Claim It

Well here we are: May.

Not only is it Justin Timberlake’s favorite month…

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…but it is also the beginning of wedding season, Mental Health Awareness Month, Cinco de Mayo, engagement season, and graduation season.


I swear, my Facebook feed is spewing cap and gown photos like they’re going out of style.

And rightfully so. I mean, when you finish college, you wanna throw a dang party. Because for the last 4 (or 6…) years, you’ve been busting your butt to get your degree. So toss that hat, graduate! You deserve it!



But here’s the thing about graduations: yes, they are tremendous celebrations of hard work and academic achievement — or perhaps academic survival — but they are also times of questioning “what next.” And given the current job climate that young graduates are entering into, that can be a pretty scary thought.

A source of uncertainty, anxiety, worry, and discouragement. Post-graduation is a time in life where everything is converging into the perfect storm: You’re graduating, trying to pay off student loan debt, looking for a job, looking for a spouse, moving away from where you’ve called home for the last four years, and trying to establish independence — it’s enough to make your head spin.

Because now that I have a degree, I have to have it all figured out, right? 

And I don’t think this feeling is limited to graduates. We all have seasons in life where uncertainty reigns.

Jobs, health, love, bills, friends, what Netflix show to binge watch — those are all life long sources of anxiety.

Although, there is one consolation prize for graduating that other life stages simply don’t have the luxury of, though…And that’s gifts.


Yep, friends and family give anything from money, to gift cards, to gym memberships, to vacuum cleaners, to Rolex watches…(I’m lookin’ at you, Kylie Jenner.)


But there’s one gift that I often forget.

And this might be a little cheesy, so forgive me, but I’m ‘goin there’…

And that’s peace.

And it’s given to us by the Father.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you…Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” John 14


That was from the Gospel last Sunday, and I think it’s super great timing, given that it’s graduation season.

Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.

I think I need to plaster this to my forehead as a moment-to-moment reminder. Or go all Justin Bieber and get a face tat…


Because — not that I’m a worry wart, per se — but I will be the first to admit that I fall into the “over thinker” camp.

Be it about love, jobs, life, dreams, Beyonce’s life decisions…I’m a processor.

And I can process myself into a tailspin if I’m not careful.

But what a comfort to know that I was given peace.

Given.

By the Lord.

That is a gift that means something.


But here’s the thing about gifts.

I recently discovered that I have, like, 75 dollars worth of online gift cards that have just been lying dormant in my Amazon account. I know. That is horrible. I have let a generous gift go to waste for two freaking years.

I have to remedy that whole gift card situation and use the dang things! I’ve gotta claim my money!

And it’s the same with His peace.

We have to claim it.


We have to choose to receive it. To look our fears and anxieties and worries straight in the face and claim the peace that comes from the Lord. That comes from trusting in His divine plan and purpose and timing and will.

That’s the Good News. That’s the hope.


So whether you’re graduating this May, or simply navigating the obstacle-ridden terrain of life, claim the promise that God has for you and me. Claim the peace. It is yours for the taking.

Be not troubled or afraid.


 

 

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136 responses to “Claim It”

  2. This post is exactly what I needed to hear today. I’ve officially been out of college for a year today and my life is not where I thought it would be. But having hope in God’s timing and resting in His peace is a great comfort. Thanks for being real!

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    • Hi friend. Thank you so much for this reflection. I feel you. I can get stressed if I think about where I thought my life “should be by now” but you’re right-we just have to trust in His perfect timing. 🙂 that’s where the freedom is. Thanks for stopping by! Have a great night xox

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  3. Beautiful post, especially for me personally as a senior high student when everyone starts asking me about university and what my career choices are. I have to remember to claim God’s peace 🙂

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    • Thank you so much! What an exciting time. You’re right-claim that peace:) you’re in the center of where He wants you so claim that☺️☺️☺️ hugs and love my friend xox

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    • Thank you so much! Aw, i;m so glad you like the photos too! they’re a little bit of a labor of love to make, but i really enjoy it! Thanks for reading! hugs and love xox

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  6. Fantastic!!! We all need to hear this is think. Cause it aint easy to do sometimes. By the way, it seems like you may be Catholic, which I think is cool. Either way thank you for being such a great witness. Peace.

