peace . love . joy

Dearest,

This second war is really very trying. You'd think after the first, they'd learn and really comprehend the troubles and pain and torture of war, but no, pride and...well, pride gets the better of them.

Yesterday, we were going to meet Bonhoeffer again. This is rather scary: us meeting in secret because if we were ever found out...I don't want to think about it. But so far, so good. I guess God really wants us to learn something, or some things, from this Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Anyway, we're going to give him a piece of our mind! You know, he expects us to focus and meditate on a passage of Scripture for about two hours a day. Two! How can we with this war going on around us? Where do we find the peaceful moment in time, or the place of solitude to reflect and ponder? Everytime we try (we really do try), we find our minds wandering. Wandering to our own families, to when our next meal will be, whether or not this will be the last time we see the dawn...It is just so difficult to be at peace with so many things in our minds; cares and worries.

But I write this letter to you not to burden you with my cares and woes. Instead, I sit here writing this letter to you to encourage you. "How?", you ask. Here is what Bonhoeffer said in reply to our protests:

"Stop trying to fight it. Follow your mind wherever it goes. Follow it until it stops and then, wherever it stops, make that person or problem a matter for prayer. The struggling only leads to more noise and inner turmoil."

And after praying for all our mind can conjure up, we return to Scripture with the peace in our hearts, our minds and our spirits.

May you, my dearest, find peace in this time of pain and hardship.

Much love.