"Word's on air"

"Fools are undone by their big mouths;
their souls are crushed by their words"- Proverbs 18:7 (MSG)

I am always surprised to see how God work's in my life. I have just enough knowledge about God to be dangerous. Dangerous in good ways and bad ways. Today, I was "dangerous in a good way". Only because I choose to look first at God, instead of looking first and staying focused on my troubles. Let me explain...
Yesterday, a new storm rolled in. It was a blizzard of "Uncertain Circumstances". The problem was, the last storm hadn’t cleared up yet. I wasn’t sure we could handle any more snow!
I am sure you can relate! We all go through a "winter season" in our life that seem to have more than its fair share of problems and heartache. Entering into my 5th year of winter, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of spring. Instead, I got another blizzard.
A couple of years ago I wouldn't have taken the news of the oncoming blizzard very well. I would have worried and complained about it to all that would listen. However, this morning was different. With just enough knowledge to be dangerous, I knew God needed to be first in line to listen.
As I prepared for my morning quiet time, I remembered that I needed to put a load of clothes in the washer. Quickly, I ran down stairs to complete the chore. As I was pouring the laundry detergent in the washer I thought about how thankful I was to have a washing machine and detergent. I reminded myself that I do have a lot to be thankful for. So, I made a decision to thank God for everything I could thank Him for during the day. I figured this would be the best way to get back at Satan for trying to use this new blizzard to smother me. Word's of gratitude! That would be a good weapon! I ran back up stairs, happy about my plan of attack, ready to start my quiet time.
I just started a new study, "Can we talk?” by Priscilla Shirer. The study teaches you how to have conversations with God by reading His word. Eventually this would re-train me to rely more on the Spirit. Well, I am here to say day one worked. The spirit was at work and I was listening.

My assignment was to read James 3:8-11.
"but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring?"

How funny to read about the dangers of the tongue!" I had just made a decision to retaliate against my enemy today with praises to my Lord and Father. This trilled me so I dug a little deeper to see if there was anything else God wanted me to know. What I learned was I had to take action, to make a decision. How was I going to react to the uncertain circumstances? Was I going to allow Satan to use my tongue to dispense "deadly words of poison"? Or, would I allow the Holy Spirit to use it to dispense the "antidote"- "truthful words of life".
God also showed me that the enemy loved the blizzard that had just come into my life. The cold weather normally shuts me down and fills my heart with despair. One of the enemy's greatest weapons is my tongue that speaks from my heart of total despair. If I choose to give my tongue to him at this moment it will spew poison that will cause injury, illness and death to my loved ones. However, if I choose to give my tongue to the Holy Spirit during the blizzard I could speak words of life, hope and encouragement that will actually melt the snow!
The blizzard that came in so suddenly I thought was here to teach to "let go" again... But actually it was here to show me the fruit of a sanctified heart, "My words": Matthew 12:34 says that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." The key is out of the abundance of the heart, that is, "what is in the heart?"-
God was in my heart! Finally! I have been running hard after Him for the past 4 years begging for understanding. Now I understand. His ways do not always make sense, but they are always for the good of those who love Him. Today, I made the right choice. I gave my tongue to God and He poured from my heart words of life that would offer words encouragement to those little ears around me that I love so much!
Thank you God! You are so good!
Julie Peck

Do you see the Jesus in you?

Do you see "Jesus" in you?

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." 2Cor. 3:18 ESV

When you look in the mirror do you see the Jesus in you? I feel like that kitten looking in the mirror, not sure I agree with what I see. Really, if you think about it, we are all so uniquely made by our Heavenly Father, put here on this earth with the intent of being transformed to the image of His son. I never thought about it before, me- being transformed to the image of Christ.

One reason I never entertained the thought was because I compared myself to other Christian's. I could never be that good! You know those kinds of people. They are so good at teaching, memorizing and serving. I kept comparing myself to the way "she" did things not realizing that God never intended for me to be like "her".

