Browsing Tag

peace

Blog, Faith, Marriage, Parenting, prayer

Labor Day: When the bough breaks

I don’t know why Labor Day was created, but my life also sometimes feels like labor–the continual, agonizing pains of childbirth:

  • financial challenges
  • marriage problems
  • our grown kids’ struggles
  • disappointments
  • stress upon stress, until I feel like I’m going to break.

Maybe breaking is what God is after in me. 

Brokenness.

Humility.

Obedience.

Surrender.

The breaking reminds me for some reason of the children’s nursery rhyme and lullaby, Rock-a-by, Baby:

baby in tree top -http://www.crystalinks.com/rockabyebaby.jpg

baby in tree top
http://www.crystalinks.com/rockabyebaby.jpg

Part of the lyrics say:

Rock-a-by, baby, on the tree top

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock.

And when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,

Down will come baby, cradle and all. 

What a strange nursery rhyme! 

Why would a baby be on top of a tree?

Why does the cradle rock gently when the wind blows?

Why doesn’t it come crashing down right away?

crib

crib

There are various theories to explain the origins of this lullaby.

One suggests it narrates a mother rocking a baby to sleep like the baby is riding on the treetops during a breeze. Then when she lowers the baby to the crib, the song says, “Down will come baby.”

Another theory says it may have been written by an English immigrant observing native American women rocking their babies in birch-bark cradles, suspended from the branches of trees and allowing the wind to rock the baby to sleep. But the words appeared in print first in England, c. 1765.

A third theory is that the baby is the son of James VII and II, widely believed to be someone’s child smuggled into the birthing room to provide a Roman Catholic heir for James. The wind may be the Protestant “wind” or force blowing from the Netherlands, bringing his nephew and son-in-law William of Orange. He deposed King James II in the revolution. The cradle is the House of Stuart. Some nursery rhymes are political in origin.

At any rate, the wind blows…sometimes too hard, and then it all comes smashing down. 

What then?

Only that instead of “laboring” and striving in our own strength, rest in God.

Trust Him.

Lay your burdens and stress at His feet and let Him take care of it all…and cradle you.

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days Holley Gerth

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days
Holley Gerth

I love what Holley Gerth wrote in her little devotional book, What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days, pp. 26-27:

“When the day seems difficult, when you’re weary, when you feel like a failure…God is encouraging you. For so long I thought of him as standing by and shaking his head as he wondered, “Why can’t you get it all together?” But that’s not his heart toward us at all. To encourage literally means “to give courage,” and that’s what God wants to do for us on the hard days. He says to us, “I’m here. I will help you. I will give you strength to take one more step.” He looks at your life with infinite love and tenderness. And he knows how hard it is to be us sometimes. He lived in this world. He experienced pain. He died on a cross. Jesus understands how brutal this world can be...What if, on the days when it’s hard for you to get out of bed, you imagined him reaching out to lift you up instead of being disappointed in you? What if he’s cheering you as you take your first step into a day that’s not one you want to face? What if instead of saying, “Get it together,” he’s whispering, “Let’s do this together”? That changes everything. And it can change us.”

 

 

 

 

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What storm are you in now? Journaling questions from Facebook Virtual Book Launch

Storm TossedThis week I had my Facebook Virtual Book Launch Celebration for my first ever fiction eBook, Storm Tossed, which became an Amazon Best Seller in its category and sub-categories the FIRST day. Thank you for helping to make this possible!

During the launch, I shared encouraging Scriptures and inspiring quotes, and asked questions about storms. I thought I’d share them here with you for you to think, pray, and journal about today. Feel free to answer one or some of these in the comments below.

1. Have you been in a hurricane or another disaster? Share a little about it-what happened, when, and where?

2. What spiritual or emotional storms have you been through in life? For example, mine would be my difficult marriage with Ray for 23 years. We’ve faced his career struggles, financial hardship, foreclosure of our home, bankruptcy, health issues, and so much more. You can read more about this in my memoir, Promises In The Dark: One Woman’s Search for Authentic Love. (By God’s grace we’re still together!)

3. What did God teach you through the storm? Many of the women who attended the event said that they had learned to rely on God during their worst moments, to know that He would never leave them.

4. Is there anyone or anything you’re putting your faith or trust in other than God? For example, we so often turn to other people, sex, food, money/success, addictions such as alcohol, drugs or pornography, entertainment, careers or ministry, social media, etc., to try to fill up that black hole inside of us, which is a God-void.

5. What can you do to experience more peace in your life? Have quiet time with God first thing in the morning? Talk with a friend over coffee? Go for a walk? Get a massage? Read a good book? Watch a chic flic? Take a  hot bubble bath? Travel someplace new?

6. Rachel in Storm Tossed doesn’t listen to her husband Jackson, their daughter Faith, or anyone to evacuate before the hurricane hits. Do you have trouble listening to God or others? I know for myself, this is an area I struggle with, but I’m trying to become a better listener!

7. Rachel was afraid in the hurricane, even though she tried to have faith. All she needed was mustard seed size faith! What area of your life do you need to trust God more? Study the scripture Matthew 17:20. Maybe even buy a mustard seed necklace as a visual reminder to trust in God.

8. Faith keeps her feelings private, except with her mom. Do you have a close friend to talk with about your problems and your feelings? Remember that Jesus is your Friend. You can always come to Him and talk about anything. 

9. Rachel travels to the ocean in Destin, FL, in Storm Tossed to get away from everyone and everything to really think and pray about everything. What is your dream spot, some place where you’d love to go away alone for a break?

10. What storm are you going through right now in your life? Jesus is right there with you, just as He was with the disciples in the boat when they were terrified they would drown. (Matthew 8:23-27)

To find out more about my new fiction eBook, Storm Tossed, click here.

Watch the book trailer here.

 

 

Blog, Business, Ebooks, Faith, Marriage, Parenting, prayer, Spiritual Gifts

Jesus is our peace in the storm

Beth Jones, International Speaker/Author Storm Tossed Launch

Beth Jones, International Speaker/Author
Storm Tossed Launch

Jesus is our peace in the storm.

I’m so excited about the launch my new fiction book, Storm Tossed! You can find my eBook for your Kindle, Storm Tossed, on Amazon for only $2.99 by clicking here. I’d appreciate a review after you read it, and please share with your family and friends!

Below is the book trailer for Storm Tossed.
Click here to view the Storm Tossed Book Trailer.

“Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.” ~ Matthew 8:26, NLT

Below is my other video, You are Not Alone In The Storm.
Click here to view my video.

Below is my audio, You Are Not Alone in the Storm.

As part of celebrating my first ever fiction book launch, below is a powerful picture of a lighthouse in a storm. I added the text myself with Canva online graphic design software.

This image comes from http://farmersalmanac.com/weather/2012/05/28/2012-hurrican-season-forecast/, so please give credit if you use this image.

I hope you like it. To download it, right click and save it to your computer, laptop, Ipad, etc.Jesus is our peace in the storm.  Image resource: http://farmersalmanac.com/weather/2012/05/28/2012-hurrican-season-forecast/

Image resource: http://farmersalmanac.com/weather/2012/05/28/2012-hurrican-season-forecast/