“Real influence is a quality of the soul
that enables others to feel at home with us —
more loved, comforted, accepted and known –
because we feel at home with God. As is.”
~ Bonnie Gray 

 

Books

✎ Pure Eyes, Clean Heart: A Couple’s Journey to Freedom from Pornography
by Jen & Craig Ferguson

“In this candid account, Craig and Jen Ferguson share their personal story of the shame, anger, and hopelessness associated with Craig’s porn addiction. It threatened to destroy their marriage until they discovered how drawing close to Christ could lead them out of the pit of sinful habits, unhealthy responses, and personal despair toward true recovery. Marked by biblical and practical guidance for addressing the heart issues that lead to addiction, Pure Eyes, Clean Heart offers encouragement and hope to those who struggle—or whose loved ones struggle—with the lure of pornography. Includes Scripture-based prayers, discussion questions for couples, and other helpful resources.” (Amazon Review)

I found out about this book at A Heartening Life: Mending a Marriage. I haven’t read it, but it sounds like it gives hope to those who need healing because of pornography invading the home.

✎Breathing Room: Letting Go So You Can Fully Live by Leeana Tankersley

“Breathing Room is a beautiful release of self-condemnation, a discovery of the rest that comes when we offer ourselves some space to breathe. Vulnerable and winsome, Leeana Tankersley shows you how to stop breathing yourself up, how to be radically on your own team, and how to truly experience grace. If you’ve been putting on a strong front and yet are secretly coming apart, you’ll find in these pages a trusted friend.”

Just a few snippets of wisdom from this book:

• “This was the beginning of something for me, the reality that breathing room was available when – and only when – I faced the very thing I didn’t want to face.”
• “The toxic voice is the dark voice of scarcity, while God’s voice is the voice of abundance.”
• “The pressure’s off when we can ingest – with compassion and acceptance – our God-image and our dirt-self, our brilliance, and our brokenness.”
• “The inner bully says, There isn’t enough grace out there for you.“
• “When I practice being not God – nonGodly – I am trusting God’s God-ness.”
• “God is unfolding a work of beauty in us, but the beauty is made from castoffs, throwaways, reclaimed, even broken pieces.”
• “My job is simply to allow myself to feel all these events – to let the crash happen – and not be in charge of forcing it all back together again.”
• “Christ saves us when we cannot save ourselves. Christ comes and sits with us when we cannot get ourselves up off the floor.”
• “Faith says, I will let myself be led by a power that is higher than I am, by someone who can see what I can’t see from here.”

 

Hope Harbor

❀ Alcoholics Anonymous 

“If you are concerned with a drinking problem, wish to learn more about Alcoholics Anonymous or want to find A.A. near you, we can help you.

Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem.”

❀ Mental Health Ministries   

“Mental Health Ministries is an ecumenical, interfaith outreach through the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church. Our mission is to educate faith leaders and lay persons for the purpose of decreasing the stigma associated with mental illnesses in our faith communities. Providing resources to faith communities to develop a mental health program appropriate to each congregation is the important first step in the inclusion and support of persons with mental illnesses and their families into the life of that community. Our mission is to give voice to those who have suffered in silence and to enable faith communities to begin the process of reaching out and providing compassionate care to those affected by disorders of the brain.”

❀ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – Center for Disease Control and Prevention Information

“Chronic fatigue syndrome, or CFS, is a debilitating and complex disorder characterized by profound fatigue that is not improved by bed rest and that may be worsened by physical or mental activity. Symptoms affect several body systems and may include weakness, muscle pain, impaired memory and/or mental concentration, and insomnia, which can result in reduced participation in daily activities.”

 

Nature Retreat

“We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness.
God is the friend of silence.
See how nature – trees, flowers, grass – grows in silence;
see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…
We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
~ Mother Teresa

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed.
And to have my senses put in tune once more.”
~ J. Burroughs

 ➺ HubbleSite Gallery – “Spectacular pictures of stars, galleries, nebulae, and more. Picture album spreads the universe out before you in its dazzling complexity.”

 ➺ Patrick Zephyr Photography – Galleries of a variety of nature photography from close-ups of jumping spiders, insects, amphibians and reptiles to peaceful landscapes and waterscapes 

 ➺ Macro Photography and Wildlife Photography – Macro images of insects and other small, beautiful creatures and photos of birds, wildlife, and other nature landscapes and skyscapes

Quotes

❤︎ “Hope is the silver shaft of sun breaking through the storm-darkened sky, words of comfort in the intensive care unit, the first spring bird perched on a snow-covered twig, and the finish line in sight. It is a rainbow, a song, a loving touch. Hope is knowing God and resting in His love.” ~ NLT Life Application Study Bible: Zephaniah introduction

❤︎ “God changes caterpillars into butterflies, sand into pearls and coal into diamonds using time and pressure. He’s working on you, too.” ~ Rick Warren

❤︎ “I want to share my story, and I want to know yours. I believe with all my heart that sharing our stories, the real, ugly, broken ones, is one of the most powerful things in the world, because to share our story we must first accept it. We must own it. We must stop running from it or shoving it into the corner when company comes over. To share our story is to admit that we’ve been changed.”
~ Anna White in Mended: Thoughts on Life, Love, and Leaps of Faith

 

“May hope replace your despair,
May healing embrace your brokenness,
May freedom break your chains!