If God put us all here, on this earth, for this particular generation, to live in our small town with specific and certain people.. With my unique personality because He placed me in the care of two particular people... Then the Jesus in me is not going to look like the Jesus in you. Am I right??

"The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens me morning by morning; He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple."Isaiah 50:4

We are being transformed to the image of Christ through our trials and sufferings... to be able to speak a "word" to the weary.
My trials are much different than "hers". So, what a freeing moment for me!!! My Jesus may look and sound "a bit" different than yours, but we are all speaking the same "word".

Ok, so what I am trying to say is... We all speak the same language, but are able to speak to certain people God has granted us opportunity to speak to...
Wow!! How exciting to know that My God has placed me here and put me in a certain environment to learn how to speak a certain "word" that will help the one that is weary!!! Praise God! There is a purpose and a reason why we are all here!

What one word do you have for the "one who is weary" on your particular path of life????

Love you all!!

Julie Peck

Is that all it takes?

I have been studying the story of Lazarus, Martha and Mary with hopes to end with a written bible study that will help others through the 2ND stages of grief. My focus has been on Martha and how she reacted to the death of her brother. I have found in this story a beautiful pearl (or mustard seed) of wisdom. I saw how Martha’s small, mustard seed-sized faith transitioned to full trust that would allow Jesus to heal her broken heart. The transition happened when she finally dropped her expectations of how her life should have been! When she finally let go and let God, the prayers from her grief-stricken, broken heart were answered abundantly beyond what she could have ever thought to ask for! Beyond her wildest dreams!
I began to put myself in her shoes (or sandals) and a new thought dawned on me.
A huge part of me died the night Jack went to Heaven. For the past 4 years, I have been trying to understand and figure out why I could not find a whole lot of joy in my life. Coping and struggling through the motions of “every day” was how I was getting by. I missed the old me, the one who could laugh and have fun. Where did that part of me go? That “happy” part of me seemed to have died after going through such heavy grief. What really began to bother me was the statement Jesus said, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”John 10:10 Where was this abundant life? I began to dig through my bible. I found that right before He makes this promise, He reminds us that: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”John 10:10
It hit me like a ton of bricks… Jack, my son, was not going to be raised from the dead like Lazarus. He was not going to walk out of a tomb to live again with me here on this earth. However, if I truly believed what the bible said, I would understand that Jack wasn’t the one who needed to be raised from the dead… He is alive in Heaven. I’m the one that needs to be raised from the dead! The power of Jesus will be seen in the miracle of resurrecting “Julie Peck” from the” joyless living dead” to a new life of joyfully living!
The thief did his part, just like God promised us! He killed, He Stole and He Destroyed! And I was allowing him to do it over and over again on a daily basis! What I was failing to realize was, if I focused my eyes on Jesus, trusted Him, and dropped my expectations of how I thought my life should be…. He would give me a new life to live more abundantly!
I know, it’s a hard one to grasp on a daily, moment by moment basis. But, reality is, this is my new life, and Jackson Smith Peck has a new home. So, what and who am I going to believe? The one who keeps lying to me... Or the one who promise’s me a new joyful life? Understanding that from death comes new life brings a new joy to life. It puts everything into a new perspective. Jackson got to go home at the age of 4 because finished what he came here to do. I’m still here, so I must not be finished! No sense is wasting the rest of my life with why’s and what if’s! Instead, I’m going to choose God’s plan by letting go and letting God! I want just what Martha got; answers to my prayers that are abundantly beyond what I could ever think to ask for! Beyond my wildest dreams!

I love you this much!

