13 Years Ago
Thirteen years ago, Sarah was nine months pregnant in a high-risk pregnancy with our son, Foster. We didn’t know the gender and hadn’t picked a name yet, so we just referred to the baby as… well, “Baby.”
Our friends were convinced we should name him “Steven Danger Beard.” (We did not.)
We had been trying to have a child for over five years, and only later discovered that Sarah had some health issues that made pregnancy especially difficult. Doctors told us the baby would undoubtedly come early. So, we were on high alert—weekly appointments, bags packed, life in a holding pattern, anxiously waiting.
At the time, I was leading worship and serving as the associate director of our youth ministry. I skipped the summer mission trip because I didn’t want to be hours away if Sarah went into labor. She didn’t.
Then, the week before her due date, I was leading music for VBS. I’d sing, hop off stage, and check my phone. Still no labor.
The night before the due date, our friend Scott from out of town stayed over. I warned him: if Sarah goes into labor, you’re on your own for breakfast. She didn’t.
On the due date, we walked the mall—because apparently that’s supposed to help? It didn’t.
A week past the due date, we scheduled an induction, convinced we wouldn’t make it to that date. We did.
We checked into the hospital, got the meds to start labor. They said, “You’ll be in labor soon.” She wasn’t.
In the middle of the night, it finally began. I called all the family at 2 a.m. and said, “Come now—it’s happening!” We were wheeled into labor and delivery, certain we were minutes away. We weren’t.
We slept for hours in labor and delivery and when we finally woke up, I turned on the Today Show that morning and said, “He’ll be born before the fourth hour.” He wasn’t.
Then Sarah’s body began to crash. They gave her medication that stopped labor altogether and made her feel awful. The long-awaited delivery—the moment we’d been praying for for years—was paused for her safety.
It felt like endless false starts. One chaotic moment of anticipation after another.
Life has a way of throwing those kinds of seasons at us—big swings of emotion and expectation. Highs and lows. Hurry up and wait. Frantic rushing followed by painful stillness. Chaotic noise then deafening silence.
This summer, we’re walking through the Fruit of the Spirit—one fruit each week. Yesterday, I taught on peace.
And here’s the truth: most of us can’t control the chaos around us. But we can start to cultivate the peace of God within us.
That kind of peace comes from the Spirit of God. It’s not a personality trait or a technique. It’s a deep-rooted fruit that grows as we fix our heart and mind on Jesus—the Prince of Peace—and let Him shape how we move through the world.
I shared a quote from St. Seraphim of Sarov, the Russian saint who once said:
“Acquire the Spirit of Peace, and a thousand souls around you will be saved.”
When we allow God to move in us and through us, it doesn’t just transform us—it transforms the world around us.
That transformation can bring healing or destruction. And let’s be honest—there’s no shortage of destruction right now. So maybe, just maybe, we need more people leaning into healing and peace.
Another quote from St. Seraphim hit me even harder. He wrote:
“You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other.
Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of him who gives and kindles joy in the heart of him who receives.
All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other.
Instead of condemning others, strive to reach inner peace.
Keep silent, refrain from judgment. This will raise you above the deadly arrows of slander, insult, and outrage and will shield your glowing hearts against all evil.”
That’s a lot.
But I think he’s right.
Too often, peace gets traded in for harsh statements, mistreatment, condemnation, shame, unnecessary words, and reactionary judgment.
But if we are formed by abiding in Jesus—if we are filled with His Spirit, changed by the love of the Father, and committed to living His way for the good of others—peace will grow. And it will spill over.
Because we aren’t just invited to experience peace; we are called to be peacemakers.
To proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven—not just with our words, but with our lives. To participate in God’s restoration of all things. To embody shalom—God’s dream for the world made whole.
And the only way we do that? Is by being filled and guided by the Spirit.
Foster finally entered the world later that evening.
Not early. Not even on time.
Late.
And you know what?
I didn’t care. I was just glad he was there.
That’s how I think God sees us, too.
We may not be fully like Jesus today, or tomorrow. We may not always say or do what we should. But like the father in the story of the prodigal son, our God runs to meet us when we take even one step in His direction.
He’s just glad we’re there.
Peace might not come when you expect it.
It might not come fast.
But if we walk with Jesus, it will come.
And here’s the beautiful twist:
The storm around you doesn’t have to become a storm within you.
In fact, the peace within you may just begin to calm the storm around you.
This summer, may we become people of peace. In a world spiraling deeper into chaos, we need more non-anxious, Jesus-shaped presences. People who don’t run from conflict but walk into it with humility and hope.
And remember—Jesus didn’t avoid chaos. He disrupted the false peace of the world by laying down His life for it.
Being a peacemaker doesn’t mean staying out of the fray.
It means we show up, full of the Spirit, radiating the heart of God,
for the glory of God and the good of others.
So let’s keep tending to the soil of our lives.
Let’s cultivate peace—together.
Here’s what else is happening at The Chapel:
Summer Bible Reading Plan
We are reading through Luke and Acts this summer. Sarah and I are also doing some podcast overviews for each week. Jump in when you can and see how the scriptures can bless you, your life, and faith.
June 2–August 8 — Pick up a physical bookmark or click here for the digital version.
You can find the podcasts on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you stream.
Summer Night of Worship
Sunday, June 22 at 6:00 -7:00 p.m.
We are so excited to have Nate Kelly and friends lead us in a Night of Worship at The Chapel. It will be a beautiful and simple evening to pause, worship, sing, pray, reflect, and be together. I hope you will join us for this lovely evening.
Egypt 2026 Trip
It is incredibly difficult to read the scriptures without seeing references to Egypt, Jordan, and the journey towards the Promise Land. Sarah and I are excited to invite you to join us and our family on an incredible trip to Egypt. We’ll see all the traditional sites, learn more about the world the Hebrew people lived in and journeyed through and the scriptures will come alive as we experience the world of Egypt. Join us for an unforgettable trip to Egypt and if you can, stick around for the extension to Jordan which will include the Dead Sea, Petra, and Mount Nebo (where Moses could see the Promised Land across the Jordan River).
March 10–20, 2026 (Jordan Extension: March 21–24)
Visit iconic sites, explore the lands of Scripture, and share the experience with friends or family.
Click here for more info and to register
When registering:
Host ID: 60537
Host Name: Andrew Beard
Worship Online
As always, if you are busy, hosting family, out of town, under the weather, or the crowds or heat are too much, we get it. Worship with us online on our website or on our Facebook or listen to the sermon podcasts on Spotify, Apple or wherever you stream.
I hope you will actively find time to let the Peace of Christ rule in your heart and spill out in our life. I hope you will read Luke with us, join us for worship on Sunday, our Night of worship on Sunday Night and join us as we journey to Egypt in the Spring.
Following Jesus is a long slow journey that he is so excited we are on. Let’s take the steps to continue to follow after him and all he has for us and bear fruit as we are filled with the Spirit becoming more like Jesus.
If you need anything at all, let us know and we’ll see you Sunday!
Blessings,
Andrew