Rebecca VanDeMark's Blog, page 236

The Novel Garden Crate 1

It is hard to believe that it has been three months since The Novel Garden started! It has been a whirlwind of activity and I realized that it has been a bit since I chatted about it on the blog so today I wanted to share with y'all some pictures from one of the first boxes that we sent out. Our first order was for "The Book Reader Edition". "The Book Reader Edition" is for those who wish for one book each quarter instead of four.  As mentioned on the website each box is curated with one Christian book. Each of our crates also feature items to enhance and encourage your life.  We had several pieces that were included from small shops and up and coming boutiques.  We had a delightful time packing up this very first order and the ones since! Thank you to each of you who have become part of the Novel Garden family! If you are looking for a perfect graduation or wedding present this would be the perfect gift!  With every crate subscription we give back to the community by committing 10% of the purchase price to help purchase Bibles for those who cannot afford them or do not have access to them around the world and by donating book contents to existing Little Free Libraries.
Want to sign up for our quarterly subscription crate? Click HERE! Want to find out more about The Novel Garden? Visit the website HERE! 
Happy Saturday friends! I hope that you are having a wonderful day and weekend!

Chambray Shirt and Black Skirt with Statement Necklace

A couple of weeks ago the weather here in the north started to take a slow turn towards spring. After one last snowfall on April 1st, signs of spring have been popping up. One of the things that I love to wear during this time is "transitional clothing". I love this chambray shirt and black skirt combo with a fun necklace for these transitional weather days!  Y'all know that I love fun and unique pieces of jewelry and this necklace was the perfect addition to give this outfit a bit of a pop while still staying classic.  I love the geometric print of this purse with the simple and classic chambray shirt and black skirt. A couple of weeks ago between doctors appointments and some other commitments we snapped some pictures along the beautiful stone walls that are near the lake.  It was a fun day with lots of smiles as we dream about warmer weather coming to stay for good! Skirt (similar HERE)//Chambray shirt (similar HERE)// Necklace- HERE (find similar ones in my Chloe & Isabel Boutique HERE)// Shoes (similar HERE - LOVE these!)//Sunglasses -HERE 
Happy Friday friends! Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? 
Thank you to Stella and Dot for the gift of this beautiful necklace. 

From Hope Valley (Week 12): The Blessing of Graceful Truth

One of my favorite parts of the 4th episode in Season 1 were the words that Elizabeth wrote in her journal. There is such a simple yet deep truth that is conveyed here, the reality that the truth isn't always what may appear right in front of us in black and white. In recognizing this we find a precious blessing, a blessing that only can come from discovering graceful truth. In learning this we truly see that sometimes love can come just in time to save our lives. 

I think that this episode spoke to me in deep ways because I have always been a person who has deeply valued truth. Truth in telling the correct facts, truth in sharing the exact true order of events, and truth that is black and white before us with no gray areas. This episode though has made me stop and ponder truth in a deeper and more rich way. 

The beauty of truth where grace exists. 

Truth that is allowed to speak freely of pain that we hold deep in our wounded hearts that we don't hide behind the insistence that we are "fine". Truth that goes beyond the pretty social media pictures that show a highlight reel that doesn't include pain. Truth that can be expressed and where it is met with grace that brings about a redemptive story of healing and love. In this type of beautiful, graceful truth, love can and will come just in time to save your life.

Recently a friend was sharing with me the heartbreak of losing a friendship that they had thought would last a lifetime. She shared that this relationship that had undergone some deep and difficult changes and instead of being a redemptive place, the friendship turned into a place of deep hurt. I know that my friend is not alone in experiencing the heartbreak of lost friendships and broken relationships that exist in this world. I have heard from so many hearties that wish that they could live in Hope Valley with good and deep friendships. I understand. I really do. This past year I have experienced a loss of a friendship that I held quite dear and it was incredibly painful. It was a friendship that I believed would be for a lifetime and when this person left our friendship it was incredibly painful. In these types of relationships, where we have dared to risk and share our precious hearts only to have things end, it can be tender to think that we will ever experience friendship that is built on graceful truth.

