Peace Through God’s Strength by Barbara M. Britton

Do you have a favorite book of the Bible? A favorite verse? Throughout my Christian life, I have gravitated to Philippians 4:6-7:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

I found comfort in knowing that I could pray to God, and He would hear my prayers, bestowing peace and comfort. I also realized over my lifetime, that the outcome I seek may not be what God sees in my future.

I clung to these verses when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. In the beginning, my diagnosis was a stage 0, “small tumor.” After a lumpectomy, the bottom dropped out of my contentment when I was told that I still had cancer. Modern imaging had faked out the doctors and tricked me into thinking my cancer was no big deal. Well, it was.

Living as a breast-free woman in my fifties wasn’t on my radar screen, but I received the outcome from God that I had prayed for—I was alive and healthy after treatment. Some cancer patients don’t survive cancer. As a Christian, I have the peace of knowing God and the certainty that one day in heaven, I will have a glorified, and even better body than the one I had pre-cancer. I had prayed during my treatment, and God gave me the peace that no matter what the outcome, he would be there with me. I wouldn’t trade the peace of God for anything even though I may have some battle scars from the trials He brought me through.

In my latest novel, “Christmas at Whispering Creek,” my heroine Samantha Williams has a breast removed at twenty-three years of age. Her reconstruction has setbacks, and she is missing a breast when she inherits a home in Tennessee. Samantha reads and grabs hold of Philippians 4:6-7 while also holding fast to Philippians 4:13, a verse my hero –Cole Donoven—recites.

What will Samantha do about her situation? Will she have another try at reconstruction? Whether she does, or she doesn’t (No spoilers), she is confident in who she is as a child of God.

Before Samantha heads off to Tennessee, she has this conversation with her mom.

 

“Can I put you on the prayer chain?” Her mom headed into the hallway and halted. “Many at church remember Mr. Ted. They know we were close. They’ll want to lift you up in prayer. Especially for travel mercies.”

“Sure, you can add me.” Sam zipped her suitcase and hefted it onto the floor. “If you don’t think they’re tired of praying for my issues.” Two surgeries. Radiation. Infection. Her health problems had family and friends on their knees for weeks. No, months. They should be called the knee pad brigade.

 

When life doesn’t go as planned, I hope you take comfort in the peace that God bestows to His children. I also hope you have a knee pad brigade to lift you and your needs before God.

The apostle Paul recites this phrase many times in his letters.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

I praise God for God’s Redemption At Christ’s Expense, and for the peace that He gives to those who know Him.

Thankfully, both Samantha and I had God guarding our hearts and minds as we traveled our difficult paths. I hope you have God’s peace, too.

 

 

All Samantha Williams wants to do is to use her teaching degree to instruct a classroom of second graders. But, after a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of twenty-three, and failed reconstruction surgery, Sam finds herself without a job and temporarily living with her parents. This isn’t the life Sam expected. When a family friend dies and leaves Sam a house and land in Whispering Creek, Tennessee, Sam must decide if leaving Wisconsin for Southern living is in her lesson plans.

Nashville native, Cole Donoven, left his family’s electrical business to write country music. When Cole’ s songwriting partner and girlfriend dumps him for a country music star, Cole abandons Nashville to hole up in Whispering Creek and compose one more song. The last thing Cole expects to find in the sleepy small town is a deceased friend, estate squabbles, and a Northern beauty. Will the chaos in Whispering Creek help create a bestselling song for Cole and possibly help him find a life-long collaborator?

You can find “Christmas at Whispering Creek” wherever books are sold. The print edition will launch on December 1^st.

 

 

 

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction from Bible Times to present day USA. Her Tribes of Israel series brings little-known Bible characters to light. Her novel “Christmas at Whispering Creek,” is a compelling, yet fun story, shining a light on breast cancer. Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. You can find out more about Barbara and her books on her website www.barbarambritton.com.