Heaven's Peace Reflections: Weekly Meditations and Music for The Liturgical Calendar Year

By Lana Lee Marler

Who doesn’t want Heaven’s Peace? These reflections will inspire you both in seeking and celebrating that Peace.
Lana Marler has a remarkable capacity of finding and using images that will keep you reading.

Rev. Maxie Dunnam, Minister at Large, Christ Church, Memphis, TN

A lifetime of following Jesus has led to Lana’s sharing the fruit of her journey with personal stories,
her deep songbook and reflections on Bible stories that’ll make your heart smile.
Join Lana as she follows the Master with keen insight and a truckload of joy!

Joe Birch, Memphis News Anchor

These musings seem heartfelt and can easily speak to various people at various times.
The approach reminds me of the Upper Room booklets: A short to the point thought for the day.
I have no doubt people can find value in them.

Dr. Jerry Harber, Memphis, TN

In her latest book, Lana Lee Marler has produced interesting and inspiring weekly Christian meditations, music and art,
designed to assist the reader in having a deeper understanding of scripture and the liturgical calendar.
For the person seeking to increase his/her spiritual growth, I would highly recommend the use of this new book.

Rev. Kenton Burnette, United Methodist Minister, Retired

Lana Marler is a blessing to many simple, everyday people like me.
She knows that God gave us all one job…Love people. Lana does that well. It has been my treat to read most of these words before they found their way into this book, so I know she will be a blessing to you.
Read, think, listen. You will meet Jesus.

Dr. Charles R. Halford, Memphis, TN

This book is a must read for all who aspire to spiritual awakening,
and an inspiration to those who seek to experience the Holy Spirit through music.

Lee Saunders, Attorney

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Aug 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781664294028

Lana Lee Marler

Lana Lee Marler offers her third book in this weekly resource of meditations and music for the Liturgical Calendar Year. Her first two books were entitled: Follow Me – A Seasonal Journey, published in 2017 and Cast Your Net Again...For Such a Time as This, published in 2022. Lana is a poet, singer/song writer, and church music director. A wife and mother, she is partner in ministry with her husband who is a United Methodist minister. Lana is an artist in any medium, but long ago chose music to express her relationship to God. Her faith journey led her to a major in sacred music in college and has crossed the landscape of three denominations: Baptist, Methodist and Episcopal. Spending countless hours mastering the hymnody and liturgies of these quite varied traditions has added depth and richness to her Christian perspective. Moreover, her musical DNA is infused with the music of the times in which she grew up- – the 1960’s. Whether the song is Joan Baez’s “Swing Low” or “Just As I Am” sung from a back row Baptist pew, she connects with each tradition in authenticity. In 2004, Lana and her husband, Rev. William D. Marler, co-founded Jacob’s LadderTM Community Development Corporation, a non-profit charity serving inner-city Memphis, where the Gospel of Christ is shared through community building, housing rehabilitation and education. All proceeds from this book will go to benefit the communities served by Jacob’s LadderTM (jacobsladdercdc.org)

Book preview

x57249.png

Copyright © 2023 Lana Lee Marler.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Book Front Cover Art: Heaven’s Reflection by Daryl Rojas

Book Back Cover Art: Sky Promise by William Marler

Title Page Art: The Sabbath by Maria Hunt

ISBN: 978-1-6642-9401-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-9402-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023904068

WestBow Press rev. date: 10/26/2023

57186.png

All Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible except where noted otherwise.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked CSB are from The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used with permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked GNT are from Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NRSVA are from New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked ASV are from the American Standard Version Bible and are considered Public Domain.

Scripture quotations marked CEV are from the Contemporary English Version Bible Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are from the Amplified Bible Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are from the Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TPT are from the Passion Translation a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fires Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved.

In

Dedication

to

Rev. Dr. James Jim A. Townsend

and

Dr. Lucy Forsyth Townsend

for

Love and Prayers, Encouragement

and

Scholarly Support in My Writing Endeavors

A Word of Special Thanks

to

Maria Hunt

and

Daniel Bonnell

for

Generosity of Spirit and Collaboration

in this Labor of Love

In Gratitude

To Dr. Robert G. Lee, my namesake and childhood pastor,

For leading me to faith in Christ and believer’s baptism;

Thank you for the image I have of you

kneeling beside the pulpit each Sunday morning

in prayer and humility before you preached.

To The Rev. L. Noland Pipes, Jr.,

Pastor, Priest and Mentor in my adult faith journey;

You have been a Father to me in the church and like my father

since my earthly father went to heaven.

Thank you for teaching me faithfulness

and how to encourage others.

To The Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Cook,

Pastor, Constant Friend and Brother in Christ

Thank you for being a living example of The Good Shepherd

To all those lambs in God’s flock you are called to serve

and for your unwavering support for the ministry

of this particular handmaiden of the Lord.

