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Paul, 
an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope:

To Timothy, my true son in the faith. 

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Timothy 1:1-2 CSB
Paul gives a snapshot of who he is, wraps in Timothy, the person he is writing to, and then gives this beautiful blessing:
Grace, 
mercy, 
and peace 
from God the Father 
and Christ Jesus our Lord.
The word for peace here is "eirene" and it carries the meaning of one, of  peace, quietness, rest.
Peace of mind. 
Because of Grace, because of God's mercy, we can have peace. 
Oneness.
Peace of mind. 
Seems hard when all we might be listening to is negative stories, the world pushing in, my own negative thoughts. But Paul says start with Grace.
Add mercy.
It's God's story and He is entering into it in a humble, sacrificial, beautiful way, to meet us, to make a way to reconcile. 
He has stepped towards us. Grace and mercy.
Because He is love, and we are the people He loves. 
Us.
As we are, in this moment, loved. 
As we live more and more in the truth of that, pockets of peace appear.
Today, may Grace, 
mercy, 
and peace 
from God the Father 
and Christ Jesus our Lord be yours 
Amen.
#letters
#Timothy
#peace

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