Finding peace begins by finding the source of peace: God. Peace will always be elusive if we don't have peace with God. The opportunity for peace with God arrived on earth a couple thousand years ago at Jesus' birth, when the angels rejoiced, "Peace on earth, goodwill toward mankind." Jesus, the Prince of Peace, had arrived on earth, and it's only through Him that we can find peace with God.

Have you ever received a generous gift? “Wow thank you so much how could I ever repay you?” or “I am in your debt”. This is exactly how we should be responding to the greatest gift of grace and life given to us by God through Jesus. When we understand who God is, we should be compelled to respond with “Here is my life, how can I use it to bring honor and glory to God my Redeemer?”.

Were you ever put in timeout as a child? In Ezra 1-2, the people of Israel are coming off a 70-year “timeout” in Babylon. Because of their unrepentant sin, God sent Israel into captivity for 70 years. Yet, they did not remain in Babylon forever. God had promised to, “visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place (Jer. 29:10).”

"Out of the frying pan, into the fire." We've all been in those situations where we narrowly escape one crisis only to fall into another. In Acts 28, Paul barely survives a shipwreck, only to be bitten by a poisonous snake - all on a journey toward his prison cell in Rome. But these "setbacks" don't hinder Paul at all. With each setback, God provides an opportunity.