Real love stories never have endings.
--Richard Bach

I love this quote! As I look forward to tomorrow’s celebration of Valentine’s Day, I find myself both happy and sad. It reminds us all that we love and are loved. Have you ever thought about the best "I love you" ever expressed to you personally? Was in 4th grade when your crush gave you a "Huge Hershey Kiss" at lunch so all your friends could share in the excitement? Was it the first valentine spent with the one you would spend the rest of your life with? Was it when you got to experience the day with your kids, oh how they love to celebrate this sugar filled holiday! I really love all my memories of celebrating the ones I love. Now days it is especially hard knowing one has moved on and I cannot physically wrap my arms around him to show him how much I love him. The flip side of this revelation is I have come realized what the most important "I Love You" has been for me. It has been "The Cross". The biggest I love you I ever got was the day Jesus died on the cross. On that day God shouted.... "I Love You This Much!!" This thought brings me to a memory I have of being a child. My grandmother used to ask me, "How much do you love me?" and I would reply by stretching my arms out as far as they would go behind my back and say " I love you this much" ... as much as my 4 year old arms could give...
Wow... just like our God.... He stretched out His arms as wide as He could and said “This Much"... He gave as much as He could give to show us just how much He loves us! Tomorrow as you show your loved ones how much you care... remember to give as your Father has given... Love with no end!
Happy heart day.. Smith, Maddie, Macie , and Jack!
Love,
Mom

25 Random Things About Me?

Have you been asked to do the "25 Random Things About Me" on face book yet? I fianlly gave in, sat down and made myself do it. It was a challenge! I thought I would share....

1. I said I was not going to do this, but here I am!.. (Hmmm...Could this be the theme of my life?!)

2. I love to laugh! Laughter has put my heart back together. I have learned through my grief that "laughing" is the way I "cry" best. (Watching "Arrested development" and "The Office" helped during my deepest days of grief... of course after I spent many hours talking to God.. ) Instead of bringing flowers and chocolates to lift my spirits, Smith would rent me the full season episodes of my favorite funny shows and I would watch and laugh for hours.. ) God has to have the best sense of humor.. I can't wait to meet Him!

3. I secretly want to be a standup comedian.. But I'm not really that funny. I know this because my kids tell me so...

4. I love to do crazy, "out of the box" things daily. It makes life fun. It helps balance my natural tendency to be too serious. In fact this year I have taken a stand against the sadness in my house. 2009 is the year of FUN!!!!!

5. I love God, my husband Smith of 18 yrs. and my children Maddie, Macie and Jack more than I ever thought possible. I have learned that you really don't know how much you love someone, until they are gone. Lesson learned... Now, I know!

6. If you told me 5 years ago that I would be a contemplating which bible study to do next.. I would have called you crazy! Never in my life would I have imagined being so taken by God's word. I love the way He has showered me with Love and Compassion and through that I have learned to see His truth, which initiated for the first time in my life, real life change in me! (I know that was a really long "run on sentence". Please forgive me. HA!)

7. I bet most of you did not know.... when I was 18, I sent a video tape of me impersonating Rosanna, Rosanna Danna to Saturday night live. I was certain they would take one look at my performance and be blown away! You guessed it..Lorne Michaels never called me so I went ahead with plan "B". Jacksonville State University!! (I should have given more thought to plan B??)

8. Good things came from plan B... It led to plan "C". Having a baby then getting married and all before the age of 19. Do you see a theme here? I am not a very good planner!!! But I have learned to roll with the punches!

9. Right now as I type, there are at least 15 wild turkeys running through my back yard. They are very loud and annoying! I should get bonus points for this one.. It’s extremely random.

10. I am the poster child for Romans 8:28 - "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”. I know I keep God on His toes. It amazes me how He has taken my very unplanned plans, A- C, and worked them together for my good.... just because He loves me!

11. I Read a good quote this morning... "The marvel of the Redemptive Reality of God is that the worst and the vilest can never get to the bottom of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but to reveal His Son in him" Oswald Chambers-
Reality check... once again..It’s not about making me... it's about realizing who we already are through HIM!!!!

12. I am learning to "Rest in God's work" ...When I notice anxiety creeping in, I literally close my eyes and visualize myself pushing whatever the issue is before God's feet. I feel free to enjoy the day and trust that God's in control.

13. When I don’t know what to do... I just do the next thing... most of the time that involves a trip to the dairy queen... Ha!

14. Here's another random thing about me... I love to talk for animals. Let me explain... I might see a horse in a field while driving my daughter to school... I love to start a conversation pretending I am the horse talking to me or another horse... weird, but it just comes so natural for me... I do it without thinking.

