Peace Be with You
Tools and Thoughts to Guide You from Anxiety to Serenity
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
From Ch 1 (Linda) Is Life a Zero-Sum Game? Another thing that bothers me about zero-sum theory is that it's often applied in places where it never has belonged, like friendship or trust. In these and many other instances, scarcity thinking has no place. Years ago, Edwin Markham's poem, “Outwitted” expressed that well: He drew a circle that shut me out Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win We drew a circle that took him in. Love makes room for more. How would you draw your circle? From Ch 2 (Garret) The Need for Hope Some years ago, when my daughter was still a little girl, I was shopping with her, and she was dressed in some pink shirt and had that childlike way that brings delight to even the hardest of hearts, she found the front cover of a book on the ground. Who knows where she found it, or where the rest of the book was, but she came up to me and showed it to me. The title of the book was, “Hope in This World”. It was at a moment in time when depression was taking hold of me, something that I've struggled with most of my life. However, sometimes I allow the symbolism that occurs in life speak to me. There was my daughter, who was mostly excited she found a piece of paper that was, “the same color as my shirt daddy”, but without a book to read. She stood behind it instead. And, there was my hope. This little girl who was and is part of me, and part of everything that came before me, being offered to me as the hope in this world. From Ch 3 (Linda)The Mystery of the Other We humans are a pretty surprising sort. Who hasn't been startled, perhaps even shocked, by something a child said, or a decision a friend made, or an action a spouse took? We may think people we know well are predictable, but I suspect that belief is only a way to prevent sleeplessness and worry about what might come next. And sometimes, when someone asks us “Why did you do that?”, the only honest answer is, “I really don't know!... So it is with us; we lionize some, demonize others, and understand most not at all. Nevertheless, we travel this world and this life together. So what are some of the best ways to learn to understand each other? Perhaps we could even assist each other's journeys!... From Ch 4 (Garrett) The Mystery of God And, perhaps you are reading this and saying, “You’re a Christian cleric! How can God be a mystery, and what about hell?” I’ve been to hell, chances are so have you. We’ve all been to hell. Those times and places we are absent from love, away from any connection to God or to others, when our selfishness and self-centeredness consumes us to the point of despair, that is hell. Addiction is hell, and we are all addicts when push comes to shove. We are addicts to information, to wanting to be acknowledged, to wanting to be right, to pride. All of this is hell. Yet, part of the mystery of God is that God descends into hell. There is no place where God isn’t. And, therefore our very hells, defined as the absence of God, cannot exist. In the hells of my own creation, and the hells far worse than what I can create alone, I have still found God… or God has still found me. But, this is my understanding of God, and if you spoke with another you’d certainly find a vastly different understanding of God. I’m a Christian pastor who’s quoted a Jewish Rabbi and a Sufi Shaykh in a chapter on mystery of God, because I know that perhaps, if I’m humble, I will discover God everywhere. From Ch.5 (Linda) Moving from Distress to Calm: the ways of peace If you are in any relationship, it's basically a team effort, whether at work, sports, or in your personal life. So all the principles of being a good team player also apply here. Listen to the other as an ally; how can you help them reach whatever goals they are working on? Think also about your approach to any shared goals – are you trying to “win”, or trying to contribute to that goal, and to solve any problems that crop up? After all, trust is essential in any relationship, and it is not a given. It develops when the individuals involved work actively on building trust through open communication, reliability, sensitivity, and willingness to listen. Sometimes a goal-based discussion from varied points of view becomes an ego contest. Clearly, that is antithetical to building a strong, effective relationship. Instead, be reliable, on time and prepared, keeping your promises. Back the other up if needed – we all have tough days. From Ch. 6 (Garrett) Making Peace with Your Past; Making Peace with Your Future We are always trying to figure out who to blame. For the disciples, ...they were trying to figure... out why the man is blind, who to blame. Guilt, shame, and regret keep us asking why we have no peace, and the answer is we often that we blame ourselves...In a lyric from a song called “No More Hell”, ...Cloud Cult sings “Someone tell the devil we don't need no hell. We're pretty good at beating up ourselves.” ...Jesus came and offered peace, (a) peace that in some very real way takes our past and does something good with it. This is what it means to have peace with the past.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
“Peace be With You is a timely treasure, certain to help heal today’s troubled hearts and minds. This remarkable team, a psychologist and a minister, uplift the reader while providing solid expertise and insight ...and not shying away from revealing their own very personal, even intimate, life challenges.”
