Hope

​I hope one day the division in our country will end.  Political division should not lead to so much fear that it has resulted in the death of another human being or the hatred of a man.

    Imagine what could happen if we learned instead to stop hating each other for being left or right like in the past when we learned to stop separating for being black or white?  Imagine if people had no need to be right?

    It reminds me of a verse in the bible:  "You desire but do not have, so you kill."  When we want something we cannot have from the other (a change of opinion, a change of heart), we so often fail to love or see humanity through God's eyes.

"Love your neighbor as yourself."
Mark 12:31​

Peace

When I think of peace, I look back on a lifetime of pain. I look back on moments of violence in life when I was afraid. I look back on growing up in poverty and living in fear. I look back on harsh words I shared with others when I could've chosen to be kind.

Yet, in God, I am reminded that peace is part of our true nature, the essence of God living inside of us. Peace is the gift from God for our hearts and our minds, but also a goal in our living and being with others.

When there is violence all around, God always gives us a choice or an example of peace. Peace is The Way for us to live or the Path which leads to Life, and when Jesus walked the Earth through the fields or was hung on a cross, He always chose to live in Peace.

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."
Romans 12:18

Flowers

When I came back from Heaven, I had a new love of flowers. I made a point to go to the grocery store each Sunday and bring home a new bouquet to look at every day and brighten the room. When I look at the flowers, I think of how we grow as humans.

In today's society, we are often taught that in order to flourish, we must, in some way, be taskmasters; put in a day of "hard work", load ourselves with burdens too great to bear that we stumble under the weight of our workloads only to come home exhausted from our toil.

Yet, when I look at the flowers, I see a different way. Flowers bloom and grow naturally toward the Light. They only need the gentlest sunlight, some water, and care. If God is like the sun, which shines on us everyday, then couldn't we become more like the flowers?

"Consider how the wildflowers grow."
Luke 12:27

Thankfulness

When I first came back from Heaven, one of my favorite practices was thankfulness. It is in being thankful to God from within our hearts that we realize we have everything we need. There is no such thing as lack because God graciously gives us everything we need.

Each day, when I woke up, I would sit by the window, look outside at the grass and trees, and thank God for everything I had. I would thank God for the sun shining. I would thank God for the clouds. I would thank God for the birds that sing.

I noticed that each time that I said a prayer of thankfulness from my heart, my heart would expand, fill with joy, and golden light. I knew that golden light is the Light of Christ. In every prayer of thankfulness, it helped me feel closer to Him. It also let me know that I was never alone.

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV