Purpose

Search me, God…

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“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.

His strength

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“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.

New mercies

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“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.

Divine Presence… getting closer!

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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.

Kindness

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“Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Proverbs 16:24 NLT

The words that we speak have a profound impact on the hearer. Our words literally hold the power of life and death. What we say to others and to ourselves creates eternal ripples with consequences that we will have to answer for. How we use our words will come back to us, as is said in Proverbs 18:21 NLT “… those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

Some of the words I read and hear on social media are heartbreaking. The way certain groups of people are spoken about, the names they are called, and the things assumed about them are deeply disturbing. Those words and names are not from God, but directly from the father of lies, the enemy of our souls. God created these exact humans in His image and called them masterpiece and beautiful. His breath was breathed into their lungs exactly the way it was breathed into mine and into yours. How He must feel when mere humans in pride, fear, and arrogance speak hate, judgement, and terrible things about those He took time to create in His image.

Don’t we understand by now that God is not on one side of man- made political parties? Isn’t He so much more than that? He is King of Kings. He is the Prince of Peace. He is the Son of Righteousness. He is the beginning and the end. Vengeance in His. Isn’t it His job to convict of sin and bring forgiveness and healing? It isn’t my job and it isn’t yours. He said to take the log out of our own eyes.

It is holy, beautiful, and so healing to witness someone speaking kindness to another – spreading healing, love, acceptance, and acknowledging their existence as one so loved by God that He sent Jesus to die for them. One act of kindness, one kind word, one selfless decision to help another, stand up for another, and love another simply because Jesus told us to, sends ripples of hope, healing, and belief that there is still good here. I want to be on the side of good, of healing, of hope. I want to be on Jesus’ side.

Lord, help me put kindness at the forefront of how I act and speak. Help me to understand the full impact of the words I choose and how I treat those I cross paths with today by your divine plan. Forgive me for the times I wasn’t kind and my words wounded one that You deeply love. Holy Spirit, guard my mouth and fill me with Your words and actions so that I uplift and heal rather than divide and wound. Keep judgment from my heart and blanket me with peace as I walk with humanity today. Please let Your presence and love be the things I leave with those I come in contact with today and each day. Amen.

My Divine series…

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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.

Clutter

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For those of us to-do list lovers, who get great satisfaction as we make neat tick marks, cross off or scribble out each line on the list, it feels like a goal has been met as we watch that list dwindle. Accomplishment, focused, and successful. And it is all of those things – an errand completed, a task finished, control over our day. Control. There’s that word again. It seems to be a theme in my life and maybe it is in yours, too. When I make my lists and check things off I feel like I am controlling, planning, and maintaining my life in a healthy and well-kept way. And for a little while, I am. But, if I examine how my life feels from a different perspective I notice that many things on my to-do list are not necessarily things that bring me joy, happiness, or give me permission to rest. Yes, I am pleased when my home is clean and organized and when phone calls and emails are returned and handled. It’s a good feeling and those are necessary accomplishments, but at the same time it feels devoid of simple pleasures, of peace.  

In an effort to bring peace into my life, I put it on my to-do list and schedule time for myself as a calendar-ed event. There is nothing wrong with this. However for me it sometimes falls flat; feeling lackluster and forced. There is a lot of pressure to make that time perfectly peaceful and in the striving and worrying about whether or not I’m feeling peace, it ends up a frustrating and tiring experience.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The peace of God. Not the peace that I force and manufacture for myself, or the momentary and fleeting peace I feel when a task is ticked off of that constant and never-ending to-do list. The peace of God. Peace that transcends all understanding, all lists, and the clutter of humanity in this oftentimes chaotic world. The peace of God redefines what a successful and accomplished day might look like if I let go of the ideal of an uncluttered day. Finding Him in the midst of the clutter and accepting each day as it comes, perhaps even allowing some things to be undone at the end of the day, could be the very thing that ushers in peace and the simple joys I am seeking.

Anxiety over an unfinished to-do list has the potential to rob you and me of beautiful times of rest and peace just sitting with a cup of coffee, walking leisurely along the beach, reading a book, and talking to Jesus. I don’t want my endless lists to become an idol that takes the place of His peace. When my day is peppered with quick prayers, ongoing conversations with Him, and following His lead throughout the day, my definition of success changes. A successful day can look like napping when our bodies are worn down, giving ourselves a little more time to complete errands and tasks, laughing and sharing with a friend or listening for His whispers in the wind chimes on the patio. It will look different for all of us and that is the beauty of Jesus – the One who knows us best. He knows how we need to experience His presence. When we welcome Him in to guide us through our day, the clamor of the clutter dims and fades in the power of His peace. God’s peace. It is a guard and shield over our hearts that filters out all that demands our time and robs us of joy. He gives us permission to lavishly rest and bask in His life-giving peace. Restoration. Healing. Peace.