— Grace Bubulka, RN, MSN and author
Her published books include Heartstrings, a teen novel about sexual abuse, and Beyond This Reality, a personal account of a near-death experience
“As an artist, my work is designed to enhance the viewer’s understanding of, and love for, animals and to support conservation initiatives. In Peace be With You, Linda’s art performs a similar function, echoing the healing power of the text, offering insight, calm, and inspiration. Art can touch us in a deep and moving way, providing a feeling of spiritual well-being, strengthening and hastening our healing process.”
— Gemma Gyling Highly awarded and widely known wildlife artist Best in Show, Artists for Conservation, 2022 and Best in Show, Colored Pencil Society, 2017, Featured in Color Magazine and Featured in Artists for Conservation, among many awards
Are you depressed, anxious, or just fed up? You are not alone!
The statistics for the mental and physical health of Americans are terrifying. The news of our days is filled with war, economic turmoil, political dysfunction, and environmental catastrophe. “Peace Be with You,” is a book that honestly confronts these issues with hope that comes from the combined experience of two different authors with experiences in counseling, coaching, preaching, writing, and leading people on journeys to peace.
This timely and short book can be used as a workbook in small groups, or read individually, and offers practical tools combined with deep wisdom to help guide you from anxiety to inner peace and serenity.
Start your journey toward peace today!
About the Author
Dr. Trapp is a retired educator and counselor, as well as an active artist. She has held numerous faculty and administrative positions, most recently, as Dean of Students and Associate Professor at the California School of Professional Psychology in Fresno. She later owned the Management Consulting Firm, Abbott & Associates, and personally delivered in excess of 3300 workshops, speeches, retreats, and coaching sessions for business, academic, and governmental leaders over an 18 year period. Born in upstate New York, she has lived and worked in many states, as well as in Ethiopia, Mexico, and briefly in Siberia. Her published books include: Fresno, Valley of Abundance, Ornamental Plants and Flowers of Tropical Mexico, Letters to my Granddaughters, and Intentional Living, as well as over 200 published articles in the fields of psychology, business, and travel. Her Doctorate is from Iowa State University, and her prior studies took place at Hope College, Harpur College, and the University of Colorado. Her art work has been similarly wide-ranging, with her pottery, weaving, and woodwork in a number of private collections. For the last 20 years, however, she has been primarily working in watercolor, and finds it best expressed her soul. She has four grown children, and five grandchildren. She currently lives in California with her husband Robert and their pets: Witney, a Golden Retriever, and Jeffrey, a quite independent grey tabby cat. Her artwork can be seen at: www.lindaabbotttrapp.com. Rev. Dr. Andrew is the pastor of Nipomo Community Presbyterian Church, with experience in diverse church and religious settings. A seasoned and award winning preacher, he has an ability to make Scriptures come alive and speak to the lives and situations of those who hear him and read his writings. He has broken down the walls of race in church settings, and has been invited to preach in historic African-American congregations. He has led prayer vigils with Muslims and Hindus, has spoken at colleges about inter-faith issues and Christian history, and regularly writes “A Thought for the Day” that is shared widely. With degrees from Chapman University, San Francisco Theological Seminary, and McCormick Theological Seminary, Garrett is considered a scholar, preacher, and writer who speaks with honesty and hope. He lives in Nipomo, California with his wife Melinda, and their two school-aged children, Langston and Kensington.