Peace in the midst of turmoil

I have a sick feeling in my stomach right now, and tears moistened my eyes.

I was flipping through Facebook for a minute when I saw that the mother of a girl I grew up going to youth group with died after years fighting breast cancer. It's horrible what she went through, although from what I could see from the far outside, she seemed to take it with a smile on her face most of the time.

What makes my heart break is that this girl in her early 20s no longer has a mother.

Her parents went through a hard divorce several years ago, and I don't know what relationship she has with her dad. I hope it's a strong one, because she'll need it at this time. But I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose a mother.

When things like this happen, and even when nothing traumatic has gone on, I have often prayed that God would let my mom live to a ripe, old, healthy age. I have to say this prayer is for completely selfish reasons as well.

I need my mom. When I have worries, joyous news or even need advice on mundane things like cooking and taxes, the first person I usually call - after talking to Nate that is - is my mom. She is brilliant and wise, and I always know that I can trust her to either give me good advice or just listen while I talk or cry things out. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't pick up the phone and call her.

In fact, my parents recently went on vacation, and the week they were gone there were several times when I was going to call her and remembered that she was out of cell service range. A week! That poor girl that never again can pick up the phone to call her mom.

A verse I often lean on is "Do not worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

I love the fact that it says the peace of God transcends all understanding. When I pray for peace and comfort for this girl, I immediately think, "Yeah right, no one can have peace at a time like this." However, that is only true to how we understand life. God's peace transcends our understanding. He can give it to us when it doesn't seem like peace is possible.

My prayer today is that this girl, and all others that are going through hardship, will turn to God and receive the peace from him that will blow their minds, a peace they will never understand but never want to let go of.