ABOUT THE BOOK

Peace is not the Absence of Brokenness in our Lives, but His Presence in the Midst of it.

Do you ever wonder if true and lasting peace can be found in the midst of the chaos all around you? We all long for peace, the kind of peace that elicits a beautiful picture of a sunset above still waters with birds in perfect flight. But it doesn't take long for that picture to be interrupted by the brokenness all around us. Sickness comes our way; careers come to an end; dreams are shattered; relationships crumble; marriages fall apart; and children rebel. There is brokenness - all around us! Before we know it, we start allowing for that brokenness to define us and the ever-so-dangerous game of comparison begins.

We live in a world in which we are told that we can just trade in whatever is broken in our lives for what feels good. What we don't often hear is that the reason we feel broken is because we are. We may not all be broken in the same way or to the same depth, but broken is broken. Until we understand the why of that brokenness, peace will only be temporary. There is no hope in that! And where hope is absent, that true and lasting peace we all long for cannot be found. Whatever your brokenness looks like and wherever your brokenness has led you, be encouraged. Look up, my friend—there is hope! Peace can be found! Peace is not the absence of brokenness and chaos that’s all around us; peace is God's presence in the midst of it all. How do I know? Because that has been the case throughout my very own life.

The truth is, I had no idea that what started out as journals to help me process a season in my life would bring old and new brokenness to the surface, resulting in a book. A book that was born out of a wiser-than-me friend's question: "What does peace look like here, Gina?" Peace in the Brokenness is a mix of my story and the tools God showed me as I dug into His Word, the Bible, to find the answer to her question. I honestly did not see this book coming, but here it is!

The first couple chapters lay the foundation for the journey. Chapter One will help you get a better understanding of what peace really is and why we long for the beautiful sunset and still waters with birds in perfect flight. Chapter Two explains the why of the brokenness which interrupts that glorious picture of peace we all long for. My prayer is that you will be encouraged to see that there is beauty in the brokenness. From Chapter Three on, we navigate through choosing peace as we learn to use specific tools for the journey ahead.
It is my prayer that you will be encouraged and empowered with the stories and the tools found in this book. Each chapter concludes with questions for personal reflection and application, or group interaction.
Will you join me in this journey? Great! Let's get started and turn to Chapter One. I want you to know that I pray for you often...even from afar.

Because He is God,
Gina
Psalm 46:10