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I am so excited for this Summers Tune In Thursday Guest Blogs! Y’all, are in for a special treat, as we have some very special guests joining us over the summer each week.
Today’s guest is Sarah Geringer. I love that Sarah is a big dreamer with God and she has taken bold steps of faith to get her towards those dreams. If you missed her post last week on the “Power of Praying Big” Go check it out. She will challenge and motivate you as well. Sarah has a heart for others to understand that no matter how busy their life is that they can still fit in time with God.
Thank you Sarah, for sharing your heart and your battle plan for bringing peace to the month of August with us today at Tune In Thursday. I encourage you to leave comments below for Sarah, and don’t forget to link up your posts below.
Enjoy and Blessings,
Debbie
Sarah Geringer is the author of three self-published books and blogs regularly at sarahgeringer.com. She loves writing in the morning, reading in the afternoon, and enjoying family time in the evening. Sarah lives in her beloved home state of Missouri with her husband and three children.
Follow Sarah on social media:
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Seeking Peace in Busy August
Guest Post by: Sarah Geringer
August has long been a month of trials for me.
- As a child, I felt nervous about new faces and new teachers.
- As a high school student, I felt worried over social pressures.
- As a college student, I wondered how I could possibly balance work, school, and downtime.
- Now, as a wife and mom of three and a full-time freelancer, I’m juggling even more balls in August. Working, exercising, carpool, cooking, and cleaning…the list heats up as summer winds down. Oh, and my tomatoes will soon ripen and need processing too!
Will this late-summer gearshift ever stop? Not according to my older, wiser friends. Life will keep getting busier in future Augusts.
It’s high time for me to change my attitude toward the busy, pressured August days. I don’t want to see August as a burden any more. I want to find the blessings hidden in this special, God-given month.
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I’m meditating on my chosen verse for 2017 this August:
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. Isaiah 26:3 NLT
I can find peace this August by keeping my mind steadfast on…what?
- On God’s character…He is sovereign over all that happens in my world. I don’t need to worry because He’s in control. I can praise God for His sovereignty.
- On God’s timing…His plans are perfect. He is never behind schedule or in a hurry. If I want to be more like Him, I need to stop dawdling AND stop rushing.
- On God’s purpose…He gives me many things to do because they allow me to live out His purpose for my life. Being a wife, mother, and writer are His perfect purposes for me, and I can expect those purposes to keep me busy. I can be thankful for my purposes.
- On God’s provision…When I feel overburdened, stressed, or tired, I can turn to God for strength. I can rely on Him to provide the energy I need to complete all my necessary tasks, and the wisdom to cut out ones that aren’t as important.
- On God’s love for me…He waits for me to meet with him every morning. He walks alongside me all day long. He calls me into His presence each night before I go to sleep. He wants to be with me because He loves me! I can rejoice over this.
Keeping my mind steadfast on God shows my trust in Him.
God knows August isn’t my favorite month. He knows it feels jarring to my calm, steady nature. Yet He knows change is good for me and for my family. He wants to keep me moving forward, and each year He gives me a new push into the future when August comes around.
In August, I’m seeking greater peace by studying nature. I’m pausing to listen to the cicada sounds on my evening walks. I’m studying the slanted late-afternoon light, which tells me autumn is just around the corner. I’m watering my tired flowers, coaxing them to bloom a few more times before frost hits. I’m picking a few sturdy magenta zinnias from the garden and marveling in their glorious forms.
Pausing to ponder August’s beauty brings needed rest to my soul in these busy days. On my evening walks, I lift my cares up to God. I lay out all the junk and ask Him to help me sort it out. I ask Him to sift through my trials and teach me the valuable lessons. I seek His guidance on the path that lies ahead. These August prayer walks with God give me the peace I’m seeking as I dwell in His presence.
How are you finding peace this August?
Sarah has a brand-new video series titled “Finding Peace in the Busy Back-To-School Season” Click on the link below to sign up today!
Again Welcome and Thank you for joining me for #TuneInThursday it is an honor to have you here!
I have had a few people ask for a badge/button to display on your blogs. I would absolutely be honored if you would display it, or link back here in some way. Thank you!
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Do you wonder if God still speaks today? Do you wonder if He would ever speak to you personally? Do you long to hear the voice of God in your life?
Have your read other books on hearing from God, but long for hands on practical application? or are you looking for ways to move you forward hearing from God?
If you answered YES to any of those questions, then I have exactly what you need. I now have an online e-course designed to equip you in understanding that God still speaks today, and He longs to speak directly to you, through His word, and others. He longs to encourage you, strengthen you and comfort you. The training on this site, is fully based on Scripture, and taken from my training manual Releasing God’s heart through Hearing His Voice.
I have been teaching these classes internationally for the last 10+ years equipping and training believers in discerning the Ways God speaks. God is speaking, Can you Hear Him?
2. My new membership site, d2htrainging.com has official opened, I invite you to check it out today, and develop a deeper relationship with the Lord, as you learn to hear Him speak to your heart.
Looking for other Great Inspirational Parties. Click Here to see where I Link-Up weekly.
