As I stand here in the driveway of what used to be the house next door, I feel a sense of heartache and bittersweet joy. I walk out to this space every single day and uncover small tokens from the lives of the people who have come and gone from this land before me. Two years ago, my dear friend lost her 150 year old home to a fire. It cost her everything. At 85 years old, the life that she had lived for so many years was suddenly snuffed out by a faulty microwave wire.

My husband pulled into our driveway, which was directly next to hers, and saw her coming out of the back of the house. “The house is on fire! The house is on fire!” By the time I got home, the street was lined with firetrucks, news crews and hundreds of onlookers. Pat and I sat on the neighbors porch. The air was filled with smoke and it was hard to breathe. Together, we watched her house burn to the ground. I held her hand as tears rolled down her cheeks.

One by one, the 150 year old stained glass windows blew out from the heat of the fire. The house was filled with  family antiques that were passed down from her parents. Colorful red, white and orange sheers that she had acquired on a trip to India as a young college student were now blowing in and out of the space where a window had once been. This was a bedroom she had lovingly named, “The India Room”. This particular room had great sentimental value to her, as it held many treasures from her youth.

Two years later, I found a shredded piece of wallpaper that had  once lined the walls of her dining room. My heart hurt, as it does each time I find new pieces of what used to be. The land is slowly and steadily giving up her secrets.

I pick up glass, marbles, ceramic pieces and other odds and ends.

More glass…and pages from an old cookbook.

A small remnant of blue from the stained glass windows in the parlor room. These bits and pieces are remnants of memories of a well-lived, well-loved home. They are remnants of someone’s life.

I am a gardener. God knew that when others could see only tragedy, I could see roses. Pat loved roses. While I am digging and planting, I do it in honor of a beloved friend whose heart was broken in this spot. Covering up the ashes, digging them into the ground as a fertilizer, I sow seeds of joy. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11 There is joy in creating something beautiful from ashes. God does it everyday.  He is the Master gardener. It was tragic that my friend lost her home, but she is alive. God brought her out of the fire and gave her a soft landing-place with friends to hold her hand and His provision.

Perhaps you have some ashes in your life? Things that have not turned out the way you planned–seeds you have sown have not flourished…

God grows us in affliction. He tears down walls that might distract us from knowing who He is. He tears down walls that keep us at a distance from His Spirit. There will be pain. There will be suffering, but we are still victorious.

How can it be?

“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

Because God is faithful. He will make beauty from ashes. He will turn your deepest heartache into a thing of beauty.

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic…For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

He will never fail you. He will never abandon you.

The Lord is our shepherd.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-3

“Joy is the keynote of the Christian life. It is not something that happens. It is a gift, given to us in the coming of Christ.” Elizabeth Elliot

Jesus is the Master Gardener and He alone helps us find joy in our brokenness. It is His gift to us, freely given.

God has you hidden in the shadow of His wings. Psalm 91:4 Fear not.

To the one who is wrecked with anxiety–cast your burdens on the One who cares. 1 Peter 5:7

For those who taste the bitterness of grief–know that He knows the number of your days, your coming and your going and all of it was preordained by the One who created you. The One who knows sorrow. He is with you, always. Matthew 28:20

When all that you see around you is darkness, remember that there is no darkness that the Light cannot overcome. His light shines in the darkness. John 1:5

When pain comes crashing and you cannot run from the grip of it, take comfort in the Comforter of your soul. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

For those who say, “I am done with God” because the battles you have endured seem unfair, He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

God’s love story.

xoxo.

Mary

Happy March!

February was a beautiful month, full of love, being loved, sharing love and setting our intentions on love. Our thoughts are so important, as they are a reflection of our hearts and we must do the work to elevate them in the highest form. God is the author of love and so it is, that God in us navigates through the complexities of our hearts to bring love to the world. What an amazing gift!

If you want, pray Philippians 4:8 over your life today. You can pray it like this:

Lord, whatsoever things are true, help me think on these things.

Lord, whatsoever things are honest, help me think on these things.

Lord, whatsoever things are pure or lovely, help me to think on these things.

Lord, whatsoever things are of good report, help me think on these things.

