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Faith Journey, Whitby, ON (2026)

10/09/2026

Yesterday morning I went for a walk on the boardwalk to my favourite reflection spot. This picture is the view from the park bench that is between two beautiful trees. It faces the morning sun and always warms my face as well as my heart. I feel closer to Papa God in nature than anywhere else. There is something about the calmness, the sureness, that is such a reflection of his character.

I am not a great photographer but I love snapping a photo so I can save the memory. Will I remember in a few weeks what my heart felt by this picture? Probably not. Ha ha. But in the moment, I take a picture in hopes that I will. Sometimes when I take a photo I realize afterwards that I should have zoomed in, to focus on what I saw. Other times, it looks better if I zoom out and get the full picture of the scene. No matter what I do, the picture is never as panoramic as it is in real life, taking in the entire setting, including sounds and smells. But I still take pictures anyway…documenting a moment if I can.

As I am living my life, experiencing my humanity of the ups and downs that come along, I can hear the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit say, “Zoom out. I know you can only see the struggle that is right in front of you. I know that it seems like the biggest thing and all of the feelings you are having are consumed in this one thing. If you zoom out, you will see that your life is more than this one thing. Zoom out even further and you will see that in the span of your life, this is just one thing. Zoom out even further and you will see that in the span of eternity, it is a very small thing. Remember that you have gotten through many things, many circumstances, many feelings, many struggles and I have been there with you through it all. I will be with you through and IN everything. You are never alone. I am beside you, carrying the extra weight so you can lean on my strength.”

Zooming out doesn’t mean my perspective before was silly or unimportant but what it does mean is that I can always add context to my perspective and that makes each day special and important because of the perspective shift. From here, I am not alone. From this view, my weakness is supported by His strength. I am loved and cared for. From here I see that no matter what has happened in the past in my life, I have survived. It didn’t overwhelm me, even though I was sure it would. I got up the next day. I kept breathing. If I look back, I see that every time, I have had what I needed to carry on, to keep living and breathing so today is no different.

My mother-in-law used to always say, “This too shall pass.” It was an old adage that is a reminder that things change. It gave a new meaning to the old English phrase, “And it came to pass….”. Everything that comes, also passes or leaves. Good and bad. So I have to remember to savour the good because it will not last but also to hold loosely the bad because it also will not last. All of these good or bad, easy or hard, exhilarating or devastating, they combine to make a life of experiences that teach us and mold us until our days are completed here.

This is the fully zoomed out perspective I need to be reminded of….
Slow down and look at the view.
Breathe deep.
Live in today.
Be present and alive in every moment.
Make memories when I can.
Be grateful for this one life I have.

09/27/2026

I was watching the Trolls movie this morning with my granddaughter. I woke up feeling overwhelmed and had already asked God earlier this morning to help me fight my way out of the funk that I felt. Sometimes even if I can rationally see that everything is fine and nothing has happened or changed, feelings can send my thoughts in a tailspin for no valid reason. Probably just me. You are probably more “together” than me.

Anyway, as we were watching this kids movie, a song came on, Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colours” sung by Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick. Just like that, Papa God nudged my heart and said “Listen to the lyrics. It is what I am saying to you today.”

Here are the lyrics:

“You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh, I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors
Are beautiful like a rainbow.”

Needless to say, my granddaughter didn’t know why I was a puddle, wiping away tears. No matter how wacky my thoughts and feelings get, Papa God always find ways to show me he loves me…even through a kids movie! What a God!

09/25/2026

Thank you Papa God for NyQuil!!! Without this concoction, I wouldn’t sleep and I wouldn’t get better. Thanks for your prayers this week. This cold has seemed to pass through me pretty quickly. I couldn’t be more grateful! The connection between body, mind and spirit are so dependent on each other, have you noticed? When I am sick, it’s hard to concentrate on reading which affects my mind and can even affect my spirit if I let it.

But…there are also, sometimes, a sweet spot of communion with Papa God. There is a oneness is the quietness. There is a unity in breath. In this quietness, this oneness, this unity is peace. I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to move on into my day. I just want to stay here. In the stillness is His love and acceptance. I don’t have to “be” anything. I don’t have to “do” anything. I don’t have to prove anything either. Just the quiet in and out of breathing, surrounded by His presence is life in the rhythm of His grace. Breathe in. Breathe out.