15. One crazy thing I did this past Christmas... I auditioned to be on a show that will be airing this year on the Food Network. I have not heard anything yet, and YES, it’s one heck of a long shot. However, it was a wonderful distraction during the Christmas season... which is always so hard for me! Grief makes you do some really crazy things!

16. I also was able to contribute to a book project last year. I wrote one chapter about why I felt led to speak out of tragedy. It was so much fun. I have felt led to write a book, but it seems to be such an overwhelming task... I guess now that I have done one chapter, maybe God will call me to do more?

17. Weird? The bathroom in our master bedroom only has a tub? No shower? Who would do that?

18. My dog's name is Fluke. The reason I named him fluke was because he showed up one day in my front yard and never left. After two weeks of being told not to feed him... I finally gave in... I fed him and thought... what a fluke! It was a total fluke that we had this dog. He still has not left to go back home.

19. I love to cook!

20. I have learned so much through my journey of grief!# 1 lesson- God is real! #2 - What used to matter doesn’t really matter at all... #3 - I got to know myself. #4 - I have more fun...
#5-Relationship are most important to God ... then we will follow the rules! (I used to think it was the other way around and it kept me out of church!)

21. I ask for forgiveness every day...

22. "Is this a masquara worthy day?" - A quote by the one and only, Julie Peck.

23. I love that I came up with that quote because; I didn’t used to cry in front of other people. I have learned that tears show how much we care.

24. One small regret, I wish I had raised my children from the very beginning to love God the way I do today. My heart aches to fully understand now what my role is as a mother. However, God is faithful and can redeem and repair and make new!

25. I cannot wait to go to Heaven. The thought of my family being all together again drives me daily to live this life well…. I can almost feel the amazing hug that is waiting for me!

God Opened Her Eyes

Just then God opened her eyes. She looked. She saw a well of water.
Gen 21:19 (MSG)

Why is it so hard sometimes to study God’s word? Ever heard that whisper early in the morning just before the sun rises? “Come and meet with me.” You feel this tug at your heart persuading you to go to that place where you meet with God. It begs you to get up, and you stay still. Why? Is it because we feel like we are going to be condemned or reprimanded for all the things we did wrong the day before. Constantly saying, I’m sorry! I not perfect! and I tried! Get’s old. You know what I’ve learned when I feel this way, but obey the tug in my heart. I meet a God who opens my eyes, once again, to see how much He loves me.
A couple of days ago I agreed to the early morning invitation, and was amazed by what God showed me. I was reading in Genesis about the story of Hagar and Ishmael. They were asked to leave the only home they had ever known. Sarah felt that Ishmael, Abraham’s illegitimate son, was a threat to her son’s inheritance. Abraham packs Hagar some food and a skin of water and then sends them away. With no time to plan, a devastated Hagar wanders off with her son into the desert of Beersheba. Suddenly she finds herself with a sick and dying son with no water or food to save him. Exhausted and out of hope she is forced to lay him down under a bush to die. Her mother’s heart couldn’t bare to hear him cry when she could do nothing to save him. All she could do now is walk away. I can imagine her body, curled in a tight ball sobbing uncontrollably. When all of a sudden she hears a voice, “What’s wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, God has heard the boy cry and knows what is going on. Up now, go get your boy. Hold him tight. I’m going to make him a great nation.” With these words, God opened her eyes. She looks up to see a well of water that would restore her son’s life. God promises Hagar that He will be with Ishmael as he grows up. He lived in the desert of Paran and became a skilled archer. At peace, Hagar leaves her son and goes to Egypt.
At first glance this is a very touching story that shows God’s heart. Take a second glance and your eyes will be opened to see God’s plan. Isn’t it interesting, that Hagar and her son leave with only one skin of water? She wanders off and happens to land in the desert of Beersheba, which in Hebrew means “well of seven springs”. God has her wander to a place that happens to have seven wells of water. Surprisingly when she gets there she’s out of water… ha!! God plans every little detail! She sees no hope for her dehydrated son so lays him under a bush to die. She leaves his side because she cannot bare to watch. She cries out and the Angle of the Lord appears and tells her not to be afraid. He opens her eyes to see the answer to her prayers. The well was there the whole time, she just couldn’t see it. God is the only one that can open our eyes to see the solution to our problems in the desert.
God then gives her the peace to leave her son there with Him to grow up. God teaches Ishmael to become an archer in the desert of paren. An Archer was a skilled warrior that used a Bow and Arrow. In the psalms we read that the bow was a sign that God was in action.
God is always in action! This story gives hope to the mother who is begging God to heal her sick child. It also gives peace to the mother who has lost a child. We never know when our eyes will be opened to see the well. He will lead some to the well of healing water and give others the peace to leave their precious little ones with Him. We wander, but He knows where we must go. While our paths may be different, if we will trust, they will all lead to same destination, our Heavenly home.

