“King Of My Heart”
by Kutless
Thank You
to anyone and everyone who recommend
links, books, and quotes, etc.
ABCs of Jesus’ Love
Visit this page anytime and let me know if you’d like to add to the words describing Jesus’ love along with a verse supporting it. Remember, there is also a print-out of the original list.
This month I have added an “E” Word:
❤︎ Embracing Love ❤︎
“Faithful love and truth will join together;
righteousness and peace will embrace.“
Psalm 85:10 HCSB
Books
I am not always able to keep up with the abundance of books that promote hope, healing, and freedom, so I haven’t always read every one I post here and on the Books Page. Though many are on my long wish list. 🙂 Many will be from recommendations of online friends. If you ever know of a book that is not listed and that supports this website’s mission, please let me know. 🙂
Mosaic of Grace: God’s Beautiful Reshaping of Our Broken Lives by James Prescott
“In a world with brokenness, problems, and imperfections, how can we possibly talk about a God of love and grace? Many of us want to believe in grace, but the messy and often painful reality of our lives and the world we live in causes us to lose faith. Mosaic of Grace: God’s Beautiful Reshaping of Our Broken Lives helps us to truly know and understand this thing called grace. Confronting the truth of who we are (the good and the bad) and the truth of who God truly is, Mosaic of Grace helps us to understand God’s transforming ability to make beauty emerge from any past. Mosaic of Grace invites us to take an honest look at God’s divine grace so that our eyes can be opened to hope, transformation, and the ability of grace to put the hurting parts of our lives back together again.” (Amazon Review)
Hope Harbor
💞 Links That Inspire Hope and Healing 💞
💞 The PTSD Ocean by Emily Wagoner – “What I have suffered is unthinkable, and I am still living with those ramifications on a daily basis. I still get pulled out in a rip tide more often than I’d care to admit. And God has used and is using a myriad of miracles to rescue me every single time.”
💞 31 Days of Kintsugi – Lesley posts 31 Days of hope-filled messages in a series looking at how God takes brokenness and transforms it into beauty.
💞 Emotional Health Series by Linda Stoll – “Let’s talk emotions – where you’re at, what you’re struggling with, how you’ve been convicted, and what God has taught you along the way.” (Linda gives us a safe, nonjudgmental, nurturing place to voice and deal with our emotions. At the bottom of each post, click on the link to the next “Emotional Health” post.)
Nature Retreat
“The tree which moves some to tears of joy
is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way.
Some see nature all ridicule and deformity…
and some scarce see nature at all.
But to the eyes of the man of imagination,
nature is imagination itself.”
~ William Blake
I am fascinated with the unique designs, patterns, and history the Master Artist has given trees. Some may think it’s silly to take photos of dead trees, but several questions run through my mind, whether the trees are alive or dead: Isn’t it amazing that life can still grow on a dead tree? What was the world like when the seeds of these trees took root? How long have or did they live? What caused them to die? How many creatures found refuge within their branches or trunks? How many children climbed it? How many people and creatures rested underneath its shade? What stories would these trees tell if they could talk? 
I’ve been watching this stump for some years now. This past summer, when we got 5 inches of rain and the river flooded, its roots lost its hold and it moved several feet downstream. I wonder where it will be next summer. 🙂
🐾 Jim Gilbert Photography – Stunning wildlife photography of birds, bugs, mammals, reptiles, and more. You can either watch the slide show or check out the different portfolios.
🐾 Marie Read Wildlife Photography – Marie specializes in bird images and bird behavior, but there is a variety of photos of other wildlife and of nature here, too. All beautiful!
🐾 A Walk With Wildlife – Adele Brand has studied and photographed mammals in three different continents. She shares stunning photos of a variety of wildlife.
Quotes
Faith is a new category I’m beginning on the Quotes’ page.
❤︎ “Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
❤︎ “It takes more faith to fall apart with Jesus than to stay strong enough to stop it from happening.” – Bonnie Gray
❤︎ “The situations that will stretch your faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found. This happened to Job.” – Rick Warren
Freed to Fly 
Trudy, I loved the quote from William Blake about nature, and your marvelous photos of trees. Yes, even when “dead,” trees can and do support so much life for other forest dwellers. This reminded me of how much the elderly in society still have so much wisdom and experience to share with us, yet too many of us ignore that fact. Thanks for the book recommendations, too!
