Tag: God

To lament…

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“There is a kind of joy that doesn’t wait for sorrow to leave before it arrives”.

I’ve been learning that lament and joy can exist in the same breath. One carries the weight of what has been lost, the other gently reminds me that not everything has been lost.

Lament gives  me permission to tell God the truth and joy reminds me that He is still with me in that truth.

Some days, my prayers are filled with tears. Other days, I catch myself smiling at the way the morning light moves through the trees, the sound of birds singing, or the quiet rhythm of my own breath. Neither moment cancels the other, they belong together.

This is the gift of God’s presence, He meets us in our grief without leaving us there. He plants small reminders of His goodness along the path, enough to keep our hearts open, and enough to keep us moving forward.

Today, I choose to notice both. I honor my sorrow, and I welcome the joy that is quietly growing beside it.

– denise marie 

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

There is something waiting for you today….

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You don’t have to look for His presence. He is already surrounding you, in the warmth of the sun, the sway of the trees, the song of the birds, and the quiet places within your own soul.

Stay here for a while.

Life is a sacred gift, it was never meant to be lived disconnected from the One who created it.

This moment is enough.

– denise marie

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

Slow your pace and take a breath…

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Sometimes the best thing we can do is slow our pace and take a breath.

Let the air fill your lungs, 

notice the way the wind sways the trees, and the way the light finds its way through the branches.

God speaks to me there, 

in the quiet reminder that I am His.

If your mind feels full or your heart feels tired, let this be your invitation to come back to this moment.

His presence is enough for this breath, His grace is enough, and His hope is steady. I open my hands, 

I breathe deeply, and remember that God is restoring me.

So today I stay close to Him, I notice beauty, and take the next step in front of me, because that is enough.

– denise marie

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

God meets me here…

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I’m learning that, I don’t need to figure out the whole path. I only need to take the next step right in front of me.

So I pause, take a deep breath and notice the breeze moving through the trees, the warmth of the sun, the birds singing, and know that creation trusts our Creator; and I believe that I too, can trust God with my life. So I let go of the pressure to have it all figured out, and I stand here. I breathe here, I meet God here, and from this place of presence, I take the next faithful step.

– denise marie

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

Juneteenth…sacred liberation.

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I imagine the first moments of hearing freedom spoken aloud after waiting generations for it, was like breath loosening in the chest after being held for way too long, that first exhale brought a feeling of sudden, overwhelming physical relief. 

Juneteenth calls me to dwell in that sacred moment of liberation and to honor the courage, resilience and faith of those who held onto hope. It reminds me that freedom is not only a historical proclamation or a date remembered each year, it is a living inheritance, felt in the body and carried through generations.

That remembrance leads me to consider what freedom asks of us now, and how the meaning of Juneteenth continues beyond the moment freedom is declared. 

Liberation is not complete simply because it is spoken, it must be practiced, defended, and embodied. It is both memory and movement, honoring those who endured, while continuing to create a world where freedom can be fully lived.

Freedom is breathing deeply and remembering I belong to God, its releasing what no longer holds life and making room for what restores it, and it’s knowing that our “worth” was woven into the soul from the very beginning. 

May we remember, may we honor, and may we continue becoming people who choose truth, justice, compassion, and wholeness. 

– denise marie 

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

Goodness & Mercy…follows me.

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“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” – Psalm 23:6

There is something deeply grounding about this promise. Not that life will always be easy, but that God’s goodness and mercy are already moving with me. They are not distant, or waiting for me to earn them, but they are present in this breath, in this moment, in the steady rhythm of my heart.

As I inhale, I welcome God’s goodness.

As I exhale, I release all that I was not meant to carry and when my mind races ahead or my body feels unsettled, I gently return to this truth, that goodness and mercy are following me, God’s presence is behind me, beside me, and before me.

Today, I choose to notice the beauty around me, the sway of the trees, the warmth of the sun, the sound of birdsong, the quiet reminders that God is near.

Goodness and mercy are not just words on a page, they are a living promise, faithfully walking with me, one breath at a time.

– denise marie 

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

Be still and know…

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Today, I place my hand over my heart and remember that God is here. I notice my breath moving in and out. I feel my feet connected to the ground beneath me. I pay attention to the places that feel tight, weary, or guarded, and instead of fighting them, I offer them compassion.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10.

As I breathe deeply and turn my attention toward God’s presence, my body receives a message of peace. I am safe in this moment. I am held in this moment. I am loved in this moment.

– denise marie 

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

Joy….

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Joy is an inside work.

A gift from God that can exist even when life feels uncertain. It grows when we become rooted in truth instead of outcomes, and when we trust God’s presence more than we trust our circumstances. When we remember that our worth is not determined by who stays, who leaves, who understands us, or who doesn’t. People will disappoint us, seasons will change and life will stretch us in ways we never expected. But I’ve learned that joy remains available, and today, I choose joy, because of who God is. His love is steady, His presence is constant and that is enough.

– denise marie 

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

    To move with intention…

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    I am learning to move with intention,  grounded, aware, and open to the beauty around me. God, I trust You here, in my breath and in my becoming.

    – denise marie 

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

      Restores my soul…

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      God, Creator of all things, He restores me. He brings my mind into stillness, 

      He settles my body into rest, and He anchors me in what is real and unshaken. I am not lost, I am being restored, my breath is steady, my thoughts are clear, and my nervous system is safe in His care.

      I don’t have to perform, or reach for something that is unattainable, God is attentive to me, He is present with me, He is faithful in every part of my being, and I stand in this truth. He restores my soul.

      – denise marie 

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