These Hands That Are Holding You

As I write this post I am reminded of how this time of the season is a time of celebration.  There are so many things to be grateful for.  A roof over our heads, opportunites to gather with family and friends, freedom to celebrate Jesus coming to earth, resources to create or purchase gifts and an abundance of food.

I am also reminded that for many this time of the seaons is painful.  Many have expereinced loss, their hearts are breaking, their spirits feel dead and they have given up hope.  My prayer is that for those of you who are suffering, that you will hold onto Hope.  Know that there are Hands that are reaching out to hold you.  Those Hands are the Hands that created you, and those Hands are the Hands of the One who loves you more than anything .

As I close I am overwhelmed with gratefullness. Thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for all you to do help others. Thank you for being the unique and beautiful person that God created you to be.

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

Ephesians 3: 14-20 NLT

Merry Christmas and Blessings to you now and in 2012.

Pam Day

Everything I’ve learned, I learned from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

I know, you may be thinking I’ve gone off the deep end now. What could possibly be profound and meaningful in the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?

I have been promising you a “lighter” post for some time now.  Confession time – I actually wrote this a few years ago for my Life Coaching Newsletter.  However, I have made a few updates to it and it makes me chuckle, so I hope it makes you laugh a little too!

Something you may not know about me is that I am a Christmas animation movie enthusiast. I love those old animations like The Grinch, Rudolph, Night Before Christmas, (which I haven’t seen in years!) and the list goes on. If you share this enthusiasm, then I don’t have to try to explain to you the depth and suspenseful plot in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer! However, for those of you have never seen this historical or is that hysterical show, I strongly encourage you to watch it; you are missing out on a piece of history! In my opinion there are 4 main messages.

Message 1: It’s okay to be a little kooky and different even if the bullies in your life scare the bejezuz out of you or try to make you conform. Remember Rudolph’s parents? They were ashamed of his red nose and tried to hide it so he would fit it. Remember Comet, the reindeer flight coach? Telling the other reindeer not to associate with Rudolph because of his nose, even though he had the best flying skill in the group – how dare he! Well, he sure wouldn’t make an acceptable coach these days! Then there was Clarice’s Dad. Well, I guess we can give him a little slack, he didn’t want Clarice to be involved with someone so “weird”, that’s pretty much a parents job – right?

Message 2: Be bold and be your authentic self. Those who God brings into your life will show up to support, and encourage you in your journey. Remember Hermey the dentist, and Clarice, Rudolph’s girlfriend? Just like Rudolph, Hermey felt he was an outsider and didn’t fit in. He was an elf, but really wanted to be a dentist! That was his passion, so he took the risk and followed his dream even though he had no idea how it was going to unfold. He was able to achieve that dream by meeting Rudolph. Clarice showed unconditional acceptance and love for Rudolph. She encouraged him, and searched for him when he ran away, even though it meant putting herself in danger. Don’t worry, she didn’t get hurt.

Message 3: Be attentive to who is showing up in your life, they are there to teach you something and may even save your life!  Remember Yukon Cornelius the prospector?  “Land HO!!”  He accepted Rudolph and Hermey just as they were. He was their traveling companion on their journey that “mysteriously” took them to the island of misfit toys.  There really are no coincidences in life.  While visiting the island, Rudolph’s eyes were opened to the fact that there were many more out there like him who had a special gift that could be used for a greater purpose. Yukon was concerned when Rudolph ran away and ended up saving Rudolph, Clarice, & Rudolph’s parents from the Abominable Snow Monster!

Side note… I just learned from our reliable sources at Wikipedia that the Abominable Snowman or Yeti is an ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal, and Tibet!  OH MY GOSH!  I hope I don’t run into him while Brian and I are in Nepal this February.  Below is an ancient and rare photo of this ape-like monster, hence the quality.  I hope it is not too frightening for you!  Kid’s beware!

The ancient, rare Yeti

Okay, back to the story… where was I… oh yes, Yukon Cornelius saves the lives of Rudolph’s parents, Rudolph and  Rudolph’s beloved Clarice!   See, I told you she didn’t get hurt. Yukon also gave Hermey his first dentist opportunity, in turn giving the scary Snow Monster purpose in life.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’ll have to watch the movie!

