Gentle, Quiet

This morning during our "Date with Jesus," Chuck asked me what the Lord was doing in my heart.

I said, "He's saying, 'Come to me; I am enough . . . Gentle, quiet.'"

The Lord keeps leading me back to 1 Peter 3:1-6, particularly verses 4 and 6.

Whenever I get frustrated, angry, or overwhelmed with life, I hear the Holy Spirit whisper to my spirit, "Gentle . . . Quiet."

I am trying to be trained by those simple words. How huge they are really!

1 Peter 3:4 tells me that a gentle and quiet spirit is imperishable and precious to God. Wow! That's my heart's longing--to develop qualities that last, that endear me to the Father's heart in a special way.

In times past whenever I read this passage and honed in on the word, "Quiet," I would immediately equate it with controlling my tongue. "Just quit nagging and harping on the same issue over and over again."

Granted, that is part of the admonition to put on a quiet spirit. But note that it is a "spirit" that I am to put on. A quiet spirit of deep confidence in God's protection and provision as the Lover of my soul. So that regardless of the choices my earthly husband makes, I can maintain a posture of peace because I am relying completely on my heavenly Husband.

Thus I can fulfill verse 6, which states that I will not be frightened by any fear. My hope is so firmly fixed on God that I accept all things as tools to craft me into the image of His Son, who by the way kept entrusting Himself to the Father even in the midst of cruel treatment and misunderstanding.

Bottom line: When I choose to put on Jesus, my spirit is cloaked with gentleness and quietness, two attributes that will keep for eternity and be winsome to the heart of God.

Coconut water, anyone?

Dr. Gavin Munsfield, protagonist in JOURNEY TO JUDAH and RESTORED HEARTS, recommends drinking coconut water which provides an excellent blend of electrolytes, re-hydrating the body better than sports drinks.

Coconuts are plentiful in Chennai, setting for my Born for India trilogy. While visiting there, we would pull up to a coconut stand (a small open hut on the side of the road). Yep, coconut stands are India's version of "Sonic." The Indian merchant whacks a hole in the top of the coconut with his machete, sticks a straw in, and wah-lah, drink to go! And for a mere .75 US at that!

Rumor has it that coconut water was used as a plasma substitute in WWII. Indeed, coconut water seems to benefit the body, providing potassium and other essential nutrients, warding off fatigue, and providing a higher level of protein than cow's milk with less fat and fewer calories. It also contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk. Now I know why the Indians kept handing us coconut water during our first trip to Madras 14 years ago!

Pass the coconut water, please!