“I’m asking GOD for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, The perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic. God holds me head and shoulders above all who try to pull me down. I’m headed for his place to offer anthems that will raise the roof! Already I’m singing God-songs; I’m making music to GOD.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭4‬-‭6‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Breathe in. Breathe out. Thank you Papa God for each breath you give. Thank you for this one life to live, to love, to learn. Thank you for the quietness, the peace in your presence, the freedom in surrender and the joy in every gift from you. Thank you for the reminders to be thankful in all things, to rejoice in all things. Teach me to wait as I breathe in and breathe out, body, mind and spirit in oneness with you.

09/19/2026

Ugh. I woke up with a sore, scratchy throat and a headache. I hope this is not the beginnings of a cold…already…cold’s are for winter (I know that is not technically true but in my mind it is true). Am I whining? Complaining? I feel sick, of course I am! Ha ha. There is nothing like a head cold to bring a person right back to toddler behaviour. It’s possible that today I may be a couch potato watching Netflix or watch my favourite DVD movies, drink tea, rest and maybe tomorrow I will be ready to slay dragons…or at least be able to clean the fridge which needs doing.

I am so grateful that Papa God gives us rest. When I was young and full of energy, I didn’t need to learn about rest. Life was go-go-go and I loved it. As I got older that go-go-go got up and left-left-left. The body started telling me that I can’t keep going full speed as well as mentally and emotionally, I needed rest. It’s easy to be passionately committed to the work of the church and think that rest is not required and is a waste of a valuable time. It’s great to be passionate about something but I see now that sometimes my drive to work within the church was also motivated by a merit system. This is a theme I picked up on early as a child, and as a people pleaser by nature. In itself, it seems like a good thing. The problem is that it is really easy to let that desire slip into doing things to achieve acceptance by God. There was a part of me that felt I had to work to “make” God love me. Over the years, I came to learn that God loved me…full stop. If I never did one thing for the church, God would still love me. How did I ever think that Papa God was a task-master?

This is what Jesus said, ““Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me.” (Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭TPT‬‬). There is freedom is these words. There is lots to be done to help others, to be Jesus’s hands and feet to the world, and that work also brings joy to many who volunteer. There is also joy in working with others. These are joys that I experienced throughout my life. In those joys I just always want to be more aware of what my motivations are and be sure that I take time to be refreshed and rest and connect with Papa God who is my true life source.

Today, Papa God, as I sniffle and drink tea and rest, let your divine rest that reaches right down into my soul, be rich and full and rejuvenating. I breathe in your goodness. I breathe in your wholeness. Let your mercy that is brand new this morning surround my spirit and carry me. Let it carry everyone who is reading this rambling of mine and grant the gift of rest to us all. Thank you for your goodness. Thank you for your wholeness. Thank you for your love. Amen.

09/15/2026

It’s still dark out. This is what I miss about summer. See the picture here of the lake this past summer? Of course I miss the temperatures and the lazing by the lake but I really miss how early the sun came up. I am a morning person. I LOVE waking up early before the activities of life overtakes and I can ease into the morning. Alas, it is half way through September so it is dark now in the early morning. Boo. I don’t like it.

Sunsets are beautiful colours but I LOVE watching a sunrise. It’s just like the autumn season (which I so enjoy), with the leaves turning colours and the beauty they have is spectacular! But my favourite season is spring. Yep, I know. Even though there is rain and mud and muck, I LOVE watching nature come back to life again. The birds start singing like crazy too! Same with sunrises, as the light slowly starts to peek through and works its way to fully shine for another day, there is an excitement of a brand new day unfolding. For those of you who are night people, I know you think I am insane…(sorry, not sorry) just the way I am made. I love watching things come to life, a plant growing or a kid maturing, it is anything that is coming alive!

In my bible app, the verse for today was a favourite of mine. Lamentations 3:22-23. “YAHWEH’s tender mercies have no end, and the kindness of his endless love is never exhausted. New, fresh mercies greet me with every sunrise. So wonderfully great is your faithfulness!”
‭‭
It’s a brand new day. Never been one like this before. The mercy God has for me is brand new today as the sun is working its way to rise. Fresh mercies that are not tired and exhausted. I may be but Yahweh’s mercies are not. Circumstances I am in can be tiring and exhausting, but Yahweh has fresh mercies waiting for me when I wake up. His mercy, his patience, show me how faithful he is. As consistent as the sunrise is, that’s how consistent Papa God is…and more. So let’s rise and shine!!!!