Several Submissions have been featured at Blessed Transgressions, an Online Magazine:
Balancing the Warrior & the Princess We’re Called to Be
Trusting God When it Seems Illogical
Will You Sit with Me? (Jesus is Calling.)
My Post “Climb Every Mountain” was featured in the August monthly link-up at : Life on Intention Link-up Party
My Post: The Power of your Story was featured here:
My Post “What’s in a Name?” was featured here:
My Post: “Will You Sit with Me?” was featured here:
My Post: “The Journey through Change” was featured here:
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Sarah,
So good to be reading you here. Every August, as a student, I would have this awful dream that I got to school and I didn’t have a schedule so I didn’t know where to go. I couldn’t remember the combination to my lock and panic would set in. I think the verse you quoted says it so well…if we keep our mind set on Him, He will keep it in perfect peace. The moment I look away from God, my heart and soul become anxious. So, staying steadfast in His Word and in His presence enables me to wade through the swirling waters of anxious seasons. Great post! And so good to actually see and meet you at She Speaks!
Blessings,
Bev xx
ps. To Debbie…tried to link up again and no little linky bar. Wondering if I’m not meant to link up lol?
Hi Bev, I can relate to your August panic story. I’m glad God was with me back in my school days, and is still with me now. It was wonderful to meet you at She Speaks too, friend!
Bev, I hope you were able to come back and link up after our email correspondence. It would be a joy to have you join us here each week. I missed She Speaks this year, and now I am so sad, because it seems as if so many people I know from online where there. So glad you enjoyed Sarah’s post
Good advice, Sarah, to stop dawdling AND stop rushing. And when you mentioned listening to the cicadas, I was reminded (actually transported!) of our fascination with those noisy critters when we traveled through a few southern states. Amazing!
Hi Michele–I’m sure you enjoy nature in August, as we are both nature lovers!
Michele – Sarah’s advice is such a great reminder to stop rushing and enjoy. I love the times I have visited the south and heard the cicadas, we definitely don’t have those up here in the Northwest 🙂
I love Sarah and was pleased to see her at your house today!
Hi Susan, I’m so glad you stopped here and enjoyed your visit! Blessings to you today.
I am very honored to have Sarah here this week as well. I am glad you were too.
Sarah (& Debby), this post was timely as earlier this morning I was thinking about trust in God. Thank you for reminding me to keep my mind fixed, stayed on Him, rather than this month of August 🙂 Blessings!
Blessings to you also, Joanne! Praying peace for you this morning.
Joanne, I am so glad you enjoyed Sarah’s post. It seems my summer has been rushing by and I so needed her reminder to enjoy what is right in front of me, instead of all the busy I face. Blessings to you as well
Thank you for the link up Deb. Sarah has a good word for us today. Peace 🙂
Have a great weekend,
Patti
Hi Patricia, thanks for your kind comment today!
Patti – sarah does indeed have a good word and a much needed one 🙂
Amen and amen! For me, being a better steward of our time, and setting realistic parameters and expectations made a huge difference. The real key for us has been to be intentional about those things instead of dreading the transition into the new season of routines and rituals.
Alice, I’m glad you’re being intentional. I agree, that’s a good way to weather the transition. Blessings to you!
Alice – I like that you have been intentionally facing those things head on, instead of dreading the transitions. Thanks for sharing what you been doing to help with steward your time. Blessings
I don’t often have trouble with dawdling, but I do often struggle with rushing and not staying in the moment. Hope you’re having a nice week!
Hello Lisa! I rush when I procrastinate, so I’m learning to pace myself better and strike a balance. Thanks for your comment today!
oh Lisa, I can so relate in the rushing and not staying in the moment. I am having a great week.. celebrating 28 years of marriage this weekend. woo hoo.
Sarah, I love how you choose a verse to meditate on for an entire month! That is a great idea, especially for those months that can be extra crazy. July and December are like that for me. I am going to try doing this for those months. God bless you and Debbie both! 🙂
Hi Kelly. Meditation on verses really helps me gain peace, and I hope it will help you too. Blessings to you, friend!
Kelly, I thought Sarah’s advice to choose 1 verse to meditate on was brilliant too. I have seasons of busy that extend more than a month, but I like the idea of focusing and meditating on 1-2 and really getting them down deep in my heart. Blessings to you too 🙂
That is one of my favorite verses, too, Sarah. Just reciting verses like this one in my mind, over and over, can often bring me peace. Thanks for sharing the many different ways we can accept God’s peace if we’ll just be intentional about seeking it!
This verse has really helped me all year. I made it my screensaver and I revisit it every morning. I memorized hundreds of verses as a Lutheran schoolgirl, and the practice has stayed my faith throughout the years. Thanks for your comment, Lisa!
Lisa – I find at times when the stress is high, and the peace is low, that I revert to singing hymns or even verses I learned when I was young. It does indeed help me to focus and accept God’s peace. Thanks for sharing how you intentional seek His peace.
