ask my Heavenly Father to go to you in these difficult times ... I pray He protects you and shares love with you so strong that you feel hope for a brighter tomorrow... 

I send love from my heart to yours ... 

I can only pray the hopelessness you may feel flips into a new hope!!! 

Hope in Him!! Cling to your Heavenly Father for comfort...

It’s Him!!  He is our greater HOPE... Find Him ... Love Him... He is the light that will guide us home... He rules with love, compassion, and kindness... He is the one to follow… Yes, He wows me… 

P.S.  Father please shake the evil darkness from our world. Bring them to their knees before you... 

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every a knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.  Romans 14:11 

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Matthew 24:6, 12-14 KJV

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

inspiring Music by (youtube)

The Best Is Yet To Come [Lyrics HD] - Sheppard

Meaning of world the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features:

There are approximately 62 verses that refer to the word world in the Bible.

What kind of mind can create such wonder. When we stop and think of the elements that make up our planet .... land, air, water... and all living things ... 

Including you and me... 

Personally, I can't wait to meet the Creator of such amazing beautiful wonder... I deeply admire His creative mind... His thoughtful heart...I Love His LOVE and kindness it is such a heavenly gift ... 

As a limited creator myself ... I can only imagine how He feels ... He poured His heart and soul into His work and created this masterpiece of wonder we call home... And then He handed His legacy to us, His children... We were given the honor of being the caretakers of His world... Do you think He is proud or disappointed? 

I feel It must break His heart to see how we have abused His beautiful gift... 

We as a people have polluted and eroded a once beautiful giving world... However the sun continues to shine, flowers continue to bloom, fish continue to swim, and mankind continues to grow... 

Will we ever get it right? Will we ever truly appreciate our Creator's work. Will, we right the wrongs in my lifetime, or will I see sadly the days of our final demise ... I can only pray not...

Many of us think the end of our world is God's will ??? Is it? Or has He placed it in our control? 

Are we are failing Him? Is there time to turn things around? Is there time to LOVE our world and learn the art of caring for all of mankind..  Not just chosen few? He created His children to LOVE? Is there time to care for all things... Is there time to right all the wrongs?  We can not control all things but perhaps we can make a difference where we stand... ❤

Truly it is in our best interest to not disappoint Him. He has always wanted the best for His children... We have been set apart... We are all loved deeply by our Creator. We are such an important part of His masterpiece... We are all a part of is master plan. 

It's His Love that has brought us this far... Its is with Him all things are possible. 

It's Him, It's always been Him. 

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only Matthew 24:36 

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? Matthew 24:3

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Michael Jackson - Heal The World (Official Video)

Fear is a self-imposed prison that will keep you from becoming what God intends for you to be. You must move against it with the weapons of faith and love. – Rick Warren

Meaning of scared fearful; frightened.

The word scared is referred to approximately 32 times in the Bible. But 'Fear not,' is in the Bible 365 times,”

I fear that my opening my heart for the world to see will never be enough... But what do I have of value to repay Him for a love that is too rich to fully understand? I have nothing but my heart... So, I share it willingly in hopes that you see a glimpse of Him...  There is no need to be scared. However, I do remember as a child being afraid.

I was so afraid I lost the ability to speak... I was frozen and could not move...I was alone in my darkroom... I pulled the covers up to my eyes... And watched the creepy shadows dance across the walls. The walls seem to get closer and closer, and the shadows began to take on scary shapes... My heart began to pound and breathing became shallow. I tried to call out to my earthly Father, but I could not make a sound... I began to tremble.  But then I took a deep breath gathered all my courage and screamed his name.

”daddy!!!”

As always, He came to my rescue. He turned on the light... And tried to console me and he lovingly reassured me that he would always be close. He hugged me, and as I settled in his to his arms.. I felt safe and fell into a deep slumber...

As we grow... being scared is a well-guarded emotion. But I do believe everyone that has breath has moments in life they feel like a scared child... It could be a darkroom; it could be the uncertainties of life... It could be health or financial issues... or even death. Everyone can and will experience those dark scary moments ...  

When we become adults, we outgrow the ability to pull the covers over our eyes and scream our parents name and they will take care of the issue for us.

We are taught to be strong. And so, we ask ourselves do I have to face my fears alone???  

Alone can be a scary word... Can we just call out our Heavenly Father’s name?  Will He turn on the light and show us that with Him things in our world are not so scary..

He will hold and comfort us no matter the time, no matter the day... No matter the issue ... And if you feel the need to curl up in His arms and rest... He will hold you while you sleep...

It's Him! It's always Him!!!

