The Gift No One Can Take Away



Reflections



Posted On August 22, 2025

Unshakeable Peace: A Tale about a Man and a Lake

A man built a small cabin on the edge of a wide, shimmering lake. Each morning, he sat on his porch with a steaming cup of coffee, rocking in his favorite chair. Silence rested within his chest. Waves carried the sun’s golden rays across the water. Seagulls drifted gracefully, wings brushing the sky before settling on the lake’s surface.

This place was his sanctuary.

One summer, his neighbors built new structures on their land. The sounds of hammers pierced morning stillness. The whine of saws filled the air. The man’s heart grew restless. Fearful.

Would his neighbors’ buildings block his view? Would his sacred space vanish?

When at last the dust settled and the pounding stopped, the man gazed out again. The lake remained. Wide. Beautiful. Untouched. No wall could steal its horizon. No building could silence the lake’s sacred song.

The man sighed with relief as he sipped his coffee. His neighbors might create chaos around him, but the lake was not theirs to take away. Its beauty was a gift—steadfast and free.

As he rested in the quiet, the words of St. Teresa of Ávila stirred like a breeze whispering to his soul:

“Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things are passing. God never changes. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.”

In that moment, the man understood: like the lake, the soul’s peace can never be stolen. The noise of the world might rise and clamor, but deep within, God’s still, life-giving waters remain. Eternal. Enough. Unshakeable.

Reflection

Life often feels like this tale. Around us, people are always piling up demands, worries, and noise. At first, we fear these things will steal our peace. But when we are rooted in God, our soul is like the lake—deep, steady, serene.

The world may hammer with loud noises. Life and people may try to shake us. Yet nothing can disturb our inner peace when we rest in God. There, in our hearts, we embody the grace of Unshakeable Peace.

Action Steps

1. Pray Teresa’s Prayer:
Find a quiet moment. Close your eyes and rest in stillness. Whisper Teresa’s words slowly, letting them sink deep into your heart:

Let nothing disturb me.
Let nothing frighten me.
All things are passing.
God never changes.
Whoever has God lacks nothing.
God alone suffices.

Let the words flow gently through you until your heart grows still. Notice what rises within your soul.

2. Reflect Upon Your Inner Lake
Enter into quiet time. Imagine your soul as a lake—wide, deep, and still. Watch its surface shimmer with God’s light.

What “construction noise” is happening in your life right now?
How might you anchor yourself more deeply in God’s presence, so your peace remains steady? Unshakeable?

Write down a word or phrase that names your “lake.” Return to your comfort spot, your inner sanctuary, whenever your inner peace feels tested. Be Still.

—brian j plachta

Written by Brian J. Plachta

Following the Breadcrumbs God Leaves Along Our Path

What if God is speaking through ordinary moments more often than we realize?

A conversation that stays with us. A door that closes. A quiet nudge we can’t quite explain. An unexpected invitation that seems to come at just the right time.

The challenge is learning to notice these moments before we have any idea where they’re leading, and trusting the next step.

Over time, we may begin to see that God’s guidance doesn’t always come as an answer. Sometimes, it comes as a trail.

What to Do When God Seems Silent

Has silence ever made you feel like God is far away? When we feel this way, it’s easy to start looking for answers or waiting for a clear sign. But prayer can also be as simple as slowing down and noticing what’s already here. The breeze. The waves. Your breath. The quiet. God’s presence doesn’t always come through words. Sometimes we just need to be still enough to notice.

Let God Alone Define You

Ever have someone’s words get stuck in your head?
Maybe they criticized you, misunderstood you, or told a story about you that doesn’t feel true. And before long, you’re holding a courtroom in your mind—defending yourself, replaying the conversation, wondering if maybe they’re right.

There’s another way.

Bring it into the quiet with God.

Ask: Is there something here I need to learn? Is there something I need to own? And what was never mine to carry in the first place?

We can stay humble enough to receive the truth without letting someone else’s opinion become our identity.

Because in the end, God alone defines you.

« Older Entries