Message 4: Your gifts and talents are wanted and needed and it’s your responsibility to share them with the world. Your gifts were given to you so you can fulfill your purpose on this earth. So stop ignoring them or saying you don’t have any. Stop being afraid!  I know it’s not easy, if you have been reading my posts you know how fear has entered into my life lately.  However, God does not call us to have a Spirit of fear or timidity, but to have a Spirit of power and love.  Okay, that’s my sermon for the day. Onward…

What if Rudolph never returned home? Can you imagine? Santa would not have been able to distribute gifts that year and Christmas would have been cancelled! Oh my! Santa and the other reindeer needed Rudolph’s special ability to lead and guide him through the terrible storm. Rudolph showed grace and was happy to lead. He could have held a grudge and told them to…. well you know. Lastly, Rudolph made a difference in the world not just by saving Christmas, but also by helping all the “misfit” toys have homes of their very own.

Am I stretching it a bit too far? It’s up to you, but remember message 1… It’s okay to be little kooky.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! Oh wait that’s a different story.

Blessings,

Pam

Missions, Music and Surrender

Hello again!  I’ve not fallen off the face of the earth – yet.  Since my last post  I have been to Nashville and back. We had a great time and met a lot of amazing, talented people. If you want to read more about it and hear some of the songs that Brian (my husband) performed, here is the link and below is one of videos.  Check out his other videos here.  Long story short, he is now more pumped than ever to write and perform and is making the intention to do so. Yay!

I am back in the swing of “real life,” which is going swimmingly.  Isn’t that what Cogsworth the enchanted clock says on Beauty and the Beast?   I’ve been really blessed with my current and new coaching clients and feel grateful for the privilege of watching how God is transforming their lives.

You may be wondering about the mission trip to Nepal that I mentioned in my last post.  We have been asked to come lead the music for an annual mission’s conference in Pokhara Nepal.  After many fears coming up on my part, we have officially made the decision to go for it.  Geez, when did I turn into being such a scardy cat!

God has already provided one airline ticket through the gifts of some amazing people.  The funny thing is, this was provided even before we had officially decided to go.  You can’t tell me that was just a coincidence!  We are in the process of trying to find additional service work (i.e. help in schools, orphanages, farms etc.) after the conference is over.  We aren’t sure what this will look like yet, but I am so grateful for the opportunity.  This trip is something that we feel confident that God is asking us to do and even though fear steps in the way ever so often, I am very excited about walking this path.  I will keep you posted on further details and updates.

View of the mountains in Pokhara Nepal

I’d like to say a bit more about those fears I mentioned earlier.  Is it just me or do you ever have fear about opportunities that feel like they are bigger than you can comprehend or imagine?  This is what this trip feels like to me.  Actually that is what my life feels like right now.  I get all chaotic in my head and try to control everything.

It’s that catastrophe thinking, you know the kind.  It’s that thing, that voice, those thoughts, that sneak in and take over our mind.  It tells us, oh my gosh, you can’t really do this or be that.  What if x ,y or z happens?  What will so and so think? That person is so irritating; they just don’t understand what I need!  From my experience if this kind of fear is not caught in time, it will shut down our desire to take hold of the opportunity.  A telltale sign that it’s fear is when you realize that the focus has shifted from others to being ALL ABOUT YOU.

So how do we stop it, how do we catch it in the act?  Well, I needed help even though I consciously wasn’t’ asking for it.  God gave me some “kick in the butt - words” from dear friends.  They told me that I wasn’t seeing things clearly and that I needed to let go of trying to control everything. They told me that I needed to refocus on God and what He wants to accomplish and how this opportunity can be used for others.  Surrender!  All will be provided.  Of course I really didn’t want to hear all that, but thank God they were willing to speak into my life!

In a word, don’t laugh, I’m in the process once AGAIN of letting go (surrendering) and trusting.  Hasn’t that been the theme of my life for the past year?  Holy buckets! (as my friend would say).  Honestly though, I’m grateful.  And I’m grateful to you that you are willing to read my musings, ponderings, process, insights, and sometimes all out craziness.

I’ll keep you updated about the mission trip.  Brian and I will be doing a fundraising gig soon and Brian will have his demo cd’s there if you’d like one.

One other thing that you might be interested in especially during what can sometimes be a stressful Holiday Season, is a tool I’ve created called The Meditation Garden.  Believe it or not, meditation has helped me tremendously with that “fear” issue and has helped me hear from God in a way I never have before.  If you’d like to know more about it, you can take a look at it here.

Thank you for reading and riding this ride with me!

Pam

Are you ready for transition in your life?

I’ve been sort of stuck in my writing lately.  I know it’s because I’ve let myself become distracted, or maybe I should say a bit obsessed.  To be honest, I’ve been struggling to stay present, be in the NOW.   I feel a bit scatterbrained, but not to the point of crazy woman – yet.

