by Julie McComas
Contributing Writer

Recipes are a large part of life. There are recipes for every dish you can imagine, and all kinds of books and websites dedicated to just that. There are recipes for gifts, love, friendship, destruction, fitness… You name it; there is a recipe for it.

This is the time of year that I dig out all the special recipes that I use once or twice a year. It’s those special recipes that I have been assigned to bring to each of our holiday meals. I guess you could say that we have a recipe for our holiday meals. We each contribute the ingredients to an amazing dinner.

Since I have had recipes on my mind a lot these days, I have decided that we could turn the Bible into a recipe book of sorts. After having this brilliant idea, I realized that other people have had the same brilliant idea. Some of the biblical recipes I found were for A Balanced Diet, Friendship Salad, Recipe for a Happy Home, Recipe for a Happy Marriage, and there’s even one for a Gingerbread Man.

The recipe I want to focus on today is the Recipe for Peace which is found in Philippians 4:4-9. (NIV)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Now let’s look at it in recipe form.

The Recipe for Peace

2 parts Rejoicing

1 part of each: Gentleness/kindness

Prayer, Petition, & Thanksgiving

Mix together, and remember not to be anxious about anything. Think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. 

Put all of these things into practice.

Now that we have this recipe we have to remember the final instruction. We are to put all of these things into practice. This means that this isn’t a recipe that we drag out during the holidays each year. It is a recipe we are to use daily.

Dear Heavenly Father, please help each one of us remember to apply this recipe to our daily lives. Let us be aware of those that need Your peace, and share Your recipe for peace with them. In Jesus’ name. Amen

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Hi, I’m Julie!

I’m a country girl living a downright blessed life in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma. I’m married to my best friend. Bonus-Mom to two fantabulous guys, and Grandma to four grandest of grandkids. Above all, I am a child of the One True King.

My family and friends call me a medical mystery. Out of nowhere, on April 17, 1999, I just dropped dead. Crazy, I know. God wasn’t finished with me yet, so they brought me back to life, stuck a defibrillator in my chest, and sent me on my way. I might have left out a few details here. Then on April 17, 2011, I found a lump in my breast, and two weeks later was diagnosed with breast cancer. Again, God wasn’t finished with me, and I won that battle. Through it all, I’ve seen God’s hands in everything.

One of my goals in life is to encourage others to look for God’s presence in their lives. Another goal of mine is to be a cheerleader/supporter for anyone fighting breast cancer. To share my story, and hopefully help just one person through their battle.

Feel free to read about my life’s journey on my blog, Julie K. McComas.