encouragement – Jenny Grace's Poetry and Creative Writing Techniques

Rose in a Garden: Peace

On this cool autumn Sunday afternoon I walked in the garden and enjoyed the tranquil beauty of roses. This particular rose caught my attention with its soft pink shade. Such peacefulness can be found in a garden. Just walking around and enjoying beautiful colors, the singing of birds high in the oak branches, and the coolness of autumn breezes can surely lift your mood.

So, as we approach the holiday season, take the time to just walk in a garden and not give in to the stresses that often come with the unrealistic expectations of this upcoming holiday season.

God has truly blessed us with an astonishingly beautiful world; keep that in perspective in these coming weeks.

Simplicity is best; do not overburden yourself with unrealistic expectations (from yourself or from others).

We only have one chance at this beautiful life, so make the best of each moment.

Take a walk in a garden.

Enjoy the roses, the birdsong, the cool breezes that sweep across the earth.

Keep this life in perspective. There is indeed light at the end of each dark tunnel.

God is in control. God loves each and every one of us.

You are not alone.

If in this holiday season you start to feel too stressed and alone, please reach out to someone.

2023 is just around the corner; it is a new year to dream again and to set goals and to grow closer to God.

For now, take a walk in a garden and contemplate God’s love. Stand in the silence and just know that there is a tomorrow and you are loved.

Fears, Hopes, and Dreams. . .

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but think about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”- Pope John XXXIII (Brainyquote.com)

I keep this quote near me whenever I get discouraged. We all get discouraged; discouragement is just apart of this journey here on earth. But, we don’t have to live from a place of discouragement; we can choose to think about our potential and we can choose to take positive steps to fulfill our potential. The most discouraging strategy is negative self-talk in which we tell ourselves that there is not a reason to even try, and, of course, another discouraging strategy is to listen to negative comments from other people. “The sky is falling down; the world is a dangerous place. Nobody can ever get ahead. . .Blah! Blah! Blah! And, blah!”

In this coming week, make a point to dedicate at least an hour to something you love to do, be it writing, painting, sports activities, reading. . .Do something that inspires you, and don’t look over your shoulder and wonder what anyone else might think.

In my heart, I sincerely believe God designs each of us for a purpose. Pray that God will help you discern that purpose. Plan a strategy with God’s help to fulfill that purpose.

And if you are in a dark place in your soul where sadness and depression has completely obscured the beauty, joy, and light of this life, please seek professional help from a qualified mental health provider.

You belong in this life; God has a purpose for you. Pray and seek out that purpose.

Here are some links if you need help:

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention

Suicide Prevention – NIMH

https://www.nimh.nih.gov › health

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

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My Favorite Quote: Hope and Potential

Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.

Words from Pope John XXIII

These are the words that I encourage you to remember in your heart as you go about your day. Life can be frustrating; but, there is so much potential in each of us.

Remember the words of Pope John XXIII.

Original Art:Woman with Blue Hat

WIN_20190415_20_56_26_Pro (2)

This is a drawing I did a few years ago. I like to use a lot of color.

In our current climate of worry, stress, and anxiety, I would like to encourage everyone to switch off your devices, tune out the constant media bombardment of horrible news.

We can’t stick our heads in the sand, of course. But, for your mental health, please, please take a break from the news. Switch it off for a day or two days. Or maybe don’t turn it on for a week. Or longer.

Pick up some color pencils and a sketch pad and go to it. Be creative and colorful. Have fun.

Pick up a notebook and a dictionary. Choose as many rhyming words as possible and write ridiculously funny sentences. Write limericks, ballads, rap songs. Write the worst possible country song you can come up with.

Laugh.

The Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time, a season for everything. There will always be sorrow; but, there will also be a time of joy and peace.

These dark days we are experiencing now will not last forever.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us of God’s promises.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” Declares the Lord.”Plans to prosper you and not harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.”

Hope.

With God, hope is eternal.

As we approach the Easter season, trust in God’s promises. Light is at the end of this dark tunnel that we are experiencing right now.

Romans 8:38-39 reminds us of God’s love through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Revelation 21:4 reminds us that God shall wipe away all our tears.

“And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any pain, for the former things are passed away.”

Life will always have sorrow, death and pain. That is just a fact.

Life will always have beauty, joy, and wonder. That is just a fact.

It is my prayer that we all stay safe in these challenging times.

Take a break from the constant media coverage for your mental health. Spend quiet time with God, unburden your soul before Him. Trust that He will always be there to wipe your tears away. Trust that He has plans for you to prosper.

Trust completely in God and in His promises.

And draw a picture, write a song.

And share it!

Memoir:What My Heart Remembers

girl playing baseball — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Excerpt from the rough draft of my memoir. Please read and drop me a note to let me know what you think. Thanks:

Words matter. Teachers matter. The words that teachers say matter. Her nine words managed to quietly sustain me during the later, darker years after I left the comfort of her third grade classroom.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do,” Mrs. Nancy Bazemore clutched my trembling eight-year old shoulders, leaned down beside me and into my ears she whispered those amazing words. I had told her that I had asthma and my parents had said that I couldn’t run.

My class was playing a game of baseball and it was my turn to bat and I was afraid to run around the field.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do. Now run!” She had told me.

I can still feel the sticky sting of tears course down my cheeks; I can still feel the exhilaration of running around that ball field in spite of parents’ warnings. I can still see Mrs. Nancy Bazemore, her brown 1960’s era flip curls, her pretty hands shoving me forward. Into that Georgia afternoon, on that playground, I had defied those words of caution that had debilitated me.

I am sure my parents only had my best interest in mind, but the truth was that it was my sister who had had the asthma and I was therefore assumed to have it, too.

That day, I somehow managed to survive my run around the bases. I didn’t die of an asthma attack as I had feared. In fact, all through my childhood I had been warned by my parents that I couldn’t participate in physical education class because I might have an asthma attack.

Might.

Well, Mrs. Nancy Bazemore took a chance and I did, too.

“Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do.” She spoke those few words, seemingly insignificant to her probably, but to a little eight year old girl for whom encouragement was something rarely received, her words made an enormous impact.

Decades later, my heart remembers.

Thank you, Mrs. Bazemore. I am eternally grateful.