It’s not because anything is wrong or hard in life.  Yay for that, given my last post.  It’s because God is showing Himself in some unexpected ways right now and inviting me to join Him.  It’s all very exciting – hence the scatterbrained state. 

Here’s a bit of what’s been happening.  You may or may not know, but Brian (my husband) is a musician (his passion) -        along with his “day job” as a home remodeler.

Just about everyone I know wants to live life with more purpose and make a living doing what they most love to do.   For some that is easy-peasy.  For others, well it’s downright hard.

At some point in our lives we all just do what we have to do.  Sometimes we have to take that crappy job, or suck it up in the job we have.  We try to be grateful that we have a job and to try to find purpose in it.  We try to find other ways to fulfill our passion. For instance, do it as a part-time job.  Or, work like a mad-man/woman so we can retire early and THEN do our passion.  Or, maybe we just let that part of our hearts die, because it’s too scary and too difficult to see any other alternative.

At this point I’m guessing you are thinking, “Pam, you were just about to share about the exciting things that are happening, and now you have taken this detour to cynical town.”  Yes, you are right, I did make a bit of a U-turn.  However, if you are feeling like you are “doing what you have to do right now,” my hope is that the rest of the story will give you hope or inspire you.

Brian and I have been sensing transition in our lives for quite some time now.  We have been opening up to more purpose, more adventure, and more of a life that feels “fully alive.”  Last year we travelled to Italy and while there we were asking God for direction about this transitional time in our lives.  We visited Assisi and came upon this  plaque.

Brian and I read it at different times and later asked one another what we thought about it. Our reaction was identical. “What God?  We come all the way to Italy for an answer and your answer is to go back home and THEN you will tell us what to do?”  We laughed!  Then we remembered the second half of the quote. “At the break of day St. Francis with his reformed inner-self, desired only to conform to the will of God.”  Note to self: “It always helps to look at the whole picture instead of picking and choosing what I want to focus on.”

Later, I wrote in my journal, “God, how do you want me to conform to your will?  What does that really mean?”   The answer was,” Instead of thinking about My will as an event or something to be DOING, I want you to focus on getting to know Me more, to seek and accept Me more in all areas of your life and to be more like Me.  And through conforming to ME, I will provide opportunities that will give you ways to live out My direction, passion and purpose in your life. “

Hence, conforming to God’s will = Becoming more like Him.  How do I do that?  Get to know Him more.  How do I do that?   Spend time learning how He speaks to me and learn how to listen to Him.

Here we are a year later.  The inner work of conforming to God’s will has deepened my relationship with Him significantly.   And now, He is beginning to manifest the outer work – the opportunities – that will direct us toward living out more of His passion and purpose in our lives.

Opportunity #1:  God has provided the opportunity to participate in a conference/ awards show in Nashville Tennessee that will help Brian move forward in his passion – music.

You can read more about it here.

Opportunity #2: God has been talking to us about missions for years.  Just a few weeks ago a mission organization contacted us and invited us to come to Pokhara, Nepal to lead worship/music for their annual mission’s conference.   To be quite honest, I didn’t even know where Nepal was! (For those of you who don’t know, I play keys and sing.) This conference is a retreat for missionaries from all over the world.  It’s a time set aside just for them, to rejuvenate and recharge.

We have no expectations about the outcome nor do we have a clear direction of where we will be after these two events occur.  However, we know that it is God’s direction for now and we are taking the next right step as He reveals it.  Our lives are already feeling more purposeful, our hearts are becoming more fully alive and we are getting a chance to live out our passions in a greater way.

So what’s your story? What are you sensing God is doing in your life right now?

How is He asking you to conform to His will? Maybe it’s to do some inner work, take a leap of faith, take hold of the opportunities He is giving you, let go of control or fears, trust more…

Would love to hear what God is up to in your life if you feel led to share.

Peace,

Pam

Finding God When Life is Upside Down

July 4^th, come and gone for another year.  It’s sounds as though this post will be about the holiday weekend, what freedom means to us a country or something of that nature.  Well… it’s not.  The only related item in this post is the actual date and current state of affairs that surrounded it.

If you read my last post  you know that I tend to be somewhat, well let’s say… intense.   I promise there will be a “light” post in the future, so until then please hang in there with me.

As you know by now, my quest in life is to watch for God and try to find Him in everyday life situations. To be mindful, be aware of His presence and how He is showing up and what He is teaching me.  This is so important to me because doing this deepens my relationship with God.  When I can be mindful of Him, He teaches me more about how to trust Him fully,  live more freely, and with a heart and life fully alive vs. being dead or held back in fear.