Zinnias are meant to be picked and admired, and august brings in the Fall – even in mild CA, I see the Fall light through my kitchen window as the month winds down. Today I’m practicing peace by devoting my mind to talking to God about each thing that comes into my mind and my spirit – which so far this morning, has included quite a bit of confession and repentance!
I’ve loved your zinnia posts, Sue! Confession and repentance are sure ways to find more peace. Thanks for sharing this great idea!
Sue – your view sounds absolutely peaceful and beautiful. I like the way you describe practicing peace by bringing the things that cause you to not have peace and talk to God about it. love it – thanks for sharing
This post was spot on! Up until now the end of summer meant very little to me because I worked full-time and my son was in daycare year-round. Now that I’m a sahm/wahm, I find myself stressed to the max! Thanks for your advice.
Hi Edie! I hope my words bring you more peace as a s/wahm. I’m with you as a wahm myself!
Edie – I completly agree with you – Sarah’s post was spot on! I am so glad her words and advice helped 🙂
Thanks for hosting another fun party. Have a blessed week!
Thanks for your comment, Marilyn, and your tweet too!
thanks Marilyn – you have a great week too
I have always been a planner but sometimes someone or something throws me a curve. I try to rest more and enjoy the beautiful things, you have to calm your spirit with His words. I still plan and cut out unnecessary things, and sometimes the laundry just has to wait, it’s not going anywhere.
Hi Rebecca. I’m a planner by nature as well, but God is showing me how to choose peace when the unexpected arrives this busy time of year. Yep, I have a laundry basket waiting right now, and I’m A-OK with it!
Oh Rebecca – I can so relate to being a planner and having plans for the potential things that can happen lol — but I am a little more lax these days, and learn to roll with whatever comes my way and look to Him and lean into His peace. Blessings and thanks for sharing here 🙂
I’m expecting things to slow down a bit for me, coming off a very busy summer. But … I frequently find that things simply morph into a different kind of busy. Either way these are great truths and Scriptures for those times when we feel over-whelmed. And … they happen to us all, don’t they!
Hi Donna–my summer was super-busy too. The fall will be a different kind of busy for me, and I’m glad we’re both trusting in God to carry us through!
Donna – my summer has been crazy busy as well, and I am looking forward to October, once I turn in my final manuscript. I have been able to get a week here or there over the summer, but only because, I had to be mindful and guarded of my time. Thanks for being here this week.
Very lovely post. Thanks, I need peace which I am learning to find.
Thanks for hosting and have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you for your kind words, Patrick!
Thanks Patrick – you have an amazing weekend as well.
Sarah – Keeping our mind steadfast on God is key. Thank you, I always need to be reminded to seek out peace in my busy life. I took a week of pure rest at the end of July. I felt so rested and in touch with God. I have been having a hard time hanging on to it but you have prompted me to keep trying.
Blessings, Maree
Hi Maree! I’m so glad this post prompted you to keep trying. Stay steadfast in the Lord!
Maree – I too need to be reminded of seeking peace and keeping my mind steadfast! I love that you were able to take a whole week and rest. I think we all need to build in more rest into our busy lives. Blessings to you
Thank you for sharing this post, Debbie!
Sarah, I love the thought of setting myself on peace in August! It’s hectic here too!
Love your tips and ways to find it in the midst of busy!
Your series sounds great!
Hi Julie, I hope you can find some peace with God today if it’s a hectic one for you. Blessings to you!
Julie you are most welcome, I was very honored to have Sarah share here this week. Peace is exactly what we all need in our lives, especially in the busiest of times.
Sarah, The Lord brought the verse you shared to light for me recently and it has been such an encouragement to me. Truly the mind that is stayed on Jesus will be kept in perfect peace.
I too am noticing the change in the slant of the sun and realized just this year that September is my favorite month. I mention that here in August because I am already noticing “signs of September” in the slant of the sun, the smells in the air, the yellow jackets that buzz around as we try to eat dinner out on our deck and last year, I experienced cicada like never before when visiting Lancaster County. They were everywhere and it was deafening, but fascinating at the same time!
Thanks so much for sharing how the Lord has encouraged you to find peace this August.
Blessings,
Karen, I’m just now getting back to you. Lancaster County sounds like a wonderful place, and I’d love to visit sometime. Hope you are having a peaceful day!
This is good stuff, Sarah! We often talk about wanting peace, but ignore the clear instructions from God on how to find and maintain it. So easy to get caught up in our ‘to-do’ lists that we forget to begin with God. thanks!
Karen – Sarah does have some great tips and thoughts doesn’t she? I so agree with you. I often find I get caught up with my to do list and checking things off that I forget to breath and live in the moment. God often has to nudge me to pay attention so I don’t miss something. Thanks for stopping by today.
Hi Karen, I’m glad you enjoyed this. I’ve gotten a bit caught up in my to-do list this week, but the end of the week promises to be more peaceful. I hope yours is the same!
Thanks so much. I love your list of things to focus on. God’s provision, love, timing…I need that right now!
Betsy, Sarah’s list is a good one for sure. I am so glad you found it just when you needed it. 🙂 Blessings