Prescription For Peace

Introduction So many things to do, so little time, pressure to perform, deadlines to meet, expectations to fulfill. In a day and age when there are so many roles to fill, are you ever worn out, burned out, overwhelmed, and exhausted? We struggle to hold things together, to keep our head above water, to simply survive. Life sometimes becomes too hard to manage. Excess stress in our lives takes a toll on our body, our family, our work, our finances; in fact, every area of our life. We find ourselves saying, “I can’t do this anymore! It’s too much for me!” Have you been there? Are you there now? Is there a way out? As one who has experienced these things, I can tell you for a fact… there is a way out! There is a way to live without being overwhelmed, without having circumstances choke the life out of you. There is a way to have peace in all your situations, and joy in your days as well. It is possible to live each day enjoying your life, not wanting to trade places with anyone. No matter where you are, or who you are, there is hope for better days ahead. There is hope for a life of abundant peace and joy. You may ask, “How is this possible?” It is possible because there is someone who is willing to carry your burdens, your worries, your cares, and your anxieties. There is someone who wants to lift the burden of stress in your life, give you peace, and help you do the things you need to accomplish. That someone is Jesus, in whom nothing is impossible. The Bible says Jesus is our peace. So then it stands to reason that if we find Jesus, we find peace. Well I found Jesus, and while I had peace that my sins were forgiven, I lacked the peace I needed to walk day-by-day through the seemingly overwhelming circumstances of my life. I lacked the peace Jesus talks about when he says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 When my life hit bottom, it was Jesus who picked me up and led me on my journey to a lifestyle of peace. This same Jesus is wanting to pick you up and lead you on your own journey to a lifestyle of peace. This book is the story of my journey from a life of anxiety, and even despair at times, to a life of abundant peace and overflowing joy. Come with me through this book on my amazing journey that was sometimes frightening, many times dangerous, definitely adventurous, eye-opening, and certainly faith-testing. My prayer is that my story will increase your faith to believe Jesus and trust him to deliver you from any anxiety you may be experiencing. Chapter 1 Anxiety Awakens It was a warm, humid morning on April 14, 2000. I awoke to find mosquitos in the air and geckos crawling on the walls. I was in a hotel room on Camiguin Island, a remote, primitive, tropical island in the Philippines. It was the ninth day of an 11-day business trip to the Philippines. It had been a stressful trip and I was eager to get back to the United States where I no longer had to be concerned with being kidnapped or bombed, and where I could drink the water and eat the food without worrying about illness or disease. I was one of five employees of a local utility company chosen to be part of an executive exchange visit to the Philippines. This visit was sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Energy Association. Two individuals from the U.S. Energy Association accompanied the five of us as our hosts. The purpose of the trip was to share best practices and information on specific topics that would benefit utility companies in the Philippines. During the weeks preceding the trip, the United States issued warnings about traveling to the Philippines, specifically the island of Mindanao. There was unrest between the Muslim extremists and the Philippine government. Bombing of buses, shopping centers, and government buildings was escalating and there was a rise in Americans being kidnapped. The political unrest was unnerving and I was nervous about contracting diseases that were prevalent in that area: malaria, hepatitis, and typhoid fever to name a few. Before we left on the trip I was assured that I didn’t need to worry because we would be in highly populated cities rather than primitive areas that generally carried these diseases. With that assurance, I decided to not get any specific immunizations before the trip and instead prepared myself to get as physically fit as possible.