Discernment is a tool in our spiritual arsenal – one of the Holy Spirit gifts to us. It guides us to the will of God, which is to say the best possible outcome for us.
This year I choose blossom as my Word because it represents my intention to grow from the roots I planted as a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5) and build back what was broken through the vehicle of relationship.
It was the morning of the most important interview of my career; with emotions running haywire and hormones adding a dizzying effect, I decided that I just couldn't go to my interview that afternoon. The fear shouted so loudly that I couldn't hear the voice of wisdom that knew to show up despite the very big feelings. This was my dream job, after all!
God recently revealed to me that I am holding onto the weight of my past. By holding onto my past, I’m not only carrying around a weight I was never meant to carry, but I am blocking the blessings of God’s plan for me in the future. So today I ask you: What weight are you carrying that is hindering your upward momentum?
Covid-19 caught nearly all of us by surprise, leaving us ripped of our routines, schedules and normal circumstances — everything we typically rely on for stability and consistency. If we weren’t already prone to or struggling with depression, COVID-19 certainly stirred up prime circumstances for depression to show up (many of us without any prior experience with mental illness or the coping skills to deal with it in healthy ways).
As I drove home from work on a particularly blustery day, windows down and music blaring, I felt the cool yet strong wind rush into the car. I could have sworn something flew through the window, but I couldn’t see any evidence of it. When I pulled into the driveway, underneath the music, I heard a faint buzzing noise. Sure enough, in the cup holder was evidence that I'd indeed noticed a visitor.
Forgiveness is a tricky thing yet it holds incredible power to transform our lives. Left untouched, the negative feelings we harbor will pervade our very existence with the low vibration caused by bitterness.
Waiting for the perpetrator to apologize or even acknowledge their responsibility is handing them the key to our wellbeing (as if it's their right to affect us adversely). When we decide to take back our key, we use the power of forgiveness to set ourselves free.
On my journey to find self love, I found myself gravitating toward my favorite Disney songs as a form of uplifting and fairy-tale inspiration. I have been the girl who wished upon a star for her prince to come along, only to discover that I didn't need to be rescued or to be loved by another; I needed to rescue (and love) myself. Before I made this discovery, I found my prince charming and got engaged shortly after. This relationship served as a revealing mirror as I uncovered the paralyzing lack of confidence and self-love lingering beneath my fairy tale. I lost sight of the woman I was before I became defined by my relationship, and over time my partner also lost sight of the woman he chose to marry. We called off the wedding four months before saying "I do."
I am saddened and heartbroken today over the acts of violence in Charlottesville. I sat with the news written on my heart looking for words that could overcome frustration and focus on love and social justice on a deep level. This is what came through when I prayed for the right words.
God calls us to love with compassion, tolerance and acceptance, so we must try to look past acts of hatred and violence to see a person that clearly learned to hate.