Huddle up!

Good morning,
I was inspired to send out some words of encouragement today.. So I emailed all of my girlfriends this morning and wanted you to be a part of it... God bless Julie


OK,

I know you all think that I am crazy any ways so just put up with my idea.....

I was speaking to a friend yesterday that is grieving the death of a child. She broke my heart!She is at the beginning of her journey and is searching for guidance. Her biggest concern was that her family was falling apart. Her and her husband were drifting due to the overwhelming sadness. Her children were avoiding her because looking at her in such a sad state made them painfully aware of reality. Avoidance is a usual mode of defense with grief. It is much easier to look to the distractions of daily life than dealing with ripple effects of the death. She ended our phone conversation with a question, "Why would God allow this to happen to our family after all we have been through?" When I got off of the phone with her I kept thinking to myself how in the world did I get where I am at today???? My journey was not perfect, but my family is still together. Our relationships with one another are surprisingly stronger than before Jack died. If I had to boil it down to one piece of advice for her it would be God. I did not have a relationship with Him at the time of my son's death but began to seek out one with Him selfishly because I wanted to know who was caring for my son. On the other hand, God sought out to have a relationship with me unselfishly to show how much He loved me. He wanted me to be at peace. He did that by placing Godly people in my life to help me along the way. I thought all day about calling her back to tell her not to give up. She needed to know there was an unseen battle being fought over her. The enemy was not God, it was Satan. He not only wanted her paralyzed by grief for the rest of her life, but to destroy her family and the generations to come. She had to change her prospective to see the real enemy. It was time for her to fight back! I fight daily for my family and marriage. The end result gives glory to God and honor's my son. No way do I want to fall into the trap Satan created the night my son went to Heaven. He wanted the death of the Peck family here on earth. My mission is to turn his evil into Good! Stand and proclaim Life instead of death. " I just wanted to express to her with every gasping last breath that over my dead body would I allow Satan to have any glory from Jack's death! My mind kept going to the words huddle up. My friend needed to know that, Now is the time to gather your family together ... Proclaim to them that "We must come together not drift apart!" Would it honor the loved one that has passed to look down from Heaven to see all was destroyed?

I think the message is applicable to all of us on this journey of life. We have got to "Huddle up Girls" and hold each other accountable and encourage one another to live this life, and live it Well! We need to be the mothers and wives that God has called us to be! So today girls I encourage you to "Huddle up!"

Here are the words to a song that captured my spirit today.... Its from Natalie Grant's CD Awaken.....

"Something Beautiful"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oWmK8_T6J8


This is a song for anyone whose ever been knocked down and can't get back again stuck in the corner, can't move forward All alone and you think you're going nowhere this is a song for anyone whose ever stood underneath the sun and felt so small, two feet tall and so out of place He sees you- he knows you- he loves you and wants you to know that...
The life that you've been living, the days that you've been given were made for something beautiful .. Life... Don't let it pass you by .. because you were created for something beautiful... Heaven holds dreams that's just for you and there are things only you can do so step by faith, put the past away... It'll take you to a better day!!!!!

Love you guys..

Julie