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Trish Southard

Trish Southard

Tag Archives: Faith

Healing – Part 4

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Posted by trishsouthard in Healing, Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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A Quiet Place With God, Bible, Christianity, Faith, family, God, Grief, Home, Jesus, Jewish, Lord, More time with Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, Restful enviroments, Shiva, Sorrow

Yesterday I fell off my bike carrying too much on the way home from our mailbox. It was a pretty hard fall, contents of my basket flying everywhere, and blood dripping from scrapes on my wrist and leg as I rode home.

Photo by Trish Southard

Photo by Trish Southard

Share your load with others.

Todd would have been glad to swing by our box and pick up some of the bigger items on his way home from work.

Our family lost three loved ones in four years.

Multiple loved ones passing away or one is too much of a burden for anyone to bear alone.

Grief Group helped me lift my heavy heart.

Surrounded by people who have suffered the loss of a loved one, and a leader, the group gently persuades you to share your imperfect memories, portraits,  all while putting you at ease.

Our leader had us write letters to our loved ones sharing that we wished they would have remained alive longer, our anger that they missed an important event, regrets, anger and how lonely we feel without them. We then read those letters at the cemetery or somewhere significant to the two of us. We then burned or buried the letters.

Somehow I felt lighter and more at ease with each letter.

In the Jewish faith when a loved one dies, they sit Shiva for seven days.

They stay home and allow others to listen to them, care for them, and bring them food.

When others are in pain, you will find yourself more compassionate and confident to walk through it with them.

Sit beside them quietly.

No advice needed.

When others are happy, be happy with them.

If they are sad, share their sorrow.

Romans 12:15 TLB

Healing – Part 3

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A Quiet Place With God, Aunt Grace, Bible, Blessing, Blessing others, Christianity, Corolla Chapel, Faith, family, Favor, God, Healing, Healing Words, More time with Jesus, Outer Banks, Religion and Spirituality, Restful enviroments, Retreat, simplify, Unplug

 

A Holly Hobby stitching gently nudged my thoughts as I passed it each day.

Whenever you’re blue

Find something to do

For somebody else

Who is sadder than you

 

Blood Moon   Photo by Colleen Lienhard

Blood Moon
Photo by Colleen Lienhard

 

Fill your friends’ and families’ darkness with God’s spectacular paint brush.

Stopping off in Columbia to see Uncle Tom and Aunt Grace is always a powerful time of prayer.  Celebrating their 51st wedding anniversary they are blessed by God. Grace stayed up till 1 am with me, and we prayed big and bold and color-filled blessings and prayers on everyone in our families.

Praying the Word of God over each one individually.

At the beach we sunned and swam every day, just the three of us, and occasionally Rick and Laura after work at Corolla Chapel.

I missed the family that had sat beside me the 27 previous years –with our Lord, or off to college, college bound and others spending their vacation elsewhere.

North Carolina was our state.  My husband born in Chapel Hill, our daughter’s summers here at her grandparents’ beach house and my summers for 27 years.

Refreshed by salt air and my family’s laughter and constant teasing, God comforted me.

Fresh sun, vivid oranges and blue streaked memories.

We played new games and visited different spots rediscovering the Outer Banks.

I checked out of email, FB, text and all the rest.

The spaciousness of the ocean and expansion of my time with my family turned my attention upward Praising God and lifting everyone, many of you who are deeply hurting in intercession to our Lord.  I am certain He is going to change your situation or your struggle.

Have faith and believe.

Look up and enjoy His favor and blessing.

 

 

 

Healing – Part 2

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Posted by trishsouthard in Healing, Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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A Quiet Place With God, Bible, Change, Christianity, Faith, family, Healing, Healing Words, Jesus, Lord, More time with Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, Restful enviroments, Running, simplify, Sorrow, Words That Heal

Doing the uncomfortable continually all day.

Remove sorrow from your heart, and put away pain from your flesh, because youth and the prime of life are fleeting.  Ecclesiastes 11:10 HCSB

Pain away from your flesh.

It hurts my fingers when I pull a burr from Daisy’s paw.

It hurts horribly when I pull jumping cholla off our daughter’s leg.

Remove or change to unburden your sorrow.

Teddy Bear Cholla

Teddy Bear Cholla

Change who you are, what you do and where you go.

One practical takeaway from grief group was to add a hobby or something we enjoy into our lives.

Running 3-4 times a week  began in November 2013.

I set my clothes out the night before and the decision is already made. Running has been an effective method to jump-start my morning and waken my mind to prayer and the study of God’s Word.