Blessings!
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I can easily see why someone with an imagination like yours would love that quote, Martha. Your Glade Series are witnesses of your appreciation of imagination in nature. 🙂 I love and second your thoughts about the elderly in society! May we value each and every person in our lives, whether yet unborn or elderly, as unique creations of God!
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First, I love King of my Heart. I play that song over and over again. Many times it is how I start my day. I also love your tree pictures. I would take similar pictures if I saw them on my walks. There are stories behind everything we see. Why not stop and imagine the story?
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What a great way to start your day, Mary! I only learned of it recently, and I love it, too. I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees beauty in dead trees. 🙂 Yes, there are stories behind everything we see! May the King of our hearts be the fire in our veins and the echo of our days!
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The tree pictures are beautiful, Trudy. I love how you have been paying attention to that one stump enough to notice that it stayed put for so long and then finally moved. It reminds me to be more observant of, well, pretty much everything around me! I also appreciate your quotes about faith. I hope you have a wonderful week, my friend!
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Thank you for your kind words, Lois. I was really amazed that the stump actually moved. I’m the kind of person who loves to imagine even where a fallen leaf blown by the wind will end up. 🙂 We all need to be more observant of the things around us, especially the people, don’t we? I hope you’re holding up with all the changes in your life this year. May we keep taking the next step even when we can’t see it or are afraid of what is around the corner!
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Dear Trudy,
Oh these monthly collections that you post are always such a breath of fresh air! Thank you so much for bringing a much needed dose of beauty to my day. I love that Psalm 85 verse, because it carries such a special memory of a dear couple and their wedding. And the links you shared about brokenness and healing are so beautiful and encouraging for so many that I am praying for now. May the Lord bless you as you share so deeply with all of us here! Love and Hugs! xoxo
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Thank you, Bettie. It warms my heart to think they give you a breath of fresh air and a needed dose of beauty. I love collecting all these goodies together. I’d love to hear about the special memory of the Psalm 85 verse at that wedding. 🙂 Blessings, love, and hugs to you, too! May the Lord more deeply heal and encourage your friends and all of us who live with brokenness in our lives!
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Oh Trudy, such beauty of God in this post. Oh that we would see with God’s eyes and not our own. I so so loved Emily Wagoner’s post. What a gift. I’ve had those waves and felt that shame. And Lesley’s words were such a gift also. Jesus shines more brightly in the dark of our struggles. Thank you for bringing all this together in one post and slowing us to LOOK for the threads of God’s Promises being woven in our midst. LORD help us to see what You are doing in our midst and to REJOICE in Your power being perfected in our weakness.
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Thank you, Anna. Oh yes, to see with God’s eyes and not our own! Emily’s post really resonated with me. She describes PTSD so well, doesn’t she? And I loved Lesley’s series, too. May God turn all our brokenness into beauty!
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“It takes more faith to fall apart with Jesus than to stay strong enough to stop it from happening.” – Bonnie Gray . What a great quote! Have you read The Hidden Life of Trees, Trudy? It’s quite amazing how the tree family helps each other and how many stumps are truly still being fed by their ‘friends.’ Thanks for feeding me today!
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I’m so glad you were fed, Lynn. 🙂 I love Bonnie’s quote, too. I was happy to be reminded of it again. I checked out that book on Amazon, and it sounds intriguing. I just found out our library has it, so I’ve put it on hold. 🙂 Thank you. 🙂 May our hearts always be hungry to be fed by Jesus and His love!
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This post is the best thing to read before bed. So encouraging. Love that stump too!
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I’m so glad you were encouraged, Anita. Your posts always encourage me, too. Your nature photos breathe life into my spirit. 🙂 And the occasional verse or quote, too. May we keep finding and opening up our hearts to the beauty of God in His creation!
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I love this… so delightful to see what has caught your attention… such beauty through words, images and music. It all truly speaks directly to my heart! Love the Kutless song. Love this post! ❤
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I’m so grateful the words, images, and music speak directly to your heart, Lynn. I only recently heard of that song, and I love it, too. 🙂 So encouraging! May we open our eyes and hearts to God’s beauty all around us! I love how you capture it in your paintings. 🙂
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Trudy, I loved your thoughts and questions about dead trees. I’d never thought about some of those before! 🙂 And the photos? Amazing. 🙂 The quote by Bonnie Gray was profound. And honest. I’m nodding my head in agreement.