Father God, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, help me to think on these things and help me to confess them over my life and the lives of my loved ones. Amen.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8

We celebrated the birth of our daughter, Ashley the last weekend in February and shared her birth story with her once again. Russ and I love to recall the beautiful memories of the births of both of our adult children. We were young and in love and the whole world was full of the possibilities ahead. Life was simple, we had no money but our house was full of love.

As winter slowly fades, I am reminded of some of the poetry I used to write while I was a stay at home mom, raising two small children. I remember one winter morning so vividly; it was late February and there was freshly fallen snow covering the ground. A winter chill was in the air and the snow had frozen and turned into crystals on the trees, which my children called, “icicle trees.” Here’s a recount through poetry of the adventure that ensued on that particular morning:

“I took a wintry walk with my babes today.

One can only imagine the discoveries we made along the way.

An abandoned nest in a bare birch, bunny tracks, and a place where water flowed freely through the snow.

A leaf pile buried deep, where my babes said the “spiders must sleep.”

A broken limb became a sword.

Rosy cheeks all aglow, golden hair glistening amidst the snow.

The two, but made from heaven with the utmost of perfection

I try to take it all in because I know these moments will be gone too fast.

What we live today quickly becomes the past.”

A great way to cultivate beauty in our lives is to embrace meaningful moments. We are never so grateful or more in the center of God’s perfect love than when we are fully present in the here and now,  giving thanks.

Think about all of the beauty in your life and give God thanks with a grateful heart. Pray Philippians 4:8 over your life today. If you have a desire to continue with a study of Cultivating a Beautiful Life, I am taking pre-orders for my next workbook! Here’s what it looks like:

I want to extend my gratitude for all of my readers who ordered the medical fundraiser bracelets for my daughter, Ashley. We sold out overnight, but have now restocked! All proceeds are for ongoing medical expenses and mobility aids, etc.

Come back and visit me soon, as I will be adding some curated things to our store, with your spiritual journey in mind. PS: I pray that you like the new format of a monthly newsletter. It is something I can do more consistently while writing my workbooks, caring for my family and running a busy online ministry. Thank you for showering me with your continual love, prayers and encouragement.

Sending you LOVE.

Mary

 ^“being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the Day of Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 1:6

February…the month of LOVE! Sending you all great love, my friends!

How are you holding up? In February of last year, my husband was just returning home from a skiing trip to Utah when we began hearing the rumor of a pandemic which had hit China. Little did we know, the whole world would be different within a year!

It’s been a rough year for us during this pandemic, as we have had very limited time with my 85 year old parents–one with congestive heart failure and the other with dementia. It’s hard to stay so far away from people you love while knowing they are facing their sunset and you have missed out on a year full of memory making. We had so many plans for time we had hoped to share. Around Thanksgiving, we lost a lifelong friend who was driving his motorcycle when a tree fell on the road before him. He died very suddenly and tragically. Shortly after that, we received the news days before Christmas that my 44 year old cousin had succumbed to Covid and went home to be with Jesus.

Life is precious and sweet and each day is a gift. We are all going through difficulty, but I believe that love is always the answer for hurting hearts.

 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 NIV

As we go about our lives during a pandemic, we must remember to be a light and bring light into the darkness. The lightness of our being can bring hope to others and in doing so, invigorate our own sense of hope. As I go about my days, I am consciously aware of the sensitivities of those around me and how they may be struggling. What can I do to be a light bearer, a healing listener and to be tender keeper of hurting hearts?

“If we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in awhile, but what we do consistently.” Anthony Robbins

Love is an action. When we do it consistently and without reservation we help others to accept themselves, feel worthy and valued. In doing so, the doors of our hearts open wider, expanding possibility and cultivating a ripple effect. Hebrews 12:29 says that God’s love is a “consuming fire”. His love ignites the flame in our hearts and like a consuming fire, we cannot hold it back. A consuming fire is one that cannot be extinguished or controlled. We should not only worship the Father with this same fervor but pursue the lost, the downtrodden, the low in spirit with consuming love.

The world needs the light. We all crave the light. We were made for it. Love is the light and the light is LOVE–God Himself. The very flicker of light inside of us is a reflection of God in us.

“Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece.” Nadia Boulanger

What we pay attention to tends to grow. If we tend to matters of the heart, practice compassion, consider others with the love of Christ, these things will grow in our lives. Love freely given imbues us with a greater sense of connectedness, which is something we all need right now. We must water the flowers we want to grow.