An almost new habit for me after a 25 year break from running.

I’ve stayed physically active biking, hiking, an occasional canoe trip on the river, and I really enjoy the stair climber at the gym.

Running forced me outside into the sunrise, singing birds and it was very uncomfortable.

The doing of the continually uncomfortable was the key to my healing.

 

Healing – Part 1

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Posted by trishsouthard in Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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Beautiful Women, Bible, Birthdays, Blessing others, Bringing in Finn, Christianity, Faith, family, Flowers, Girlfriends, God, Healing, Jesus, Lord, Minnie Driver, Restful enviroments, Return to Zero, Sara Connell, Southern Hospitality, Today Show

Healing is like a flower blossom each petal needs to open in its own time.”

Anonymous

My healing came through blessing others.

How could I change and be a little miracle to others, like Peg did all the time.

Peg knew everyone’s birthday.

She probably knew her mail lady’s birthday.

A simple step, but it would mean writing down birthdays.

For me,  that often means a visit to my favorite florist, Lisa.

I love to hear her say, “So who is it for today!”

She listens and creates a visible expression of the friend I’m celebrating.

A single rose or wildflowers with a ribbon when someone doesn’t expect it.    IMG_5228 Showing the grandeur of God’s beauty and His expansive love through flowers.

Healing happens very slowly as the petals unfold.

I lift you into the prayer below.

Jesus loves you so much.

You are His beautiful masterpiece created in the image of Almighty God.

Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think- according to the power that works in you- to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen

Ephesians 3:20,21

 

Anonymous Quote from a recent interview on the Today Show with Sara Connell author of “Bringing In Finn” and inspiration for the upcoming movie “Return to Zero” starring Minnie Driver

Sara Connell author of Bringing in Finn

A Quiet Place With God- Part 11

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Posted by trishsouthard in Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, teens, Uncategorized

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A Quiet Place With God, Bible, Christianity, Faith, family, God, Home, Jesus, Lord, More time with Jesus, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Religion and Spirituality, Teens

Outside my window tonight the rain is coming down sideways.

A night storm with a morning dove perched her nest.

Protecting her eggs

My stomach lurches.

IMG_5126

I’m involved.

Asking God to hold her steady.

Gazing any chance I can to see if she is at her post.

The challenges and opportunities our children face, develop the gleam in their eye.

A confident step.

They often have circumstances with wind and rain pelting sideways and days the clear blue sky smiles and kisses their lives.

They’ve had to struggle through many surprises and challenges, just like the baby doves will to fight out of the shell.

If we’ve done our job we’ve been close by at our post praying, encouraging, and standing guard, but breaking off that shell is their job.

The shell breaking and the flight that follows is all theirs.

A Quiet Place with God – Part 10

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Posted by trishsouthard in Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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A Quiet Place With God, Beautiful Women, Bible, Christianity, Faith, family, God, God's path, Jesus, Listen to God's voice, Lord, More time with Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, Restful enviroments, Texas

IMG_5120

Later, He appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw Him after He had been resurrected. Mark 16: 14 HCSB

Rebuke.

While hiking I was struck by the tree on the left and how lush and green and full of life.

The tree on the right was dead.

We grow and flourish as we listen to Gods word and take action to change when He convicts us and rebukes us with His Word.

Listen and receive the rebuke.

Most of our family has given up coffee, but I still make it for one.

As the coffee drinker woke late to find no coffee, I simply said “Wake five minutes early and make it yourself.”

 

God immediately rebuked me quietly in my heart and I made the coffee and ran it to my beloved coffee drinker and handed a to go cup through the window.

My day had begun in the Word and contemplation just an hour before, but I had chosen a harsh response.

Conviction comes as we clear our minds and focus on the Word

The Lord will give us the self-control and  Holy Spirit to do His will and be His vessel.
IMG_5122

The rebuke put me back onto His path.

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” Proverbs 3:6

IMG_5125Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.”

Mark 16:15 HCSB

 

A Quiet Place With God – Part 9

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Posted by trishsouthard in Places With God, Uncategorized

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A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place With God, Bible, Christianity, Faith, God, Jesus, Lord, More time with Jesus, Religion and Spirituality, simplify

My fingers snuggle into my fuzzy gloves.

His perfect peace settles my soul.

Crisp, cool morning air and the still darkness calm me. IMG_4930

Bluebonnets patiently await my notice.

A quiet where silence is unsettled only by the wind and bird songs.

Nature is deliberate and impatient.

