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• December 2008
• September 2008

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Chapel message, 9/28/08

Today's message centered on finding peace in times of turmoil.

I opened the chapel service today by sharing my nervous attitude about flying. I told the cadets that when I fly, I don't like turbulence because it makes me nervous. I equated those experiences to when we go through turbulent times in our lives. Like the airline pilot that climbs to a different altitude to avoid turbulence, we must climb to a different attitude to confront chaos in our lives.

The answer of how to do this can be found in Paul's letter to the church in Philippi, specifically in Philippians 4:6-7. By focusing on God, we can make it through the turbulent times in our lives.

I also shared the story of a king who asked for the perfect picture of peace to be painted. While many pieces were offered that might reflect our own ideas of a peaceful setting, the winner painted a picture of a roaring waterfall under dark skies. Near the waterfall was a large tree, and in one of the branches of the tree was a nest with a mother bird sitting calmly on her eggs. That, the king said, represented true peace because it was the picture of calm in the midst of chaos.

I closed by sharing this quote with the corps: "Peace is not in the absence of suffering, but in the presence of God."

Posted by , Sunday, September 28, 2008 03:51 PM