Author: iandthoureflections

When We Open The Door

A Series of Sacred Belonging

Scripture for Today:

Behold, I stand at the door and knock…

— Revelation 3:20

Questions to Ponder:

Have you ever expected a guest to arrive, only for someone else to knock on your door instead?
Or doesn’t arrive at all?
How does that make you feel?

Reflection:

Sometimes we extend an invitation to a special guest.
One that we have been wanting to spend time with.
One that we haven’t seen in a while.
Or someone that we want to get to know better.

We look forward to that appointment.
We anticipate.
We lean into the preparations.
We might even get lost in the excitement.

Then, the doorbell rings.
And no one is there.
Our hearts sink.
We are disappointed.
But what if it were God who knocked?

Would you still feel disappointed?

Christ doesn’t barge in.
He knocks.
He waits.
In the hopes of being welcomed.

And sometimes, we’re too busy.
Too distracted.
Too unsure of what to say.

Sometimes the most important guest is the one we don’t see.
Because they arrive quietly.
Without fanfare.
Without demand.
Without expectations.

This season, may we listen for the knock.
May we open the door.
May we welcome the guest—the One we may not see.

One Who Leads Us to Sacred Belonging.

Image Source: Unknown

#SacredBelonging #Faith #SpiritualJourney #Grace #Thanksgiving #ThankfulHeart #Spirituality

When We Wander

A Series of Sacred Belonging

Scripture for Today:

Even if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me…

— Psalm 139:9–10

Question to Ponder:

Have you wanted to run away from God,
yet still want to be in reach?

Reflection:

Sometimes we wander through life with conflicting purposes.
We think we want one thing, yet we feel steered toward something different.

We wander away from God at times, too.
The days we forget to pray.
Or we don’t have time for a quiet meditation.
Our relationship with God seems to fall off course.
We feel far from God.
Far from others.
And far from ourselves.

Why?

We’re tired.
We’re hurt.
We’re searching for something – we often don’t know what.
It is that sense of belonging we want to get back.

When we are ready, God will be there.
Even when we lose our way…
Follow the light.
It will lead to divine presence.   

One of Sacred Belonging.

Image Source: Unknown

#SacredBelonging #Faith #SpiritualJourney #Grace #Thanksgiving #ThankfulHeart #Spirituality

When We Have Doubts

A Series of Sacred Belonging

Scripture for Today:

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.

— Mark 9:24

Questions to Ponder:

How do you deal with doubt?
Do you carry them in darkness?

Reflection:

Doubt is something we all feel from time to time.
It sneaks in.
Quietly.
In the middle of the night.
In the middle of a prayer.
In the middle of a conversation.

Doubts often lead to questions.
Sometimes, the more questions we have, the more doubt there is.
Sometimes, we feel paralyzed.
Afraid of what others may think.
Afraid that our doubts might keep us from doing the right thing.
Or worried that God will leave us.

But Scripture tells a different story.
A father cries to Jesus,

“I believe—help my unbelief.”

And Jesus responds with healing.

God accepts the doubting heart.
He meets it.
He holds it.
He helps it believe again.

Faith is not the absence of doubt.
It’s the courage to bring our questions to the One who understands.
To where we belong.
To the place where even doubt is welcome.  

One Where There is Sacred Belonging.

Image Source: Unknown

#SacredBelonging #Faith #SpiritualJourney #Grace #Thanksgiving #ThankfulHeart #Spirituality

When We Feel Scattered

A Series of Sacred Belonging

Scripture for Today:

He gathers the lambs in His arms and
carries them close to His heart…

— Isaiah 40:11

Reflection:

Some days, we feel scattered.
Due to demands.
In the workplace and at home.
Too much stress.
Too much on our plates to juggle.
Too much change in a short time.
Disconnection from others.
Or ourselves.
Ambiguous loss or grief.

We may not even know what scattered us.
A conversation that left us uneasy.
An uninvited memory.
A season of time.
Sometimes we just don’t know.
And yet—God gathers.
Because He knows.

He gathers us with tenderness – not force.
With compassion – not shame.
We who may have gone astray.
He gathers us all.
The weary.
The wandering.
The souls who feel they are far too gone.

God carries us.
When we can’t carry ourselves.
You are not forgotten.
You are not too far.
You are not alone.

God scoops us up.
And in His arms, we remember who we are.

One of Sacred Belonging.

Image Source: Unknown

#SacredBelonging #Faith #SpiritualJourney #Grace #Thanksgiving #ThankfulHeart #Spirituality

Sacred Belonging

A Series for November

We all long to belong.
Not just to fit in, but to be known.
To be received.
To be held in the quiet spaces of grace.

This series was born from that longing.

It’s for the scattered heart, the questioning soul, the weary caregiver.
It’s for those who have wandered, waited, and wondered.
It’s for those who are seeking.
Those wishing to open the door.

Each reflection is a gentle invitation—
to pause, breathe, and listen.
To create space.
To welcome the stranger.
To receive grace and offer it freely.

You won’t find quick fixes here.
But you will find:
Presence.
A sacred space.
Scripture.
Questions that stir.

Because sacred belonging isn’t earned.
It’s received. It’s the place we were always meant to be.

One of Sacred Belonging.