I learned in my work both as a hospital chaplain and an minister presiding over a large outreach, that love returns   100 fold the more we give it away. As our arms open, so do our hearts. Our world expands in the proportion that we pray with others, lend a listening ear or an encouraging word. Our world expands in proportion to the love we give. Love being the consuming fire that it is, what we give is returned to us.

February is considered the month of love. Perhaps we can help each other heal and transform wounded hearts to hearts of joy. This past year, we have all been through and witnessed trauma. We need all of the collective love we can muster to restore joy and hope and bring healing to the world. I have a dear and wise friend, 92 year old Pat, whose friendship has been a soothing balm to my heart throughout the past year. We have agreed that laughter is great medicine and we find laughter together during our telephone conversations. We laugh in the midst of our human drama and heal our hearts by finding light in the darkness of a situation. Even the smallest things can bring us joy as we practice letting Love guide our hearts. There is One true Love. Jesus. When I say “practice letting love guide our hearts”, the intention is to let Him be our guide. God is LOVE.

Passionately pursue things of Love. It is a consuming fire. Let it fill your heart and consume your life, for you will find great treasure. The more of it within us, the more it overflows to others. This is Light.

 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 NIV

Thank you for being part of my LOVE story and helping to shape me into the person that I am. You play such a tremendous role in my story and sense of purpose. Thank you for demonstrating pure LOVE, which helps me to thrive.

Happy February–the Month of Love! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Be the Light.

Love,

Mary

]]> 3786 https://hopefilledliving.com/2021/01/marys-january-newsletter-hope-filled-living/ Sun, 10 Jan 2021 17:56:02 +0000 https://hopefilledliving.com/?p=3775

Greetings Sweet Friend!

It is with love, light and hope that I greet you in this New Year! Congratulations to all for enduring 2020! Let’s move forward with great joy and anticipation for the year to come! I move forward into 2021 with a heart filled with hope and gratitude for the supernatural favor of God and HIS enduring promises. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures. 1 Chronicles 16:34

We have passed the threshold of a year that will go down in history for many reasons and we must now hold onto the hope that the very God who created the universe will bring us out of this darkness; a hope that He will lay these things to rest while carrying a torch to help us make our way into the light of His presence. I give thanks upon every remembrance of Him, for His love endures forever!

With that, the whisper of January is upon us. It is a time of stillness and wonder as I sit by the fireplace in my cozy 1883 bedroom. I enjoy quiet evenings curled up with a velvet comforter with the soft glow of the street lamps coming in through the old wavy glass. Many nights, I marvel and give quiet thanks for the beauty of tiny little snowflakes swirling and the sense of wonder that overtakes me as I watch them floating around the peaks of my house. There is something rich about being content and feeling safe during a time when the world is being shaken up. I find myself giving thanks continually for the comfort of my old house and the feeling of “home” within her walls. As I look out the window, I see in the midst of small bursts of flurries, other historic homes with frosty windows lit up and I know that my neighbors probably feel the same way. We all have so much to be thankful for.

I have started painting again and I am resisting the urge to critique my work; instead, I am giving myself permission to study, learn and practice a new skill that brings me joy. Keeping our thoughts at bay and our minds still while pursuing something we love can bring us great comfort and joy. I often think that as we create, it is a form of prayer. We express words that we cannot say through our creative pursuits. Psalm 46:10 says, “be still and know that I am God.” If you are struggling through the current situation in our world and at a loss for words to pray, perhaps it’s time to practice some form of creative pursuit and let your prayers come through it. I have taken great comfort during this pandemic in the pursuits of painting, sewing and writing. In case you missed it in the last newsletter, I wrote another workbook during 2020. It is filled with prayers for those days when you cannot find your own words. You can read them over and over again or recite them as a starting point. My offering to the world during a time of fear, grief and sorrow.

