
First Sunday of Advent
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’” ~ Isaiah 40:3-5
“Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]” ~ John 14:27, AMP
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]” ~ John 16:33, AMP
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 4:6-7, NLT
I want my heart to be a welcoming dwelling place for You, Lord
Father, show me Your truths. I want to know You in Your fullness — all that You are. I want to walk in the light of Your glory all the days of my life — to behold Your beauty, to recognize Your majesty, to know Your touch. Prepare my heart to receive Your peace and let it reign in my life.

I want my heart to be a welcoming dwelling place for You and a safe haven for those who are hurting. I want Your peace to overflow through me into their lives. People need You, Lord.
But I feel frenzied so often. Chaotic. Tense. That is not from You, Lord. I don’t want to feel this way. I desire peace. Calm. Serenity. Especially during this, Your birthday celebration. May I never take You for granted!
I’m having a hard time focusing on You throughout my day. I’m being pulled in so many directions — the very distractions I don’t want to listen to. When You are my priority, everything else will fall into place. I know this but I need to know this and then walk in that peace. That is what I desire, Lord.

O Lord, prepare my heart to receive Your peace!
It just occurred to me that maybe I’m seeking peace more than the Peace-Giver. Wow. That’s terrible. Please forgive me, Lord. You, Yourself, are my peace. In You, I will find peace once again and clutch it to my heart like a small girl with her doll.
Peace. Not as the world gives do You give. Your peace is perfect. Thank You, Lord.
Prepare My Heart, Lord. I Want all of You
Open my eyes so that I might see You clearly and recognize Your presence. Thank You for drawing near to me. Teach me Your ways. Show me Your paths so that I may follow You all the days of my life.
Prepare my heart, Lord, and fill it with Your beautiful peace.
In Jesus’s Name, I pray,
Amen ~ let it be so
******************************************
Please don’t carry your burdens alone. I would be honored to pray for you. You may contact me directly at nan@nanjones.com
******************************************
Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love for you to share what’s on your heart in the comments below. Scroll a little farther down and you’ll see where you can leave your comments. Together, we can find the nearness of God in our darkest moments.
Sweet blessings to you,