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    • Thank you so much! You’re right, I always have to remind myself to claim a lot of stuff: His love, His forgiveness and yes, His peace. Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  7. It’s funny. We choose what we study in college, but is it always gods plan for us… not necessarily. Sometimes, we are meant for something else. .

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  9. Lots of wisdom in this little post. It got me thinking about my life as I pursued, or chased happiness in my life. A college grad, worked for large corporations etc. It seems we are taught that we are to chase happiness, half the time not even knowing what happiness is.

    Then, one day, I stopped chasing happiness and found that my happiness is peace. When I stopped chasing happiness, then my peace came to me. Like being at a park and chasing after squirrels. Happiness, just as love, are elusive creatures. Chase them and they will just run away up a tree, always staying out of reach. Stop chasing them and sit on a bench and enjoy the sunshine and the squirrel/happiness, or peace in my case, comes to us.

    That’s the way it happened for me. Being nobody makes anything possible, in the Lord’s time. I used to have a full checking and saving account and happiness always eluded me. Now I have $12 in my checking account, with payday on the way and I am perfectly at peace. Yes, there are difficult days at work. But, when I come home, there is peace. There is even peace in the chaos that occurs at work. Being nobody means I don’t expect anything. I just do what needs to be done and move on to the next task. No task is beneath me, because I am nobody in the world while being somebody in the Lord.

    Great post. 🙂

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  11. Thank you so much for this post! I graduated on Saturday. It was so exciting. On Thursday night though I felt very depressed, because I didn’t particularly want to move back home until I get offered a job. I was actually looking for a post on your blog to help me out. Weird how God works, and how you posted what I was looking for today.

    I have two second round job interviews in Nashville this week. Both are in mental health, and I would really like to come out with an offer to at least one. I know that it is all in God’s hands, but sometimes it is really hard waiting. Thank you for the verse. I wrote in down in my journal. Your blog is great! <3

    -Bailey

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    • Hi Bailey! Oh congratulations! That’s so exciting!!! And gosh, thank you for such kind words about my blog. I’m so glad you found a nudge of encouragement here. You’re right-waiting is difficult. But just think: during the waiting, it just means you’re getting one day closer to where He wants you to be. 🙂 good luck with the interviews! Working in mental health is such important work. Kudos to you❤️ hugs and love my friend. I’ll say a little prayer for your interviews! Xox

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  12. You’re an amazing writer & I love reading your posts. I just finished university last month after a long and stressful five years. I still have no idea what I want to do and I worry about that very much. But I am happy that I finally have my degree. Beautiful post; it makes me remember not to give up because things will get better 🙂 -Olivia

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    • Oh my goodness thank you so much Olivia! You just made my night:) congrats on finishing up! A degree is definitely something to be proud of. And you know what? You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. Things WILL get better❤️❤️❤️ sending a big hug your way my friend. Xoxo

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  13. Great post 🙂 I think peace is something that we all need to claim to survive the everyday world 🙂 Keep up the great work as always and I hope you had a Happy Mother’s Day 🙂

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    • Hey John! Thank you so much:) I agree. It has such an abstract definition I think, but when I stopped to really think about what it meant and Who truly have it to us, it carries more weight. Thanks! My mom is visiting this coming weekend so I’m excited to shower her with love 🙂 have a great day! Hugs and love. Xox

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  14. I love Matthew chapter 6 in the New Testament. Jesus talks about being our provider for all our earthly needs when we seek His kingdom and righteousness. I enjoyed your post. Thanks for the work you do on your photos as well.

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    • Hi constance! Thank you so much:) you’re right-he IS our provider. And what a comforting thought that is. And yay:) I’m so glad you enjoy the photos! Thanks for saying that😘 have a great evening. Hugs and love xox

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  15. Your post had perfect timing in my life, and that is God’s doing.
    I have been very stressed and worried lately, and this is just what I needed.
    Funny with your posts, they always seem to say exactly what I need to hear at exactly the right time!:)
    Thanks for an amazing post, BBB, and peace be with you!xx

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    • Hi friend! Oh I’m so glad this came at a good time for you. That seriously makes me so happy. Hang in there friend. You’re right where you’re supposed to be. He is in the drivers seat and that the best scenario! Thanks for reading! Hugs and love xox

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  19. love this post, very insightful. It seems to me you have a good head on your shoulders. I never went to collage, I chose a very different path but I know if I would have don’t thing differently I wouldn’t have met my husband and have my two boys.

