Happy March!
February was a beautiful month, full of love, being loved, sharing love and setting our intentions on love. Our thoughts are so important, as they are a reflection of our hearts and we must do the work to elevate them in the highest form. God is the author of love and so it is, that God in us navigates through the complexities of our hearts to bring love to the world. What an amazing gift!
If you want, pray Philippians 4:8 over your life today. You can pray it like this:
Lord, whatsoever things are true, help me think on these things.
Lord, whatsoever things are honest, help me think on these things.
Lord, whatsoever things are pure or lovely, help me to think on these things.
Lord, whatsoever things are of good report, help me think on these things.
Father God, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, help me to think on these things and help me to confess them over my life and the lives of my loved ones. Amen.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8
We celebrated the birth of our daughter, Ashley the last weekend in February and shared her birth story with her once again. Russ and I love to recall the beautiful memories of the births of both of our adult children. We were young and in love and the whole world was full of the possibilities ahead. Life was simple, we had no money but our house was full of love.
As winter slowly fades, I am reminded of some of the poetry I used to write while I was a stay at home mom, raising two small children. I remember one winter morning so vividly; it was late February and there was freshly fallen snow covering the ground. A winter chill was in the air and the snow had frozen and turned into crystals on the trees, which my children called, “icicle trees.” Here’s a recount through poetry of the adventure that ensued on that particular morning:
“I took a wintry walk with my babes today.
One can only imagine the discoveries we made along the way.
An abandoned nest in a bare birch, bunny tracks, and a place where water flowed freely through the snow.
A leaf pile buried deep, where my babes said the “spiders must sleep.”
A broken limb became a sword.
Rosy cheeks all aglow, golden hair glistening amidst the snow.
The two, but made from heaven with the utmost of perfection
I try to take it all in because I know these moments will be gone too fast.
What we live today quickly becomes the past.”
A great way to cultivate beauty in our lives is to embrace meaningful moments. We are never so grateful or more in the center of God’s perfect love than when we are fully present in the here and now, giving thanks.
Think about all of the beauty in your life and give God thanks with a grateful heart. Pray Philippians 4:8 over your life today. If you have a desire to continue with a study of Cultivating a Beautiful Life, I am taking pre-orders for my next workbook! Here’s what it looks like:
I want to extend my gratitude for all of my readers who ordered the medical fundraiser bracelets for my daughter, Ashley. We sold out overnight, but have now restocked! All proceeds are for ongoing medical expenses and mobility aids, etc.
Come back and visit me soon, as I will be adding some curated things to our store, with your spiritual journey in mind. PS: I pray that you like the new format of a monthly newsletter. It is something I can do more consistently while writing my workbooks, caring for my family and running a busy online ministry. Thank you for showering me with your continual love, prayers and encouragement.
Sending you LOVE.
Mary
“being confident of this very thing, that He who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the Day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6