So, here are my latest life circumstances that I’m trying to see God in.

It’s Saturday July 2nd and a friend calls because her poor dog has to be put to sleep.

It’s Sunday, July 3^rd another friend calls to tell me a mutual friend has just died a traumatic death.

It’s Wednesday, July 6^th and a third friend calls to say her husband lost his job, they have to move again!

They (whoever “They” are) say it comes in threes – right?  Can you relate?  I’m guessing you can.

We all have times in our lives when life is  just not very fun.  It’s not joyful, it’s downright sad. It’s maddening and we just want to say, (okay I’ve really said this)… “What the %&..@ is going on God, what are you up to?”  “What am I supposed to be learning here?”  Yes, I have to admit I sometimes get a little “put out.”  Sometimes it’s at God, sometimes it’s at other people; sometimes okay, a lot of times it’s at myself – if I will get real and take the time to have the “come to Jesus talk.”

Seriously though, how do we find or see God when our lives are turned upside down?  How are we supposed to know what the “path” is that He is laying out when life is looking like a tornado just came through and smashed the trees to smithereens and in the process covered our path completely?

I don’t have an answer for you, sorry.  All I know is that life is sometimes messy, sometimes it feels too hard to deal with and sometimes it makes absolutely no sense– at least from our limited vantage point.

All I know for sure is…God is there.  He will never leave us.  We may not be able to see Him or His purpose clearly, but He is always there. I know this because I’ve experienced those times when I thought He left me, but once again it was from my limited view point.  That is where that trust part comes into play, and it is dang hard sometimes especially when we are in the eye of that tornado.

God will give us the courage, the comfort, and the peace that we need.   Here’s how God has recently shown me that comfort and peace.

It’s Monday, July 4^th, we gather together with our hurting friends sharing our lives, our joys, hurts and struggles.

A friend shows up at just the right time to lend a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.

I hear God’s  quiet voice expressing love and read His grace-filled words.

The song of encouragement plays at just the right time.

The chapter in the book I’m reading speaks to my soul.

My husband shows his unconditional love, and the list goes on…

God is there my friends, don’t give up. You are loved.  Watch for Him, lean into Him and rest.

Take some time to listen to this song by Laura Story, my hope is that it will be of encouragement.

Grace, Peace and Love be with you,

Pam

Scary Stories Around the Campfire vs. Life Fears

I met with a friend over coffee the other day and she had a few interesting questions to ponder.

1.  What is your biggest fear about your life?

2.  What is your biggest fear about yourself?

Okay, okay, so we have some pretty intense conversations, what can I say?  You are probably sitting  there thinking, “Wow Pam, couldn’t you think of anything better to write  about?  Stay with me…

My mind takes me back to the memory of when I was a kid and  how fun it was to sit around the campfire and tell scary stories.  Maybe you have a similar memory.

I have a friend who used to love going to  graveyards at night because it was so scary. It made him jumpy for days. I must admit, I loved to sneak up behind him and yell.  Made him scream like a woman.

Most of us have watched scary movies or have gone to haunted  houses at some point in our lives.  Isn’t  it funny how that type of fear somehow evokes excitement, but when we are faced  with “lifes’ fears”… Well, they are just way too scary to even think about!  Weird how that works.

Okay, here’s the test.
When you ask yourself the two questions above do you tell yourself, “I  don’t have any fears about myself or my life.”  If that is absolutely true, I acknowledge you for doing the work to get to this place in your life.  However, if you are saying this so you don’t have to answer the questions, then I challenge you to a duel.

That’s right, pick your weapon of choice and walk ten paces back.  Now turn around, place your weapon on the table and face yourself.  Yes, the other person in the duel is you as well.

Ask yourself, what makes these two questions so difficult to answer?   Now that you have that answer ask yourself, am I willing to answer these questions?  If your answer is yes, then go for it oh brave one.  Be kind with yourself as you answer, take your time and show yourself some compassion.

If your answer is no, I’m not willing, then it’s most likely not the right time for you, it’s all perfect.   Whether you are willing or not, good job for being brave enough to consider this topic.

I know I could stop here and no one would ever know the difference, except me and my wimpy-ness.  So, I’m accepting the challenge of the duel as well and if I’m going for it, I might as well go full out.  My hope is that sharing my answers with you will give you a boost of courage to ask God to help you as you conquer your own fears.  Gulp, here goes…

My biggest fear about my life is – if I lost my husband.

My biggest fear about myself goes hand in hand with the biggest fear for my life – that I will be alone.

I believe the old saying that says, “what you fear you will create in your life.”  So, I’m asking God to continue to work with me and quiet or better yet, extinguish this fear from my life.

