Tag Archive for: forgiveness

November, 2022 Newsletter

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Grateful & Thankful ! 🙂

Darlene Larson & Teresa Lasher with her new book!

I’m so grateful this season for many things. As you can see from our smiling faces, I’m privileged to know a famous author and life coach, Darlene Larson. Her name, along with others, is listed on the acknowledgement page in the front of my new book, The Child becomes The Parent: Coping with Grief.

Listen to what Darlene has to say:

“About two years ago, I had the honor and joy of coaching Teresa Lasher (thank you, Teresa). A slice of her and her father’s story was talked about. It grabbed my heart. Then COVID steam rolled in and more of her story with her father unfolded. She published her book this fall and it covers MUCH in a loaded 50 page book about her father and her journey.”

We continue as friends and write together in community. What are you thankful for today?

Who would choose to walk a path of loss and grief? This path became Teresa Lasher’s story as caregiver to her elderly father. She wrestled with helplessness and exhaustion. Fighting for his physical, emotional, mental well-being and safety, he continued to slip further away during the Covid pandemic mandated isolation.

Desperately needing wisdom and preparation for existing and unforeseen battles, Teresa had to learn coping strategies. Granting herself permission to take time off, she often escaped outdoors to write and muse. She chose to exercise forgiveness where needed. When dealing with fear, doubt, and grief, God sent people who showed kindness at just the right time. In Teresa’s story of incredible hope and insight, she learns there are unexpected blessings in the midst of her grief journey.

If you’d like a copy for yourself, as a gift, or to be used in a group setting, local copies can be obtained through Kregel Parable Bookstore or online.

What folks are saying about the new book:

  • This is a very well written book, straight from the heart. It’s very easy to read and very relatable, having also gone through the slow loss of a parent as they struggled with dementia…”
  • This book was well written and easy to read. Teresa shared a very personal, difficult journey. It was a great encouragement to me, and showed God’s faithfulness each step of the way. Highly recommend!

Also available is my 90-day count your blessings & live life in the present devotional book, Life is: Good, Fragile, and Precious—Loving yourself so you can love others. What others are saying:

  • “A story of bravery in the midst of uncertainty…an inspiring and truth told book for those that are walking through a fearful and pain filled health diagnosis.”
  • “Teresa Lasher’s book has been written not only to tell her story of surviving a brain tumor but to give each of us hope and encouragement as we find our way through each day. It inspires us to live our lives to the fullest by learning to love ourselves so we in turn can love others.”
  • “This is a carefully crafted book that step by step helps readers look in the mirror and assess their own life journeys – especially when those tumultuous moments arise.”

His grace is an ocean

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“And we are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest

I don’t have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way
Oh, how He loves us, oh
Oh, how He loves us, how He loves all …” — How He Loves Us, by David Crowder band

I recently listened to this song several times. I still have a hard time comprehending or beginning to understand the depth and immensity of God’s love. For me. For you. For humankind … knowing we often fail to show our love toward God. I say and do things I know displeases and makes him sad.

Grace. Forgiveness. Love. All these characteristics are clearly evident in God. I claim this New Year — 2013 — to be a year of fresh starts. How about you?

Dear God, I chose to be more aware of your love for me, my family and friends. I chose to recognize daily and even minute-by-minute blessings you freely give. I chose to learn more of you in your love letter, the Bible. I ask for your strength to accomplish these activities. Without you, I can do nothing. Amen.

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Erratic like a hummingbird?

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Green Violetear (Wikipedia)

Sitting on our deck after dinner, my husband says, “Don’t move—the hummingbird’s back!” I glance at the reflection in our glass slider and see the feeder and colorful hanging flower. Then I see him hovering, deciding whether to stay or go. He flitters past my right ear and then moves behind my husband’s head, and momentarily back again to the hummingbird feeder and beyond. He makes a tiny rustle in my ear while flexing his wings erratically, and then he’s gone as quickly as he first appeared. Intentional at sipping the sweet nectar, but disrupted by our human presence.

How often do I set out with good intentions to pray, read a chapter or verse in the Bible, then get distracted? More often that I care to admit. I start out strong by reading one or two verses, then quit before I allow God to speak and his words to sink in deep. The disruption may come in the form of a family member or friend needing my attention, household duties, or a work deadline. It could be just plain tiredness or hunger that takes that place of necessary solitude time with God.

Whatever the reason for my lack of follow through, I suffer for being negligent. Knowing the sweetness and peace received from God’s love letter when I do take the time, you’d think I would return on a more consistent, enthusiastic basis. But I falter and fail again and again. All I need is enclosed within the pages of this truth-filled handbook with instructions for living a joyful and successful life. I won’t find undue flattery, but instead unconditional love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Hummingbirds, one of God’s beautiful creatures, are still fascinating to me, but I don’t want to model their erratic behavior. My desire is to spend more time in the Word allowing the message to sink in and change my thinking. When my thinking changes, my actions follow more in line with my Father’s will. This all takes time, energy and commitment to be still and consciously decide to rest and allow God to feed my thirsting soul.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”

(Philippians 3:13–14).

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Thirsting for more

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“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water…” (Psalm 63:1).

Thirsting for something more? Something that satisfies your longing? Maybe you’ve tried filling the emptiness with a spouse, friend, child, work, exercise, hobbies. Been there and done that, but none of those ever fully quench that deep-seated hunger and thirst for something lasting. I always come up short and lacking. 

David wrote this 63rd Psalm while in the Desert of Judah. He knew what it meant to be betrayed by family members and to betray, to lust after a woman, and even murder. Through it all, he learned to seek God—his sole source of refuge and forgiveness. God alone satisfies wholly and completely. He loves us unconditionally. He knows us better than we know ourselves; yet still loves us! That’s the most amazing news of all.

Prayer:  Thank you, God, for being my oasis in times of drought and trouble. You are my one constant I can count on day after day.

Ask:  Are you lonely, empty, or bitter? Have you tried seeking fulfillment with other methods and still come up empty? Isn’t it time you gave God a chance to put the pieces of your life back together?

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Rest in him

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 “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” (Isaiah 30:15) 

It is the returning to God, repenting and turning away from my former ways, that I receive forgiveness. Rest is then my reward. Confidence and quietness becomes my strength to face the trials and joys of the day.

God longs to show me his gracious and compassionate nature—to share in all the blessings. I have no idea what today may bring, but he does. He will show me the way when I wait and place ultimate trust in him.

Prayer:  Dear God, I return to you. I trust you to calm my soul trusting in your strength to carry out necessary tasks today. Thank you for showing me compassion and grace I do not deserve.

Ask:  Are you confused about which task to do next? Feeling overwhelmed and full of unrest? Have you tried leaning on God for wisdom and stability? 

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