Close your eyes for a minute. It is August 15, 1969. Okay, maybe you were not even born in ’69, but just pretend you had been. Months ago, you planned a surprise romantic weekend getaway to Bethel, a quaint little hamlet ninety miles northwest of New York City. You and your sweetie would just enjoy some quiet time together in beautiful Sullivan County.  

As you neared your B&B, traffic was at a standstill. What’s up? You soon find out that hundreds of thousands of people are making their way to the Woodstock Music and Art Fair being held on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm, also located in Bethel. Considering the massive traffic jam, and after discussing the situation with your sweetie, you ditch your original plans (and quite possibly, soon ditch your clothes as well) and head to the festival, one that promises “3 Days of Peace & Music.” Okay, open your eyes.

For those of us old enough to remember the 1960s and 70s, the word “peace” likely conjures up a picture of the anti-war movement – Hippies flashing peace signs as they protested the Vietnam War or the “make love not war” anti-war phrase that was voiced not only by hippies and college students but also by average American families and even some who were engaged in the actual fighting in Vietnam. And by all accounts, along with an excess of drugs, both make love not war and peace also flowed freely at the music festival.

While peace is most often thought of in the context of a lack of conflict or violence, today I want to dig into another kind of peace, the kind of peace that only comes from Jesus. I am talking about an inner peace that brings calmness and a sense of safety, a sense of serenity, even in the midst of a warring and divisive world all around us.

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus delivers what is known as the Farewell Address (John Chapters 14-17) to the remaining eleven disciples. Early in that address Jesus tells them that he will going away to the Father (14:1-11), which I am sure created quite a bit of consternation within each of them. In today’s language, maybe we say, “He rocked their boat.”

Immediately after dropping that bombshell, Jesus then tells his guys that he will be sending the Holy Spirit to guide them (14:15-26). But Jesus goes even further in trying to calm their fears. Here is what we find in v.27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Those comforting words are bookends to the entire section, as Jesus began his address like this – “Let your hearts not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (14:1).

This peace Jesus speaks of is a mystery, it surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). This peace that Jesus speaks of is not being exempt from internal or external troubles. In fact, Jesus himself had been troubled by his pending crucifixion (John 12:27). Instead, what I believe Jesus is offering is a different kind of peace. Notice Jesus offers not just any peace, he offers my peace, which I truly believe gives us an untroubled and unfearful heart in a world that is full of trouble, in a world that gives us much to be fearful about. 

The world fights for peace, it negotiates for peace, but ultimately the peace found in this world is only temporary. It is a false peace, one based strictly upon circumstances. Jesus does not fight for, or negotiate for, peace, but instead, He is peace, and he freely gives it away to all who trust in Him. You can have that kind of peace in the midst of whatever trouble swirls around you today, regardless of whether that trouble lurks right on your doorstep or is halfway around the world.

So, today, make it a priority to pray for a reassuring faith that will allow you to have not just some temporary peace, like those three days at Woodstock, but a permanent peace that is offered to you by Jesus, who among other things, is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

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What would you ask for if you had but only one wish? It is believed that the tradition of candles on a cake can be traced back to the Greeks, who adorned cakes to honor the goddess Artemis. It is thought that candles represented light from the moon, a symbol associated with Artemis. And it was believed that smoke carried prayers to the heavens, thus the tradition of making a wish before blowing out the candles might be traced back to that belief. History has recorded that in 1746 Count Ludwig Von Zinzendorf celebrated his birthday with a cake that had the number of candles equal to his age.

Regardless of whether or not you blow out birthday cake candles, for most of us, if we only had one wish, we would ask for some form of health and wealth. You might use different words, but boil it down, and we all desire health and wealth, two things that often allude us.

As King Solomon was establishing his rule over the kingdom, he was granted “one wish” by God. In 2 Chronicles 1:7 we read – “That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, ‘Ask for whatever you want me to give you.’”

