Let there be Peace on Earth… by Joanna Quintrell
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010(11/09)
As my thoughts turn to the upcoming holiday season and the rapidly approaching New Year, I have been reflecting on how our greetings and hopes this time of year often include the desire for peace. “May you experience the peace and joy of the season”. “May your new year be filled with peace.”
In 1955, Jill Jackson Miller wrote the song “Let There Be Peace on Earth” after having a profound experience of the love of God. Orphaned as a young girl, Jill’s life was filled with pain and despair which led her to try to take her life. Here are her own words…
“And when I attempted suicide and I didn’t succeed, I knew for the first time unconditional love- which God is. God is unconditional love. You are totally loved, totally accepted, just the way you are. In that moment I was not allowed to die and something happened to me which is very difficult to explain. I had an eternal moment of truth, in which I knew I was loved and knew I was here for a purpose.”
We all long for peace in our world and for our own peace of mind and heart. In the opening lines of her now-famous song, Jill Jackson Miller wrote with profound wisdom…. “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” Let it begin with me. Let PEACE begin with ME.
Such a beautiful thought, but there is only one problem…I don’t know about you, but much of the time, I am not at peace within myself. I so easily get busy and rushed and distracted and worried. I get caught up in the hustle and bustle around me, especially at the holidays. Yes, deep inside I am longing for peace, and there are moments where it comes, but it doesn’t last very long. (Maybe I’m the only one…but I have a feeling that I am not alone!)
Many who visit the Journey Center describe us as “an oasis of peace” and we are very glad that our beautiful facility, the quiet music and the loving welcome that is extended to all are experienced this way. It helps to have peaceful surroundings when one is seeking peace.
And we believe that peace in our relationships, in our community and in the world does begin with experiencing peace within. It is for that reason that we offer such a variety of resources, gatherings and experiences that are designed to help us all learn how to let peace begin with us. We are all discovering together how to experience transformation and live from a place of peacefulness inside.
You will find within this website (see our Advent & Christmas Gatherings) that you are invited to join us during the month of December as we gather often in the presence of our loving God, where true peace is found…given as a gift to us in exchange for our worries and burdens:
• Begin the season on December 1 at our Blue Christmas Contemplative Gathering…designed for those who are dealing with loss and grief of any kind.
• Consider giving yourself a gift and join us for the Winter Solitude Retreat in the beautiful Point Reyes area (December 11-13). Note that payment plans can also be worked out….
• Take an hour on Sunday evenings to enjoy a peaceful candlelight gathering.
• Join us for a gathering on the “longest night of the year” (winter solstice; December 21) for an opportunity to encounter the Holy as we prepare together for deep winter.
And you are always welcome to join us in our regular rhythm of stepping out of the busyness of life and spending sacred moments in the presence of the One who has been called the Prince of Peace! Whether you join us for a prayer/meditation gathering, an experience in the outdoors, a workshop or a gathering for community, you will find kindred spirits who are longing for peace and desiring to “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”
