If you haven’t picked up a copy of the books in the Divine series, here are some additional online platforms where you can find them.
Powell’s, Bookshop.org, Walmart, Indigo/Chapters, Barnes & Noble, EBAY, Half-Price books, Books-a-Million, Waterstones (UK).
If you are local, you can find them in-store at Reasonable Books in Lafayette, CA.
Thanks for all the support, friends, it means a lot!
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
As we head into the weekend, I pray that our lives reflect some of these good fruits, as we allow God to mold us, heal us, love us, and guide us. What a lovely way to be Jesus’ hands and feet to a world that is really hurting right now. I hope that we are the recipients of some of this fruit, too! You are deeply loved by God. Peace be with you!
Proverbs 19:21 NLT “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
Are you a planner? I am. I love plans and lists. I like to know what’s coming. It makes me feel safe and secure, as if my plans and schedules can keep blindsiding circumstances, conversations I’m not prepared for, or situations that require a quick response at bay until I can rehearse, plan, and plot how to circumvent or control it all.
I love this verse, but it’s also challenging and it is hard to wrap my mind around it. Of course I want the Lord’s will to prevail in my life and the lives of those I love. I know all the reasons why His will is best. He’s omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. He knows the number of hairs on my head, the deep, inner workings of my heart, and the wounds I carry in my spirit. He had a plan and divine purpose for me before I took my first breath. He is never far from me and I am deeply loved. Yet…
My need for control and protecting myself from chaos is strong and tightly woven into my heart. I have experienced quite a few blindsiding situations and each was devastating in its own way, leaving scars and fear in the aftermath. However, through these situations, I have learned and embraced that God’s presence never left me in those times. His will and ways were always perfect, shaping me into who I am now. These things allowed me to live out my purpose albeit with scars; reminders that I pushed through things meant to derail, wound, and cripple me.
I treasure in my heart the lessons learned. Above all, I discovered that Jesus is safe. He is good, He is compassion, He is my Warrior and Protector. I learned, and am still learning, that I can trust Him with me and that is a lesson I would not trade for a smoother life-road. His ways and thoughts are higher that ours. His plans are good and perfect, but not without scars that are a constant reminder of our healing. We can plan, be wise, and discerning as we look ahead, but ultimately His plans and His purpose for you and for me will prevail and it does bring comfort, peace, and rest for a plotter and planner. Trust Him. He won’t fail you. You are loved. Peace be with you.
Psalm 141:3 NIV “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.”
The imagery of words bubbling up and out of my mouth from what is stored in my heart has always been fascinating, yet convicting for me. I like to think that my words are always lovely and inspiring, flowing from kindness, but they aren’t always. I don’t like to envision my heart filled with poisonous words and thoughts that leak and spill over onto other people, but I know that they have and they do. They likely will again.
The only way I know to keep these knife-sharp words at bay is to ask Jesus to examine what’s in my heart. It’s not pleasant. Most of us don’t relish having our hearts and deepest thoughts laid bare before God.
There are things deep inside these hidden places in each of us that are not nice, not kind, and in desperate need of healing, and cleansing. Secret things and painful wounds that we have tried so hard to heal, clean up, and bandage on our own with weak, frail bandages that are temporary and fleeting. Our self-made bandages never stop the seep and stain that taints our hearts and souls with pain that spews up and outward. That depth of exposure and healing can only come from Jesus and His mercy, compassion, and power to bind up and heal our soul deep wounds. He will do it, if we invite Him in to do that hard work.
As we go about our lives and intersect others life-travelers, I hope we keep fresh in our minds that our words contain so much power – the ability to heal, lighten, inspire, and spread kindness. I want to be known for that – kindness, acceptance, compassion. Everyone we set eyes on is deeply loved by God.
Father, please keep a guard over our mouths. Let kindness, mercy, joy, and compassion be what bubbles up from our hearts, out of our mouths, splashing all whom You place in our path. Keep watch, Lord, on the door of our lips, so that hatred, condemnation, judgement, and cruelty have no room to pierce and wound those we come into contact with daily. Let us not give the Enemy a foothold to weaponize our words. Fill us with Yourself – Your name is enough to silence all thoughts and words that are not of You. You are good, You are love, You are peace. In Your name, Jesus our Healer, amen.
You are so loved. Peace be with you.
EXCITING NEWS
Divine Presence… blurb reveal!
I’m very excited to reveal the blurb for book #4, Divine Presence…! I’m proud of this book and can’t wait for it to be in your hands, speaking exactly what God tucked into the pages just for you. I believe that each of my books in the Divine series have a little nugget or two for everyone.
Stay tuned for the cover reveal very soon… it won’t be long before I send this book out into the world
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 NIV
It’s no easy thing to ask God to look into our hearts and see all of our thoughts, feelings, and those secret things we think we are keeping hidden. Exposure feels so vulnerable and raw. How awesome it is that we have a God who already sees and understands our fickle and ever-changing hearts and loves, adores, and delights in us despite what He finds there. That isn’t to say it doesn’t hurt as He sifts, cleanses, and burns away all the debris and messiness we hold on to so tightly. But doesn’t it also feel freeing, healing, and safe knowing that this cleansing and exposure will bring about peace, joy, and gratitude? We can finally rest and let go of all the striving and hiding. We are welcomed and looked upon with holy eyes that see beyond the chaos of our hearts to the beauty, purpose, and masterpiece that He created when He had you and He had me on His mind. You are loved. Peace be with you.
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13 NLT
What a comforting reminder as you go about your day – He is with you. You have all that you need to accomplish what today holds. You are loved. Peace be with you.
“The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
I’m so thankful for new beginnings and new mercies poured out for us each day.
I pray the Lord will direct your coming and going today, as you walk along the path He’s set before you. May you leave others better than you found them, speak life into those you encounter, and find moments of joy and refreshment. You are loved. Peace be with you.
It’s been a lovely, rainy 
afternoon and the perfect time to continue working through the final interior design and format edits for book #4, Divine Presence… ! I’m very excited as it gets closer and closer to publication – I so look forward to sharing the words I’ve been inspired to write and get them out there doing what God has planned for them to do :-)
It is a blessing to have a fantastic team of professional women who: perfectly edit my books helping the voice and spirit of my words be their best, Pia Edberg; who beautifully design and capture the spirit of my books with gorgeous covers and lovely interior designs and formatting, Karolina Wudniak; and write the blurbs for each book that bring all of my words together in a concise way to draw you in, Jessie Cunniffe.
Publication is so close…please stay tuned for more updates and thank you very much for supporting me and my books.
Peace be with you.
Hello everyone! These are the current 3 books that I have published on Amazon as Kindle, eBook, and paperback. They are also available from other online retailers.
I would love for you to check them out! In each book, I firmly believe that God has something for each of you that will speak to you right where you are in whatever circumstances and life season you may be in at the moment. He loves you and wants you to know Him on a deeper, intimate level. He speaks to everyone in such a unique and beautiful way that I am confident there is something in each book for everyone.
I will soon have book #4 Divine Presence…launched and published. I’m so very excited to get this 4th book into everyone’s hands and see what God has tucked into the pages for you all.
You are loved, be blessed, peace be with you.
Extravagant Hope 