Peace in Adversity

So last week (since I am already behind) was the week leading up to my fall break. You know how sometimes, when you're in anticipation mode, time seems to slow down? Well that was my life while waiting to go home and be with friends and family for five blissful days. Patience is not always a strong suit of mine. 

While I was making plans to go visit and hang out with a wide variety of people from all ages and walks of life, and also while doing life here in Chattanooga that week, with my roommates and friends getting excited and anxious for the weekend, wrapping up some last minute homework assignments or tests... The theme that kept being hit upon my heart was that peace is hard to come by.

I love that my faith places value in adversity. I think that that aspect of Christianity, especially in comparison to other religions, is an aid in finding true peace. If there is value in hard times, then there must be hope for the future and from that hope springs peace.

My friend gave me these verses in a letter she wrote to me. I find it hard not to be encouraged by these words.

Romans 5:1-5 says:
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

The peace of the Lord be with you this week! 
Love,
Paula