A New Year’s Blanket

If snow blanketed our world every day in a glistening shimmer we might take its magnificence for granted. We would soon dismiss the wonder of icy branches and deep footprints. We might forgo the taste of flakes on our tongues and frost on our eyelashes. If snow blanketed our world every day, we just might miss the wonder of it all.

What if peace blanketed our world every day? Would we take for granted the magnificence of a shimmering soul? Would our own heaviness cast off its calm and interrupt sweet sleep? Would we eventually let peace’s warmth slide to the floor? If you are like me, you’d like to snuggle underneath a blanket of warm and cozy peace right about now. 

I’m finally realizing that those of us who have made peace with God are blanketed in peace every day. Yet, perhaps, we’ve taken it for granted. Jesus sweetly continues to remind us, “I leave the gift of peace with you—my peace. Not the kind of fragile peace given by the world, but my perfect peace. Don’t yield to fear or be troubled in your hearts—instead, be courageous!” (John 14:27, TPT) Peace is a gift from Jesus Himself. In order to benefit from a gift, it must first be accepted and then opened. Is your heart a tad troubled? Have you opened your gift yet?

The early church had the same gift, but they were tempted to leave it sitting in the corner. It takes great courage to do what Peter told the early church to do. “Whoever wants to embrace true life and find beauty in each day must stop speaking evil, hurtful words and never deceive in what they say. Always turn from what is wrong and cultivate what is good; eagerly pursue peace in every relationship, making it your prize.” (1 Peter 3:1-11, TPT) Pursue peace in EVERY relationship? Yes, every relationship. EAGERLY? Yes, eagerly.

I waited much too long to properly pursue peace. But now that I’ve tossed the wrapping paper in the air and lifted the lid on my box, I’m ready to dive into peace headfirst. Since it is such a courageous pursuit, my word for the year is PEACE! I want to be completely wrapped up in it, wear it like a blanket, and let others feel its warmth. 

If you don’t need any extra peace melting the ice on your road, then Perfection Road might not be the path you need this year. However! If you’d like a year that focuses on making peace with God, yourself, and with others, then I hope you’ll join me on this journey. Why not invite others to come along?

In case you haven’t guessed, my part of the world was blanketed in snow yesterday. What a great object lesson from God. He did to the earth what He does for me every day – He covered all the imperfections with a blanket of pure white forgiveness. That gives PEACE a great place to start! Until next week …

PEACE, my friend.

Posted in
a snowy mountain with text saying New Years Blanket

Donna Jackson

When Did Your Journey Begin?

By Donna Jackson | July 29, 2025 |

It fills my heart with happy to introduce you to my Jamaican friend, Kaidean Rice. I’ve watched her love for God grow into a beautiful display of joy and peace that only comes from walking hand-in-hand with Jesus. Read her description of how her journey began and be inspired to move a little closer to…

Replay the Stories Behind Your Scars

By Donna Jackson | July 22, 2025 |

Mothers often habitually latch onto childhood misadventures and hit the replay button for anyone willing to listen. (I’m shamefully guilty of doing that with my children.) However, no one seemed to enjoy it more than my mother. My mischievous spirit definitely gave her plenty of material for storytelling, enough to make listeners’ eyes glaze over.  Mother…

A Summer Read for You

By Donna Jackson | July 15, 2025

Looking for an uplifting summer read that inspires a deeper love for Jesus? What if there were a miracle greater than physical healing? Would you want it? Follow Denise Johnson’s battle with Stage 4 cancer and discover how you can transform your struggle into something you might not expect. This is by no means a…

Do You Know Who You’re Talking To?

By Donna Jackson | July 8, 2025

Before I began teaching full-time, I substituted for seven years in a K-12 school. My days with kindergarten children found me counting objects, naming colors, giving sounds to letters, tying shoes, and wiping noses. I soon learned that staying aware of middle-schoolers’ raging hormones was essential. And a week with twelfth graders required extra study…

Hope for the Tired Soul

By Donna Jackson | July 1, 2025

Recently, I came across an unfamiliar theological term. Naturally, the schoolteacher in me did what I used to tell my students to do when they encountered a new word – I looked it up! I had heard the words ‘orthodoxy’ and ‘orthopraxy’. (Don’t let those words stop you from reading further. This is going to…

Who’s at the End of Your Pipeline?

By Donna Jackson | June 24, 2025

If you’ve ever built or remodeled a house, chances are you’ve had pieces of PVC pipe lying around. When these pipes are new, they are pristine, clean, and white. That’s good since drinking water usually flows through them. However, over time, these pipes can develop residue that sticks and restricts water flow. This buildup can…

A Fresh Fragrance

By Donna Jackson | June 10, 2025

Arguably, most of us are addicted to something. Some are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Others to pleasure, power, possessions, or a combination of other things. As for me, I am addicted to a judgmental spirit. There! I said it out loud (sort of)! I spent most of my years focused on being an outward…

Overcoming the Slow Erosion of Hope

By Donna Jackson | June 3, 2025

Knowing that God is working THROUGH us to accomplish something of eternal value warms our hearts with joy; however, God working IN us is another matter. More often than not, exchanging our fleshly desires for godly ones is not a quick yank. It’s more like slowly peeling a Band-Aid off a hairy arm. The hairier…

Chasing a Rabbit Born of Water

By Donna Jackson | May 27, 2025

You’ve laced up your boots, strapped on your backpack, and headed down a well-worn and familiar path. Before seeing them, you can picture every tall tree, mossy boulder, and narrow stream. You smile when you see your own boot prints etched in the dirt along the way. You know the trail by heart because you’ve…

Graduating with a Friend

By Donna Jackson | May 20, 2025

As I watched my oldest grandson graduate from high school, a tsunami of memories washed over me. There were 699 in my graduating class. On graduation night, names were called, and faces came forward that I didn’t recognize. Unlike my grandson, I didn’t graduate with a whole lot of honors, but I was good friends…