But the truth is where grace and love exist, where trust is the foundation of friendships, and where we love and listen with our hearts we find true love in friendship. We find that looking beneath the "fineness" to a deeper existence and one that can bring a beauty of love that can save our lives. We find that creating a safe space for those who encounter our hearts to come and receive grace is one of the biggest blessings of love that we can pour out to the world.

I know that I am not alone in my admiration for the friendship between Abigail and Elizabeth that exists on the show. I have heard so many different hearties express that they long for a close friendship like this one. I have been so blessed to have several close friends who are my "Abigail's and Elizabeth's" in my life. As I think about the way that Abigail and Elizabeth's friendship has evolved over the course of the last four seasons I think one of the most beautiful redemptive things is the story of grace and truth that is offered within their friendship. Their friendship ebbs and flows out of graceful truth being the foundation for their friendship and this encourages and allows truth to be spoken. In doing so, in having this foundation, we have seen many times love coming to save their lives. 

In this same way, in my deepest and truest friendships I see that when these same principles are modeled there is a beautiful blessing of graceful truth that exists. It changes me deeply and in turn I can offer even more freely to the world around me graceful truth and love. It truly has a ripple effect, not just on me, but on my community. 

At the core, Elizabeth was right. Love does often come just in time to save our lives. Today, let's build into the friendships that God has placed before us friendships centered on God's grace, tenderness, and trust. Let us have the courage to work to create spaces of truthful grace in the midst of each of our relationships. In doing so, we will be blessed with the most beautiful thing- the blessing of graceful truth which will spread over into every corner of our lives, allowing love to come in time to save our lives. 

"The truth will set you free..."
-John 8:32-
Looking for past From Hope Valley Devotionals? You can click HERE to find a complete listing of all of the devotionals! 
I receive several emails a week asking where you can watch older episodes of "When Calls the Heart". If you have a Netflix account you can find seasons 1-3 there or you can purchase them on Amazon. You can purchase and watch all of the seasons and episodes by clicking on the links below:When Calls the Heart, Season 1When Calls the Heart, Season 2When Calls the Heart, Season 3When Calls the Heart, Season 4 (All of the episodes from the Season are now available on Amazon for purchase.)
*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.*