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    • Thank you so much. In so glad you bleed it. We all have different paths, and I’m so glad that yours led to your joy and wonderful family. God is good! Hugs and love my friend xox

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  21. OMG! How did you know this is exactly what I needed right now? <3 Thank you so much. John-Roger (my spiritual teacher) says that peace begins within each one of us, and you just reminded me of this. Thank you again. Blessings.

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  25. Accepting and receiving the peace of God (claiming it) is a timely subject. It is ironic that you speak about graduation and moving into the next phase. I am far from the age of the regular college grads (went back to get my BA at 52). However, the questions and the uncertainty of moving into a new phase of life are not exclusive to the young graduates. I am at a time in my life where I have those same questions. The “good” jobs are not given to those older citizens (with or without a degree). And while there are exceptions to the rules, the general consensus for us older folks is that our time has passed, we can’t hang with the new culture of the technological age. I am saying all of this to say that without His peace, I would be a basket case. His plan and purpose for my life is not yet complete. Thanks for sharing.

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    • Hi friend! Thank you so much for this heartfelt reflection. Amen to that: without His peace, I don’t know where I’d be! There’s so much comfort that comes in His loving arms. But you’re so right: God does have a plan -that is good- for each and every one of His children. He is good! thanks for reading! hugs and love xox

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  26. Wonderful! And perfectly timed. I loved the part of the passage from the gospel when Jesus offers the disciples peace and tells them, “Not as the world gives it donI give it.” The peace that God offers us is a peace unlike any other that we have ever known! When I think about the image of Divine Mercy, that is what I think about, and it brings me so much consolation. May is the month dedicated to the Holy Mother Mary, as well, and she also offers the peace of her son to anyone who asks for it or needs it. There are many reasons to love this month! Thanks for another great post. Hope you are having a beautiful week! ❤️

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    • Hi there Lulu! Thank you so much for this 🙂 You’re so right – His peace and love is unlike anything. It is all encompassing. Merciful. Forgiving. Unconditional. Self-sacrificial. In a word, amazing. And yes, yay for May! Thanks for stopping by! hugs and love xox

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  29. BBB – I pray you feel the peace of God within you and that it continues to flow out from you in your writings. You are blessed and you are a blessing to many others.

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    • Wow, thank you so much for this incredibly encouraging comment. God is so good and to Him be the glory. Seriously, I am just so grateful to Him for saving me and healing me. I really appreciate the prayers. hugs and love xox

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    • Hi friend! I know, it’s like we get so buried in the exams and the papers and the notes and meeting deadlines that graduation sneaks up on us! Thanks for stopping by! hugs and love my friend xox

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  32. Beautiful! Love it!
    I think there’s definitely a pressure on young people in today’s society to have it all figured out at such a young age, when really we should be putting our trust in God that he will lead us down the right paths.

    God Bless!

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    • Hi Danielle! Thank you so much. You’re right – in NYC, I feel for all these middle schoolers because there’s so much pressure put on them to choose the right high school and to get into the most “prestigious” one! It’s crazy — getting younger and younger. But amen to that — God will lead us down the right path. At the right time. thanks for reading! hugs and love xox

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  34. A favorite verse of mine for years has been Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.” I’ve applied it many times haha 🙂

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    • Hi Monica! oh gosh I absolutely love that verse! I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it! isn’t it funny how that happens sometimes!? But wow, how much peace and comfort does that verse offer!? Thanks for reading! hugs and love xox

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  38. Thank you for this thought-provoking post. After all the hype and excitement of getting through school and college, it can leave us down. You’re right…we desperately need the peace of God. When we ask for the peace of God, not only do we have the time to rest, but we can hear His voice speaking to us. We can get guidance as to what our next steps are. When we seek the peace of God, and wait for divine instructions, we have nothing to worry about. He is in control. Praise God!