The good news is now each time this fear comes up for me, I can hear the quiet voice of God giving me a bit of peace and a little more freedom from it.  I have a deeper sense of knowing that somehow through this fear, God is teaching me to have more trust, more faith in Him.

Here is what I’m learning about this strange and scary topic I’ll label:  ”Life Fears.”

1.  Fear is like a giant thumb pushing down on me, keeping me from fully living in who and what God wants. I can’t fully experience what He has to offer my life if I’m being held back by my fears.  I just read this quote in the book Waking the Dead by John Eldredge  “The glory of God is man fully alive”  –  Saint Irenaeus   Wow, let that one sink in for a while.

2.  Every single time I’ve faced my fear, the outcome really was not near as scary as the thought of the fear itself.

3.  Each time I lean into the fear instead of going around it or denying it, God breaks through another chain and I gain more freedom and light into my life.

4.  I always have a choice; I can choose to believe and live in fear, or choose to believe what the Spirit says.  When I choose the latter, my trust and faith in God grows by leaps and bounds and my relationship with Him becomes more intimate.

Are you feeling especially brave? Ready to break the next link on the chain towards freedom?  I invite you to share your fears right here, right now and bring them into the light.

I am honored to walk alongside you in your journey.

Until next time…

Peace,

Pam

Who Do You Want To Show Up As?

I just got back from a trip to the Midwest for a family wedding and was happily surprised by the conversations I found myself engaged in.  The conversation that stood out to me was on topic of Who we are.  Who are we authentically and how do we live in that authenticity in every circumstance?  How does knowing who we are enrich our relationship with God?  It’s a big topic I know, but stay with me as we begin to put together a little piece of the puzzle.  Before reading on please click on the heart.

I’d like to share a bit of my story regarding this topic.  My hope is that it will be of help if you are also asking yourself, Who am I showing up as, who am I authentically and how does that affect my relationship with God, others and experiencing Joy in my life.

For me this journey began in my teens, however, I didn’t understand until my late 30’s.  Before then, I went through life in reactionary mode.   I knew God but felt I had to live up to a set of rules in order for Him to love me and find me acceptable.  I tried following those rules, but more times than not I ended up rebelling against them.  I was searching for who I was and for God to love me just as I was whether I followed the rules or not.  Little did I know that God did love me for me, I just didn’t love myself or know who that self was.

The turning point, for which I am eternally grateful for, was when my marriage began to fall apart.  I hit bottom and God felt very far away.  I was angry, hurt and confused.   I tried blaming my husband for the choices I made.  I tried blaming the church.  I tried blaming God.   Finally, I realized I had no one to blame but myself.  Therein lies a story of forgiveness that I will save for another time.

God showed me that I had no idea who I was (who He designed me to be) and in turn had a tremendously skewed perception of who He was.  Thus, because I didn’t know me, I didn’t know Him and my relationship with Him was based upon what others said it “should be,” what others said it “should look like.” 

I was the person who married at 19 and rode on the shirt tails of my husband.  I felt I had no identity, other than being the music and youth ministers’ wife.  I felt I was invisible and had no voice, a round peg in a square hole.  I felt nervous if someone asked me what I thought about a particular subject.  I didn’t feel safe telling them what I really thought.  I remember a dear friend asking me what I liked to do for fun and I struggled for an answer.  I couldn’t even answer this most basic question.  There is no one to blame here, everyone’s timing in “awakening” is different.

The paradox was, even though I had no idea who I was deep down, I knew how to be a master of disguise on the surface.  I was very good at showing up as the “ideal” role model, portraying the “picture perfect” marriage and the “pinnacle” of what a “good” Christian looks like.  Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t trying to purposely hurt others by acting this way.  But looking back from where I am now to what I was, I see how I was living a life that felt and looked phony.  I had no knowledge of how to be any other way and when the “red flags” came up I ignored them thinking they would magically go away, until the time came when I couldn’t ignore them any longer. 

After checking myself into the Meadows  for a week-long stint of group therapy, I started to see a tiny glimmer of light. God used this unconventional program to get me back onto the path that He designed. Through God’s grace and more deep work, Brian and I chose to reunite.  The following years were tough as we began to rebuild our marriage while trying to find who we were individually, as a couple and how God desired our relationship with Him to look like.