Image Source: Unknown

#SacredBelonging #Faith #SpiritualJourney #Grace #Thanksgiving #ThankfulHeart #Spirituality

What Resilience Has Taught Me (Part 2)

The Many Faces of Resilience

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking anything. –James 1:4

Most people go through hard seasons. But some folks get more than their share. The death of a child. A high-conflict divorce. Estrangement. Loss that doesn’t just sting—it reshapes everything.

I remember watching a documentary years ago about centenarians—

people who live to be 100 or more.

One thing they had in common?

How they handled loss. Some saw it as devastation. Some couldn’t seem to overcome it. Yet, the centenarians saw loss as a stepping stone. A place to pause, reflect, and then move forward with deeper wisdom.

Image Source: Publicdomainpictures.net

So, what do I think  grit looks like?

G – Groundedness   R – Resilience   I – Instinct   T – Tenacity

Resilience is part of grit. And grit is made up of all kinds of things:

  • Against all Odds
  • Communication
  • Courage
  • Creativity
  • Faith
  • Growth mindset
  • Hope
  • Listening
  • Motivation
  • Passion
  • Positivity
  • Perseverance
  • Practical Application
  • Purposeful Actions
  • Stick-to-it-ness

Faith and hope are not just add-ons. They’re the fuel. They remind us that we’re not alone in the struggle and that even in the darkest seasons, light is still possible.

Resilience doesn’t mean we never fall.
It means we rise—sometimes slowly,
sometimes shakily.
But always with the possibility of grace.

What about you? What has resilience taught you?

#FacesOfResilience #Undefeated #PoetryAndPrayer #Faith #SacredStories #FaithOverFear #QuietStrength #LoveThatLasts #Grit #Resilience

What Resilience Has Taught Me (Part 1)

The Many Faces of Resilience

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. —Romans 5:3 4

Resilience is another word for grit. You know—that special sauce that keeps you going when life throws more lemons than you know what to do with. Some days, you want to drown in them. Other days, you just sit in the sour.

My friend Nadia knows all about grit. Life knocked her down more times than I can count. At one point, her only option was a shelter—until some generous friends took her in.

She patched together four part-time jobs just to keep her finances afloat. And then, something remarkable happened. A family friend—connected to the spouse she separated from—heard she was struggling. She felt God nudging her to help. So she wrote Nadia a check each month, in the exact amount of the gap between her income and expenses. That’s how Nadia made it through. An angel, truly.

ImageSource: Pinterest

Even then, she kept bouncing back. Like Bozo the clown from Romper Room—remember that? You’d knock it down, and it popped right back up. That was Nadia.

Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back.
It’s about how we carry what tried to break us—
and what we choose to build from it.

#FacesOfResilience #Undefeated #PoetryAndPrayer #Faith #SacredStories #FaithOverFear #QuietStrength #LoveThatLasts #Grit #Resilience

Resilience as the Language of Love

The Many Faces of Resilience

Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. – Isaiah 46:4

Some forms of resilience are quiet. Steady. Deeply relational. They don’t show up in headlines or big moments—but  in the daily choices to love, protect, and prepare.

My friend Dakota has an adult son on the autism spectrum. His son is non-verbal, yet their connection is something special. They’ve built a language of gestures, glances, and shared rhythms that only they understand.

Dakota has worked from home since his son’s birth. That flexibility has allowed him to be present in ways that matter. Not only to his son, but his daughter as well–through caregiving, companionship, and consistency.

Image Source & Credit: Creative Commons Public Domain
“Autism” by hepingting is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

His bond with his son is beautiful. But Dakota carries a  weight. One that many caregivers know too well. He won’t live forever. And the question of who will care for his son in the years to come is never far from his mind.

This kind of resilience isn’t just about enduring the present. It’s about planning for a future you may never see. It’s about loving someone so deeply that you spend years building a safety net for them. Even though they may never fully understand. But will absolutely need.

Resilience is love that prepares.
It’s the quiet courage of a father who speaks
a language only his son knows.
And who’s already writing the next chapter for him,
one act of care at a time.

#FacesOfResilience #Undefeated #PoetryAndPrayer #Faith #SacredStories #FaithOverFear #QuietStrength #LoveThatLasts #Grit #Resilience

A Life of Devotion: Resilience Over Time

The Many Faces of Resilience

Let us not grow weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest. –Galatians 6:9

Some resilience isn’t built in a moment. It’s built over decades of care, adaptation, and love.

Denita always wanted children. Her first husband didn’t. That difference eventually led to divorce. Later, she remarried and had a daughter with Down syndrome. From the beginning, Denita poured herself into therapies, support systems, and advocacy. Day after day. Year after year.

Image Source: Creative Commons Public Domain – Framed Embroidery Chromosome Art” by Hey Paul Studios is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Her daughter now thrives in a group home. She’s independent in her own way, and Denita is proud. Recently, Denita’s husband passed away. Another chapter of loss. Another shift in the rhythm of her life.

She’s grieving, yes. But also continuing. Her life has been one long act of love—and now, of renewal.

Resilience is devotion.
It’s the grace to keep loving, even as life changes shape.

#FacesOfResilience #Undefeated #PoetryAndPrayer #Faith #SacredStories #FaithOverFear #QuietStrength #LoveThatLasts #Grit #Resilience