Worry Webs

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Shafts of morning light shine through the pine branches and cast shifting patterns of shadow and light on Cassidy’s bedroom wall. Another day is here. All is quiet in the rambling farmhouse. Her cats Violet and Panther raise sleepy heads in response to her feet rustling the quilt they are snuggled on together. In the distance a rooster crows his daily greeting to the rising sun. Predictable.

Leaning against the counter by the sink, Cassidy gazes out the kitchen window at her terraced backyard. The birdbaths are full of clear water and the summer flowers in full bloom. The cats know the routine well and are waiting for their breakfast. The smell of her morning coffee brewing brings her happiness. The stronger the better!

This is her favorite time of the day. Early morning usually reminds her of new adventures, hidden treasures and second chances. It’s a clean slate to create and color the day with hope and the promise of blessings. But she’s struggled this past week finding that joy and seeing any blessings.  The simple things that often bring her pleasure and peace feel just out of reach and elusive.

That first rich, earthy sip of coffee lifts her spirits a bit, but even this tried-and-true morning ritual is falling flat. It’s frustrating and disheartening.

Taking her coffee to the backyard she sits in her favorite lounge chair. Her spot is nestled under a Jasmine arbor that offers the most beautiful fragrance. As she stretches out, Cassidy’s mind turns toward the unwelcome thoughts and scenarios that seem to be on repeat lately. They are intrusive and bothersome. Sticky…

She worries over the future of her small business, the health of a family member, and an ongoing disagreement with a dear friend leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. These worries churn in her mind like a chaotic dance with no clear steps. Nothing comes together the way she envisioned, and the way forward is cloudy and obscure. The debris and clutter of overthinking stick to and tangle up the passion and dreams He breathed into her spirit. The sticky webs of worry and unbelief begin to wrap and weave themselves around her heart and mind, pining her in place and preventing her from moving forward. She feels trapped and tears form in her eyes.

“Please Lord, will you help me?”

Cassidy isn’t sure how much time has passed when she hears the faint, cheerful sound of her tinkling wind chimes and the busy fussing and clucking of the neighbor’s chickens. Peaceful.

The sweet, heady scent of flowers and a deliciously spicy mix of herbs and something heavenly perfumes the air around her lounge chair. As her muscles relax and her busy mind slows, Cassidy feels His presence in the garden and such comforting peace.  It blows over and around her as she remembers His gentle whispers of protection, acceptance, and love. She knows His voice. She feels it resonate deep within as He begins His work of clearing out and untangling her from the sticky webs of unbelief and worry. “Help my unbelief,” she whispers. I trust You with me.

There is pain at times, in the clearing out, but His compassion flows into the wounds and the relief she feels is glorious. She wants to live life letting go of all she can’t control and enjoy the contentment of living in the moment. She wants a life spent capturing glimmers and glimpses of the divine as He whispers and calls out blessings and hope to surround and enfold her.

She remembers all of the answered prayers and divine encounters – a way was made when she couldn’t see one, and blessings appeared where she least expected them. He turned things meant for evil into good and things meant to harm to bring life. As her mind is released from the frantic worry webs that consumed and wounded her, Cassidy’s favorite verse gently settles in her mind – “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”1

He is the Divine Artist creating beauty, hope and promise in her spirit. He nurtures and tends to what He’s created with a fierce joy, purpose, and a dash of divine mystery.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (NIV)

  1. Romans 8:38-39

Maple Leaf’s Journey

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The autumn wind breezes through the park singing and snickering as it tosses and turns upon itself. So fickle and capricious! It’s going to be a blustery day. The Maple leaf waits in anticipation as the merry wind threads through her tree branches dashing her to and fro. Lovely chaos.

All summer she’s watched from her shaded bower as blankets were spread under her tree and picnickers relaxed and napped in the warm afternoons. In the early mornings, squirrels and a variety of birds hopped and scurried through her tree branches, busy with their task of finding breakfast.

The Maple leaf has looked forward to the coming autumn with such excitement! As she grew and filled out in the early spring, she listened to tales from the park trees of the wild adventures that await her once the cooling winds of autumn arrive.

She knows the Creator has a plan for her journey on the autumn wind. She hears Him pass by in the cool of the evenings, His breath in the flowers, His laughter dancing with the spritely breeze that is ever with Him. His presence creates ripples of joy and love that He sends forth to do His bidding. Tonight, the Maple leaf watches Him in fascination as He stops and speaks in heavenly languages over a weathered picnic table under the old pine at the edge of the park. She often sees lone walkers stop and sit at this shaded table – sometimes serene and relaxed, other times crying out pain and worry with or without words. Miracles happen here… Holy ground in a city park.

