We Fail

Hello again my friends!

Every month when I write this blog, I wonder what it is you are going through. I wonder how your life is and what are the things that will most impact your heart. I want to bring encouragement and hope, love and peace, joy and trust. These are all big words that matter to our lives in so many ways.

This being the month of love I decided to write about that a bit. All of us want it. All of us literally need it. Not one person can live a good life without its’ presence with them. We are made for LOVE. In my darkest moments throughout my life, my deep heart cry has been to love well and to be loved. I think most of us have had moments of loneliness and desire to be ‘better loved’. From talking to clients and people over a span of many years now the hunger I have found to be consistent is that of hunger to be loved.

The desire for being loved and having someone to love is natural.

We are all created for this. Most of us are trying to fulfill that with humans. Most of us are failing at that. Failing at fulfilling ourselves in our desperation to be loved. Failing to find “the one” who will love us the way we want and need to be loved. So, if we were created to be loved and we are failing at being loved, what’s the problem and how do we “fix” it?

Prepare yourself.

Jesus is the answer. Smile. I know you know this. I also know most of you are annoyed as you read this – likewise – I am annoyed as I write this. Heehee. I can feel you rolling your eyes. I can hear your attitudes. And no condemnation because I have the same ones. But the truth is we simply cannot be fulfilled by another human. It just doesn’t work. Why? Because humans fail. We cannot love as well as we should and we miss it. We say mean things, we lose our temper, we fail to see what the person we truly care about needs. We fail.

God however – our Father, Creator – never fails. He doesn’t just say He loves us, He truly – madly – deeply loves us. Jesus gave His life – our Friend and Brother – showed us His love for us. He PROVED His love. Not only that, He proves even now that He can and does love us exactly the way we want and need to be loved.

You may be saying, “Well then why don’t I feel it?” Here’s the reality: You can put yourself in a place of quietness and peace where you can feel it. You can draw so close and so near that you FEEL and EXPERIENCE His love in a real way.

If you have not I want to invite you to try it.

Find a meditation, a place, your favorite nature spot and just sit. Invite Him to love you and then imagine yourself “on a date” with Him – imagine your heart being deeply touched and impacted – imagine Him holding you, counseling you, whatever feels like love to you…. My friend, He will come through for you because YOU were MADE for LOVE! (For further help or advice feel free to reach out. I’m just an email away).

Happy FEBRUARY – go ahead – be loved. He will never fail you.

Welcome to Your New Year

What a gift this year is.

We have all had loss and pain and difficulties over the past few years and I always remind myself and now want to remind you: LIFE IS PRECIOUS!

We have been given a sweet gift. We must remember this when we are facing trauma, grief, and anxiety. When we have bad attitudes and pain, when we act like spoiled children or are truly struggling – life is a gift.

Why does this matter? It is the vital part of living with grace and joy. When we can see it as a gift – even when there’s no sun, the days are dark and gloomy, winter seems long – we can embrace the value in it and find the simple things to be thankful for. We can hold out hope for what we desire and find joy in a simple moment. These things: thankfulness, hope, and trust bring out our best.

So, pause for a minute and no matter the current “temperature” of your day, the current weather of your life – pause here – what are you deeply thankful for?

And here, pause to contemplate what you will hold tightly to hope for. Will you hold onto hope for your friend or family member, for your next year, for your job… what will you take ahold of hope for and can you hold onto hope no matter what?

Finally, where will you place your trust? Will you trust the economy? Maybe you will trust your friend? Or perhaps your family? Will you lean in and trust food to be the answer? The weather changing? I don’t know how you feel but most of these, if not all, will fail us.

There is one place to put our trust and that is… Yes! You already know. Put your hope in Jesus – the anchor for our souls!

Put your trust in Him and EXPECT, with your mind and imagination, good things. Expect to see the goodness of the Lord. Look for it, don’t just wait for the “some day” that it’s coming. Believe that it is here today and now for you and LOOK for it. You will SEE if you will EXPECT to see.

May you be blessed this 2023 year with all the things you hope for and are trusting for. And while you may have to wait a bit or maybe aren’t seeing the things you desire – keep being thankful for all that you already have!

Much love to each of you. We are walking out this journey and this gift together. I’m in it with you and we are not on our own!

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Best Christmas Ever?

Hello My Friends!

I hope this finds you all well.

My prayers are always for hope, peace, joy, and abundant life for each of you! It’s the Holiday Season – so woop de doo and…. Heehee – I don’t know all the lyrics. But think of it! Right here, right now is an opportunity to do Christmas differently than you ever have. This year, 2022, is a chance to make it the best Christmas ever. Not by how much you buy, nor how well you decorate your house. Not for the goodies you bake or the way you work so tirelessly for your family. No. This is a chance, a brand new month and season to create a whole new way to approach the hope we have, the life that was born, the joy of the days ahead.

Maybe you’re feeling depressed or alone. Maybe you have little hope or little joy for this year. My dear friend, I am here to tell you one thing – YOU CAN HAVE A BEAUTIFUL, HOPEFUL, JOYOUS CHRISTMAS YEAR. No. Matter. What your circumstances are. How can I say this?!? Christmas is inside of you. It lives there. It is in your heart, your thoughts, even your deciding. My dear friend, you can choose a new way to experience and do Christmas. Make it your B*^%*. smile.

Decide here and now that, no matter what, you will find and create hope for yourself – after all, it is what Jesus was born for… HOPE.

Choose to lean in to the Prince of Peace and rest in the peace He has brought for you – despite your current situation.

Did you know there were people who went through Nazi prison camps and kept their hope? Did you know there are people who have lost loved ones and learned how to live abundant lives on the other side of grief?

(I don’t say this as a comparison of what you are going through because your life is unique and there is no comparison to another. I DO say this – so that you can see the hope. If another human has been able to do it, it is possible for you.)

There is yet joy to be had, hope to be found, and life to be lived. You CAN do it. How do I know this? Because Jesus came for THIS – hope, joy, and peace… LIFE and LIFE ABUNDANT. It is available. The key is in you. I mean IN you. You who believe in Jesus – HE is IN you. His hope and joy and peace are in you. Immanuel.

Christmas is in you.

Let go of the stuff, hold on to the Christmas. How? Philippians 4:4-8 has an excellent list for you. If you will follow that list, you will find your way. And be thankful – full of praise. It may be the smallest thing you have to be thankful for – but be thankful with all your heart and worship Father for that one tiny thing.

You will see Christmas start coming out of you.

Sending you so much love! Make this your best Christmas ever! Let it flow from inside out.

One last thing – consider starting one new tradition. Not a busy one – one you will love – something simple.

Merry Christmas to us one and all.