7 Things to Take With You When You Are In Port

One of my favorite things about cruising is the opportunity to explore so many different places of the world. I love traveling to new places and I love getting off the ship to explore all of the different ports that the ship stops at. 
When I first started cruising though I had no idea what I should take with me each time that I got off the ship, so today I wanted to share with y'all seven things to always take with you when you off the cruise ship when you are in port. 
A quick side note. I have used a ton of different bags when disembarking off the ship for going into port over my time of cruising. I love to find something that matches where I am at so when I have been in the Caribbean I have used a large straw bag (like this one (it comes in several different colors) or THIS fun beach one (which is less than $50!). If you are looking for a smaller straw bag THIS Rebecca Minkoff Beach Hair Pompom Straw Clutch is adorable! 
Other times I have used a favorite large purse or tote (like this Madewell 'The Transport' Leather Tote or the Junior Women's Street Level Slouchy Faux Leather Tote With Pouch). The great thing about choosing a larger bag is that you could easily use this for embarkation day too! Choose whatever works for you as you will want to carry everything in your bag for the entire time you are off the ship. 1. Cruise Ship CardYour cruise ship card (or band/medallion/etc.) is something that you will want to carry and keep with you when you are on the ship and when you are getting off. As you leave the ship to disembark at port you will scan your card which will allow the ship to keep record of who has gotten off. When you come back to the ship you will re-scan your card and it will show that you have arrived back on board. 
In addition to this, if you are cruising to a ship lines personal island (like Coco Cay(owned by Royal Caribbean) or Castaway Cay(owned by Disney Cruise Line)) your ship card will work just like it does on board the ship if you wish to purchase anything on the island.  2. PassportYou will definitely want to take your passport with you when you are embarking off the ship if you are in a port that is international. If you are not at a port that is international and you choose to not take your passport with you, make sure to lock it up securely in your safe in your room. I personally carry my passport with me at all times, but I know some people prefer to leave theirs in their room if they are not at an international port. 
Extra tip: Do you like to have your passport stamped as part of your souvenir but are not sure where to get the stamp in port? When you disembark make sure to ask someone who can easily direct you to where you can get your passport stamped. Every port will have a local town office where you can get this done and it is usually within in a short walking distance from the ship. If you are disembarking in Nassau the government building is literally down the walkway from where the ships let you off. If you are stopping in St. John (Canada) you will need to walk up the hill but the gorgeous views of the city and the port from the top are well worth the climb! 3. CameraThis one might seem like a silly reminder, but I can't tell you the number of times that I have been getting off the ship and seeing people trying to get back on because they had forgotten their camera. Don't forget to bring this as you definitely want to capture all of the memories that you will make! 
Going to be visiting beautiful islands and want to use an underwater camera but don't want to spend a ton of money? Consider purchasing the Nikon COOLPIX S33 Waterproof Digital Camera to use! I purchased this for our Royal Caribbean Cruise in November and it was wonderful! You can see some pictures that I took with it in my post about our Reef Snorkeling and Sandbar Getaway Shore Excursion HERE! 4. Money/Credit CardEven though cruise ships operate on a cashless system your stops in port won't. Make sure that you bring the appropriate money or credit card to use when you are getting off the ship. (Also, just like I suggested in my post, 10 Things to Do Before You Leave on Your Caribbean Cruise, make sure you call your bank and credit card companies and let them know where you will be traveling.) 5. SunscreenDon't forget to pack extra sunscreen in your bag as you leave the ship! If you are stopping in a warm-weather port you will definitely want to have this with you! 6. WaterOne of the things that can be easy to do is to forget to stay hydrated in the midst of all of the fun. Make sure to throw in a bottle of water as you are leaving so that you can easily stay hydrated throughout the day. Not sure why you should be drinking water? Check out this post on the 15 benefits of drinking water! 7. Medications/SupplementsI shared this last year in my post, 10 Tips for Cruising With a Chronic Illness, but make sure that you pick up any medicines and over-the-counter meds you need a few days before your trip. I find that it easiest to divide out my supplements by days and then when I am getting off the ship I just take that days specific supplements with me. For medicine I take all of the meds I may need in a small bottle for the day (separated out as some meds can interact with each other). If you are living with a serious or chronic illness this can take a lot of time to plan and prepare your medications and supplements. Honestly, it can take a bit of maneuvering (and even a lot of patience) to make sure that you have all of our meds before a trip. I have said this before, but I can't encourage you enough to try to work on this as much of you can ahead of time as some medications can only be purchased with insurance at certain intervals so you will want to work this out with your doctor and insurance company. If you want to read more about this or tips with cruising with an illness you can check out my post HERE.
What about y'all? What are things that you always take with you when you are in port? I would love some extra tips! 