I have just started the soul stirring journey and heart preparation of writing another workbook in 2021 and possibly two. What creative pursuits will you begin this year? How can you take the love that comes from your heart and share it with the world to bring others joy, a sense of belonging or hope? We are all in this together and I look forward to walking alongside of you this year to see the bright and beautiful things you put out into the world. If we have learned anything during the past year, I’m sure you will agree with me that now more than ever, we carry with us a profound sense of gratitude for our loved ones and the people with whom we share our lives. We probably also share a deep gratitude and thankfulness for front line workers and every single person who has served us in some way during the pandemic. As I pull up to curbside each week for groceries and people bring my food out after shopping for me, I try to always be extra kind and thank them for their service and I give God thanks for them and say a prayer for that individual as I drive away. What a sacrifice and special gift that I could never have imagined, that someone would shop for me–hand pick my items from the shelf and bring them out to my car or deliver them to my house! Praise God.

As we move forward into 2021, may we be united in our hope for a better tomorrow. May that ignite our hearts to find gratitude and joy each day and to give thanks for everything bright and beautiful. May peace and joy be yours, sweet friend and may we all pursue things that bring peace, hope and joy in this New Year! Let’s choose to fill the world around us with hope! Let’s choose words of kindness! Let’s choose to serve others with our gifts, our hearts and our hands! Let’s choose to pray for our families, our neighbors and the world. Let’s choose those things that are true, honest, just, pure and lovely ( Philippians 4:8).

Love,

Mary

December 1, 2020

Dear Friends,

As I write this December newsletter, I am waiting with anticipation for the glorious celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior! Everything about this season gives us reason to hope as we put up our Christmas trees and hang  garland and wreaths, light candles and watch the twinkling lights. It’s all done in celebration of the King of Kings. He is the twinkle that we see in the lights, the shimmering glow of candles throughout our homes, the gifts under the tree, the garland and wreaths. The round shape of the Christmas wreath is reminiscent of the circle, which symbolizes eternity; an emblem of our everlasting God.

As believers, the Christmas story is the foundation of our faith; the birth of Jesus Christ. It is the beginning of the life and story of Jesus our Messiah, born to a virgin in a lowly stable. The stars lit up the night sky and paved the way through the darkness for people to come see him, pay tribute and worship the newborn king.  And so it is that the Savior of the world was born in a manger, no crib for a bed to a virgin named Mary.

I have a feeling that right now, right where we are–in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and the troubles of mankind, we could all stand to hear the story of the Messiah and the hope that He brings to the world.I have included it for you, here: The Christmas Story Read Aloud

If you want to learn just a bit more about Jesus, the Bible shows us that as a child, Jesus was drawn to the temple to worship His Father in Heaven. Traveling on a pilgrimage with his parents, He disappeared in Jerusalem. After frantically searching for the boy, this is what happened:

“Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.  And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.  And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?  And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Luke 2:41-52 KJV

I could go on and on sharing with you the stories of the life of Jesus, as I find them so fascinating! Wishing you all the beauty and wonder of Christmas! I pray that you are all safe, healthy and filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Pray continually. Be kind and speak words of hope and life over yourselves and others. Know that this too shall pass and that in due time, we will be beyond this pandemic. I am looking forward to gathering with, hugging, laughing  and breaking bread with our extended families. We are planning a reunion weekend at our house with a celebratory date yet to be determined. Keep hope alive in your hearts, sweet friends.

If you are looking for something to keep your mind focused on Jesus or a new study to start after New Years, or a gift for a friend or loved one, here is a link to my new workbook on Amazon, (where shipping is free with a Prime account). Otherwise, you can order it from my website.

Sending you all of my love,

Mary

11/01/2020

Dear Friends,

As we enter into November, we have so much ahead of us in the near future. I write this letter to you just before the presidential election and although we do not yet know the results of this election, we can be sure that this has been a year which has challenged the world more than ever. We are all in need of healing-spiritually, emotionally, financially, socially and physically. My prayer is that at the other side of enduring the hardship of this season in our lives and history, it will have made us kinder, gentler, more compassionate individuals.

We must do our part in caring for ourselves and our neighbors by voting, being kind to all, more tolerant of differences, listening well and praying for the best possible outcome in all situations. Are you a person of prayer? If so, the harvest is plenty!

