Passing the Peace
The words are in the red letters: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”
And sometimes, He gives me His red-letter peace through a red-letter sister.
***
We were sitting at the long church tables, with the silverware and children clattering and chattering around us. We’d finished our baked potatoes and lemonade and ice-cream sandwiches. The pianist was stringing together first notes of a prelude in the adjoining sanctuary. We didn’t have much time to chat, but the friend leaned in closer anyway.
With her elbows on the table, she put her hands under her chin and asked the question slowly: “How are you?”
I told her about the bit of anxiety churning in me. Nothing big — certainly nothing compared to what she’d been going through — but my insides were doing backflips anyhow.
She nodded and smiled and patted my hands. Without words, she passed the peace. I knew her red-letter language.
***
The service ended with the hymn, “Chief of Sinners.”
“Jesus only can impart
Balm to heal the smitten heart
Peace that flows from sin forgiven
Joy that lifts the soul to Heaven”
She waited for me in the center aisle, her soft eyes still whispering peace to anxious me.
She pulled the stone from her pocket — the stone with the dove and the single word: Peace.
She’d carried the peace stone in her pocket for nearly three years. A chaplain gave it to her after her husband was in a car accident. His arm had been amputated, and reattached, and he’s permanently disabled with chronic pain.
Someone passed her Peace. And she gave it to me. Me, with my worries so small.
“I want you to have this,” she said. “God will be with you tomorrow. Do not worry. You have God’s peace.”
And the tummy flips stopped
and the tears threatened to spill over
and even now when I think about this messenger of peace
my heart swells.
I carried Peace in my pocket yesterday.
I felt the smooth groove of the stone when — voice shaking — I delivered a morning message to a group of women about postpartum depression, something I rarely talk about publicly. Peace ….
I felt the stone when the little girl at school asked if I’d walk with her down the empty hallway. “I’m scared to go alone,” she said, and we talked about Jesus as we walked. Peace…
I felt it again that evening when we walked into the hospital waiting room, to find the wife crying. Things had taken a turn for the worst. We bowed our heads and prayed that God would cover her with peace. Peace …
God did not leave us as orphans. He gave us His Spirit, and on His wings, He delivers His perfect peace.
It’s contagious, this Peace. And I want to spread it, too.
Today, I carry Peace in my pocket again. And I pass the peace to you, dear one. May your weekend be filled with peace that passes understanding.
Peace. Pass it on …
PHOTO: My friend’s Peace
passed to me.
OH, friend. I'm holding out my hands. Today, you are one of those flesh-angels. No wings required.
I have a little stone like that with a cross on it that finds its way into my pocket quite frequently. Peace to you.
Passing the blessings of peace….I love it….from one heart to another.
Hugs, andrea
Praise the LORD! Thankful you spoke about your postpartum depression. I'm sure your story helped set another free.
This post is again from your heart, friend. Real. Powerful. Beautiful. Pointing me back to Him, my peace.
Thank you! Wish I'd stop in daily. Actually if we lived closer I'm share we'd share HIS PEACE.
Love you,
Tiffany
I surely needed this sister as I go to work tonight where it's always chaotic and the battle is fierce! Thank you! God bless and your words always soothe my spirit. Glory to God!
Yes–peace from the Spirit like nothing the world can provide. Praying over you with words of peace this mid-day.
This was beautiful. I am going to make one of those and pass the peace that surpasses all understanding to a sister in Christ who lost her job on Tuesday.
Jennifer, thank you for being so real and sharing about post partum depression. You are precious. Stay warm today!!
Hugs!
Susan
Oh and I receive it, Sweet Sister! There's nothing like His Perfect Peace!!
Sweet Blessings!
Jackie
I so needed that. Thanks for listening to the voice that nudged you to pass it on.
Amen! I just love this! I hear you sister..
Wylie
Beautiful Jennifer, I could use something like that for instant comfort…
This is a great idea! I am so in need of visual reminders throughout my day to stay focused on Him. This is also a wonderful thing to pass on.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Such tangible peace–the stone, the dove.
The friend.
The Spirit.
Thank you. Sometimes we need to hear this message and I received it through you today.
Very nice. 🙂
What a blessing to have a friend really lean in and listen–and not just with her ears, but with her heart. The tangible peace dove is beauty too.
Blessings.
You have no idea how timely this post is for me.
thank you for this simple, yet powerful reminder… It really is a choice. an annointing. thank you for sharing it with us!! xoxo LA
Amazing! It is so wonderful how God gives us that peace that we know is HIM because in the natural we would be basket cases. Praise God for HIM and his perfect peace.
mmmm, I was up all night with the baby, trying not to worry about the mommy I will be today. I need that peace and I'm counting on Him to fill me with His Spirit so that I will recieve it. Thank you for passing me a little peace!
I received a beautiful bloggers award and wanted to pass one on to you as one of my top 15 favorite blogs!
Sweet Jennifer,
I saw your title and had to stop in this morning. Your the only blog that I can go to today. My post today cries out to the Lord. Your post here speaks volumes to me and the posts before this one.
Thank you for passing the peace onto me today. I am in much need of that.
I love you so much dear friend. I need to come by here much more often. When there are so many blogs to respond to, sometimes I get overwhelmed and that is not what blogging is suppose to be about.
So…Your words as I read them just now…gave me peace.
Big Hugs,
Alleluiabelle
I got chills reading this…beautiful way to pass it peace along. Peace be with you today, tomorrow and always.
All about some "peace" sister, and I need a stone to carry myself. So glad you held some this week.
peace~elaine
Jennifer, if hope is birthed of faith, then joy is birthed of peace. All I've been going through has been undergirded with faith and peace. I therefore know that when hope and joy may become so much lighter as to be elusive, they will yet again find their substance.
I love you. I thank you for everything you've been to help sustain my peace.
Where at in Iowa? I'm originally from Moville, Iowa outside of Sioux City. I love the name of your blog!