When Truth Refreshes... the Book RELEASE

Ever since I was a young girl I have always marveled at the way that God is a personal God who knows not only the hairs on my head, takes cares of the birds of the field, but also uniquely and personally shows Himself over and over again. One of those ways for me has been through dates of times and days over the months and years. 
Last year, when Path of Hope was released, I shared that the book was released on the exact day that I had my first appointment for Lyme Treatment. While I have since switched doctors and medical facilities since that appointment, that time and treatment was the foundation that the Lord used to first save my life, discovering that this journey would also include Skin Cancer as well as fighting Lyme.
This year with this release I admit that I was excited to see that it would fall on the first day of Lyme Disease Awareness month. I started writing this specific book in December 2013 so the timing of the release date brings a smile to my face. At the time I was deeply struggling with loneliness and grief, fear, frustration, anger, hopefulness and hopelessness in addition to a myriad of other emotions when a stack of beautiful letters arrived at my front door from some former students. These letters (which I have carried with me in a special notebook and are tattered right now) spoke beautiful truth of God's love, His power to do the impossible, and His never ending mercies for each morning. Several months later, in April 2014 I had the brief opportunity to try to thank these beautiful ladies for their gift. Honestly, I was so overwhelmed with emotion of seeing these dear ladies, being back in my former classroom, and being with my former students and staff members that I loved so much that my words were so choppy and bumbled I wish I could do the entire day again. From the precious words of encouragement and love that I received afterwords, I knew though that my heart had been heard and that was a beautiful gift to my soul. 
Visiting in April 2014 renewed my desire to write a book on the topic of the emotions that accompany the Lyme Disease journey and the hope that comes from the truth of scripture on this topic. Truth had met me in deep ways when I visited my old school. I saw clearly the beautiful hope that is found in history and the beautiful truth of from the book of Psalms:
"Those who are wise will take heart, they will see in History the faithful love of the Lord." 
Throughout the last couple of years I continued to write this book, more than on the slips of papers, napkins, mediation bags, doctors notes, and lab results, but on my heart. Over the course of time in hospitals, doctors offices, treatment sessions, from my bed when I couldn't sit up, the theme of this book and the truth that I was writing was being imprinted on my heart and soul.
I came across this quote by Paul David Tripp earlier this year and this summer the Lord has brought it to mind again and again, especially in finishing up the last edits of this book:
"Every day you preach to yourself a gospel of your loneliness, inability, and lack of resources or you faithfully preach to yourself the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ." 
I need to do this. I needed this book. I needed to be reminded of the truth of the gospel and the hope that comes from that. I need to preach to myself the gospel of Jesus Christ and the tender mercy that meets me in my emotional distress. 
The timing of finalizing things with this book release and finishing up last minute items with this book has not been lost on me. This journey through this disease has brought a myriad of different emotions: excitement at the progress of healing that I am slowly experiencing, joy at finding a wonderful and experienced medical team to help me, anger over the lack of understanding and support in the political arena of Lyme, discouragement at the extreme lack of energy I have and the way that fighting Lyme Disease prohibits me from living life fully the way that I wish I could, regret, anger, frustration, and sometimes hopelessness at feeling this journey will never end. 
This past week has been especially difficult as I have been fighting intense pain and struggling more than ever. But this past week in many ways is once again reflective of the entire journey... and in many ways life. Our emotions can shift and change and there can be times of hardship and grief and times of highs and joy but truth refreshes even the weariest of emotional droughts. 
