31 Days of Peace, day 31

The Final Day

Welcome to the last day of my 31 Days of Peace series. To be honest, this was not an easy task. There were many days when trying to come up with something peaceful felt like a chore. Some days I was too busy to have to stop and think peaceful thoughts. Other days I was tired or frustrated or just in a bad mood, and the stubborn side of me wanted to say no to my commitment to find peace that day.

But I did it anyway. I searched my mind until I found something, even if it was small, which brought my soul peace that day. Admittedly, I often used my “My Passions” board on Pinterest or the inspiration app on my iPhone to come up with my inspiration for the day. But, in my defense, I only picked the quotes which truly spoke to me and which truly helped me discover peace.

Now, on the last day of the exercise, I am elated as to how this commitment which I made back on the first of October has helped me grow. This is the first time in a long time I have completed such a challenge. Over the past few years I have challenged myself to exercise more regularly, create better schedules in my family’s daily life, try more new recipes, read more often, pray more often, and work at tossing out some of my bad habits. All of those challenges withered. But this one was different. With 31 Days of Peace, I was held accountable to my promise by the hundreds of other bloggers writing their 31 days. I didn’t know how many others, if any, were reading my posts about Peace, but I couldn’t risk letting anyone down. I couldn’t take the chance that somewhere out there someone was looking forward to reading what I had to say each day about finding peace or even possibly needed my words to help them find their own peace. By completing this challenge, I have proven to myself that I can, in fact, complete the challenges I give myself with a little extra hard work and dedication.

What is even more amazing about how this challenge affected me is the way it actually helped me find peace. Not just a day of peace, but a heart of peace. In the beginning, my heart was unsettled. I was still adjusting to our recent move and the kids’ new school schedules. I was feeling discontent with our circumstances. I was emotionally distant, which is quite unlike me, and I couldn’t figure out why. But as I moved through the month seeking to find peace in every day, my heart changed. Little by little I felt more content. My energy and excitement began to return. I felt much better about our circumstances and rediscovered the appreciation I have for this military lifestyle. Before long, my old self returned but this time it harbored fewer anxieties and was enveloped in a feeling of contentment.

I am forever grateful to The Nester for providing me with the challenge of writing about one topic for 31 days, and I am thankful that God directed me to choose the topic of peace. It is exactly what my soul needed. I will no longer be writing about peace every day, but there is no doubt I will still be searching for it in my daily life.

I challenge you to do the same. Pledge to find peace every day, even when it seems out of reach. Perhaps keep a journal or tell a friend about the peace you discover. Soon, you too will find your heart shifting away from anxiety and discontentment and towards happiness and peace.