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    • Hi there! You are so right, we have absolutely nothing to worry about when God is in the drivers seat! Thanks for this beautiful reflection and for taking the time to read. Hugs and love cox

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  39. I can totally relate! I’m a year graduated out of college, and I’ve applied to 88 jobs, had 23 interviews, and 6 temporary jobs. This blog post got me to the heart. Thank you for sharing 🙂

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    • Hi Hannah! Thanks for sharing this. I feel ya girl, the job market really stinks right now. Hang in there. The right job is going to come along that is just right for you ❤️ thanks for reading! Hugs and love xox

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  40. I must say I had a “Miss Congeniality” moment: World Peace!

    I always thought that someday when I’m all grown up I’ll have it all figured out and life will get easier. Well, God willing, I’ll be able to retire in under 10 years. Maybe THAT’S the graduation where I’ll have it all figured out. Or not.

    I think the only graduation that’ll count is when we die and graduate to God’s loving arms. HE will have it all figured out and let us in on the whole thing.

    That and I have some friends I’ll look forward to seeing again. But till then, I keep getting my Beauty fix along with the other blogs, take walks with my Julie, and enjoy the world around me. 🙂

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    • Aw thanks for this Jeff. You’re right–that’s the only graduation that will count. You have such great perspective on life, Jeff. I always love hearing what you have to say:) have a great night! Hugs and love xox

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  41. I decided to write you a 75 word response in honor of your gift money. Go ahead and count the words. I believe in numbering everything, especially the words that I use. I believe in efficiency and never want to use more than what is required. Excess is not good for the soul, but often one does not know where to draw the line, and even knowing one often fails to comply. How’d I do?

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  42. I would love love some advice on how to blog. Every single article rocks . What’s your story:) how long have you been blogging. And any advice on newbies?;)

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    • Hi friend! Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging! Thank you so much for your kind words! Oh gosh, my story is long and complicated. Basically, in one sentence: I’ve recovered from a severe case of anorexia through Christ. And any advice…write about topics you’re passionate about, because it will show in your writing! hope that helps! hugs and love xox

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  43. Hey I would love to have some good advice. How do u go about your topics. Every single article is amazing 😘😘😘 I’m a newbie and any advice would be amazing♡♡♡♡

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    • hey there! aw that is so kind of you to say! it’s funny, I really never know what I’m going to write about when I sit down to write a post. I just open up a word document and say, “Okay, God. What do You want me to say today?” I know that sounds kinda dumb and incredibly cheesy, but it’s totally the truth! thanks for reading ! hugs and love xox

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  45. I totally understand! My life-motto would have to be: Life is HARD, so eat a cookie. Peace in the mind and heart is good for us. Don’t underestimate me as to a “little girl.” I know a lot more than some people understand. 😉 XOXO, MaryLouise.

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  46. Good stuff! Don’t apologize for “goin’ there”, we all need the peace that surpasses ALL understanding from the Father, indeed. 🙂

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  48. Needed this today. Not that I’m fresh out of college, that ship sailed loooong ago, but I’ve been feeling quite restless and anxious. Nice to remember I’ve got a gift of peace that is mine for the taking.

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    • Thank you so much for this reflection. I’m so glad it resonated with you. You’re so right- it IS ours for the taking. Thanks for reading! Hugs and love xox

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  51. Peace and hope are by far what I consider the most precious gifts we receive. When we are not at peace we are blessed with being able to hope and that can be miraculous when life seems to be in turmoil or changing seasons. Take care! xoxo

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    • Thank you so much Jack! Aw I’m really glad you enjoyed my photos! They’re w but of a labor of love to make, but I really do enjoy it. So glad you like them:) thanks for stopping by! Hugs and love xox

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  54. Thanks for your encouraging post. Would you be willing to share in another post sometime a bit more about your experience of ‘claiming it’? What do you actually do or say or pray or not do? Fear and anxiety are emotions – how does claiming the gift of God’s peace affect them?

    Here is another favorite passage of mine: Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom. I think that is from Luke somewhere.

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  55. Exactly what many of us need to hear. Peace won’t just surround us if we don’t accept it. Especially in this time of “adulting” peace may feel like a million miles away, but it is within reach. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  58. Never apologise for promoting peace in a world that hankers after everything but God’s peace. Graduating in Peace in a life long process and Heaven is where we get our degree from. ‘Oh Israel, stay away from idols! I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you’ Hosea 14:8. Big hug

    Reply

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