Several years later God led me to Coach Training.  Little did I know that this was not just a career change, but yet another path towards finding more of me and in turn finding a LOT more of God.  When my Coach  asked me the question,” Pam, who do you want to show up as?” I was speechless.  Did she mean I actually had a choice?  That I could actually be conscious enough to put it into words and feel safe in saying it out loud?  I pondered this question for weeks.  I began to journal and pray asking God who He wanted me to show up as.  Guess what, the awareness and words that He gave me were nothing more than what was already deep inside begging to be let out.

It’s fun to see that I still have this  list so that I can share it with you.  It’s been interesting to take it out again and see where I can honestly say, yes this is me and to also see areas that I need to keep practicing with and be mindful of.  Maybe you’d like to begin your journey of discovery by doing this exercise for yourself. 

Try this to get started…

Note:  This is about WHO you are, not your roles or what you do for a living.  Think of this as something like character traits.

Note:  Don’t get caught up in thoughts that might say, you could never be this, or it’s not my personality, or that’s too hard to change.  God is bigger than this!  All He asks is for a willing heart.

Ask yourself – What do I value?  What are my strengths?  You may see these character traits in someone close to you and each time those traits are showing up they speak to you. Take notice.  People are good mirrors for us.

There are many great books out there, here’s one that you might find helpful.  Strength Finders  

However, while books and taking notice of others are helpful I, I encourage you to try not to get caught up in the knowledge of it all and disregarding the heart and application of it.  The answers are within you just ask, listen and watch.

Here’s my list:  Who do I want to show up as?

I want to show up as a person who is:

Authentic:  In every area of my life- Spiritual, Career, Personal, Relationships.  I am confident in who I am. I am confident that God loves me for me.  I am responsible for my taking care of things that are keeping me from living the life that God wants me to live.  I am responsible for taking care of myself.  I honor God, myself and others.  I honor my values and beliefs.  I honor others’ values and beliefs.  I always tell the truth even if it is uncomfortable.  I am articulate and direct in a respectful, loving way. 

Integrity:  I am always honest, I will always do my best, I am diligent even when the journey gets tough. I take care of issues that pull me away from God and my family as quickly as possible.

Compassionate, Caring, Loving, Forgiving, Contributing: I am kind with myself and others.  I do not hold a grudge even with myself.  I respect and do not judge or criticize myself or others.  I value myself and others for where they are in their journey and who they are showing up as.  I am open to new ideas and new learning.  I am courageous and adventurous and want to follow God’s design for the purpose of showing His love.

As I said earlier, this is a big topic and there is much more that could be said.   My hope though is by knowing a little about my story and by sharing a few ways that helped me begin my journey that when the time is right, God will reveal your path. 

I encourage you to share your story when the time is right for you.

Peace,

Pam

Soul Food in Italy

Travel back with me in time for a moment.  It’s October 13, 2010 and my husband Brian and I are boarding the plane, destination… Italy.  We are celebrating our 25^th anniversary.  Wow, if feels surreal, little did we know the whole trip would feel this way.  We feel gratitude for the gift of three whole weeks, three weeks of bliss in this amazing country.  Fourteen hours later our feet are standing on Italian soil and we are waiting for our driver to take us to our hotel in Rome.  We named this trip, the trip of  “The Unexpecteds.”  By the way, Brian took all these beautiful pictures.

We set the intention to try our best to Be Present in each moment of our trip. We wanted to be as spontaneous as we could.  This offered a new sense of freedom to follow God’s promptings and understand how He wanted us to experience the people and the culture. In order to do this, we decided not to plan every detail, every attraction, and every hotel. We booked our first hotel in Rome and our stay with Jan in Chiusi.  The rest of the trip we went with what felt right at the time.  Little did I know that all God had been teaching me about letting go, facing fears, being unattached and staying in the moment, was perfect preparation for our trip.  

We stayed 4 days in Rome, just long enough to get the dolce (sweet) taste of this ancient city. It’s truly mind boggling if you stop to think about all the amazing people who dedicated their entire lives to create the art and architecture here. 

The Colosseum, Rome Italy

 

Hall of Maps, Vatican Museum – Rome Italy

 

After a brief and somewhat “chaotic” introduction on how to navigate the treno (train) including a set of pick-pocketers’ (hmm, is that a word?), we arrived an hour and a half later in Chiusi.  Don’t be concerned, we didn’t lose anything valuable. And had we not had this experience, Brian would not have had the chance to scold the two lady pick-pocketers’ by shaking his finger at them and sternly saying, “NO,” while I was walking quickly away yelling over my shoulder, “get away from them.”  I’m sure they were shaking in their boots.  LOL

Ahhh, Chiusi… now this is what we imagined a small town in Italy to be like. This leg of our stay we did pre-plan.  However, by God’s design it did not go at all the way we had imagined.  Again, another unexpected delight.  Because we wanted to experience more of the people and the culture we were led to a program called Work Away.  It is sort of like agritourism.    

