As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I looked up and found Francesco, my dog, was sitting on the chair.

It made me think of what a wonderful gift pets are.

They are those special creatures that teach us unconditional love.

When we give praise to God for the blessings in our lives, very seldom do we offer everything to Him, including companions like Francesco.

The way my dog is excited to greet me when I come home, the way he comes to lay his head on my chest when he knows I am sad, when he pushes me to play when I do not feel like playing, all shows me how animals are one of God’s special blessings.

The special thing about Francesco is that he loves me just the way I am, no judgment, no criticism, just unconditional love.

This love mirrors the love that God has for me.

Maybe there is a lot we can learn from the gift of the pet companions that God has given us.

It seems we are always trying to teach our pets new tricks, while they are trying to teach us life lessons.

I cherish these special gifts that God gives me;

I give Him praise for all pets.

Today, I give thanks to God for the gift of Francesco and the many pets I’ve had before.

And today, I think I will watch and learn. I still haven’t figured out how to roll over and surrender!

Have a blessed day, and spend some time with your pet.

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, and wait for the sun to rise, I was reflecting on how many people suffer from anxiety and depression, and how hard it sometimes is for their families and friends.

I do not know if I really understood depression until this last year, but I have come to believe that it is very REAL.

I have found trying to focus on positive things and counting my blessings helps me to get through those difficult days.

The problem is, when you are going through depression, others do not always understand.

They think you should just be able to snap out of it.

But, like so many other illnesses, it is usually a very private and silent thing.

Do not be ashamed if you feel depressed! You are not alone!

Just know that we are members of the same club.

Maybe you do not suffer from depression, but I guarantee you, there is somebody in your life who does!

Pray for them, walk with them, and make sure that you are patient with them.

I still have very strong bouts of depression! It seems that every time I do, Jesus reaches out and takes my hand;

I realize he carried me through another day. And tomorrow will be a new day filled with light.

I find that turning to the Scriptures, or sharing with people you can trust, or seeing a therapist if you must, can all help bring you out of the darkness.

Depression is not necessarily a club I would choose to join, but I have certainly met amazing people who have taught me how to keep moving forward and keep focused on the light.

I know that Jesus is the light! I believe that is why Jesus came into the world as the light, to clear the darkness.

Today is going to be an amazing day because I will walk in the light.

Have a wonderful day.

Navigating Realities and Boundaries 

Forgiveness is a journey that looks different in every relationship. Whether it’s with parents, spouses, or even those who are no longer with us, we have to find a way to break the cycle.

Living the Reality:

• Keep Your Boundaries: You can forgive a parent for not being what you needed and still maintain healthy boundaries.
• Grieve the Losses: Forgiving a sibling or a child often requires us to grieve the relationship we wished we had.
• Forgiving the Dead: If someone is gone but you still hold the hurt, I encourage you to stand at their grave and tell them, “I release you with love, mercy, and forgiveness”.

You cannot be harmed anymore. It is over. 

 Watch Session 9 and stay tuned for our final session!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about “peace.”

We all need to have a place that we go to where we can find the peace of God.

For almost fifty years, I have been traveling to Assisi, and every time I go, I feel at peace.

I also know that, in reality, I can’t always be there, so I try to create that feeling again on my front porch, or sitting in church, or while walking my dog, Francesco.

So today, find a moment to sit in the peace of Christ, no matter where you are.

Go to your peaceful place, if you can. But if you can’t, just close your eyes, go to that special place in your mind, and spend a moment with Jesus.

Let him give you the peace that is beyond all understanding.

Have a blessed day! Ciao!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, and watch the sunrise, I could not wait to share with you the most exciting news.

It is so wonderful, so overwhelming! I just sit here, and I am so full of excitement that I want to shout it from the mountain tops.

I am like a kid who has a secret, or parents who found out they are having their first child.

Each moment, the excitement grows, and I just want to share it with someone.

So, I am going to share it with you today. Ready? Today is another wonderful day!

It was made by God for you and for me, and we should be filled with excitement and joy to be a part of it.

It is contagious when you really think about it. Another day of life! Let us enjoy it together.

God bless you and have an exciting day.

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

As I sit and have my coffee with Jesus, I was thinking about “pressure.”

Pressure during difficult times makes us value life. We are better able to understand ourselves and others when things change.

When your children go off to college, you are excited, but then you miss them.

You cannot wait until they come home, and then, when they do, they just want to be with their friends!

And you can’t wait for them to go back!