It would seem that God had just given King Solomon a free pass to ask for anything he wanted. Solomon was wealthier than every other king (1 Kings 10:23), but would he desire more wealth? We are also told that he had 1000 women (1 Kings 11:3), but maybe he still wanted more? Isn’t it true that you sometimes have enough but deep down you desire more? Maybe in addition to all his wealth and all his women, Solomon desired to be the strongest man alive or to live many more years. It appeared that Solomon could ask for any or all of those and God would grant his wish. 

But instead of asking for more worldly things, Solomon desired only godly wisdom. Here is what we find in the verses directly following the “Ask for whatever you want” verse above – “Solomon answered God, ‘You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?’” (2 Chronicles 1:8-10).

It took great humility to simply ask for wisdom. And because Solomon only desired wisdom, he got so much more than he asked for –  ^“God said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have’” (2 Chronicles 1:11-12).

What’s the takeaway? If we desire the right thing, having the heart and mind of God, seeking after the things of God, we get that and so much more! We are to ask God for goodness not goodies.

So, I ask you, what is your one wish?

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Think about the meaningful friendships you have. Maybe right now you think of your spouse, college roommate, neighbor, classmate, teammate, coach, that lifelong friend, or maybe someone else. Now ask yourself; did that relationship happen by accident or did it take work? The phrases “I know him like a brother” or “I know her inside and out” imply that you have spent countless hours cultivating and building the relationship, and today because of that hard work (and yes, real relationships are hard work) you have a real intimacy with that person.

Think of you and that person sitting down over a cup of coffee and having an intimate one to one conversation, talking about more than just today’s weather or last night’s sports scores. The two of you sit at a quaint little café, laughing together, crying together, catching up on life’s activities, leaning on each other, encouraging one another. Nothing else matters in those special moments as you simply share life together.

You can have that same kind of intimacy with God. In Isaiah 1:18 we read these words from God, inviting the prophet Isaiah to a one-to-one conversation, “Come now, and let us reason together.” (Some translations use different language, so your Bible might read differently.) God listens to those who turn to him with a contrite heart, “If I had ignored my sins, the Lord would not have listened to me. But God has indeed heard me; he has listened to my prayer” (Psalm 66:18-19, GNT). 

Do you regularly talk to God? Do you take time to listen to Him? Is Jesus your always present friend or do you only run to Him when there are no other options? The main way we can have a conversation with God is though prayer. A dialogue between you and God, sharing real life stuff using real life language. Prayer is also quieting yourself and allowing God to “speak” to you as well. He is the best friend that you will ever have.    

The Bible tells us that we need be aware that God is always with us, and we can have a conversation with Him at any time. In one of the shortest verses in the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we read this short and to the point message, “Pray continually.” In addition to those “as needed” prayers, you should also set aside some time each day to pray for your needs, the needs of others, as well as seeking God’s wisdom and direction for not just the life-changing events you sometimes face but also for your daily routine, those day-to-day things.

The more time you spend with God, talking and listening, the more intimate your relationship with Him becomes. And the more time you spend with God, you not only learn more about God, but you also learn more about yourself. And despite what you might have been told, there is no magic formula or training required for prayer, or even the need for those big theological sounding words.

Prayer is nothing more than having a conversation with God. Just you and God, one to one. In the process of spending time with God, I encourage you to open yourself up to the possibility that God really does have something to say to you! Nobody knows you better than God, nobody loves you more than God, and nobody desires to see you live life to the fullest more than God.

So, take time today to have coffee with God. Or, if you don’t like coffee, substitute your favorite beverage.

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Where I live, this summer has been exceptionally hot and dry. The temperature has been above normal. We went weeks without any meaningful rain. This past weekend we had a torrential downpour, dumping close to three inches of rain in a short period of time. In addition to the rain, high winds downed power lines and trees, creating quite a mess.

Then yesterday we had two more downpours, totaling almost seven inches of rain. Again, downed power lines and trees, along with widespread flash flooding. And if the forecast is correct, the remnants of Hurricane Debby will bring us lots more rain this weekend.  

Maybe right now you look out your window and while the ground outside is saturated from all the rain, inside, deep down within you, in your soul, you feel anything but saturated. You feel dry. Parched. The world in which we live, one that is spinning faster and faster and dangerously out of control, has a way of sucking the life out of us, sucking us dry. Not only is the “world” a mess, but for most of us, every day is a grind, an exhausting grind, one that wears us down to the bone.

