Summer is often a season of slowing down. Our normal routine is paused to welcome a break from school, summer hours at work, trips to the beach or pool, and extra time with family and friends.
The Blessed Is She community wanted to harness the natural way summer invites us to let go of the busyness and breathe a little more deeply, to turn off our phones and turn toward the Lord and those we love.
And so we embarked on a summer of peace, freedom, and living a life in the Holy Spirit.
What’s beautiful about this invitation to rest and abide in the Lord’s peace is that we can remain here for as long as the Lord invites us to stay, and we can return to this theme of peace whenever we find it necessary.
Because Christ’s peace is never out of season.
The Promise of Peace
The eBook The Promise of Peace gave us twenty-one days of prayer and reflection on the peace Christ promises. We took a close look at three areas in which we all desire peace:
- In our minds and hearts
- In our relationships
- In the world around us
We incorporated Scripture for meditation, Church teaching to study, and Saints to guide us along the way. Three BIS writers shared personal anecdotes that breathed life into the concept of peace, which all too often feels just out of reach.
Set Free Summer Challenge
In the BIS app, we took a seven-day challenge—all about letting the Lord set us free. Community members boldly shared what they needed to be set free from, and each day we focused on one area that would allow more room for the Holy Spirit in our lives.
In case you missed it, or would like to revisit the challenge, here are the seven areas we focused on:
- Free your space: Clean out your closet
- Free your peace: Balance your budget
- Free your voice: Sing in the car/house
- Free your mind: Get rid of one book or social media
- Free your insecurity: How do you feel about yourself? (Journal prompt)
- Free your soul: Go to Confession
- Free your joy: Receive the fullness of Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist
Freedom From Shame
Also in the app, Debbie Herbeck joined Beth Davis to talk about all the ways we can feel shame—whether it is about our past, our bodies, or just who we are. And they gave us hope by sharing how Jesus meets us in the dark places of shame and turns everything into light. Visit the app to listen to the replay.
Even More Ways to Remain Free and in His Peace
Lectio Divina
If the theme of peace and freedom continues to resonate with you, perhaps the Lord is asking you to remain with this theme a little longer.
In addition to reviewing the BIS resources noted above, praying with Scripture through the method of lectio divina allows us to abide with the Lord in a unique way.
Below are six Scripture verses for prayerful meditation on the peace of Christ:
In peace I will lie down and fall asleep, for you alone, Lord, make me secure. // Psalm 4:9
Yes, in joy you shall go forth, in peace you shall be brought home; mountains and hills shall break out in song before you, all trees of the field shall clap their hands. // Isaiah 55:12
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. // John 14:27
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world. // John 16:33
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. // Philippians 4:6-7
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. // 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Spiritual Reading
Spiritual reading is another great way to remain in the theme of peace and freedom.
Below are three spiritual books to get you started:
Finding Peace in the Storm: Reflections on St. Alphonsus Liguori's Uniformity with God's Will by Dan Burke breaks open Saint Alphonsus’s eighteenth-century classic and intersperses it with relevant explanations and insights, in order to discover true peace of heart in all circumstances and to foster loving conversation with God. Check out this review on the Blessed Is She blog for more information.
Interior Freedom by Father Jacques Philippe leads readers to discover that even in the most difficult circumstances, we possess a freedom that no one can take away, because it originates from God. Throughout this book, Father Philippe unfolds a simple but important theory: our interior freedom grows in exact proportion to our growth in the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love.
Searching for and Maintaining Peace, also by Father Jacques Philippe, teaches us how to overcome fear and distress while growing in confidence in God. You can learn more about the book, a beloved treatise on peace of heart, here.
Visual Reminders
Sometimes, when we are working to cultivate virtue or remain in the presence of God, surrounding ourselves with visual reminders can be helpful.
The Spirit Collection was designed for your peace of mind and heart. Based on Romans 8, the products in this collection draw us into the reality that the Holy Spirit truly brings us life and peace.
- Stickers to place here and there remind us that God desires to transform our daily lives.
- Journals and stationery help us firmly plant our thoughts in His gentle care.
- And a digital download to frame keeps us rooted in our identity in Christ.
While the summer season may be winding down, let us always desire to continue growing in our relationship with the Prince of Peace, Who offers “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). So we will be able to experience Christ’s peace in every season of our lives.
Sarah Damm is the blog manager and a writer for Blessed Is She. She also is a frequent contributor to other faith-based platforms. Residing in Minnesota with her husband and six children, Sarah was a stay-at-home mom for 21 years, until she returned to the workforce in 2023. Sarah enjoys attending her kids' volleyball, football, basketball, or baseball games (depending on the season). She loves her faith, coffee, walks with her husband, and good books. Read Sarah's posts here. You can find out more about her here.
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