Chiusi, Italy

This was the highlight of our visit to Italy.  We were honored to stay near a tiny village – Gioella- in Umbria with and amazing woman named Jan.  Jan is a big hearted, generous lady, and we feel so grateful that God brought her into our lives.  Jan opened her gorgeous home to us, cooked delicious food and took us on some amazing adventures. 

Jan’s olive grove, Gioella Italy

 

Jan’s backyard, Lake Chiusi

 

 A few of which were: 

• The Chocolate Festival in Castiglione del Lago, where we heard a string orchestra from the local university and experienced the most divine hot chocolate ever! 
• Her choir practice - they graciously allowed us to sing along.
• What is Italy without wine?  How do you get wine?  Well of course you just go to the local winery and “fill er up.”   We also got the tour and SAMPLES yum.

Madrevite Winery, Vaiano Italy – filling up the demijohn

 

• Jan took us to GMB – a lovely tea room where we celebrated my 45^th birthday.
• Next, a tour of the Frantoio where they press the olives that makes olive oil.  Of course, we didn’t know that the very day we were there was open house.  People from the local village came out to gather and celebrate the new oil and new wine.  Of course there were samples in abundance of the new olive oil on toasted bread and new wine, oh yes we had our fair share…ahh pure heaven.  

Toasting the bread at the Frantoio

• Our last outing Jan took us to the Trasimeno Blues concert.  We had dinner and the concert featured Raphael Gualazzi.  This was yet another example of the unexpecteds of our trip.  Words cannot describe what a wonderful time we had and what an incredible, amazing musician he is.  Have a listen here.

Concert Hall, Trasimeno Blues- Città della Pieve, Italy

We were honored to be able to help Jan paint her living room, repair a few things around the house, and pick olives in her olive grove.  We loved meeting and getting to know a few of her lovely friends, Fran and Mike.  We had great fun with them while picking their olives and enjoying laughs and conversation over dinner.  Our trip would not have been complete had we not met these beautiful people. 

We traveled by train to Cinque Terre, a breath taking coastal national park that protects the Cinque (5) villages along the Ligurian Sea. 

Hike from Monterosso to Vernazza

 

Florence was amazing and the art was a sight to behold.  We visited many of the quaint, ancient hill towns in Tuscany and Umbria.  Chiusi, Castiglione Del Lago, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Assisi, and Orvieto. If we were forced to pick a favorite we would vote on Assisi.  It’s quiet spirit, friendly people and history of Saint Francis was inspirational.

St. Francis Basilica, Assisi, Italy

God taught me many things while experiencing another part of His creation and His people.  But I believe now more than ever, the thing that stands out to me the most is this.  Love conquers fear, love conquers labels, love conquers separatism, love conquers all.  We are all connected in one way or the other.  We can help each other even when we are across the globe, if we are willing to take a risk, trust, live  fully awake and experience the adventures that God designs for us. 

I look forward to our next adventure… who knows what it will be.

Namaste – “I honor the place in you where the universe resides…
I honor the place in you where lies your love and your light, your truth and your uniqueness and your peace. I honor the place in you where – if you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me – there is only one of us.”   ~Leo Buscaglia

Pam

Watch for God

I saw, “Watch for God” on a wristband that my friend was wearing today.  A few weeks ago, a client told me that he has posted a big note on his bulletin board that said, “Look for God.”  I read snippets of a journal entry this afternoon on “Finding God, when He seems to be hiding.”  

What do you think would happen if we read that poster each day, looked at our wristband throughout the day and truly believed that God doesn’t hide from us, even when it feels like it?  What if we mindfully looked for and recognized God in every person, and every situation throughout the day?  What do you think would happen to our outlook, our attitude, and our faith? 

Do you ever wonder if perhaps God reveals Himself in a greater way, if we will consciously raise our awareness of Him?  If we will persistently seek Him?  If we will intentionally choose to see Him in all areas of our lives? 

Honestly, I have felt like God was hiding. Other times I felt He was there in Full Color. It felt extreme, on two ends of the spectrum. I didn’t have balance, a continual sense of fullness of His Spirit. 

This used to bother me. It felt as if God’s presence, His involvement in my life, was based on my behavior. Was I doing something wrong or right?  Do you ever feel that way?  

The good news is, my Spiritual journey has brought me to a place of believing that God is more interested in building my character and evolving my life, than my list of do’s and don’ts, my wrongs or my rights.