There are also times when we feel dry in our intimacy with Jesus. Psalm 42:1-2 utters words that sometimes seem very distant from what we are experiencing – “As the deer pants for flowing streams, so pants for soul for you, O God. My sou thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before the living God?” The image of a heart set aflame and a soul nourished by the living God maybe described you in the past, but today, that seems like a distant memory, a very different experience from what you experience today.

Do you feel dry and parched?

Do you need it to rain?

Let me share a verse that I find so encouraging to me in my moments of dryness. First, let me put it into context. The people (Israel) have wandered far from God and now they are urging one another to return to God; for they have confidence that he who punished their disobedience will also heal them and restore them. Let’s look at Hosea 6:1-2 – “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.”

With that in mind, now here is the verse for us to focus on – “Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth” (v.3).

If you are a Seinfeld fan, then you know the show popularized the phrase “yada yada yada,” which in that context meant something along the lines of, “Enough, already, get to the point.” But, did you know, the word “yada” is a Hebrew word found in Bible, with a very different meaning than Seinfeld’s usage. In the Old Testament it is used in a number of contexts, all of which mean some variation of “to know and to know intimately.” For example, in Genesis 4:1, we read “Adam knew (yada) Eve, and she became pregnant.” In today’s verse (6:3), the phrase “to know (yada) the LORD” references not just a casual “knowing of” God, but rather, knowing God in a very personal and very intimate way.

So, here is what I see in that verse – If you press on and press in to know (yada) God with every fiber of your being, then He will respond to your persistence, your obedience, and come to you like the rains, turning your dryness into saturation. Think back to spring. Those first rains turned the brownness and deadness of winter into the greenness and new life of spring. If you feel dry right now, ask God for his rain, and let this season be your springtime.  

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We live in a world that runs like clockwork. Everyone and everything are predictable. No surprises. Nothing bad ever happens. What is planned for always happens. And unlike what Billy Joel sings, the good do not die young.

Wait? What? You are right now shaking your head, “What world do you live in, Dave?” I live in the same broken world you live in, and sadly, the world does not run like clockwork, not much is predictable, there are surprises galore, plans get derailed every single day, and sometimes the good do die young.

Life is filled with moments of joy, sometimes even great joy. But it is also filled with misfortune, bad luck, troubles, difficulties, suffering, sorry, misery, heartbreak. We celebrate and party in the highs, but we wish the lows never happened. So, since bad stuff does happen, since we do face adversity, how do we not let those moments derail us?

Let me try to answer that question. God’s will is perfect (Romans 12:1-2). That perfect will is his divine plan for your life and for my life. God’s will is also permissive, in that he chooses to allow things to happen that he takes no pleasure in. These things that he allows indirectly help to accomplish his perfect will. We need to look no further than the Garden of Eden. God created humans as moral beings, made in his image. He also created us with our own will, and the ability to make our own decisions. And in the Garden, disobedience was chosen, and sin entered the world. God’s perfect will did not include all the consequences that have stemmed from that original sin, or the sins we commit today, yet he allows those as part of his permissive will.

Every bad thing that happens in your life, or in my life, has been sifted through God’s permissive will. He allows those things to grow us spiritually, to achieve his good plan and purpose, to transform us into the image of Jesus. We find these words in Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

That verse is regularly taken out of context and misused. The context is that in Romans 8, Paul has been describing the Christian life as one of groaning, longing to escape the sufferings of life, waiting in hope for the day we will be resurrected and share in God’s glory (Romans 8:18-25).

Back to v.28. I believe this verse tells us that for Christians (the verse cannot be rightfully applied to non-Christians), in and through all things (work together), even pain and suffering, God is acting. He is at work with the purpose of making things good. But, “good” does not necessarily mean the best possible outcome for us, right now, from our vantage point. Rather, good means he is working in and through everything in order to serve his good, pleasing, and perfect will for all of his creation, with the ultimate good being glorifying us eternally (Revelation 21:1-4).

