Why A Peaceful Life Is God’s Greatest Blessing

My life is so beautifully boring.

Tonight, a Friday, I woke up from working an overnight shift (6 pm to 7 am). I met with my interns. I spoke with my weekly accountability partner and took notes on our call. I did some writing. I watched a YouTube video.

And in the background of this evening, I made a very delicious jerk chicken soup with ditalini pasta. I smiled while I stirred, thinking about how simple moments like these nourish not just my body, but my mind and my soul, too.

And so tonight, I am maxed and relaxed and at home.

I’m not bored. I’m content. But the life I’m living now at 41 is a life that 20 year old Joval would be mortified by. That 25 year old Joval would be afraid of. The life I am living is so peaceful, so loving, so gentle, and so enjoyable. But old me—who was running away from parts of myself!—would have been terrified to live this life.

And yet here I am, grateful that on a Friday night at 11 pm, I am truly enjoying homemade soup, sitting crisscross applesauce in the corner of my couch with love notes from my clients and my coworkers strewn around me. Serving as little reminders of how God uses me in the lives of others. One note warmed me in a way no blanket ever could:

It is so incredibly rare for me to meet/ learn from somebody who genuinely makes me want to be a better person; not even in the regard of like not swearing, but unyearning kindness. It is so, so uncommon to see that nowadays. Your quippy (in the BEST way) lines that make me think always get me, too!

Here’s the full note:

Here I am, allowing myself to be still, allowing myself to nourish my body, my mind, and my spirit.

Here I am, allowing myself to simply be.

As my journal sits tucked under my left knee, the cover of which reminds me— is instructing me—”be still”.

As my accountability partner said, “I want to wake up saying, ‘I can’t believe I get to do this every day!’”

And here I am now, able to say, “Wow, I can’t believe I get to be and do this today and tomorrow and the tomorrows after.”

A Prayer of Gratitude and Faith: How God’s Love Heals

God,
I’m grateful. I’m thankful that because of Your Great Love for me, You have molded me and healed me.

I am healed, and I am healing still.

I am recovered, and I am recovering still.

I am nourished, and I am nourishing still.

Thank You, God, that I serve the God who says, “I Am That I Am.” And because I know that, I know that I AM, TOO.

I am God personified. I am the hands and the feet of God.

I am love. I am loving. I am so well-loved. I am so well-cared for. I am safe. I am absolutely, divinely secure.

I thank You, God, for those who read and learn of love through this blog—for the over 13,000 (🤯🥳❤️🙏🏾✨) readers. I thank You for past, present, and future readers. God, I pray abundant blessings on their lives. Bless them as You have blessed me. Bless them better than You have blessed me.

For the ones who question and doubt You, God, reveal to them Your way, Your light, and Your truth in a way that only You can.

As Psalm 19:14 says:

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

And I don’t just say that for me; I say that for me and my dear readers:

Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.

I end with the Message translation of this passage, Psalms 19:11–14:

There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

Visualize Your Beautifully Boring Life

Close your eyes and imagine the life you truly want—peaceful, fulfilling, and rooted in God’s love. Ask yourself:

1. What does my “beautifully boring” life look like?
2. What fills me with peace, joy, and gratitude each day?
3. What small moments nourish my body, mind, and spirit?
4. What do I need to let go of to make space for this life?

Write down what you see and feel and take one small step today toward creating it. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments—I’d love to hear how God is leading you on your journey and partner with you in prayer about it.