Tag: self-care

God is with us…

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Enjoying the beauty of Washington State.

God is with us, always. As I spend time with Him, I am learning that His promises are true, you see, He is with me, in the moments when I feel put together, and in the moments that I feel undone.

When I choose to be still in His presence, I begin to notice the true peace that only He can provide, It’s not the kind of peace that comes from circumstances aligning or everything making sense, it’s a deeper, lasting, and unexplainable peace that leads me yearning to sit in God’s presence, allowing Him to be my refuge, as His love covers me. – denise marie 

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

I rise…

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Some mornings, the battle begins before my feet touch the floor. Depression tries to creep in quietly, telling me it would be easier to stay down, to stop trying, to just surrender to the heaviness. But I remind myself, I am responsible for my healing. Not in a way that blames me for the pain, but in a way that empowers me to live the life God has promised me.

Healing is an act of courage. It is waking up and choosing to breathe deeply, even when my chest feels tight. It is drinking water, stepping outside and allowing the sun to lift my spirits, and whispering a prayer when the words feel stuck in my throat. It is saying, I will rise today, even if it’s slow, even if it’s messy, even if I stumble.

God does not leave me, His presence is the hand that lifts me, the voice that steadies me, the love that never lets me go. I rise because God has spoken life over me, I rise because healing is mine to claim, I rise because my story is not over, I rise because His light is stronger than the darkness.

– denise marie

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

    A Moment of Thanks…

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    Kauai, Hawaii

    Today, I paused, just for a moment, to breathe and say thank You.

    Thank You, God, for being present on this long, winding journey back home. Home to You and home to myself.

    You never left, even when I felt lost. Even when I didn’t know how to come back. Your presence has been a quiet strength, a gentle nudge, a steady light.

    So today, I stop to notice, I stop to thank You, for the grace that met me in every step, and the love that never let me go.

    – denise marie

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

    The source of my peace…

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    https://videopress.com/v/Unx4kWNG?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

    Lately, I’ve been reminded that everything I need flows from one place, God.

    Not always from people, not from plans, not even from my own strength,

    Just Him.

    I stepped outside today, let the sun touch my face and the wind speak softly to my spirit. And there, among the trees and sky and stillness, I remembered:

    He is the source of my peace.

    The wellspring of my joy.

    The keeper of my soul.

    Spending time with Him in nature grounds me.

    It clears the noise.

    It brings me home.

    When I’m weary, I don’t need to do more.

    I just need to return, 

    to the One who holds it all,

    and to the One who holds me.

    – denise marie 

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

    Everlasting love…

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    Today I stood still in the quiet of nature, the trees towering above me like protectors, the wind brushing past my skin like a whispered reminder: You are loved, always.

    There’s something about being outside that makes His love feel closer. Not loud or forced, just constant, gentle and everlasting.

    The same way the sun rises without needing our permission, His love shows up, every morning, every moment, unchanging. I don’t have to earn it, I don’t have to strive for it, I just have to receive it.

    The everlasting love of Jesus isn’t based on how steady I am, it’s based on how steady He is. Rooted like the trees,
    faithful like the river, and endless like the sky. And in that love, I can finally rest.

    – denise marie

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

        I found solace in rest…

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        A visit to Chambers Creek in University Place, Washington

        As I sat beneath the trees, near the river, and let the stillness hold me.
        There was no agenda, no rushing, just the sound of water moving slow and steady, like grace, and the wind weaving through the leaves like a gentle invitation to come home.

        Out here in nature, something in me softens. I don’t have to be strong, I don’t have to perform healing or pretend I’m not still learning how to breathe again. I can just be, fully present and fully loved.

        The river reminds me that I, too, am allowed to flow, gently, honestly, without force. The trees remind me that it’s safe to be rooted again. Safe to rest. Safe to return.

        God is here in the quiet, never demanding, only inviting. And in that sacred space, I remember, I am not lost, I am not broken. I am returning to Him, to myself and to wholeness that never truly left.

        – denise marie

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

          My Journey Home…

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          There’s something sacred about the journey back to love, the kind that begins with God, that transforms how I see myself, and leads me into wholeness.

          Falling in love with God isn’t about religious performance; it’s about discovering the One who loved me first. It’s a quiet surrender, a drawing close, a resting in presence where striving ceases.

          As I lean into that love, I begin to see myself differently. Not through shame or scarcity, but through grace and my reflection softens. I start to unlearn the lies, rewrite the inner dialogue, and reclaim my worth.

          And that’s where wholeness begins, not in perfection, but in acceptance, not in having it all together, but in being fully known and still deeply loved.

          This journey is tender, It’s holy ground, and every step is towards love, God, self, and a step towards healing. This is my road to becoming, and this is My Journey Home. 

          – denise marie 

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

          You are already chosen…

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          For so long, I believed my worth depended on being chosen, by a partner, a friend, a job, a community. If someone picked me, I felt valuable. If they didn’t, I questioned everything about myself.

          But healing has taught me a deeper truth, my worth doesn’t come from people’s decisions. It doesn’t rise or fall based on who stays or who walks away. My value is steady because it comes from God, not from anyone’s approval.

          Being chosen by others may feel good, but it’s not the foundation I build my identity on anymore. I was already chosen by God before I ever tried to earn love or prove I belonged.

          So if you’re wrestling with rejection or feeling unseen, remember this, You are already loved, already worthy, and already enough. – denise marie

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

          **I enjoyed this beautiful John Robbin’s (rip) Art Show at Bitters Co. If you are ever in Mount Vernon , WA be sure to stop by. The owners, The Carson Sisters, Amy and Katie are such gems!

          the art of simply being…

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          The brush doesn’t judge,

          it just moves,

          gently, like grace.

          I am not rushing the healing, 

          I am holding space

          for the parts of me

          still learning how to be present, 

          the art of simply being

          and letting that be enough.

          – denise marie 

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

          I am enough…

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          https://videopress.com/v/gYy1ThOO?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

          Self-love, value, worth, and respect don’t come from external validation but from embracing who I truly am. I honor myself, because I am enough.

          I choose to:
          ✨ Love myself unapologetically
          ✨ Recognize my inherent value
          ✨ Walk in confidence and self-respect
          ✨ Set boundaries that honor my worth

          His Word reminds me:
          ✨ I am chosen (1 Peter 2:9)
          ✨ I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)
          ✨ I am redeemed and forgiven (Ephesians 1:7)
          ✨ I am His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)

          I choose to stand firm in God’s truth and know my identity is secure in Him.

          – denise marie

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