I called to you Lord in my distress and you answered me and put me in a spacious place.

The Lord is with me I will not be afraid!
Psalm 118 v 5

Driving through a neighborhood near our home we noticed a young, pony-tailed mom plunked down on the sidewalk happily pulling weeds.

My husband  joked that she looks like she’s settled in for the long haul.

What led to her weed pulling?  Why on this cold, wet and dreary afternoon?

Maybe, just maybe, it’s as a good friend’s very active young son regularly tells her, in his moments of exasperation,

“I’m going outside to explode!”

We all need a little fresh air.

 

Quiet waiting before the Lord in prayer will give Him a chance to change your mood.

The situation may not change, but you will have changed for the better in spite of the situation.

Robert A. Cook

Words That Heal – Part 11

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Posted by trishsouthard in Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, teens, Uncategorized, Words That Heal

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Bible, Christianity, Emma Thompson, Faith, Faithful Presence, family, Freelance Writer NYC, God, Leah Rozen, Listen, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Restful enviroments

During the teenage years, your presence is terribly important. It’s difficult for you to pass on wisdom in words. I think if you’re going to pass anything on, it’ll be by example, through your behavior- and not just one bit of behavior but consistent behavior over many years.

Emma Thompson

Everyone needs a safe place to share, someone who will hear them, someone who as my husband Todd says, is a faithful presence in their life.

Sharing their story.

Thinking out loud and dreaming.

Knowing you care and you are listening to them with all your attention and with all your heart.

IMG_1272

Some of the most healing words are the ones you speak quietly to Lord.

Pray for His wisdom in their life not yours.

The intelligent person restrains his words, and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding, but only a fool wants to show off his opinions.  Proverbs 18:2 HCSB

*More Magazine Interview with Emma Thompson by Leah Rozen, Freelance Writer from NYC,

December 2013/January 2014 page 118

* Artistic Cookies by Colleen Lienhard

A Quiet Place with God – Part 8

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Posted by trishsouthard in Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized

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A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place With God, Abraham Lincoln, Bible, Blaise Pascal, Child's pose, Christianity, Crafts for Christ, Faith, family, Glue, Kneel, More time with Jesus, Psalm 59 verse 9, Restful enviroments, Retreat, simplify

The serene, silent beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world, next to the might of the Spirit of God.  

Blaise Pascal

Do you ever feel a bit unglued?

I do.

I teach sunday school, and  we made a project with glitter, rocks and massive amounts of glue.

We even added glue with glitter. The lid fell off and a river of sparkly navy glue flowed over the paper.

A beautiful river of deep blue glue.

All the children wanted on their papers was lots of sticky sparkly glue.

The kind of project that parents never take home.

It just stays in the craft closet at church.

Don’t take your unglued self out.

Kneel down.

Photo by Kelly Bryant

Photo by Kelly Bryant

A few call it child’s pose.

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.     Abraham Lincoln

Now that you are down there, say a simple prayer.

You are my strength, I wait for you to rescue me, for you O God, are my place of safety.

Psalm 59  v.9

Stay there and focus on Him.

A Quiet Place With God – Part 7

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Posted by trishsouthard in Comedy, Places With God, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized

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Christianity, Faith, God, Groomers, Jesus, Lord, More time with Jesus, Restful enviroments, Shitzu, simplify

I arrived home from a long day at work to find a strange, small, white dog staring at me in my foyer with a prison orange scarf tied around her neck.

I called my husband “The mobile groomers dropped the wrong dog at our home, it’s a Shitzu, but it’s not ours.”

It was 6pm, our groomers. closed.

All I could do was sit and think of our dog at someone else’s home.

The sun began to set into an array of pinks, lavender, and even orange.

Sighing in the dark the two big eyes stared up at me.

The prison escapee was ours!

What seemed like a disaster to me was great joy to her.

She ran around the house like batman on steroids, or a man freed from jail.

The groomers had completely shaved the hair on our dog, even the tail, face and whiskers were not spared the clippers. Pink skin was peeking out everywhere.  Our dogs hair was normally 6-8 inches over its whole body much like a miniature sheep dog.

Cutting things out of your life gives you instant space and freedom.

More Quiet.

Remove enough encumbrances, not just hair, and it changes who you are.

Throw back the prison doors you’ve closed on yourself.

Sit in Gods glory.

Soak  in His Word in the psalms praising Him.

Let Him transform you as you contemplate His wonders.

Thank Him for all He has done for you.

Space moved into your day allows time for God to cast his vision into your life.

His greater purpose for your day.

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