We have all been through so much in 2020! If you are like me, it is taking a toll. Please consider the well-being of the collective whole and wear your mask to protect yourself and others. Care for yourself by being cautious and steadfast in prayer, knowing that we are not out of the woods with this pandemic. Not a single one of us are immune from this potentially deadly virus, making us ALL vulnerable. As we care for ourselves, we care for others by doing all that we can to stay healthy and safe. As we watch the news or read headlines, it presents each of us with the ongoing trauma of lives lost. This may make you feel afraid or powerless, but together, we can respond to those feelings by nurturing a love for others and a social responsibility toward the world around us. As we assume this responsibility, we will feel an increased sense of the things which we CAN control. All of this being said with love, compassion and a deep sense of concern for the welfare of the collective whole. One life lost is too many.  Set an example to everyone so that we can all share a future together. There are so many happy memories yet to be experienced!

November is a time to look back and give thanks for the good, lovely, pure, true and honest blessings in our lives. As I look back on the year, I remember all of the plans that I had, books I wanted to read, books I wanted to write, concerts, plays and other venues I had hoped to attend. I think about my senior parents, living out their final season of life and all of the plans that I had made to spend time with them to make up for years that I had lost. I thought I could fit it all in…and looking back on these notions, I understand now that I am just one person–one woman with one life–doing my best. We miss so much when we speed through our days trying to make up for things we didn’t do. The reality is, I am chronically ill and I have more bad days physically than good days. I do what I can. We all do what we can.

This pandemic helped me to see that it’s okay to go slow and steady. I have learned to be a better listener as I adjust to new ways of seeing and hearing my loved ones who are far away through technology. I have spent much more time in prayer, meditation and grounding myself in the healing words of Jesus. I allowed myself to rest on sick days and soaked up vitamin D by reading books in an old adirondack chair in the garden. I disconnected from social media and learned that life is beautiful without the noise of thousands of other people and the life negating, time wasting habit of scrolling. I enjoyed quiet afternoons on the front porch with my daughter, sampled various herbal teas and picked flowers from the garden. I fully lived. Present. Breathing quiet gratitude for such a magnificent life. Perhaps these are the lessons that were preordained from this season. God chose them for me. 

I wrote a workbook, “Finding Your Path to Faith, Hope & Healing” during the midst of the pandemic and quarantine. It was a project that I had started and one thing after another kept me from finishing. Sometimes, we face resistance to the things we need the most or those things which are closest to our hearts. In doing so, there were many afternoons where I was comforted by the prayers or scripture that I was infusing into the workbook. Good things are often uprooted out of the recesses of our hearts; the pulling, tugging and unsettling of the roots can be painful.

As we slowly turn the page toward 2021 and new beginnings, what lessons have you learned in 2020? What are you thankful for? I urge you to think upon these things and journal about them. You will find that although you may have faced difficulty in 2020, there were also many blessing born. The practice of writing those things for which you feel grateful is grounding as you imagine a better tomorrow.

The workbook is available through pre-order and will ship sometime in November. I am just getting the proof copies back…so not too long! I know that some of you have been waiting a really long time for this. Thank you for being my cheerleaders. I love  you all so much. I will link it here for you, if you want to go through checkout and get on the mailing list before Christmas.

Remember friends, we still have so much to celebrate and so much to learn! Slow and steady wins the race! Onward! As always, you are always on my mind, my heart and in my prayers. I urge you to take inventory of the things that bring you joy and usher in a spirit of gratitude. Think ahead about how you desire to spend your days this winter and make plans. Evaluate your learning library and if you don’t have one, establish a place in your home to gather books and materials that will enrich your mind and feed your heart and soul.

In Love and Gratitude,

Mary

ggh

Monday, September 21, 2020

Friends, as we navigate these difficult times in the world, I thought I would share with you one of my e-courses. Click on the links to read the weekly newsletter for the course, “Cultivating an Inspired Life”. Feel free to print it out and privately work through each weekly study. Remember, this is copyrighted material, so please do not share on social media without my written permission. This is a special preview just for my subscribers.

The past year has been really challenging for me and for my family, with many ups and downs with various health issues with loved ones. It’s been a hard season, but we are getting through it. Presently, I am giving all of my energy  to complete the next workbook, “Faith, Hope & Healing” and therefore, I have fallen behind on my blog posts and social media. So many Christian women in my circle manage to write consistently, post stories, videos, participate in podcasts, interviews, reviews, maintain their own websites, run online businesses and stay healthy–but for me–it’s just a bit too much. I have worked on simplifying my life this past year and stepping back from the overstimulation of social media to pursue a holy contentment and life review.

