Living with Peace of Soul and Firm Conviction

Living Our May Days

Some days require borrowed prayers. We need the time-tested and true words of Scripture. We need to be challenged by the sturdy prayers that sustained the faith of the cloud of witnesses. Today, I want to share a prayer with you that has carried me through decades of mothering and pondering the mysteries of God’s sovereignty.

I've prayed these words in hospital rooms and on ordinary Tuesdays. I’ve remembered them before my feet hit the floor, and I’ve forgotten them until the chaos hit the fan. The words are old and formal, but they’re never out of date:

"Teach me to treat all that comes to me this day
with peace of soul
and with the firm conviction
that your will governs all."

Peace of soul is more than just a pleasant thought. It's more than gooey feelings or a happy-clappy optimism. It's a way of seeing the world that has been supported by Scripture and rests on a firm belief in God's sovereignty and goodness.

No stray atoms.
No maverick molecules.
Nothing that happens today (or any day) will come as a surprise to God.

The image below is a mobile phone lock screen you can save to help you commit the prayer to memory. If you were to take a walk up Windy Hill with me, this is what we would see on a blue-sky morning in springtime.

A New Plan for You on the Bible App

I’m happy to have a new devotional plan up and running on the Bible app. It’s called “Moving Through Grief (Without Getting Stuck).

Grief comes to everyone sooner or later, and whether it’s the death of a loved one or the loss of some cherished aspect of our life or identity, God’s Word is crucial for grieving well. Past hurts have a habit of snagging our hearts in unexpected moments, but God provides abundant grace to help the believer move through grief without getting stuck and without wasting the opportunity to walk more closely with the Lord who lightens our darkness. Click on the button to find the new seven-day plan:

May Book Briefs

Three Book Briefs this month, each one a practical and challenging resource. If one intrigues you, click on the button to check out the full review over on the website, where you’ll find hundreds of book recommendations.

As you may already know, I share a post at Living Our Days every Wednesday, musing on the books I’m reading and the grace I’ve been receiving.

Then it’s Sunday Scripture every Lord’s Day when I post a brief devotional thought, straight from my own quiet time. Whatever I’m reading sooner or later ends up in my writing. You’re invited to subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss a thing.

Michele’s Speaking Calendar

I’m working with a delightful group of women from Chestnut Street Baptist Church in Camden, Maine, as we plan an event for their women on May 16. Together, we’ll be thinking and praying about The Power and the Promise of Your Ordinary Life.

Then, looking waaaaaaay ahead to October 16-17, I’ll be returning to Hermon Baptist Church in Hermon, Maine, for a weekend conference. Our theme, Pray Like a Disciple, is a deep dive into The Lord’s Prayer.

I’m still scheduling weekend events or Saturday brunches, so if you’re planning, let’s connect.

I’d love to hear from you! What’s going on in your world? I respond to every comment and email, and truly believe that what happens in the comments section is the most valuable part of this newsletter. A click on the tiny ❤️ below lets me know you’ve been in the neighborhood.

Holding You in the Light,

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