So, from our perspective, when life does not run like clockwork, when nothing makes sense, when pain and suffering seems to great, all which happen, we can walk by faith, trusting in a perfect and loving God, knowing that perfect understanding will only come in heaven, and that right now, in this very moment, from God’s point of view, everything does all make perfect sense, and He is working it all together for good!

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This is the fifth and final chapter in sharing pieces of my story. I never fail to be amazed, not about my role in these stories, but rather, amazed at the lengths God goes to pursue you and me. His love for us is reckless and relentless. My story is my story. Your story is your story. We all have stories.

In the first four chapters I narrated the ways in which God got my attention, pricked and softened my heart, and began to move me in the direction he had ordained for me. I say began because to this day, I am still very much a work in progress. If you missed any of those four stories, a link to each one is below. 

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

If you have followed this journey, then you know that at a watershed moment in our lives, back in 1998, I had two dreams on consecutive nights. The first in which God spoke to me, and the second, in which I had a vision. Chapters 3 and 4 delve into the first dream so I won’t write about it here. The second dream is today’s God story.   

In that second dream I saw a wooden park bench on a brick pathway overlooking a river. I saw the park bench clearly, down to the blueish color of the frame and the wooden lattice making up the seat and back. I would take more than ten years for that dream to make sense.

The last chapter left off with us living in Columbus, Ohio, and me in Vinyard’s ministry school. Soon after graduating in 2001, circumstances took us back to the same town in Pennsylvania from which we had moved from. We helped plant a small Vineyard Church in that town. A few years later I began to sense God calling us to plant a church of our own.

My wife and I let those thoughts ruminate for a season as we prayed and waited. At the time, both our daughters were in high school, and we had no desire to uproot them during those years. Plus, where we lived was home to us. Life was comfortable. Life was good. We continued to pray and listen. God’s chatter only got louder and clearer. Once we felt that it was God, and not bad pizza, talking to us, the big question is – where?

We are beach-loving people and felt maybe eastern North Carolina might be where God was calling us to. In 2007, my wife and I visited that area and felt a “strange excitement,” sensing maybe God had taken us there for a reason. For the next year or so, we continued to pray and listen and wait. Our daughters are now in college. We decided to take another trip to North Carolina.

So, in April 2009, we spent a week “investigating” that same area we felt strangely excited about two years earlier. At the time, my parents had a timeshare near New Bern, North Carolina, so we used that as home base during the trip. Up and down the coastal region we went, town after town, walking the streets, talking to people, tasting the local cuisine, feeling the sand squish between our toes, dipping our feet in the ocean, praying, but we didn’t really sense anything from God. A little discouraged, we thought maybe God wasn’t calling us there after all.

Then … on our last day, we decided to go into downtown New Bern. It is a quaint little city on the confluence of two rivers. It was a beautiful evening, so after dinner we decided to stroll down along the waterfront. Just something to do before going back to the timeshare unit. As we walked through the riverfront park, I stopped dead in my tracks. The “wooden bench on a brick pathway overlooking a river” was right there, right in front of me, in that little park. It was exactly what I had seen in my dream back in 1998. Exactly! No freakin’ way! As I stood there without words (yes, me speechless), my wife says to me, “Well, I guess we are moving to New Bern.” 

Two years later, my wife and I moved to New Bern to plan Twin Rivers Vineyard Church. Sadly, we closed our small little church in 2018, and have since moved back to the small college town in Pennsylvania that we have now lived in three times.   

I am sure, right now, like me, you are shaking your head, wondering how it is possible that in 1998, God gave me a picture of a park bench in a city in North Carolina that I had never even heard of.

Oh, and can I add this – Those park benches did not even exist at the time of my dream. The park was being redeveloped and would not have its current design until a year or so later.     

I hope my story has encouraged you to press in closer and closer to God, seeking his plans and his purposes. My well planned out path veered off in a different direction because God had (and still has) bigger and better plans for me than I could have for myself. And he wants the same for you.

Let me end with this hopeful promise – “You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail” (Proverbs 19:21).

Thank you for allowing me to share some of my story with you.

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