The gift of self-awareness, more often than not, presents us with a choice to remain the same because of fear/shame/judgment or to say yes to an invitation of adventure and discovery. Oliver’s decided it was time to learn, and he wanted it to be an adventure. This story is an excellent example of how moving from awareness to ownership is foundational in the healing journey.
Read MoreMany of us are ready to put 2021 behind us, lest we forget the lessons still fresh like an open wound. As we plan for the future by digging deep into the mystery of the vision board, as we search far and wide for that one word to feel anchored in the journey or as we bend our knees and lean in for a Holy Spirit infused scripture, may we take the gifts of yesteryear, hold truth and compassion near and may all that is un-lived in us blossom into the future all that is pure, lovely and true.
Read MoreAs a child, there were many times where I was in a fight or flight trauma response. I was either running away from being beaten, hiding under the bed the moment I hear footsteps coming toward me or I’d often fold my body in a fetal position to self-protect from physical abuse. I became really good at dissociating my body and from my emotions to survive unsafe environments. Today, my body is shedding the weight of all i’ve been carrying for years. Holding emotion is becoming foreign to my body and that’s a great and scary at the same time.
Read MoreWhen Jesus healed the blind man he instructed him not to go back to the village, having crossed the threshold into vision, his life was no longer to be lived in the constricted mode of blindness. New vision meant new frontiers, new frontiers meant new discoveries, new discoveries meant new opportunity to life a full life.
Read MoreAs light enters and the hard places in my heart softens, may the depths of my heart hold me still. May I remember you’ve taught me well — what not to do, what not to say, how not to live, how not to give, how not to serve and how not to love.
The silent presence of your death is a gentle reminder of how scarce time is, but more importantly it calls my attention to the urgency of my healing and my freedom from pain. May the angel of healing turn wounds into sources of refreshment and may you rest in eternal peace.
Read MoreIt would be natural to curl up in a ball and feel hopeless, but what if I could use this time to learn to find contentment, not from ticking countries off of my bucket list, shopping, or even visiting Mickey, but from my relationship with Jesus.
Read MoreWhen the ground that once held you up crumbles under your feet, you find something else to stand on. And when each day didn’t bring an answer to the prayers I’ve been breathing, I looked forward to the next day and its possibilities. That’s the thing about taking a step even when your feet are shaking under you — you take another and another and you begin to collect the good moments as gifts from Heaven.
Read MoreMother’s Day is joyous. It holds space for single mothers working multiple jobs to provide her child with the life she dreamt living. Mother’s Day is also painful. It will take you places you’d rather not go. The world collectively pauses and acknowledgement is met with grief as secret memories mourn losses and celebratory moments are lost in forgotten silence.
Read MoreThere is no external win that will satisfy the internal longing that we have. Unprecedented times, especially now in light of the coronavirus has left our internal and external worlds shaken. If there is one thing we know for sure is that confidence in earthly things is like shifting shadows, but having confidence in God (God-fidence) far outweighs them all. Here are some scriptures to meditate on. Remind your soul of the confidence you can hold true to. Be Encouraged!
Read MoreHealing, thought of as acts of the supernatural, is more often felt as a powerless process. Prayers in church, a plea that God’s will be done, and waiting for the miraculous often cultivates feelings of powerlessness to do. Healing communes with the supernatural, though more often than not, it’s a journey of wrestling.
Read MoreAt some point, many of us decide (conscious or not) to partner with death. We believe our hearts are too sick, too confusing, too complicated. Maybe someone hurt us, abused us, neglected us, or ignored us so we use pain to justify silencing our hearts and moving into our heads. After all, its safer in the shrink’s office than in the wild landscape of an abandoned heart. When we do this we cut off our oxygen supply, and we go into survival mode.
Read MoreThe pursuit of mental health is admirable and on occasion necessary, but real healing is a deeper process that steps out of our minds and into our hearts. Our issues aren’t mental - they’re emotional. They’re heart wounds.
Read MorePeace of mind is a luxury. I recently discovered that the underlying issue I was struggling to identify was my fear of abandonment. However, over time, I strengthened mentally, developed self-control and worked through my psychological trauma. I have also grown deeper in my relationship with Jesus – and all of this has brought me to a place where as I trusted Jesus and understood my triggers.
Read MoreElisha was obedient and faithful to God and the position he was called to. He served Elijah for eight years before he took up the mantle. I imagine during these eight years Elisha remained teachable while he had the opportunity to learn everything he needed to prepare him for his season of leadership.
Read MoreJohn the Baptist led a life worth emulating. I love studying who he was and the role he played in his mission to lead people to know Jesus. He did not allow a superficial title or pride to get in the way of his mission. John spent years in the desert living out his calling till the day he was beheaded. Let’s glean a little further on how he prepared the way.
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