Sacred Dance: The Waltz

Finding God in the Dance

I hope you know someone loves you.— Rascal Flatts

Image Credit: *“BALLROOM Dancing” by Prayitno / Thank you for (12 millions +) view is licensed under CC BY 2.0.*

The Waltz began sometime between the 13th and 16th Centuries. Probably in Germany. But it wasn’t until the early 19th Century that The Waltz became scandalous for its intimate posture. This fun fact fueled its allure.

The Waltz.
Doors open. Music plays.
Hands entwined.
Feet stepping in concert.
Soft. Graceful. Intimate.
A blessing in motion.

Music unleashes a sacred dance to soothe the soul and wake up the body in a dance meant only for two.

In the waltz, you are held — supported, steadied. It is a dance that teaches the heart how to lean into love again.

Let love find its rhythm wherever it leads and let God lead you in its sacred dance.

Love invites us to celebrate.
To sway to the music in our hearts.
To place our trust in our dance partner.
It is the rise and the fall.
It is the right and the left.

You turned my mourning into dancing.
Psalm 30:11

May your steps take you where you want to be.
May you be in sync with all those you love.

#SacredDance #Dance #Love #SacredMovement #Faith #FaithAndDance #JoyInMotion #Waltz #2Step #Foxtrot #Rumba #Tango #LifeJourney #CreativeDevotional #FaithBased #Spirituality

Sacred Vows: Rings as Belonging & Covenant

A Series on Covenant & Commitment

Couples, like all of us, belong to God.
And when they choose to belong to each other,
their love becomes a space where growth and grace can thrive.

Ring of Belonging — Hosea & Gomer

Hosea’s life and ministry reveal a God whose love does not waver. God asks him to marry Gomer, a woman known for her unfaithfulness. And their marriage becomes a living metaphor of God’s covenant love.

It is a story of sin, judgment, and forgiveness. Yet, the overarching message is the unwavering love of God.

Hosea walked with God.
He obeyed.
It wasn’t easy, but he trusted God.
And through that trust,
his marriage with Gomer became a picture of belonging restored.

Ring of Covenant

Some rings symbolize authority.
Some symbolize restoration.
But this ring — the covenant ring — speaks of belonging.

Hosea’s story is about promise.
A commitment.
A vow that lasts.
A God who binds Himself to His people not because they are perfect, but because His love is unwavering.
A love that pursues, chooses, and forgives, again and again.

Marriage is belonging, too.
To promise.
To have mercy.
To give grace.
Abundantly.

A ring is a symbol of union.
A symbol of belonging.
A reminder that with God, all things are possible.

“I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.”
Hosea 2:19

Image Credit: *“Couple Man” by Paul García Fotografía is marked with CC0 1.0.*

#SacredVows #Covenant #Faith #FaithAndMarriage #Marriage #Rings #Vows #IntimateFaith #IntimateLove #Love #Belonging #Promise #LifeJourney #Commitment

Digging Deeper with Roses

A Series from the Psalms

I welcome the dew of the morning.
I savor the fragrance of roses made sweeter by the droplets.
I embrace being seen, known, and cherished by God.

Roses sparkle in the sunshine,
their petals soft and delicate.
A beauty that surely stands the test of time.
Fragrance lingers in the air
while layers of petals unfold
as if to embrace each one of us
with a love that grows with time.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

Life is full of twists and turns.
Lots of comings and goings.
Yet we stop.
To smell the roses.

Why?

Because the rose invites us to slow down.
To be gentle.
To be soft.
To take a break from the whirlwind of life.

Why?

To experience the everlasting love of God,
of nature,
of each other.

Like a rose, we heed the call. To slow down and listen. To pay attention to our prickly tempers. Or our prickly attitudes. Or our prickly words.

And like a rose, God wraps his petals around us. He calls us beloved. Where we are. How we are. All of it.

Roses teach us that love and honesty grow together. Their petals show us vulnerability, while their thorns remind us that boundaries are holy. They teach us that beauty is layered — formed by seasons.

Seasons of opening.
Waiting.
Shaping.
Polishing.
Tending.

There’s no pressure.
No expectation.
Just an invitation.

God’s love lingers over us — the scents of frankincense and myrrh. Leading us to the holy land. The land of milk and honey.

May you rest in abundant love.
May you trust the God who calls you beloved.
May you bloom gently, honestly, and in holiness —just like the rose.