As I approach another anniversary of when this season began and everything was shattered, I look back on the now tear-stained pages of my Bible with a soft smile. An understanding of truth that has refreshed my soul. Of knowing how my emotions have been met with grace and love and hope, especially on days where I felt I could do nothing but weep.
My prayer with this little book is that it will encourage anyone who reads it, lead them to scripture, remind them that they are not alone in this fight, and gently remind them that the God of hope and truth is very present and active in this often emotional journey. 
 I am SO excited to announce that it When Truth Refreshes officially released this morning!! You can purchase it where books are sold or on Amazon (also available in Kindle form) and you can click HERE to purchase it! 
Thank you to each of you that have already purchased it!! If you have a chance will you take a moment and leave a review? Thank you!! Thank you so much to ALL of you that have been walking this journey with me in prayer! TRULY you are a blessing!!
"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."-Psalm 25:5-
With Love, 

Sunday Scripture Three (Psalm 34:18)

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April's Fashion Posts Roundup (and a few sales!)

It is hard to believe that April is quickly coming to a close and on Monday it will be May 1st!! In many ways this month has flown by hasn't it?!? Today I wanted to share a roundup of all of my fashion posts from this past month! There were so many adorable items that I found that I wanted to do a roundup post for the month!  Last week I shared 5 adorable white and blue tops that I had found from the ASOS website. If you have been around the blog for even a short while than you know that I love ASOS. One of my favorite tops was definitely the Miss Selfridge Tie Shoulder Top! I love the easy look of summer of it and it really is so cute!  Another one of my favorites tops from that same post was the ASOS One Shoulder Top in Cotton - White top! So many one shoulder tops right now and this one is absolutely no exception of being cute and adorable.  Finally, this adorable Miss Selfridge One Shoulder Cutwork Top - Blue top was another favorite from the post. To see all five of the tops you can read the post HERE! Earlier in the month I shared a post about 5 cute and affordable Easter dresses that you will want to wear all Spring and Summer. This was a really fun post to write and I know several of you commented on some of your favorite pieces, including this LOFT Eyelet One Shoulder Dress. Guess what?!? This dress AND everything at LOFT is now 40% off (simply use the code OHGOODIE)!!! Yea! It is selling out fast so quickly head on over to shop by clicking HERE ! (AND don't forget that you can receive $25 Off Your Entire Order with Email Signup! Another favorite from that same post was this SheIn Lace Cami Dress. I have seen so many dresses that have this look this season but they are so expensive! I was thrilled to see this SheIn dress for $50. It comes in sizes small through large. You can find it in the lace dress section at SheIn by clicking HERE. Finally, this This beautiful Yoana Baraschi Pepin Sheath dress from Rent the Runway was an a absolute favorite by so many of you and I totally agree. The dress looks absolutely gorgeous and would be the perfect dress to continue to wear throughout the Spring and Summer for date nights or to attend weddings. It reminds me a bit of the dress that Princess Kate wore in India last year and I love the details on this dress. Rent the Runway has the dress available in sizes 0-12. Looking for a larger size? Rent the Runway has tons of adorable and cute plus size dresses available. You can find the plus size section by clicking HERE. 
One of the things that I love about Rent the Runway is that they have tons of cute and affordable designer dresses for under $50. You can find out more by clicking HERE. And through April 17th Rent the Runway has a special sale going on where you can rent one dress and get TWO free! Simply click HERE for the deal! And if it is your first time to use Rent the Runway you will receive $25 off any purchase of $75 or more! Lots of great sales!! Finally if you are still looking for some adorable sandals to wear this season check out my post a few of my favorite sandals from ASOS which you can find HERE!
And finally- y'all coming next week I am SO excited to announce a special project that I have been working on for the last several months relates to my love of fashion! Stay tuned for this exciting announcement!! I hope y'all have a wonderful Friday and a wonderful weekend! The weather has been warm here recently and I am hoping to spend a lot of time outside!

