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
Childhood trauma doesn’t stay in childhood, it lingers, in the body, in the mind, in the way we trust, how we love, how we see ourself, how we protect ourselves, and it follows you quietly, into relationships. For a long time, I lived disconnected from my body, and it didn’t feel like home.
Healing began when I started letting myself feel, and when I started naming what happened and letting it move through me, sitting in the stillness, feeling the discomfort, no longer numbing the pain, but learning to be present with it.
Therapy has helped me find language for my pain and trauma recovery work has taught me how to stay present, how to breathe again, how to come home to myself and by doing so, I am learning to trust myself again, to listen to the signals in my body, and to believe my own voice.
I’m learning to trust God more deeply, not just as a rescuer, but as a trusted friend, who sits with me, not just in the light, but in the darkest places of depression and anxiety. God never left me there, He’s walking with me through it, step by shaky step.
I’m present, I’m breathing, I’m becoming, and everyday that I choose not to give up, that is healing. -denise marie
“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. – John 8:36
Lately, I’ve been noticing the small things, the way the sunlight dances on the leaves, how the birds always find their song, how my heart softens in nature’s presence.
It’s in these quiet returns that I remember who I am, a daughter still becoming, a soul still unfolding.
God isn’t asking me to hurry, He’s asking me to come close, to rest, to remember I’m already loved, already chosen, already home. – denise marie
“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. – John 8:36
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
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
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!
Thank You God, for this new day, a fresh start, a quiet morning filled with possibility. Let Your peace settle over my heart like the morning dew. Let Your favor go before me and Your grace walk beside me. Help me to see myself through Your eyes: loved, chosen, and enough. – denise marie
“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. – John 8:36
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
My Journey Home….to God & Self 