I chose to take a step back when my daughters illness progressed. It was a tremendous eye-opener, as if God were trying desperately to get my attention. We choose what we allow into our minds, we choose what to make count in our everyday lives, we choose whether or not to be fully present with loved ones and we choose to give the gift of time to the people we hold dearly. I will probably never meet most of you and I’m not sure I will be preaching before large crowds again in my lifetime. However, when I can–I will devote time to be fully present with you, thinking about you and praying for you as I write my books and occasional posts. In the spiritual world, it’ always process over perfection. We get to choose the level of engagement in our process, do those things which make us feel whole, alive and fully connected with God and our circle of immediate influence. Being a woman in Christ, He has made me to NEED quiet time with Him. My body, my mind and my spirit require that I spend time in solitude and prayer, connecting with the Author of hope. I cannot imagine how I would have gotten through the HARD things in my life without a close relationship with Jesus.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

“It is written: You shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

So, in the midst of these observations and while stepping back to let go and let God, I have been prayerfully writing about cultivating good things into our lives and mindset. Mind you, these weekly assignments are not fluffy. They require work because spiritual maturity requires us evaluate our hearts, dig into His word and seek Him daily. Others cannot do the work for us. The process of spiritual growth is something for which we hunger, we seek and choose for ourselves as we mature in our faith.

These are merely exercises to help bring our attention to God.  Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we must avoid the temptation to think that we get to heaven by going, doing or hustling in ministry on His behalf. He chose YOU. He knew you while you were still in your mother’s womb.

Click on the links in the text to read:

Cultivating an Inspired Life E Course Week 1

Cultivating an Inspired Life Week 2

Cultivating an Inspired Life Week 3

Cultivating an Inspired Life Week 4

I pray that you enjoy the free preview of my e-courses! Last, but certainly NOT LEAST, I have a new workbook coming in November! I hope you will pre-order a copy for yourself and perhaps for someone else that may need to focus more intentionally on his/her faith, rather than fear with everything that is happening in the world. Through meditation of God’s word, prayer and developing an inner-spiritual strength we become more grounded individuals; sure of our walk, sure of our salvation and sure that regardless of world events, God has us. He will never let us go. We are His creation!

You can pre-order now and we will ship a signed copy to you when the books arrive in November.

As always, I give thanks for you in my life. I give thanks that the Lord has given me an opportunity to serve you and so many others throughout the world through the internet. I never dreamed while standing in front of 800 people each Sunday, that God had a much larger ministry for me ahead. I could never in my wildest dreams envision this for myself. Thanks be to God. All glory to Him.

I am praying about the future of my ministry, how it might look and how to continue to reach thousands of people with the message of Hope through Jesus Christ while simultaneously stepping back from the distractions of social media. Will you add me and our ministry, Hope-Filled Living to your daily prayers? If you have any special prayer requests, please feel free to message me or comment.

Peace and Love to YOU!

Mary

Dear Friends,

Happy August! It’s been a long while since I have written a Monday Morning Inspiration post for you. Before I begin, I wanted to share some of my recent joys! July was a busy month, starting out with a hospitalization for my mother and then my birthday celebration on the 4th. Due to Covid19, we stayed home and celebrated in the garden, but the greatest gift was that my mother came home and was safe after her hospitalization in a Covid unit. 

Russ built me the most beautiful stand for my harp. It was truly one of the most thoughtful gifts because he created it with his own two hands and then painted it with musical notes and fancy legs and it’s just the right height. I adore it and him. My adult children, Ashley and Daniel bought me a gorgeous crystal flute with hand painted roses. My birthday was extremely warm but we sat in the yard and played instruments. While we missed celebrating with our larger family, we are learning to make the most of our new norm (social distancing). 

This pandemic has made our worlds much smaller, but slowed us down enough to feel fully blessed to spend time with those who are closest to us and to give thanks for our time together. It has forced us to ignite old passions and creative pursuits as well as reading great books, listening to music that brings us joy and a general sense of peace and happiness.

I would never have thought that I would be spending so much time alone with my immediate family at this time last year. We all have busy lives and pursuits that we enjoy, but this pandemic has invited us to slow down and celebrate togetherness. The gift of presence is something that we are all learning as we spend days together, talking and listening. Now more than ever, it seems important to hear what is on the minds and hearts of loved ones. Now more than ever, it seems appropriate to recognize and celebrate the inner strengths and victories of our loved ones. Now more than ever, it has become important to celebrate this small community and the priceless contribution that each person makes to an overall sense of collective joy.

