Tag: #thedevilisaliar

Perfect Peace

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Have you ever felt like stress was stacking up on you like compound interest?

You are not alone. I’ll spare you all the details, but recently, life has brought a lot of heavy moments. In the middle of the noise, I found myself searching for peace.

Maybe you are like me and have wondered when to wait on God and when to move. I began asking Him for clarity. In my mind, there seemed to be a fine line between waiting on God, so I don’t run ahead of Him, and stepping out in faith while trusting Him with the outcome.

I prayed for spiritual discernment. Listening had to be the key—I can look back at times when I moved when I should have waited, though I know God still brought good out of those seasons. But is the waiting a different kind of wait? Like when you’re facing trials, unsure of what God will do, yet knowing you can trust Him to see you through?

In my quiet time, I kept coming back to one verse:

“You keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” — Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

Look at what that actually means:

  • Perfect peace: A complete, constant state of calm that doesn’t depend on external circumstances.
  • Mind stayed on: A thought life anchored and deliberately focused on God rather than worries.
  • Because he trusts: Peace naturally arises when we fully rely on God’s character and strength.

We keep our minds anchored on God by praying continually (1 Thess. 5:17), meditating on Scripture (Ps. 119:15), and engaging in worship (Ps. 95:1; Heb. 13:15).

Shortly after, I started a Bible plan called Learning the True Meaning of Waiting on the Lord by Canal A Voz. It highlighted something profound: waiting doesn’t mean standing completely still; it means walking faithfully with what God has given us today. Taking steps with what’s right in front of us is an act of faith—and another way of trusting God.

Seeking that peace, I headed to the lake to go kayaking. As I floated into my favorite cove, I began to pray, take photos, and thank God for His creation. It felt like therapy for my soul—my body, mind, and spirit needed that rest.

I asked God what He wanted me to receive in His creation. Right then, a blue jay flew across my path. In my walk with God, I’ve always seen blue jays as a gentle reminder of Truth and cardinals as a reminder of Grace. In that moment, I realized I desperately needed God’s truth—what He says about me—rather than the lies the enemy tries to plant during stressful seasons.

Can you relate?

It’s time to tell the enemy to take a hike! Fill your heart and mind with the truth of God’s Word. If you’re searching for answers, author Max Lucado recommends starting with God’s Word, then being still and listening.

We don’t have to be enough, because God is enough. His grace is sufficient. We don’t have to be perfect, because God is perfect and offers His peace in every single circumstance.

Let that truth wash over you like a comforting love song—because that is what God sings over us. If you are facing trials today, find your haven to reset. Enter His presence with thanksgiving (Ps. 95:2), focus your mind on Christ, and let His truth sink deep into your heart.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” — Romans 15:13

The Little Girl – Throwback Thursday

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Some of you may remember this story from a few years ago… but it seemed like a good time to bring it back. (She looks like she has it all together in this photo – I believe this dog’s name was Mandy if I’m not mistaken; we had two at the time, the other was Candy, so I may have them mixed up.)

Before I became a Christ-follower, I didn’t know what it meant to put God first instead of myself or others in my life. I wasn’t in a great place, although I hid it well. It makes me realize that we never know what someone else is going through and the battles they are fighting internally.

One night, during a particularly dark time in my life, I dreamed I was driving down the road where I grew up. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw a little girl sitting in the backseat. She stuck her tongue out at me right as we locked eyes. That little girl was me. She didn’t like me very much.

After becoming a Christ-follower, I sat in prayer and quiet time with the Holy Spirit and was reminded of that dream.  As quickly as that scene appeared, I was whisked away to one of my fondest childhood memories. Swinging on the front porch with my mom on a summer night, singing I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me.

The next thought was a question: “What would you tell her?”

My first reaction was to tell her, “Don’t do it!”

But just as I finished contemplating those words, another thought crossed my mind. If I hadn’t gone through those tough life experiences, I wouldn’t be the person I am today; at least, I wouldn’t appreciate what Christ did for me as much as I do now. Being in the valley for so long made me value the mountaintop much more. I use those experiences to share my story and help others in similar circumstances. God recycles our pain in the most magnificent ways.

So, I told her this, “You will make mistakes, there will be heartache and pain, but you will persevere. YOU WILL PERSEVERE!”

I heard a whisper in my heart, “She likes you now. She is proud of who you have become.”

What a lovely and heartfelt message from my Heavenly Father. I try to be mindful of thanking God every day for saving my life, rescuing me from an abusive relationship, and, most importantly, transforming my character.

Recently, I dreamt of being back at my childhood home, in the kitchen, dancing with a baby. That dream reignited this story, causing me to reflect on how far I’ve come and the joy that fills my heart. This joy makes me want to dance and celebrate the milestones that come from my relationship with Christ. Maybe that baby was me, too– either way, I woke up smiling and knew I had to post this message again for someone who needs to hear it.

Our past does not define us. Our identity is only found in Christ.

Even then, I was a daughter of the King and valuable in God’s eyes. It took a powerful wake-up call to make me see where my worth truly comes from. Only God. There is hope – His name is Jesus Christ.

P.S. I would also tell my former self that the devil is a liar (John 8:44); you do have a better choice, and you can have a relationship with God.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Rom. 15:13, ESV, Emphasis added).

“We have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into he inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf” (Heb. 6:19, emphasis added)