Contents

Foreword – Heaven’s Peace* Lyrics by Lana Lee Marler

Preface

Season of Advent

Mary in Her Ninth Month by Daniel Bonnell

The Longing* by Lana Lee Marler

Cold feet…Having done all to stand

It’s so easy not to try…It’s not so easy not to cry

Which comes first? The chicken or the egg…Perspective or Perception

The still small voice, When small is anything but

Christmas Eve – Even So, Come* by Lana Lee Marler

Stand and Deliver…Mary Did You Know?

Season of Christmas

Christmas Day - The Life of the Party

Meditation for New Year’s Eve

In the pink…The sun will come up tomorrow

2nd Sunday after Christmas - A Prayer for the New Year

Prayer to the Holy Spirit* Music by Lana Lee Marler

Season of Epiphany

The Epiphany - Epiphany* by Lana Lee Marler

Befuddled? Head to the huddle

Let It Be So

Grumbling…Rumbling - A Cautionary Tale

No More Power Outages

In His Steps

Being There

Sing to the Lord a new song" (Ps. 96:1 NIV)

What time is it? The acceptable time…Now

Season of Lent

Ash Wednesday - Surrender* Lyrics by Lana Lee Marler

Treading deep water? Seek the meek connection

Broken Record or Not

The Nature of Grace

Everything is relative…Or is it?

In and Out of Season

Holy Week

Palm Sunday - Palms Up

Good Friday

The Deposition of Compassion by Daniel Bonnell

Season of Easter

Everywhere I go I feel love…

Hope in the Heights

For This Reason

That’ll Be the Day

Bumps in the Road?…Get a Grip!

The Rapture of Rupture

Season of Pentecost

Day of Pentecost - O Breath of Life*

Music and Amended Lyrics by Lana Lee Marler

Ordinary Time (Season after Pentecost)

Back to the Garden* by Lana Lee Marler

Sealed with a Kiss

Let It Rain

What the World Needs Now…

Whatsoever…

The Divine Dance

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

Lead me kindly light…

Step and Fetch

Truth or Dare?

Space is opportunity…In the blink of an eye…

Shake, Rattle and Roll…Shall We Dance?

The Nitty Gritty… Listen to your life

Mixed Messages… Choose you this day…

3 Little Birds On Granny’s Path

Seascape by Daniel Bonnell

Sad Eyes…Open the Floodgates of Heaven

To Blame is Lame…Rather, Exclaim the Name!

The Wrong Stuff vs. The Right Stuff

Walk it, Talk it in your Heart –

Then, Come Home…Softly and Tenderly

Mirror, mirror…

When Lest is More

Wound Care…Beyond Band-Aids

What did Jesus do?

Devoted or Divided?

The Joy Road and The 4 R’s

All Saints Day - The Wishing Well* Adapted Lyrics and Music

by Connie Dover, Additional Lyrics by Lana Lee Marler

Who is my brother? Thou knowest

Christ the King - Any Day Now* Lyrics by Lana Lee Marler

Not if, but when…Some things are certain.

References

Contributing Writer

References Editor

Artists

Featured Music Arranger and Musician

Featured Musicians

Music

God’s Love Note: A Testimony by Maria Hunt

Abba by Steve Canfield

About the Author

*Album Music Hyperlink https://heavens.jacobsladdercdc.org/

Foreword

Heaven’s Peace

by Lana Lee Marler

Please come and sing along with me of the Great Redeemer’s Love.

How long before the earth was formed, He claimed us all by His dear blood.

With hands giv’n sworn to help and heal, and eyes and heart compassionate;

Our Lord Creator lived as we, yet pure in all His ways.

It is with humble, grief strick’n hearts,

That we bow before the One; The Lord Who came to give Himself

A ransom once for all. Our sins remembered no more,

Having been washed in His blood, ensure that in God’s love,

Evermore, our lives will be restored.

So let us join in one accord to honor and praise His name;

And seek to live, love and serve this world He came to save.

Always looking to our Lord for His power and His grace;

Until in His good plan we find ourselves

All gathered in Heaven’s peace.

https://heavens.jacobsladdercdc.org/home/peace

Preface

Books can be a problem. Not just in their content, but because some of us simply love them too much. I am an admitted bibliophile with bulging shelves and scattered stacks here and there - some read, some partly read, some representing hope for the future. One thing is clear. My reading habits improve when I exercise a little discipline and take one bite of the apple at a time lest another half- finished core join the stack.

This admission is offered as a partial explanation for my admiration of Lana Lee Marler’s Heaven’s Peace Reflections. Lana offers us a rich feast in small bites. Beyond that, she offers us more than reflections prompting thought and feeling.