The day of her long-anticipated journey arrives with full force! As the wild autumn wind blows and gusts through the tree branches, the Maple leaf feels her hold on her tree loosen and release her. She’s off!

The whims of the wind, precisely orchestrated by the Creator toss and carry her up and down, all around the park. Exhilarating! She soars higher and higher, swirling with other leaves caught up in the gusts and plunges down quickly to brush over benches and playground equipment where she lands near the swings. Busy children run and shriek with joy as they climb, slide, and soar on the swings. Their laughter is full of carefree happiness and boundless energy. Their smiling caregivers enjoy a warm spot in the sun as they sip their coffee, chat and monitor the goings-on.

Suddenly, in a burst of wind, she is thrown up and away on another gust twirling over the park, swooping and soaring, joining some spent flower blossoms on a ride of their own.

From her vantage point, the Maple leaf notices a middle-aged woman walking slowly, but with purpose along the gravely path surrounding the park. The woman is making her way to the picnic table under the old Pine, the very table The Creator spoke over last night. The Maple leaf senses the wind slowing and gentling as she descends down, down, floating toward the picnic table alighting on the edge. There is a snap and vibrancy to the air around this table. The supernatural is afoot and it’s palpable. The woman sits and sighs deeply. Her eyes are weary. Her trembling shoulders look as if they are carrying a burden that is too heavy to bear. Tears slip down her cheeks as she pours out her sadness, and the deep fear that needles and pricks at her constantly. She is so tired – tired of carrying a burden that was never hers to carry, tired of expending energy on someone who wounds her heart again and again. She’s tired and afraid of the future. The Maple leaf listens to her heart-cry. The Creator knew she would find rest here when He spoke healing, love, and release over it; speaking and prophesying in the language of heaven exactly what her spirit needed. This divine exchange between the hurt and the Healer is the most beautiful, sacred thing the Maple leaf has ever witnessed. A life healed and restored here under the old pine as His whispers floated on the autumn breeze, His love surrounded her and the Divine mystery of Him healed her aching heart.

Rising from the picnic table with renewed hope and His peace on her shoulders, the beloved woman finishes her walk in the park with a lighter step. The Maple leaf is full of awe and wonder at all she witnessed. Beautiful. Intentional. Holy Ground.

Understanding that her adventure on the wind is coming to an end, the Maple leaf senses Him calling and singing to her, as He buoys her up, higher and higher into His glorious presence where angels and heavenly beings dwell.

The Day

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Before you open your eyes to welcome a new day, the Father has each moment planned out in perfect detail. This new day was prepared with tender care and concern, no detail left loose or unfinished. Perfection. Purpose.

The warmth of the rising sun peeping through the bedroom window leaves streaks and ribbons of light waking you from a night of slumber and dreams.  The soft purrs from sleepy kitties in the path of these light ribbons feels homey and comforting. Safe.

The aroma of brewing coffee and the scent of spring wafts pleasantly on the breeze floating through the kitchen window. It refreshes and perks up the senses. Alive and well.

Birdsong in the busy garden soothes and speaks to the still-waking mind. All carefully orchestrated; all for you.

The delight in finding new growth on the budding spring flowers infuses you with joy and excitement, as you putter and fuss in the garden. He delights in hiding well-placed surprises to bring a smile to your face. You are the apple of His eye. Beloved.

The 3-tiered solar fountain splashes and chatters as rays of sunlight charge it up. It’s such a joyful, bubbling and carefree sound! Energy and happiness fill your heart as you listen to the random pattern of the cascading water.

Returning home after a busy morning full of errands, you slip off your shoes, head outside with a book, iced tea and a bowl of mixed nuts. Situating yourself on a hammock under the apple tree, the beauty and peace of the quiet afternoon flows around you. Yellow and black honeybees buzz and drowse among the newly opened flowers. Colorful butterflies sip the fragrant purple blossoms on the Butterfly bush next to the fence and the stone birdbath. You feel loved, safe and content. A beautiful afternoon designed just for you.

Evening falls and the air grows chilly. Heading inside to make dinner, you begin winding down for the night. With a cup of hot green tea in hand, you reflect on all that happened during the day. The snippets and spots of joy and peace you discovered wrap you up like the fleecy blanket thrown over your legs. The Father knew what you needed today as He walked with you in peaceful places and shielded you from things not meant for you. His Presence ministered to your heart, soul and spirit. Abundance and blessings. You are deeply loved and cherished.

Psalm 34:8 Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. (MSG)