*Image Credit: “Rose” by slgckgc is licensed under CC BY 2.0.*

#SacredBlooms #Psalms #Faith #Poetry #LoveJourney #Flowers #LifeJourney
#Hibiscus #Tulips #Daisies #Lilies

When We Rise

A Series of Sacred Belonging

Scripture for Today:

You are no longer strangers and foreigners – Ephesians 2:19

Reflection:

Have you ever felt you were a stranger in a foreign land? And, I don’t mean traveling to another country, state, or down the block.

It’s that feeling that you wake up one day and feel that you don’t belong. You feel rejected. Abandoned. Like a failure.

It could be due to a job loss.
A home.
A friend.
A pet.
A partner.
A child.

Most of us have felt this way at some point.
Some many times over the years. And some just once or twice.

But once the feelings of loss begin to settle, we begin to get our footing.
We rise.
We overcome.

When we rise, it’s not always noticeable.
Sometimes it’s quiet.
Sometimes it’s radiant.
Sometimes it’s slow.
Sometimes it comes out of nowhere.

The strength.
The courage.
The grace.
The depth.

But it’s real.
It’s sacred.

When we rise, we gain clarity.
We begin to see differently.
We listen to the gentle nudge-
The Spirit within-
so we can move forward.

It is when we accept the circumstances for what they are,
and not what they aren’t,
that we can envision the purpose of it…
Which is to bring us into a new light of understanding.

One that is of Sacred Belonging.

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

When We Give Grace

A Series of Sacred Belongings

Scripture for Today:

From His fullness we have all received,
grace upon grace.

— John 1:16

Questions to Ponder:

How often do you need a bit of grace?
And more importantly,
how often do you give grace to others and yourself?

Reflection:

Some might say that only God can give grace. Yet, I don’t think that.

When we receive God into our hearts and daily lives, we are given grace. And it is that grace, the grace from God, that we can choose to offer others.

Grace is a beautiful gift.
We give grace to those whose hearts may feel sad.
Those who feel empty inside.
Those who pour themselves into caring for others.
Those who grieve.
Those who are struggling.

When we give grace, we must follow God’s lead.
To give it freely.
Without expectation.

When we do that, we start to see the light.
It flickers from the soul.
A kind word.
A soft smile.
A quiet nod.

Grace fills us up.
It makes us whole.
It makes us seen.
Affirmed.
Valued.

Grace is abundant if we want it to be.

God wants us to receive his grace—
So we can pour it out to others.
For us to shine the light…
On the path where we were always meant to be.

One that is of Sacred Belonging.

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

The Season of Tuning: Til Death Do Us Tune (12)

A Final Reflection for the Soul

What tuning still awaits me in the days to come?

We’ve tuned in.
Listened.
Made space.

We’ve named what’s tender, reframed what’s true, and begun to live with intention.

This series was about attuning—again and again.
To our soul.
To our rhythm.
To the grace that meets us in the everyday.

We’ve walked through silence, restoration, implementation, and clarity. Not in a straight line, but in a sacred spiral. Each reflection – a gentle turning. Each post – a quiet invitation.
-To notice the clarity
-To name it
-To bless it
-To let it guide us forward

The Tuning continues—Til Death Do Us Part

*Image Credit: Creative Commons Public Domain: At the centre of the tuning fork by Hubble Space Telescope / ESA is licensed under CC BY 2.0.*

May your soul find its rhythm.
May grace meet where you are.
And may this tuning season become a lifelong song—
one only you can sing.

Sure hope you liked this series, where shall we go next?

#SeasonOfTuning #TuningTheSoul #IandThouReflections #Recalibrate #EmotionalRegulation #Balance #Harmony #Attunement #Restoration #Implementation #Intention

The Season of Tuning: Introduction

A Series of Reflections for the Soul

September is the season of tuning.
Tuning in to where we are.
A check and balance.
A check-in to the soul.

Silver light
casts across the fields
as the moon begins her slow ascent
toward fullness.

There is a call to balance.
A whisper to unveil.

This series is a gentle recalibration.
Each post will offer
a question to ponder,
a reflection to sit with,
and a blessing to carry.

We won’t rush the rhythm.
We’ll listen for what’s shifting—within and around us.
We’ll honor the sacred tilt, the quiet unveiling, the slow return to center.

