Peace Within Reach - helpful journals, podcast prayers, inspirational music videos, faith talk

Mandisa -- "Stronger"

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Music Video
Heads up: Hang in there. We care. God cares. So many care, because you are extremely precious --- uniquely and specially made in the very image and likeness of God.

Do you want peace that will not go away? Check this out.

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:28:00 GMT

Just click the following: Steps to Peace
(Open the links on the left sidebar under Check Out Our Other Ministry Sites. The full PeaceWithinReach booklet can be downloaded for free.)

"God's Plans for Merle and Samantha"

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:52:00 GMT

    I visited Merle (age 23) and Samantha (age 21) at the county jail. Merle will go on to prison for 10 years as a repeat, violent offender. Samantha also is a repeat offender, but of less serious crimes. She should be out of jail within a few months. But the effects, beyond being in jail, are bad for her, too. The state took away her two younger children and placed them in foster care. Samantha hopes that they will not be permanently taken away as her oldest child was a few years ago.

     Since about 13 years old, both Merle and Samantha have often been incarcerated --- at a juvenile detention hall, a boot camp, a group home, and now jail and prison. They lived for short times with their families, but their families struggled with much alcoholism and violence. Their families did not nurture the children as God wants them to. Is it a hopeless and purposeless future for them? It will be, without God's help.
     But God has good plans for Merle's and Samantha's lives, and for the lives of her children, and for their families. These good plans can be reached, by God's grace. God said in Jeremiah 29:11 of the Bible, 'I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." That is a guarantee for each of us humans as we are made in the image and

likeness of God. We can start to experience those plans by personally receiving his grace, and then committing our lives to Him.
"Samantha and Merle, your lives can be good, even in prison! Because of God's grace, love, and forgiveness, your life's experiences may be used by God as your life-story, as he reaches out to other people, through you. You can be God's special ambassador --- a bearer of Good News to those who feel lost and broken." That would be good, and, it's Truth! --- Fred Wilgenburg, www.peacewithinreach.com, www.u-and-peacewithinreach.com.

Pray with Fred --- 2/4/12

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:03:00 GMT

Do you pray? Would you like to be able to personally talk to the One --- Creator, Savior, Bible author, Everlasting Father? Click here to open "How Do I pray?"

Do you want peace that will not go away? Check this out.

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:26:00 GMT

Just click the following: Steps to Peace
(Open the links on the left sidebar under Check Out Our Other Ministry Sites. The full PeaceWithinReach booklet can be downloaded for free.)

Sidewalk Prophets --- "You Love Me Anyway"

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:25 GMT

Music video
Heads Up: Words and music are powerful, how God "loves (us) anyway." Within the music video is a moving testimony by Tony Nolan --- www.tonynolan.org.

"Stan said, 'I'm falling apart.'"

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:48:00 GMT

            My friend, Stan, came from the Indian reservation by ambulance. Stan is 55 and this was the third time Stan was hospitalized in serious condition in the last 6 months. He has heart problems so he received a pace maker. As his kidneys are failing, Stan is on dialysis three times a week. He seems often prone to infections which get him very sick because of his poor physical condition. Stan said in a weak voice, “I’m falling apart.”
           At the same time, Stan clearly realizes that two of his brothers already died from heart problems --- one in his 40’s and the other in his 50’s.
            Stan and I talked about these things and it’s Stan’s perspective that encourages me. I believe Stan’s true, hope-filled perspective gives him a peaceful outlook even in his poor physical condition. It comes from I Corinthians 5 of the Bible. “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” Just too many storms of illness and injury have hit Stan’s tent, his body. Like each of us, it will finally fall down --- he will die. Ah, then it will be heaven for Stan --- a beautiful, solid, eternal place without “storms”!   --- by Fred Wilgenburg

Steve Fee --- "Everything Falls"

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:57:00 GMT

Music video
Heads Up: A moving video following the earthquake in Haiti. The song/video shows us that we can make it. Rest in the fact that He is "mighty and strong," and He said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Pray with Fred -- 1/31/12

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:03:00 GMT

"Not booze, or food, or tech, but You"

peacewithinreach@hotmail.com (PeaceWithinReach) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:55:00 GMT

     In my work, I know many people who have been so addicted to alcohol for so many years, that they have a hard time functioning in life --- holding a steady job, managing a household, raising children. These people are who many of us define as having a problem with addiction. Believers might say somewhat self-righteously, “They rely more on booze to get them through the day than on God. That’s idolatry.”
    I’m a believer. But, I must admit that I, too, let things crowd out my treasured relationship with God. Gluttony is a big one for me, especially around the holidays. There’s just way too much chocolate and peanuts around. I grab handfuls every chance I get, even while people in some developing countries are starving to death.

   Materialism can crowd it out, too. In the US, we have so much at our finger tips. Just give me my technology --- computer, phone, TV, microwave --- and we’re good to go. We’re self-sufficient. Who needs God!? But we better keep life in perspective, including where it ultimately comes from. If God removed the air/oxygen we breathe for a few minutes, or if He threw off the solar system a little bit and moved the sun back a ways, we’d all be breathing our last few breaths as we’re freezing to death. If God didn’t make our hearts to never take even a 15 minute lunch break, we’d suddenly be living our last few seconds of life. Oh yeah, if God took away His grace and care for people, we’d all be in lots of trouble.
    “Thank-you God. Please keep reminding me of who/what gives me life. Not booze, or food, or technology, but YOU.” --- Fred Wilgenburg, www.peacewithinreach & www.u-and-peacewithinreach.com.