It is Mothers Day today. A day which always brings me to introspection and thoughts that I don’t think every other day of the year.
I am aware today of the many moms out there, my own Mom, my oldest daughter as she raises her two little boys, my sister and my sis-in-law, my friends and the many women whose stories I hear in the course of the work that I do.
At the beginning of 2009 when it became time to launch what is today Capturing Courage International Ministries I wasn’t sure what to name this thing by which the Lord was leading me so I went to the box of thank-you cards that I had received and kept for the previous decade and began looking to see if there was a common theme. What came through loud and clear was comments regarding courage, “Cyndy when I am near you I have courage to speak my truth” for instance. Again and again people commented on courage and so this is what I named the work I do today.
Yet in the last few weeks I’ve been thinking about this name, wondering if I’ve really explained the core meaning of it, and how it applies to the work of CCIM. In my own heart and mind I know it means the courage to draw close to the Lord and to enter into an honesty and intimacy of which we are often afraid but have I communicated this to others?
Continue reading The Hearts of Humans Meeting the Heart of God
I’m nearly a week in to a sabbatical of sorts. For the better part of April I am stepping back from the intense reading and writing schedule that I was on. While I’m still keeping with my Monday to Friday’s Teaching People How to Pray posts, and while my social media presence has not been much interrupted, behind the scenes I’ve been resting more, working less, with more hours than usual just silent before the Lord unloading all my doubts and fears and insecurities to Him.
The weather has been nice these last few days on the west coast of Canada and I took advantage of this nice weather to do a bit of gardening. The flower beds needed some cleaning up and it is my habit to add some good layers of mushroom manure as a top-dressing. This keeps the weeds down, the moisture in, and feeds the perennial plants the nutrients they need. In addition to this the top-dressing makes the beds look spick and span, pleasing to the eye.
On March 8th the Canadian Bible Society is hosting their annual International Women’s Day Tea and I am honoured to be speaking. If you are in the Greater Vancouver area you will not want to miss this time of fellowship and encouragement, laughter and inspiration.
Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door and all proceeds and donations during the event will go towards the Good Samaritan Program for HIV/AIDS infected people in Tanzania, Congo, South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Grab a girlfriend or two and join us as we celebrate women around the world.
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Today my Granddaughter Anna would have been three years old. While we are missing her to be sure, we are mostly and profoundly glad to have known her. There was something amazing about her even in just the four months she was with us. And for myself all I can say is that I learned so very much from her and her life. I bonded with her spirit while she was only a few weeks in the womb and that bond has never left, death cannot touch it. Here’s to you our sweet Anna, we celebrate you today.
Peace is a powerful thing. Rather than a passive, as some would think it, lack of action peace requires intention and application.
Peace renders chaos and terror null and void. Peace removes authority unto destruction. Peace calms the storms and our hearts.
I’ve lived in places that contain a spirit of fear, peace removes this.
I’ve known relationships intent on chaos, peace calms this.