I sometimes think God looks at me with compassion and chuckles while saying, “Why do you make things so hard, you really don’t get it do you?  You don’t get that I unconditionally love you no matter what you’ve done, or are doing. You are My child, My creation.  My presence is always with you. You will experience My power in your life if you will continue to let go, grow, and trust that I am continually working all things for good.  Sometimes My work is blatantly obvious, sometimes it’s harder to see because I’m working behind the scenes. Always Look for me, Watch for Me and Follow Me, and your life will continually be an amazing adventure if you choose it.”

 As always, I look forward to hearing your story.

Peace,

Pam

Facing my Fears, Yikes!

I’m sitting hear with my glass of wine, pondering the Spiritual lessons I’ve been learning and putting into practice.  I ask myself, whats next?  Now seems like the appropriate time to bring out the big guns. The lesson on moving closer to our purpose often time requires facing our fears and opening up to trust. (gulp)  That must be why wine was in order tonight.  Just kidding! 

Ahhh, the next level of challenge…the process of Facing Fears, identifying them, walking through them and finally letting them go.  I’m talking about the kinds of fears that are mostly in our thoughts, our perceptions, our judgments. You know what I’m referring to…the kinds of fears that run our lives and keep us paralyzed from moving forward towards our life’s purpose/s.  

There’s the rub, living a life of purpose many times requires us to face our fears and what does facing our fears require?  Trust.  Trusting that if we call those fears out onto the carpet, and recognize them for what they are, we won’t fall apart, nor will our world fall apart.  Trusting that if we identify our fears, we have the opportunity to make a choice, let them go or continue living with them.  

For me, the trick is to be mindful about the choices I am making regarding my fears.  Have my fears become so intimidating, that I have become desensitized or shut down?  Have I chosen to be in denial and play the victim role?  On the other hand, have I become aware of the fear but know the time is not right to let it go, so for now, I choose to continue living with it?  On the other side of the coin, is the time right to choose to let my fear go?  If so be ready, change is on it’s way and my life is going to begin to take on a different form. Sound exciting?  I think so! 

So, how do we identify our fears?  Even though we are all unique, I believe we experience similar kinds of fears.  They may sound good on the surface, but when we take a deeper look at them we realize they are keep us stuck and hinder us from experiencing God’s freedom and purpose.  Here are a just a few I’ve used, see if you recognize any of them in your life. 

I have to be successful. ~ In Other Words ~ I’m afraid to fail. 

If I can’t jump in with both feet, I’m not going to jump in at all.  ~ In Other Words ~ I’m afraid I won’t do it perfectly. 

I won’t make enough money. ~In Other Words ~ I’m afraid and don’t trust that God will provide. 

Other people will think I’m crazy and irresponsible.  ~In Other Words ~ I am afraid and hold too much value on what other people they think. 

I might get hurt (emotionally) ~ In Other Words ~ I’m afraid because I’ve been hurt in the past and I’m gun-shy, so I’m not going to chance it again. 

I might look stupid. ~ In Other Words ~ I’m afraid of being vulnerable. 

I have to stay “busy.”  ~ In  Other Words ~  My self-worth, self-esteem is wrapped up in how much I can pack into a day.  I’m afraid what my life might look like without all the busyness. 

So, how do we walk through our fears and break the chains that are holding us down?  How do we experience freedom to explore and discover God’s purpose/s in our lives?  For me it is a process, one stepping stone at a time.  

Stepping stone #1 – Become aware of the fear and identify it. Be mindful of our thoughts, our words, our perspective.  Remember that we have options, we may need to ask for help in order to see them clearly.  Open ourselves up to the idea of being willing and to trust.

Stepping stone #2 – Change our mindset or perception of the fear and the “what if’s.”  Check out this article for a different perspective on the “what if’s.”   Trust that God is working behind the scenes. 

Jeremiah 29:11  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

Stepping stone #3 – Talk to God and ask for guidance.  If it’s time to move forward, it may require taking an action step. Sometimes that action step begins with surrendering, holding out hope, trusting, and sometimes physically doing something.  Get ready because many times the action steps may feel uncomfortable.  Remember Santosha 

Stepping stone #4 – Follow through with the action step/s.  Ask God for strength and guidance.  Ask others for support. 

Stepping stone #5 –  Keep your eyes and heart open, and watch how God works as He break the chains of fear in your life.  Tell someone else about your experience and offer to support them through their process.  Get ready; when you experience this kind of freedom, you will gain more clarity about your purpose/s and experience more Joy in your life. 

How does this topic resonate with your story?

Thank you in advance for sharing. 

Peace,

Pam