Let this be a month of tuning.
Not to perfection, but to presence.

Let’s tune together!

I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Please comment and “like” this post.
Are you excited to join us in this series?

#SeasonOfTuning #TuningTheSoul #IandThouReflections #Recalibrate #EmotionalRegulation #Balance

Finding Calm in a Chaotic World – Part 7: Wind

Wind Calms the Soul

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
John 3:8

Trust the Wind

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:6

Let Worries Blow Away

*Image Source: Wallpaper (Unknown details)*

Close your eyes and imagine the wind. Cool. Mild. Breezy.

Let it take shape in your mind. Hold it. What do you see?

Is it the wind blowing through tall trees? Or the breeze that grazes your skin on a warm day? Or a wind-chilled face skiing down a mountain slope? Or the wind that calms the ripples of the sea?

A Love Song

Shhh.
Take a listen.
Hear the wind, whistle, blow, or sway?
It seems to sing, doesn’t it?

A love song just for you.

Wind

Branches sway.
Hair blows, and we feel the coolness brush across our skin.
Sometimes, the wind is mighty and fierce.
Other times, it’s gentle and still.

It’s quiet.
It’s playful.
It soothes.
It is unseen, like a Spirit guide.

As the song soothes your soul, cast your worries into the wind, where the Spirit will carry them away.

Next time, we will dig deeper into how wind can calm a chaotic world.

#April #StressAwarenessMonth #Calm #GodsPeace #Nature #Water #Trees #Mountains #Wind #Gardens #Sunlight #Stillness

Finding Calm in a Chaotic World – Part 5 : Mountains

*Image Credit: Creative Commons: “Color Landscape – Grand Tetons”* *by fortherock (see below for details)*

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2

The Struggle of the Climb

Life can feel overwhelming at times. Sometimes, it is like climbing a mountain. Days feel overwhelming. We feel exhausted. And we ask ourselves if we will ever reach the top.

Decades ago, I had the opportunity to hike The Tetons. It was a three-day hike. Thirteen miles each day with a heavy backpack. It was overwhelming, for sure! At times, I thought I would die.
I couldn’t take another step.
I was exhausted, and my muscles ached.

At that moment, when I felt I couldn’t take another step, I surrendered to God.
Right there.
Right then.
God placed a song in my heart. And for the rest of the hike, I “sang” Oil in My Lamp (author unknown) in my head.

A Higher Perspective

It was at that moment that my perspective changed. It wasn’t about the struggle. It was the peace that I found in the struggle.

It was the peace in the chaos.

For me, The Tetons was my place of perspective.

Where is your place of perspective?
A place where you can rise above the noise?
Where the chaos fades?
Where do you find a stillness that speaks to you?

Next time, we will lift our eyes to the heavens as we calm the chaos of the mountains in our lives.

Image details: “Color Landscape – Grand Tetons” by fortherock is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-sa/2.0/?ref=openverse.

#April #StressAwarenessMonth #Calm #GodsPeace #Nature #Water #Trees #Mountains #Wind #Gardens #Sunlight #Stillness

Finding Calm in a Chaotic World – Part 4: Trees Singing

A Love Song

Shhh.
Take a listen.

Hear the trees sway?
They seem to sing, don’t they?
A love song only to you.

Trees

Tall and mighty.
Straight or crooked.
Leaves green and bright.
Opening their branches, following the light.
Roots, steady and strong.

Our trees are magnificent –
to hear, to see, to feel.
Listen to what they sing.

The wind.
Moving through their branches.
Whisper a melody.
A song of joy.
A hymn of praise.

Cast Away Fears

A reminder that even in stillness, there is movement.
Even in rootedness, there is growth.
And as we rest beneath its shade, we are held by its mighty arms.

There, we can cast our fears upon its trunk as we lie in its comfort, embraced by its strength.

Thanks be to God.

Action

Stand near or lean against a tree. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Imagine yourself firmly rooted in God’s strength, drawing up peace like water through your roots.

Listen—what song does the tree sing to you?

Reflective Question

What part of my life needs deeper roots in faith, trust, or love?

Image Source: “Epping Forest High Beach Essex England – spring trees and moss mounds” by Acabashi is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/?ref=openverse.

#April #StressAwarenessMonth #Calm #GodsPeace #Nature #Water #Trees #Mountains #Wind #Gardens #Sunlight #Stillness