Have a beautiful week, my sweet friend. Sending you a hug!
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Thank you, Jeanne. I’m glad you enjoyed the tree photos and thoughts. 🙂 Yes, Bonnie’s quote is profound. I had never looked at it that way until I read one of her books and found this. And it’s so true, isn’t it? May we fall apart with Jesus! Sending you a hug back! 🙂
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Well, thanks, Trudy, for sharing the Emotional Health series. Thanks for bringing so much wisdom and authenticity to the table … you are an incredible blessing.
Today’s post? Anger. Yep, even and especially during the holiday season.
;-}
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Thank YOU, Linda. Your Emotional Health series gives hope and healing to so many. They really help us to address and deal with emotions and see they are God-given natural feelings. Thank you, too, for your kind and supportive words here. May we all learn to be more authentic in our lives and to give God the glory in it all!
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Every time I visit you, I want to grab my camera and head out to nature, my friend. Thanks for the always inspiring pictures, Trudy :). I’ll have to check out those photography links. It’s great to see Linda’s series shared here. I’m headed to see her next! Much love to you!
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It really makes me smile that the nature photos always inspire you to grab your camera and head out to nature! It’s one of our helps in battling depression and anxiety, isn’t it? Linda’s series is exceptional, isn’t it? She is such a insightful, compassionate counselor. Much love to you, too, Candace! May God give us ever deeper healing in Jesus!
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Thanks for featuring my Kintsugi series, Trudy! I am loving Linda’s series too. And Mosaic of Grace is a fantastic book, and actually where I first learned about the concept of Kintsugi! Love and hugs to you!
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Thank YOU, Lesley. Your series is so filled with hope and healing. Joy Lenton mentioned Mosaic of Grace to me, but knowing it’s where you found out about Kintsugi, it has just gone to the top of my Amazon wishlist. 🙂 Ever since your first wrote about Kintsugi, it has really intrigued me. 🙂 Love and hugs to you, too! May we lean into Jesus, pour out our brokenness to Him, and open our hearts more and more to His beauty healing!
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What a rich treasure trove you provide for us each month! There is so much to interest, intrigue and inform. Lesley’s series looks fascinating. Brokenness is a subject close to my heart, so I must try to find time to read a few of her posts.
Linda’s emotional health theme is needful and appealing. She invites input and comments and there’s already a lively debate going on there.
I love that you’ve introduced faith quotes and appreciate those you have shared. And the tree photos are amazing. They reveal much about your noticing, compasionate heart. Thank you, Trudy, for this delight-full feast for the soul! Love and hugs. xo 😊💜
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Thank you for your kind, encouraging words, Joy. It warms my heart that this is a delight-full feast for your soul! Love and hugs to you, too! Yes, Lesley’s series truly is fascinating. Brokenness is a subject close to my heart, too, as you know. And Linda’s emotional health theme is truly needful for all of us, isn’t it? May we daily pour out all our deep brokenness to Jesus who can and is so willing to transform it into beauty!
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I love King of My Heart! I learned it at church and it really hit home with me. Mosaics of Grace sounds like a meaningful book. Anything about God’s grace is a worthy read! Thanks for sharing these favorites, Trudy. I love hearing the things that speak to your heart!
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I’m so glad you found things you love here, Lisa. King of My Heart is so meaningful, isn’t it? And yes, anything about God’s grace is a worthy read! May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ fill our hearts and give us strength and peace for each day!
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Hi Lesley! There is beauty in all nature, even the dead and dying trees. I love the leaf change, and really, that’s the death of the leaf.
The book The PTSD Ocean must be such a relief to all who have had to deal with overwhelming circumstances or a tragic event. It’s so great to know that there are people out there who want to share their feelings and healings on that subject, much like you do here.
God bless you for all you do for the hurting and sad. It’s not an easy road.
Blessings,
Ceil
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I’m certain you meant “Trudy,” Ceil, so thank you. I know how easy it is with all the blog posts we try to keep up with to write down a different name. 🙂 Blessings to you, too! Yes, there is beauty in all nature! May we fix our hearts on the One who came to give us life!
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