He is the light that guides my heart!!! He is the whisper that comforts my soul! He is my rock in the darkest moments!!! 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall, I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

Psalm 55:22

“Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. “Deuteronomy 31:6

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

“Heaven’s kingdom realm is also like a jewel merchant in search of rare pearls. When he discovered one very precious and exquisite pearl, he immediately gave up all he had in exchange for it.” Matthew 13:44 TPT.

Meaning of closet: tall recess or wardrobe with a door, used for storage:  used to refer to a state of secrecy or concealment,l
shut (someone) away, especially in private conference 

The word closet is in the Bible approximately 6 times. 

Closet is such an obscure word to study in the Bible. It is not a word that is considered a normal word for a Bible word study... But what is normal?? 

I have found that when God is involved nothing is normal each one of us has a unique experience with Him... 

But as I studied this word,  I immediately thought of my own newly cleaned-out closet... All the things that did not matter are no longer hidden in the darkness they have found new homes... But my closet still seemed dark. I could barely see what treasures I had kept? So we installed lights that turn on automatically ... I stood at the door like a wide-eyed child... And opened the door slowly ... and with great anticipation, I peeked in and watched the light spill in, and with extreme delight, I could see... Colors, treasures, everything I had collected was no longer in the dark. I was filled with excitement when I realized the solution was so simple.

But what does this illustration have to do with this Bible word study... 

How many of us hide in our closets ??? Many of these closets are physical some are only in our minds... How many of us feel we have been consumed in this darkness? How many of us are so scared that we don’t know how to live??? Do we hide in this darkness we have created? Is life passing us by... So many beautiful moments were lost. Are you frozen due to fear... This darkness can cripple the heart and choke out the soul...

When I look back at my life, I now see I was in the closet of my mind... I learned to hide the hidden treasures God had planned in my soul... I am not sure what happened... Did I value what others would think way too much? Society had outlined what is acceptable? But who has the right to say what's normal?  

One day I heard God call my name... It’s a voice that I had been hearing but I did not recognize it, so I did not respond. I lacked understanding... I did not know that He was trying to save me from my darkness. This darkness in my mind had become my safe zone... 

But thank God one day I decided to listen to His voice and crack open the door... I grabbed the door handle and inhaled with a deep deliberate breath... And pulled ... And there I saw it. I felt it.. it ran through every fiber of my being... And at that moment I fell in love with this beautiful light.  I was mesmerized there was no turning back ... This light began to spill in brighter and brighter each God-given day... And with its help, I started cleaning out the closet of my mind... I felt lighter, I felt a freedom that I had not felt since I was a child... I could finally breathe.  As I cleaned out this closet I made room to fill it with the love this amazing light brought to my life. This light opened my soul, my heart, and my life... The darkness had lost its home... This light contains an unexplainable love and it fills me with an excitement that I find so difficult to contain... This light seemed to spill out from me where ever I travel. 

What is this light? How did it speak to my soul? How did it save me from the darkness of my mind?? It is a beautiful and sometimes painful process but I have grown to love this light with every beat of my newfound heart !!! It warms my very existence... It has freed my mind and makes my unbound soul feel the beauty of life... 

Let me introduce Him... 

He is the most amazing soul I have ever grown to know... He is the brightest star to ever shine... He offers love, not of this world ... He is the handsome bridegroom that is waiting for His bride... Some call Him Jesus, Some call Him Yeshua, Some call Him Savior. 

I stand in His light raise my hands to the sky and call Him mine... 

It’s Him, It’s always Him...  He calls me His beloved ... can you guess who I have become ??? 

“Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet” Joel 2:16 

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. John 10:7

So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Matthew 24:33

And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut Matthew 25:10

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube

Out of the Darkness

)

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that's what you've given me. That's what I'd hope to give you forever”― Nicholas Sparks...

The day His love descended from heaven and touched my soul, He filled my heart with a love like no other... Love flowed freely as He wrapped me in His warm loving arms.. It left me bewildered, confused but FOREVER changed..... 

He has taken my hand and asked me to follow Him ... 

His love is gentle, kind, and beyond words...  He has opened my heart and I now see life with all the beauty He intended. With His Love, life AND LOVE has a new meaning and it is nothing short of amazing ... 

I love Him with all that I am. I am forever His child... I will continue to share His amazing love with others and press my heart in, as close as He will allow. 

There are no earthly possessions that are adequate to offer Him in exchange for this beautiful gift of LOVE. I can only offer Him my heart and soul for eternity. 

However He is worthy of so much more!