In July, I finally got close enough to offer pre-orders on my next workbook, “Faith, Hope & Healing”, which will be out in November. This is a tremendous victory for me, as I have had so many setbacks with my own health and healing over the past year and so many new realities to accept in my extended family as we go through the hard season of ups and downs with aging parents. It’s been tough. 

All good things take time because we have to go through the process of birthing them out of our own personal experience. Life gives us wisdom. In 2019, God gave me a vision for my work in 2020 and I wrote a year full of e-courses. I teach one each month and just completed the July course, “Cultivating an Inspired Life.”  Since it is now August, we have started the “Cultivating a Joyful Life” e-course, so my personal theme for the month of August is “JOY”.  Needless to say, I have been utilizing this quarantine time to do the inner work of seeking, praying and writing more regularly. 

I feel confident that you are also learning new things during this pandemic-new ways of seeing, thinking and doing. New ways of loving and honoring the important people in your lives. We are all in a state of transition and we all need one another. This can be a time of great personal and spiritual growth if we are receptive to change. I encourage you to keep a prayer journal as much as possible in the coming months. We are living through things that our country and the world have never experienced. 

Here is something for you–feel free to right click and download:

Enjoy every moment with those whom you hold dear. Take time to listen and be fully present. Make it a personal quest to think upon all that is good. I will end by sharing some fun garden quotes and a few scripture passages:

“The man who has planted a garden feels that he has done something for the good of the whole world.”

Charles Dudley Warner

“They kill good trees to put out bad newspapers.” James G. Watt

“There is just as much beauty visible to us in the landscape as we are prepared to appreciate–not a grain more.” Henry David Thoreau

“The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” 1 John 2:8

“Under His wings you will find refuge.” Psalm 9:1

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

Happy August to each of you! May you find beauty in the splendor of God unfolding all around you as we inch toward Autumn.

xoxo.

Mary

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her. Luke 1:45

One of the secrets of a happy life is fulfilling our purpose and accepting our blessings with gratitude. When we recognize our need for a Savior, we make the very best of what He has given us. In doing so, we bloom where we are planted and we live out of the abundance that God has shared with us.

Little did I know-that this was the beginning of a long and winding path which led me into the pastorate and a call as a preacher/evangelist, but I can remember falling really hard for Jesus when I was 18. I was young and I didn’t have much to share except my heart and my own personal experience with a relationship with Jesus. I had barely any resources, but I wanted to minister to people and tell them about God’s promises. I wanted to share how amazing it felt to know that my Savior could bear all of my burdens and theirs as well. I went to the 5 and dime store and bought a couple dozen lapel pins with crosses. Everywhere I went, as the Spirit led me, I asked people if they wanted a free lapel pin and to learn about Jesus. People were very receptive and some even cried because they were so thirsty for hope. I can remember my sister marveling and giggling at my boldness to tell people about the Lord and to approach strangers, but I couldn’t help it! I wanted everyone to feel as loved and accepted as I did. I wanted everyone to know that they were never meant to bear their burdens alone.

God will fulfill His promises to us, but we must believe and begin. His desire is always for His people. That’s why He died on the cross. Don’t hide your light under a basket. Share it and watch it bloom. As we age, our eyes may grow dim and our bodies may fail us, but the Spirit of the Lord, which lives in our hearts, is forever young. Make it a goal to let your light shine and be a light bearer to others. Do you remember the old Sunday school song, “This little light of mine”? We are the light which leads others to His Light.

Start right where you are with what you have and give thanks for your blessings. There has never been a better time than now to bloom where you are planted. Use what you have to bring a cool cup of water in a dry and thirsty land. People need to hear words of life, truth, God’s promises and be assured that He is in control.

God gives us momentum as we take initiative to share His living hope with others. If you feel as though you have no light to shine, perhaps you have lost your connection and need to recharge. His strength is made perfect in weakness, so just begin. How much more creative, joyful, loving, generous and spiritually rich would the world be if we all believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to us???

Bloom.

Shine.

If you want to develop the practice of living in gratitude, here is my Gratitude workbook: