Tag: Faith

In mourning’s embrace, a spirit’s rebirth…

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In the darkest hour,

where shadows loom,

Faith’s ember flickers,

dispelling gloom.

A journey through the night,

guided by belief,

Grief and faith entwined,

offering relief.

The heartache’s dance,

a solemn waltz,

Yet faith persists,

its melody exalts.

With each teardrop,

a prayer takes flight,

Uniting grief and faith

in the quiet of night.

– denise marie

A family member passed away this past week….

Grief is complex, with many highs and lows, the waves of emotions tend to hit me as uncontrollable tears flow. As a believer, I know she is in heaven, no longer in pain and at peace. Yet, I still feel such a loss, a void. a sadness that I think she never really would’ve imagined how much her passing would affect me.

Her light, unconditional love, words of encouragement and friendship, will leave a lasting mark on my heart forever. Thank you for being such a gift.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4.

Slow down…and listen to the beat of your own heart…

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My soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him. – Psalm 62:5
2022_11_.m4a

It’s beautiful to be still in

the midst of a busy world,

allowing my mind

to slow down

just enough to

process each thought,

minute by minute

inhaling fully then

exhaling slowly

listening to the beat

of my own heart,

lulling me with peace.

—denise marie

*picture of me taken in Washington State.

Grateful for self-care…

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Calming….

A few months ago I fell and injured my back and knee. Recovery has been a frustrating teeter-tottering battle, with some days I feel great, while other days I can barely walk, sit or stand without being in pain.

The last couple of days have been difficult and I found myself in pain, but pretending that everything was ok.

By doing this, I did not take care of my own needs, and I didn’t allow others to help me (codependency 🤦🏽‍♀️) which only made my pain worse.

My sponsor in celebrate recovery once asked me, “what’s the next right thing?”

The next right thing I did, was to be honest with my feelings, ask for help, rest, take things moment by moment (stay present) do Breathwork to help calm my nervous system and stay prayerful.

I am grateful for self-care.🩷

– denise marie

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. – Romans 12:12

An evening Train ride…

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On Friday evening, my daughter and I took an Amtrak train home from the Bay Area to Sacramento. It was her first time on the train, which brought back memories of the first time I took my 3 sons on a train ride over 20 years ago from Washington State to California.

As the train quickly moved along from city to city, I was able to watch the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky with warm hues, I was filled with so much peace and gratitude as I engulfed myself completely into the serene and captivating experience.

I am so grateful.🩷

-denise marie

“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. – John 8:36

#nolongerheldcaptive

Gratitude in nature…

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Fallen leaves

As I was taking a walk, I stepped on these leaves that had fallen from the tree. The sound of the crunch beneath my feet brought a huge smile across my face and an instant feeling of tingling happiness.

It brought me back to my childhood living in Seattle, where I would fall backwards into a pile of leaves that were newly raked in front of our house.

Reminiscing on these memories, I could literally hear the sound of laughter that filled the air with pure joy!

I’m so grateful for today and for taking a moment to be present within the beauty of nature, I honor you God, the creator of such a gift.🩷

– denise marie

So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed. -John 8:36

#nolongerheldcaptive

Admiring Art…can be nervous system regulating.

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Local Art

On Tuesday, I was running errands and for no reason that I could pinpoint, I started feeling a bit overwhelmed, instead of allowing the anxiety to heighten, I decided to shift my attention by “looking” for the beauty around me.

I began to notice artwork in the community, and realized that within the pleasurable experience of viewing art, lies the ability to evoke a sort of euphoric mood that calmed my nervousness. The Art literally seemed to communicate with me, using a language that captured the essence of the human experience, it allowed me to see the world through the lens of a different perspective.

I truly appreciate the gift of art🩷

– denise marie

“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. – John 8:36

#nolongerheldcaptive

Finding joy in the Zentangle Pattern…

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Zentangle Pattern

Last night I took a Mindfulness and Gratitude through the Visual Arts Class.

I learned about the Golden Ratio and Zentangle Patterns.

I was able to create my own Zentangle pattern which allowed me to be present, with no expectations, no right or wrong and no judgement. I was free.🩷

This form of Art Therapy gave me so much joy! It helped me to calm my mind, breathe deeply and simply relax.

– denise marie

“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. – John 8:36

#nolongerheldcaptive

Spirit lead me…

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These images and video clips were taken last weekend in Seattle.

When I visit, I often have a need to go to the water. There is so much peace I find in its presence.


“Thank You God for making it possible for me to experience peace at all times. Because You gave us Your Son, I always have a way to know and experience You. There is nothing that can separate me from Your loving presence”.

– denise marie

Engulfed fully by his love…

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It took me a minute to settle down and calm my anxiety, but once I did my words flowed.

Writing and reading my poetry is good for my soul.

Titled, “Engulfed fully by his love”. – denise marie

“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. – John 8:36

po·et·ry…

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Today..
I encourage you
to bravely,
peel back,
each layer,
revealing
the deep roots
of secrets that
have been gracefully
hidden.

In this place,
is where YOU have
remained concealed
beneath the pain
of your untold stories.

Surrender…

and allow
Gods love
and grace
to heal this
sacred space
in which you’ve
kept sealed.

– denise marie

Writing Poetry is truly one of my passions, it feels amazing to release words that at times have been hidden beneath insecurities, allowing my creativity to flow, sure does bring me joy.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved writing, reading and listening to poetry. It was a common occurrence to see me with a pen and pad of paper jotting down my thoughts and eagerly reading them to my Mom. Looking through boxes in the storage closet, it’s fun to find journals filled with poems I’ve written as a child or teen. Recently I was looking through my yearbooks from high school and to my surprise (1987 was a long time ago.. lol! I had forgotten about this) I saw a poem I had written my Senior year in the yearbook.

Maya Angelou is one of my favorite’s, I have several of her books. This portrait of her, sits near my keyboard.

Maya Angelou has always been an inspiration and I hope to one day publish my own book of poetry.

“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. – John 8:36