When our lives change, I think about the people who lived through the Great Depression, or people who have lived through wars, with their loved ones away and in danger, sometimes for many years.

In times like that, it is important for us to ask the bigger question: What do I truly value?

What am I doing to make the best of the situation that I have no control over?

When we feel pressure, I know it seems easier to sit and complain, to criticize all those in leadership, to think that they do not know what they are doing, and thereby add to the negative energy that already exists.

I challenge you today to find value in this day, in your family and in the reality that God is ever-present in each moment.

Today, make a difference. A smile and a wave to the people walking their dog, the joy in preparing a meal, the prayers of Thanksgiving that we have homes and food and loved ones are all simple ways to cope with daily pressure.

We should gain strength from our grandparents and parents who survived much worse than our current problems.

Let us value today, because today is all we have, and bring the Spirit of God to all.

Have a blessed day!

The Work of Rebuilding 

In session eight, we’re looking deeper at why reconciliation is different from forgiveness. While forgiveness is about what I do, reconciliation is two-sided and requires much more.

What Reconciliation Requires:

• Two-Sided Effort: It requires repentance, confession, and accountability from the other person.
• Rebuilding Trust: It takes time and consistent effort to rebuild what was lost.
• Wisdom and Safety: Reconciliation is not always safe or wise, especially in cases of ongoing harm or abuse.

As far as it depends on me, I want to seek peace with everyone. But I’ve learned that while forgiveness is always possible, reconciliation depends on both of us.

Are you seeking reconciliation today, or is it time to focus on forgiveness? 

As I sit outside, enjoying HIS handiwork, and having my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was reflecting on “WAITING”!

Have you ever waited for God to answer a prayer, or asked for HIM to show you the way, or asked HIM to help you with something, and you felt like HE was not listening?

HE may have been asking you to wait, patiently.

Waiting is difficult for most of us. We want things now!

We want an answer now! But Jesus tells us that waiting is a gift and that HE is preparing us while we wait.

I have been struggling with this for some time. I finally realized that I needed to focus on the waiting itself.

As I look back, I do not think I would change this time or anything else that has happened in my life.

In my waiting, HE has taught me many lessons. HE has shown me so clearly HIS love and presence.

If you are waiting for something from the Lord, know that this waiting time is valuable.

Look right in front of you and you will find what you are looking for.

HE is speaking to you in the space of WAITING, and HE will show you HIS love.

Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

So, today let us strive to be patient, to slow ourselves down, to take a deep breath and to wait, for HE has a perfect plan.

Have a great day!

Another beautiful morning watching God’s creation come alive while I am having a cup of coffee with Jesus.

I have come to find this to be a very important part of my morning.

I am used to spending a lot of time organizing my day, my calendar, making my To-Do list, and then I try to fit in prayer.

Now the first thing I do is sit down with HIM, to pray, to listen, and to ask HIM to direct my day.

As we create habits, it is important to create habits that drive us to the FATHER.

Yes, that includes physical activity and emotional stability, but most of all, quiet time with HIM.

Sometimes self-pity gets in the way. When we become immersed in misery, we turn to HIM with a list of all the things that are not going right for us.

But self pity removes God from our lives and replaces it with self-interest.

It causes us to complain, always wanting more, always wanting answers.

We never have enough, we are never satisfied, and then nothing wonderful or amazing can ever happen in our lives.

Today, sit before the King of Kings, take a long, deep breath, and just BE in HIS presence.

Be in HIS plan. Be in the moment. That is where it is safe and peaceful, and where you will see your Lord.

Have a blessed day!

As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus, I was thinking, do you ever wonder what belongs to you and what belongs to others?

I wonder why we spend so much time taking care of what belongs to other people.

It could be another person’s addiction, or problems, or feelings, or negative behavior.

It all belongs to them and yet sometimes we try to own it.

People’s behaviors are their own, their hopes and dreams are their own, their lies and deceptions are their own, but so often we want to become their “office manager.”

It is not the job that GOD assigned to us.

We must become our own LIFE managers, not everyone else’s.

We have enough of our own issues and problems ourselves, and we need to own them.

We need to take care of them ourselves. Today, let us work on a clear sense of what belongs to us and let others handle what belongs to them.

Today, I will deal with only myself, my issues, and my responsibilities, and I will take my hands off what is not mine.

I do this, believing and trusting that God cannot work when I am interfering in someone else’s life.

So, I am really excited today! I only have to handle my own stuff!

Oops, look at that big pile over there…I think it’s mine! Have a blessed day, managing your own life!