P.S. Does anyone remember a Sunday school song that went “Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory”? what was the last line to that? My brain refuses to recall it this morning. If you know, let me know in the comments.

09/14/2026

This morning, my offering is an honest prayer.

Papa God, thank you for life but can I just say, being human is hard. Everything is a fight some days. Fighting in my thoughts to think clearly and right. Fighting my feelings that can sometimes lie to me about what is true. Fighting against time so I am not wasting moments with you or the people around me. Basically somedays it feels like I am fighting my humanity. Please quiet the noise in my head so I can hear your voice clearly.

I hear your call, your words, “ Be still and know that I am God.” To all of the “what if’s” and the “but’s”, apply your peaceful words of “Be still”. As I quiet the noise and bring it all down to one singular thing, one singular truth, I remember that all that matters in the grand scheme of things is you. When I KNOW that you are God, the “what if’s” become “God knows” so trust. When I KNOW that you are God, the “but’s” become “but God”.

There is nothing for me to figure out. I just need to know that you are God. You have got me. You hold me. You lead me. You provide for me. You make a way for me. You are my future. My life is in you. Being connected with you is the most important thing in every moment.

Thank you for reminding me of what is true, Papa God. As I recognize the truth of you, THAT truth sets me free. Thank you for loving me so lavishly and completely. Thank you for renewing my mind to what is true. I love you. ❤️

09/09/2026

Yesterday was the first day of school for my grandkids. They are growing up so fast! Seeing all of their friends who they didn’t get to see over the summer was wonderful for both of them. Until I became a grandparent, it was hard to understand how you could have that capacity for love!

There have been different loves in my lifetime and all are fulfilling and wonderful. I have experienced love from my parents. I have experienced married love. I have experienced parent love. As stated already I have experienced grandparent love. What makes love so wonderful? I think it is being known and loved for who you are. There are times when there is conflict and that love isn’t felt to the same degree but overall, the foundation is love.

Learning to love God is a journey. I have all of the writing in scripture that shows how God loves people in and through the messiness of life. It is unconditional and full. But God is also spirit so, not tangible and everything in the world around me is tangible. This is, to me, why faith is the portal to connection to God. There is a phrase that says “I may not see his hand, but I see his work.” There have been too many “coincidences” in timing, in provision, in kindnesses for me to say God doesn’t exist. There are too many spectacular things in nature that weave together for me to believe that God is not behind it all. Do I still have questions and things I don’t understand and cannot explain? You bet! The list is long! But I also cannot deny the peace I have found in Papa God either.

I had my share of a few angry years when I held God at a distance because of circumstances that I felt were unfair and it felt easy to blame God. I still believed God existed, I was just mad at him…for something that was not his fault. But he never let me go. He never got ticked off with me for being angry. So when I think or read about Papa God’s love for me, it means so much because he knows me better than anyone on the planet. He knows my every thought, my every accusation, my every doubt and fear and surprisingly loves me anyway! Truly unconditional love that waited for me, that called to me to lay down my questions and anger and just love Papa God back. This is really all God has asked of me. The religion of church asked, or should I say demanded, way more but Papa God just asked me to love him back. He just asks me to be my authentically weird self and love him back.

So this authentically weird person is now writing these musings about my own faith journey. Each of our journeys are our own. As individual as we all are with no two people having the same fingerprints and design, so are our faith journeys. Papa God will show up differently for each person but mostly I just hope you know how loved you are!

09/08/2026

The past few days I have encountered a range of conversations and they have brought me to a point of trying to really understand how I can be like Jesus in each situation. I know you have all had them. There are your friends who are an absolute joy to be around and you could talk to them all day long because they have proved themselves to be a safe space for you to be your authentically weird self.

Then there are the conversations with people you “should” talk to. You have conversations because you feel obligated to. Whether that is a friend or a family member, you know them but conversations are not a safe space for you. These conversations may be draining or emotionally exhausting but because of the connection, you take their call because…well…you “should”. It is expected.