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Bible Verses From KJV, Easy  /  Sinners prayer 

Inspiring Music:  Love Outran Me | WorshipMob Original

In the Bible, "prevail" generally means to gain victory, overcome, or achieve dominance through strength or perseverance. It signifies the triumph of God's will, the success of His people, or the overcoming of adversity. The concept is woven throughout both the Old and New Testaments, illustrating both divine and human victory..

We located twenty-nine verses in the Bible that speak of the word prevail… 

Though my heart aches as I witness the world's suffering, I remain steadfast in my conviction that we can create positive change. Wars, unrest, and discord will not prevail when we collectively choose love, kindness, and compassion. Jesus, give me the strength to be a force for good, using my voice to uplift and inspire.

“Let me hold you, let me speak words of peace, let me shout words of love to the hurting hearts…" 

Things have not changed so much through the ages, hate, greed, and power have always been hidden in the hearts of many men… 

Yet, do not crumble under the weight of adversity... stand strong, persevere, and continue to shine His love and light. It brings hope, peace, and love to many wounded souls. 

If you read this to the end... I invite you to stand tall, shine His beacon of light for the world to see... let His light fill the cracks of our fallen world!! He is the superglue that holds us together! He is watching, He is waiting for humanity to learn the lesson at hand...

His transformative love is the key to unlocking a brighter future. I pray His love overflows in you and our world like a dam that has burst, releasing an endless supply of forgiveness, compassion, and love ... 

Be safe, Be blessed, Be loved !!! 

It’s Him! It's always Him, our rock and the lover of my soul!!

And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I [am] with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee Jeremiah 1:19

Art & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer

Bible collaboration - Joann Turnbull

Inspiring Music by (YouTube)

Holy - Kim Walker

“The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever seen before.” – Albert Einstein

Unconventional: The definition of unconventional is someone or something that deviates from the norm or accepted standard. 

The word unconventional may not be written as such in the Bible, but the word screams throughout it's beautiful pages... 

As of 2021, there are approximately 7,846,000,000 people in our world. People of all types, cultures, and religions. But when I look at that number, I can’t help thinking of all the people in the world today and through history… Just how many of them truly impacted the general population??? What makes them different? What makes them unique?? What is that X-factor they seem to possess? Or are they just unconventional souls trying to make their mark in our world? 

When we turn to the Bible... We can see the word unconventional as we examine the life that stood so magnificently tall. Yet He humbly left His beautiful mark on all mankind throughout every generation... From His conception, through His death and resurrection... His entire life was an unconventional phenomenon. He was uniquely different and not to be considered what the world viewed as the norm... 

He did not fit the mold! So, because of this, He was unjustly judged by man's insecure heart and limited thinking. 

I ask why do we try to place Him in a box??? He is so bigger than life. We should open our arms and embraced His Godly differences. Why don't we cherish Him above all else? 

We are all wonderfully made by God... Each having our own blueprint to share with others in our world. No two of us are alike!! There is so much to learn from our different cultures, beliefs, and religions... It is very sad that man has been so judgmental. Many try to squeeze others into the normal box resulting in undue pain!!! 

My spiritual walk... started in a very unconventional way!!! The Holy Spirit reached down from Heaven and touched my soul with a love beyond my understanding... With no prior religious background, I was so unprepared for the days ahead. But as fumbled I earnestly tried to find my way... I began to share Him and His amazing LOVE with anyone who would listen... 

Most did not embrace my story because is not the conventional way they had witnessed in others.  This made me feel odd, alone and I cried many tears behind closed doors...

Sharing Him will never fit the normal mold... But look who I am dealing with!!!  He should never fit in what man has outlined as normal… I am actually grateful for the lack of understanding it thrust me into His arms. Where He kept loving me and teaching me... He became my safe place to run. He embraced my uniqueness and cherished me beyond what my heart could even understand. 

He taught me that the path I was on He made for me alone.. It's has taken many hours of discovering God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit... For me to become comfortable within my own spiritual skin.

And through this experience, I have come to the realization that I will never fit the typical mold made by man... My story will be different, it will be fresh, it will be loving ... Because that is who He is… It's my unique gift from my Heavenly Father... 

So, if my openness and my sharing His love is different than the norm... Know that is from the most unconventional heart I have grown to know and love...I am only a messenger.

He opened my once dormant soul to His world of magnificent wonder... And for those who must judge... Let me let you know that I say without restraint that I know without a shadow of a doubt that He loved me first... And somewhere in a very unconventional way, I fell in LOVE with Him... All of Him... 

He WOWs me.

It's Him, it's always Him

I am and will forever be His unconventional child...

Be different, Be unique, Be everything He wants you to be!!

Photography & Written by Lori Garner

Sinners Prayer 

Inspiring Music by (youtube)

Micah Tyler - Different (Official