Peace

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Romans 5:1-2

So, I was worried tonight until I came across this verse. It's amazing how so few words can carry so much, and can take so much of my heart when I need them too.
As most know, there's a certain military man in my life stationed in Iraq. And it worries the crap out of me. But I'm prouder then I can ever say of him being over there, sacrificing and serving. That means the world to me as an American, and as his girlfriend. I was reading the news tonight and came across an article about 5 U.S. Service men going down in a helicopter near the base that he's at. It's worried me beyond end. And I don't know how to deal with that worry sometimes because my overactive imagination gets carried away. It's hard feeling so connected to a person who is 20 million miles and wanting nothing more then to hear his voice even though I can't.
But I know that God closes that distance. I look at this verse and I say to myself, no matter what has happened, whether I hear from him tonight or tomorrow or a week down the road, I can rejoice in the hope of God because he closes the distance between us. He has given me a peace in my heart to know that no amount of time, distance, or worry can tear me from my faith nor from my love. God has become my peace through a strength I've only found in being far away. There's a beautiful song by Mercy Me out right now "Bring the Rain" that completely and utterly captures this feeling:

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times

So I pray Bring me joy, bring me peace Bring the chance to be free Bring me anything that brings You glory And I know there'll be days When this life brings me pain But if that's what it takes to praise You Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain

Holy, holy, holy Is the Lord God Almighty

So many times my friends, my family, they have asked me how do I deal with the distance and how I deal with this deployment and the only answer is God. There are dark clouds that loom above daily. There is worry, there is hurt, there is hating at being so far apart. At knowing he is in a dangerous place every moment. But those situations don't change the fact that I can still praise. If it's rain that causes my praise then I welcome it. I will dance in the drops if it means peace.
And it does. That is the beautiful thing. God gives me peace in the love that I have. Each day I could worry more and more at each breaking news story but instead, I know that I can stand in Him until my own hero returns. That each drop brought to me only makes me stronger, only makes my love grow. And that's how it's been these past six months. Finding peace in the love that I have inside of me. Knowing that love is stronger then anything on this earth and anything beyond it. Love for my God. Love becomes the peace I have inside of me because love is my strength. And nothing, not even a breaking news story can make that stumble.