Lastly there are the conversations with people who you have deemed unsafe that give you the “ick” feeling anytime you talk. That could come from their negativity, or from their gossip about other people, or they are nosy and ask questions to get information that they have no right to having. I feel nauseous just writing about it.

As you know, the Bible talks about loving our neighbours being one of two most important commandments. Jesus also talked about loving your enemies and praying for them. Tough to do. These are hard requests and really difficult to do. The only way we have any abilitiy to achieve this is when Papa God puts a deposit of HIS love in us so His love can love the unloveable through us.

I do want to mention one thing though. Growing up in church, these commandments and teachings to turn the other cheek, etc., somehow seemed to give people license to walk all over other people’s personal boundaries. Have you had that happen? There are things you would rather not discuss but that “Christian” friend just keeps needling you with questions and makes you feel uncomfortable. I have seen “Christian” people take scripture and twist it so that they can control another person. Just because it is done in church, doesn’t make it right.

So I am reminded of another scripture that to me adds balance to it all. “So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬ ‭TPT‬‬.

Guard you heart my sister and my brother. Attempting to be kind and loving is not a license for you to be a doormat. It is not license for you to be taken advantage of either. Boundaries are a good thing to guard your heart.

If a conversation with a certain person is going to rob you of your peace, or affect you spiritually, or rob you of joy, and if you are a person who requires permission, let me be that person. You have permission to behave kindly and yet not engage when a conversation feels like it is doing harm. You also have permission to let that call go to voicemail and you can call back when you are in an emotional space of being able to handle that conversation. Guard your heart. Guard your peace. Guard your joy. Guard the gifts that Papa God gives you. That’s my two cents for today. Your heart is precious. Guard it. ❤️❤️❤️

09/05/2026

What a beautiful sunny day on this long weekend!!! Wow! My heart is bursting with gratitude to be sitting in the shade at a small table with a peppermint tea at my favourite coffee shop, listening to Kacey Musgraves “Golden Hour” album in my earbud. Somedays are just filled with good things that make me happy and grateful. Today is one of those days. Sigh.

I was chatting with another woman in line who is getting coffee and treats for herself and a shut in friend who has no power at her place due to a downed tree from the storm a few nights ago. It is so heartwarming to meet kind strangers. Gives me hope for humanity that there are good and kind people in the world. I have always said, “It takes so little effort to be kind and it has such a huge impact!”

So on this beautiful long weekend I just want to encourage you to be kind where you can. Be kind firstly to family, allow them to be the authentically weird people that they are. To the person at the checkout, notice their name and refer to them by it. Thank them for looking after you. To the person rushing in their car, let them merge in front of you. Two minutes won’t make any difference in your schedule. Little kindnesses to me give us the opportunity to partner with the goodness of Papa God.

Hope you have a glorious weekend! 😎

09/03/2026

I am happy to say that, for the most part, the world has stopped spinning in my head! Not a statement I ever thought I would write but here we are. Yesterday was my first day of being able to function properly and even made it to Costco and back! It’s a wonderful feeling to be mobile again. It’s not until your health is affected that you become so thankful for the smallest things. SO grateful for the kindness of my family. Thankful for the giggles and snuggles of the grandkids. Everything is more fun with them.

Today I am grateful I can move around the house without holding onto a wall for stability. I am grateful that my head doesn’t feel like it weighs 100 pounds. Grateful for feeling more sure of my footing. Grateful for the peace of Papa God that carries me everyday no matter what happens. How in the world do people life without Papa God? Even in all of my questions and doubts and struggles in my faith, I still keep grabbing ahold of the sure things of my faith. After all of these years, I don’t know how to NOT hold on for dear life to the source of all the good things in my life.

In uncertainty, Papa God says “Breathe. Slow down. Be mindful. As things surface in your thoughts, lay them down with me. Talk to me about it but then lay it down. One by one, let me know what is on your heart and when your thoughts and worries are exhausted, breathe. Breathe in the breath of life that is my Spirit. Set your mind on one thing. Be still and know that I’ve got this. I’ve got you. I’ve got your today and your future so all you need to do is breathe.’

Colossians 3:15
“Let your heart be always guided by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of his one body. And always be thankful.”

Breathe in peace and breathe out gratitude. Nothing is more important than that.

Faith Journey

10/09/2026

09/27/2026

09/25/2026

09/19/2026

09/15/2026

09/14/2026

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