Ring the Bell for Your Freedom! A Guest Post by Jennifer White #Peace4Chicks

In our latest series, "SOLID P.E.A.C.E. in a ShAkY World," we've explored 5 Principles that, when applied to our lives ~ in faith ~ can increase our peace. Team C4C is thrilled to include this powerful testimony from Jennifer White of New Leaf Publishing as our final article to this series. Jennifer offers a real life story that conveys how these 5 principles work! We know it will greatly bless and encourage you today! Please consider sharing this with others. Thank you!

Team C4C


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Did you see the movie, The Help? A maid named Abilene teaches the young girl she's hired to raise who she is. She tells her, "you is kind, you is smart, and you is important." The little girl repeats it back to her. The scene captured my heart. Abilene spoke words every girl wants to hear. She poured truth into a child whose mother could not.

In a later scene, Abilene sweeps the chastised girl up, sets her down away from the commotion. Then she reinforces the truth before the mother's words and actions have a chance to take root. The young fictional character had a chance to overcome the lies she was experiencing.

I got that same chance when a Christian counselor walked me through a list of lies people believe about themselves. I was living as if over 75% of them were true. She introduced me to the power of speaking God’s words. She prayed the truths of scriptures out loud with me. She helped me apply them. She recommended I pray the prayers written in Prayers that Avail Much by Germaine Copeland. I also participated in Beth Moore's Bible studies. Thanks to Beth for not only teaching the Bible but also modeling a life based on Truth through her writing. She taught Isaiah 32:17,"And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever (NLT)."

DING DING DING! The bell for my freedom had rung.

I had suffered from a lack of peace, an unquiet mind, and wavering confidence for over 30 years. I had discovered my answer. Righteousness was the prescription and I was going to take it! I needed to remember that I was given Christ’s righteousness at the point that I trusted Him as my Savior! (See 2 Corinthians 5:21.) As I studied His Word, I began to witness God's character and feel safe with Him. The truth of His love for me helped me to relax. I began to make decisions for myself and my marriage that agreed with God. The voices of the many people I was trying to appease no longer weighted the scales. Believing the Bible became easier than believing people's opinions and rules.

One of the Truths I started practicing was 2 Timothy 1:7. As I recognized my fears, I reminded myself that God’s Spirit lived in me and was filling me with His power, His love, and His soundness of mind. I felt fear. But I chose to practice my position regardless of the fear that people would judge me, criticize me, or not like me.

During this time of transformation, my husband and I began to build a home in another state. I HATED the idea. I was scared of losing friends, being away from aging parents, and being isolated. One day I finally surrendered. I told God, “I can’t submit to him, but I can to submit to You. And if this Your plan for my life, I will go.” I accepted God’s sovereignty. I believed He could and would work all things out for my good. 

Later, I read the passage where Jesus sends His disciples to take a man's donkey. The disciples asked, what if the owner asks why we are taking His donkey. Jesus replied, "Tell him my master has need of it." Jesus had eternal perspective. He could see the big picture. With that verse, His Spirit assured me that He had need of this house we were building. That day I cast my fears (my cares) to God whom I had learned trust.

I still had days where my feelings struggled for first place. I grumbled about how this wasn’t my idea and much more. But God whispered a quiet truth that I’ll never forget: “Jennifer, you get excited about what I’ve done. Why don’t you get excited about what I’m going to do?” These reassuring words confirmed to me He had a plan. He was asking me to have faith in a future I couldn’t see. I have begun to expect God to do more than I could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). After six years, I have a few answers regarding why He needed this home. I enjoy living here so much more than I anticipated. Peace is now a word I would use to describe my life. Confidence and quietness are taking over my inward conversations. My marriage is peaceful and exciting. He sent me an Abilene to teach me the truth about Who He is and who I am because of Him. His Truth overcame the lies initiated by the enemy of my soul.

 More about the author...

Jennifer White is wife to David and step-mother to Lance and Deanna. She directs the marketing for New Leaf Publishing Group, a Christian book publisher located in Northwest Arkansas. She blogs at jenniferowhite.com where she shares inspiration to lean into God. She is in the process of co-writing one of a series of books on prayer for wives.

SOLID P.E.A.C.E. in a sHaKy World! #Peace4Chicks

         I was absolutely scared out of my wits. All I remember about that moment was the instinct to RUN! So that is what I did. I ran. I ran as fast as I could. I didn't even realize at the time that I was also stopping bystanders in their tracks with my blood-curdling screams. I didn't know I was screaming. I knew I was being chased and I knew I wouldn't stop running until I found a safe place where the man chasing me couldn't hurt me. In my own memory banks, this moment in time looks like something out of a movie. All I can see is what is before me and how far I have yet to run. All around me is a blur—as though time stopped in all respects except for this chase.
As soon as I got to my safe place, I felt PEACE immediately because I trusted in the one I was running to this whole time. And when the mall security officer caught his breath, he looked at my mom with a helpless expression and said, “All I was trying to do was to tell her not to run.” But in my 3 or 4 year old mind, I was being chased, and there was only one place to find safety: in the arms of my mother.
Peace. We all long for more of it, don’t we? We hear the word and there’s an internal response. With this in mind, take a moment to write down your own thoughts on Peace:
• How would you define peace? (What is it?)

• How would you describe peace? (How does it feel? What does it ‘look’ like?)

• Where do you find yourself on the “Peace o Meter?”

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I wouldn’t know Peace if I bumped into it at the Mall                          I could use some Peace                       If I were more peaceful, I’d be a liquid

In our study time together over these next 5 segments, we’re going to invest in our own Peace Factor by studying the best example of One who understood and lived out the Peace that passes all understanding. We’re going to spend some time with the Prince of Peace as we study the life and times of the Prince of Peace. I mean, who would know better how to hold onto His peace than the One who invented it and holds within Himself that very quality? Right?

Read: Luke 2:40-52
In this short passage, we get to read the only biblical reference to what Jesus was like as a child and adolescent. I am confident the Holy Spirit spoke to you as you read these verses. Take just a moment to jot down anything that came to your mind as you read the Scripture passage:



• Luke 2:40 describes Jesus in some pretty specific ways. Write down those descriptions here:


We can see in just these three verses that this was a family dedicated to God and to each other. Jesus was growing physically and spiritually under the guidance of his earthly parents. The Amplified Bible says that “the Child became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and the grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him.”  Jesus on earth revealed to all of us what God in the flesh looks like. This is key to understanding our position in Christ so that we can begin to practice our position in Christ...

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This is an excerpt out of the newest study guide that accompanies our newest series, "Solid PEACE in a Shaky World." We would LOVE for you to join us for this series if you're in the Atlanta, GA area. We have two locations on two nights each week to serve you. Not local? We have an option for you as well. You can find our teaching videos online each week after they've been recorded on site and you can purchase your copy of the study guide online as well. (The above article is only a portion of the Week One study section.) Please visit us at www.church4chicks.com for all the info!

Real Peace? It REALLY is possible!