5 Days Until "When Truth Refreshes" Releases

It is hard to believe that there are only FIVE days until "When Truth Refreshes" is Released! You can read more about the book HERE! Thank you to all of y'all for your support and all of your prayers in these final days as last minute items are finished! 

What's Up Wednesday (April Edition)

Happy Wednesday friends! I am excited to link up with Mel, Shaeffer, and Shay for the "What's Up Wednesday" Link up! I have so enjoyed reading these ladies posts and am excited to join in! It has been so fun to connect with so many other ladies who are doing this each month over last year and I am looking forward to connecting more in 2017. Here are all of the "What's up Wednesday" posts from 2017:
What's Up Wednesday January EditionWhat's Up Wednesday February Edition
And here are all of my "What's up Wednesday" posts from 2016: 
What's Up Wednesday January EditionWhat's Up Wednesday March EditionWhat's Up Wednesday April EditionWhat's Up Wednesday May EditionWhat's Up Wednesday June EditionWhat's Up Wednesday August EditionWhat's Up Wednesday September EditionWhat's Up Wednesday October EditionWhat's Up Wednesday December Edition
 If you would like to join in and have a blog, just answer the questions above!
What We're Eating this Week...  So everyday I work to get approximately 8 cups of greens into me. To me this is just as much a part of my healing process as all of the medicine and supplements that I take. I eat a non-gluten and dairy lifestyle and am also low-sugar (my sugar comes from my fruit smoothie every morning). But this winter I am kicking it up even more and working to get 10 cups of greens into me. 
I don't currently juice for a variety of personal physical reasons and have read about all of the health benefits of actually chewing the greens so this is what I am currently eating. Honestly I am so sick with this treatment plan it is a bit rough but I know the healing properties will help so I am pushing through. What is your favorite green to eat? I am currently munching on Spinach as I type this. *smiles*
Interested to find out the benefits of Kale or Basil? You can find a post I wrote about the benefits of Kale HERE, and find another post on the benefits of Basil HERE. 
What I'm Reminiscing About...   Trips and adventures of the past. In the next 18 months I have so many exciting adventures coming up, including a trip to Prince Edward Island, Alaska, and Europe that it is fun to reminisce about trips of the past while dreaming about these future trips. 
At the moment I am researching like crazy for my upcoming Prince Edward Island trip. If you missed yesterday's post I am still looking for lots of great recommendations for the upcoming trip to Prince Edward Island (from Boston) and would love to hear of any tips or places to see that y'all would recommend. You can read more about what I am looking for HERE. 
What I'm Loving...  My ESV Journaling Bible, the Interleaved Edition. I absolutely LOVE it. For such a long time I have always loved making notes in my Bible and bringing artistry to what I am studying. At the same time though I haven't wanted to cover other scriptures that I may want to really delve more into at a future date. Enter the ESV Journaling Bible, the Interleaved Edition. Every other page is a FULL blank page. It allows for tons of creativity and lots of note writing and I am loving every single moment of using it. It is a bit big and heavy so I still use my smaller Bible (THIS beautiful flower one from the Bloom Collection) for travel, but I can't say enough about the ESV Journaling Bible, the Interleaved Edition for my home Bible Study. If you have any questions I am happy to answer- it is wonderful!
What I've Been Up To... Working on lots of orders for my Etsy shop and some charity donations that I do each year from my shop. The most popular request recently has been for the multi-colored custom altered journal order (I think everyone is dreaming of Spring! *smiles*)with the purple custom altered journal order a quick second. Still looking for last minute graduation gifts? These make wonderful presents! (You can find the shop by clicking HERE!) I have also been working on lots of subscriptions for The Novel Garden! This has been such a wonderful program and I am so thrilled with the impact that it has made already. If you are not familiar with it you can read more about this special subscription box HERE and order your subscription box HERE. 
Also, we are always looking for authors and shops to join us in this adventure, as well as affiliates. Find out more about how you can become a part of it HERE.
What I'm Dreading...  I can't say anything different than more treatment. But we take one day at a time, sometimes with a lot of tears and other times trying to laugh more than cry and remember the precious promise of Psalm 125:6:
"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy."
What I'm Working on...  Lots of marketing items, interviews, and things related to the release of When Truth Refreshes THIS Monday!! This devotional is my most personal yet with tons of personal stories in each chapter. Writing this over the last couple of years was a growing experience and also a real blessing. I was constantly reminded of the beautiful truth of: "Every day you preach to yourself a gospel of your loneliness, inability, and lack of resources or you faithfully preach to yourself the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ." (Paul David Tripp) I can't wait for the release on Monday and pray it will be a huge blessing to each person who reads it. When Truth Refreshes will be available where books are sold and on Amazon.   I am also working on some final edits for September Caravan that will be released on September 1st! And also...  When Lyme Invades that will be released November 1st! 
It is a busy writing year and yet, so exciting. I am so grateful for all of the support! I also announced on Monday some exciting updates for two of my previous books, Praying through Lyme Disease and Path of Hope that you can read more about HERE. 
What I'm Excited About...  Lots and lots of things. Do you remember when I shared my word for this year? There are so many ways that I see this coming to fruition. Small, big, and beautiful ways. Even in the midst of pain I see so many lovely things that are happening.
What I'm Watching/Reading... I haven't been watching a ton of TV, but I am loving the new season of Amazing Race. Y'all know how much I love the show in general, but I love the twist this season and it reminds me of some of the first seasons of the series which are my favorite. Have y'all seen this season? 
What I'm Listening To... I am looking for some new podcasts to listen to. Anyone have some suggestions? 

What I'm Wearing...  Transitional clothing to Spring. Even though the weather remains cooler, there are signs of Spring that keep appearing and this week we are supposed to get a few days in the 70s! I love this chambray shirt and black skirt combo with a fun necklace for these transitional weather days! 
You can find the skirt (similar HERE)//Chambray shirt (similar HERE)// Necklace HERE (find similar ones in my Chloe & Isabel Boutique HERE)// Shoes (similar HERE - LOVE these!)
What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month...  Moving down to camp! We are slowly starting the process of packing up and getting the cabin ready and my little heart is SO excited!
Bonus question this month: What is your favorite spring/summer shoe? Without a doubt y'all know how much I love Sandals. A couple of weeks ago I shared on the blog a few of my favorites from ASOS. You can find the post HERE! Seriously- there are so many cute sandals that are out there!! 
I would love to know your answers to these questions friends! Share your thoughts below in the comments!!
 Happy Wednesday!

From Hope Valley (Week 11): The Blessing that Forgiveness Brings to Brokenness

One of my favorite parts of the 6th episode in Season 1 were the words that Elizabeth wrote in her journal. There is such a simple yet deep truth that is conveyed here, the reality that relationships in all forms can be confusing, and how it can feel that we are all speaking in foreign tongues. Many times it can be extremely hard and difficult to understand each other. But it is Elizabeth's last part of her journal entry that really makes me stop and ponder. "What part of our failure to communicate comes from our own brokenness and what part does my brokenness play?" 

