Blog: a time for everything under the Heaven
Posted: September 8, 2024
The single mom and I sat on the beach in our chairs, with our feet dangling in the warm lake water. The setting was glorious but the conversation was hard and I knew my friend needed some practical advice. As I listened and prayed (in my mind while she was speaking) I asked God to give me some words to give her hope. Immediately I remembered the five simple words that helped me through my darkest journey. Everything in life is temporary. As soon as I said these words her shoulders relaxed and I could see peace invade her heart. When we’re in the middle of suffering everything feels dark and hopeless and often we can’t see how that will ever change. We feel lost, alone and weak. Often times we feel stuck. Our difficult circumstances overwhelm us and darkness is all we can see. It drains the life and…
Posted in: a time for everything under the Heaven, adversity, alone, anxiety, anxious, ask for help, circumstances, Conflict, crisis, darkness, death, disappointments, Encouragement, Everything in life is temporary, Expectations, friends, gift of peace, grief, happy, Making Wise Choices, momentary trouble, one-another, Overcoming Struggles, Peace, Prayer, relationships, seasons of darkness, show up, temporary, troubles, waiting, we need each other
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Posted: April 10, 2023
Beautiful things draw me in like a magnet. Whether it’s a pair of shoes, the sunset over the ocean, a painting, a vase with flowers, pottery or the feel and texture of beautiful cloth. Anything which has colours, unique styles or something that brings ambiance into a room makes me yearn to reach out to it. Editors from my publishing houses have cautioned me about using the word “beautiful” too often. I’ve had to find synonyms to describe the magic and wonder of everything in God’s creation. Describing beauty is often beyond human expressions. I’ve often wondered why beauty impacts me so profoundly and I believe I know the answer. The Bible makes it quite clear in Ecclesiastes 3:11 “…He has set eternity in our hearts.” And in the spiritual realm we are already “…seated in the Heavenly places with Christ” (Ephesians 2:6). Our relationship with Jesus Christ gives us…
Posted in: Ecclesiastes, a time for everything under the Heaven, ambiance, be creative, beauty, disappointments, eternity, glimpse of Heaven, Made for more, passion, purpose, worship
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Posted: February 12, 2023
We crave connections and knowing we belong. The kinds of relationships that make us feel seen, heard and safe. Life refuses to be predictable and we all need spiritual friendships to help us navigate the crazy uncertainties of life these days. Trustworthy and spiritual friendships lovingly share their wisdom and guide us into places we’ve never been before. But it takes more than just one friend. We all want that BFF that “gets us” and we hope they will complete us in all ways. My pastor, Scott Lanigan, last weekend made it very clear that no one on this planet can complete us fully. That’s God’s job and He loves to do it! So our spiritual friendships are here to be the hands and feet of Jesus to help us be better, stronger, wiser and more loving. But we can’t expect one friend to fulfill all those roles. You probably…
Posted in: Ecclesiastes, a time for everything under the Heaven, adventure, ask for help, beauty and joy, Best friends, Bible Study, companionship, Encouragement, Friendship, girlfriends, God's love, happy heart, joy, Laughter, relationships, spiritual friendships, triple braided cord, we need each other
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Posted: October 8, 2022
Being one of my children is not for the faint of heart. My daughter Michelle and my son Donovan have experienced an intense amount of heartache and suffering through the death of both of their dads. So weddings and funerals are not their first rodeo. As Donovan drove me to the ceremony where I was to be married to my second husband Jack, my son made an extraordinary statement: “Mom, weddings and funerals are very similar. Everybody gets dressed up, there are lots of flowers, there’s food, lots of tears and laughter, and there’s music and a ceremony.” My son’s words always evoke me to make me look at life from unusual angles, and obviously his statement has never left my brain. Life is made up of seasons. Births, deaths and everything in between. Here in Canada summer is waning and it makes me melancholic and a bit sad. As…
Posted in: Ecclesiastes, a time for everything under the Heaven, a time to be silent and a time to speak, beauty and joy, Encouragement, funeral, grief, lamenting, Laughter, seasons of life, weddings, weeping
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