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It all starts with being. This is what God placed on my heart this morning as I spent more time with Him. It all starts with the Lord.

I have always held myself to the standard of doing. So this knowledge came with a breathe of relief. With knowing Jesus I have been working on my habit of always doing and a busy mind. But still I have seen myself living days and weeks in this mindset.

I heard “Be in” Be in my presence and love. Be in the presence of the Holy Spirit and see the ways it wants to move and is moving.

Then I saw how it all starts with being. After I am in the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit I can then be myself, I will know how and I will have the confidence and ability to do so. After that I can fully be present in relationships. After I am in the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit I can serve.

I realized I have been like Martha in my relationships, how in Luke 10:38-42 Mary and Martha hosted Jesus and His disciples and Mary sat at Jesus’ feet while Martha was very busy serving and began to be anxious and troubled instead of being in the presence of Jesus and His disciples.

The peace it brought me to realize it all starts with being has been eye opening, I want to be in the state of being as much as I breathe. It is not just when I sit with God but in every second of everyday for eternity, this is so exciting and peace giving. It is also challenging for me, I already feel myself going in and out of being. It takes practice and dedication and a commitment every day. It starts with Jesus, being in his presence and the Holy Spirit then knowing myself and being present with others.

Peace be with you, be with the spirt that is within.

The beauty of Lake Michigan always draws me in, it is a place I love to pray. As I pondered what my word for this new year would be the word trust came to my heart and mind. God is most trustworthy and that is exactly why I am trusting Him with my entire life, not just this year but every year to come. The peace that comes from fully trusting in God is surreal. A sliver of His mighty power is reveal when the words “I got this” come from the death defeating spirt. The warm relief that flows from that is the unconditional love God has for His children. I trust you Father with every beautiful day and every very difficult day, knowing my life is forever in your hands as I pursue the plan you place on my life and encouraging others to do the same. The definition of the word trust is “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.” Trust in God is having a firm faith. I have firm faith that Jesus has overcome the world and because of Him I have a never-ending Father-Daughter relationship with God. The trust God has placed on my heart is visible, it is Him giving me peace in every aspect of life as I follow Him and His love everyday. After choosing my word for the year I like to add a verse to go with it. The verse I am holding onto with much awareness this year is Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Thank you Father for placing this word on my heart, for welcoming me into this new year with more love and peace as I trust you fully and enjoy the walk with you.

A creative writing assignment: what type of writer are you?

I am the type of writer who misspells words as they pour them out on the page, not drizzle, maybe not even pour more like dump words on the page. They cannot come out fast enough, my poor hands are all over the page, my pen is running dry. I do the old link the pen trick, more than not it works. My brain says gross, but my heart interrupts and says there is no other choice. It’s like the words are impatient people in line for a rollercoaster, a couple minutes and they are gone. Stephen King says a good thought will not be forgotten, I’m not sure how similar of writers we are since writing things down is my way of doing life from my devotions and what I did today, to to-do list, goals, reminders, good quote I found, dream I had, grocery list, people I want to reach out to, flowers I want to smell one day like a sea aster. Without writing I would be lost and nothing but forgetful.

I am the type of writer who is a friend of writing. I think of it not as a chore but like spending personal time with a friend, a friend that is your thoughts, nature around me, a bird that stopped by or a butterfly whose wings need a break for a second. I am the type of writer who travels, travels from thought to thought, bush to bush. I will do random research on something as if I am asking someone more questions about what they do or where their life has brought them. I am the type of writer who just writes, does not have a plan, maybe just a thought or one word in mind and what comes out is something I didn’t know I needed to hear. I am the type of writer who allows my heart to speak, my brain takes a step back and the soul flies in  any and every direction.

My writing can get messy, unorganized, lost, and found, it flows without change. Each piece would be the same. My handwriting is quite similar. From neat to sloppy, there may be tears or coffee stains. All it does is put light on the art writing is. I am the type of writer who will write on any paper or napkin in sight if all that’s available is my hand, I write on my hand. Anything I can find to let my words out. I’m the type of writer who feels the build up and calling from the words needing to be let out on paper. The writer who writes at my warm desk in my bedroom or sometimes against a tree of nature, maybe in my car between places. I write wherever I am, because I am a writer called to write.

The gift of grace is to love one another’s imperfections.

We all have a special gift and purpose.

Let’s come together in unity of Christ and his cheerful mercy!

Rejoice in hope!

Sing praise!

Be patient and in constant prayer.

Love, feel, give, receive, LIVE.

Live peacefully.

Overcome evil with goodness.

Most of all, let love be genuine.

See what your eyes cannot see,

Feel what your hands cannot feel,

Hear what your ears cannot hear,

This is living through your soul.

Spread Gods kindness

Gods love,

Gods grace,

Gods heart.

In a world full of differences, suffering and uncertainty spread Gods heart.

“You can never give back as much love as a dog gives you” Chuck McCann

Part of a story in the book I’m reading “When God winks at you” By: Squire Rushnell

A book filled with heart warming stories of “God winks” ways God communicates to us when in a hard place, grieving, lost and even on a simple day. God will send winks to you and through you.

Once you clear your mind and allow God in you will start noticing them!

On this gold brisk Saturday morning I woke up to my childhood tree and it’s seasoned leaves. This tree has taught me many things. Today’s lesson was how beautiful change is.

There is something about the protect of a tree, the sound it makes when the wind blows and the branches shake, there is a deeper meaning behind trees one we may never know. God is mysterious. He is powerful. His art is beautiful.