Have you ever stopped to consider the brokenness that surrounds our lives and the way that this brokenness will play into each of our relationships? It can truly effect each of us in so many different ways. We can interpret the things people are saying in light of our brokenness instead of taking their words at face value, understanding that they may be coming from a different place. We can take offense at words that weren't meant to offend. We can sometimes even take up "causes" in light of brokenness instead of the name of righteous justice, growing distracted by things that don't truly matter in this life. We can grow bitter, holding onto pain and anger instead of having loving and open hearts due to brokenness. How do we move past this? How do we work through our own brokenness?

I think that we must consider the truth and need for forgiveness to combat our brokenness. Forgiveness that will allow us to love and freely live fully in light of grace that we experience. It is true that brokenness is a part of our world and will have an impact, but by living in light of forgiveness we find a blessing that is beyond priceless. Is it easy? Absolutely not. 

Forgiveness is difficult, messy, and a painful road, but continuing to carry our brokenness will always continue to cause us to communicate with others in foreign tongues. Living in unforgiveness will be like a Cancer that will continue to spread with no way of stopping the destructive path it creates.

Many, many years ago I was truly confronted in my own life with this topic when I watched a documentary entitled, "As We Forgive". The premise of the movie is, "Could you forgive a person who murdered your family?" That question is the entire basis and concept of the movie "As We Forgive". The description of the documentary said: 

“This is the question faced by the subjects of As We Forgive, a documentary about Rosaria and Chantal- two Rwandan women coming face-to-face with the men who slaughtered their families during the 1994 genocide. The subjects of  As We Forgive   speak for a nation that is still wracked by the grief of the genocide that killed one in eight Rwandans in 1994. Overwhelmed by an enormous backlog of court cases, the government has returned over 50,000 genocide perpetrators back to the very communities they helped to destroy. Without the hope of full justice, Rwanda has turned to a new solution: Reconciliation. But can it be done? Can survivors truly forgive the killers who destroyed their families? Can the government expect this from its people? And can the church, which failed at moral leadership during the genocide, fit into the process of reconciliation today? In  As We Forgive , director Laura Waters Hinson and narrator Mia Farrow explore these topics through the lives of four neighbors once caught in opposite tides of a genocidal bloodbath, and their extraordinary journey from death to life through forgiveness.” (http://asweforgivemovie.com/)

Doesn't this challenge you friends? It challenges me so deeply as I watched the documentary years ago and then thought about it while watching episode 6 of season 1. Brokenness in the world has the opportunity to bring out the fact that communication between others can be difficult, messy, complicated, and even feel foreign. But living in forgiveness allow us to live fully in the grace that God gives and offer that freely to others.

Will we always agree with others? No. Will we always see eye-to-eye with everything another person says? No. But in offering forgiveness and moving beyond the brokenness we bring a grace to every situation that is beautifully unique than what is offered and seen in the world.

Today, let us offer that forgiveness and grace in light of brokenness. Let us move beyond the mis-communications that come of the brokenness that is in our world and extend the powerful hope of forgiveness. What a beautiful testimony of the truths that we see witnessed in Hope Valley this would be for our world. Forgiveness makes the path of brokenness from death to life an extraordinary journey that can only result in grace and love.

"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love...never be without it."
-Colossians 3:13-17, The Message-
Looking for past From Hope Valley Devotionals? You can click HERE to find a complete listing of all of the devotionals! 
If you would like to watch the "As We Forgive" documentary you can find it on Amazon by clicking HERE.
I receive several emails a week asking where you can watch older episodes of "When Calls the Heart". If you have a Netflix account you can find seasons 1-3 there or you can purchase them on Amazon. You can purchase and watch all of the seasons and episodes by clicking on the links below:When Calls the Heart, Season 1When Calls the Heart, Season 2When Calls the Heart, Season 3When Calls the Heart, Season 4 (All of the episodes from the Season are now available on Amazon for purchase.)
*Please note that the quotes used in these weekly devotionals are the sole intellectual property of Hallmark Channel, WCTH, & Crown Media, LLC. These on-line posts are in no way supported, endorsed or affiliated with WCTH, Hallmark Channel, or Crown Media. They are simply encouragement inspired by Janette Oke and this precious show.*