All Is Sacred

Posted on May 3, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

“The physical structure of the universe is love.” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

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Listen to my song “How Magnificent, Wondrous and Glorious” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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Psalm 19:2-3

The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands. Day unto day pours forth speech; night unto night whispers knowledge.

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God’s presence is first known in creation itself.

It is the very Word of God.

God metaphorically spoke and it began.

Science tells us there was a “Big Bang” some 13.8 billion years ago.

No matter how it occurred (and we have no idea what was before that), all that we see today sprang from that wondrous explosion.

God, who is love (1 John 4:8), is the Creator who continues to energize, animate, and hold all-that-exists.

Days and nights are simply turns-of-the-Earth, but the cycles of light to darkness and darkness to light speak of the cycles of dying-and-rising that are all about us.

All the Earth and its creatures as well as all the stars in the universe take part in this wondrous cycle.

Everything-is-connected in this web-of-life that is spawned by Love itself.

God holds together what we, in our delusion, separate.

If we would only awaken to this amazing Mystery, we would see God in everything and treat everything as Sacred.

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Listen to the song of the day “How Magnificent, Wondrous and Glorious on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Live to Love

Posted on April 30, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Sathish kumar Periyasamy from Pixabay

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver, The Summer Day

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Listen to my song “Changed” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection. Thank you!

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John 14:1

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”

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Jesus also said that if you knew him then you would also know God (John 8:19).

And what do we see in Jesus?

We see a man of compassion, forgiveness, and justice.

He confronts unjust powers who are oppressing those who are being excluded.

But Jesus always confronts with non-violence. (The one exception was when he overturned the tables in the temple. But his aggression was aimed at the tables, not people. And it also was his grand attempt to get the attention of both the government and religious oppressors.)

Jesus was always upholding what he said were the two greatest commandments: Love God with your whole heart, soul and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40).

He said that all laws must be filtered through these commands.

We see that while God is a God of justice, that justice is always accomplished through love.

Love holds you accountable but always aims to restore and redeem you.

This is not retributive justice but restorative justice.

After today’s scripture verse, Jesus went on to say that there are many dwelling places in God’s house and that he will prepare a place for each one of us there (John 14:2-3).

No wonder Jesus tells us to not let our hearts be troubled!

Love is our Source and Destination.

Love will have the final say.

Why not let Love have that ‘say’ now?

Why wait until physical death and then have to face the extreme disappointment that you wasted this precious life?

Allow this unconditional Love to transform you.

Live in that Love.

The Gospel will come to life in you now and forever!

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Listen to the song of the day “Changed” on the Give Praise and Thanks album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Solidarity

Posted on April 29, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Anja🤗#helpinghands #solidarity#stays healthy🙏 from Pixabay

“The God who existed before any religion counts on you to make the oneness of the human family known and celebrated.” – Desmond Tutu

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Listen to my song “Pour Me Out” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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John 13:20

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

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Do you detect a certain oneness in Jesus’ statement?

God sends Jesus who sends a disciple to someone else.

Jesus says that whoever receives that disciple receives him, and, therefore, that person also receives God.

We are all meant to be God-bearers.

God’s incarnation in Jesus becomes God’s incarnation in us.

God has been incarnating for at least 13.8 billion years, at least that’s when science tells us there was a “Big Bang.”

As Franciscan priest Richard Rohr put it, “The first “idea” in the mind of God was to make Divine Formlessness into physical form, so that everything visible is a further revelation of what has been going on secretly inside of God from all eternity. Love always outpours! God spoke the Eternal Blueprint/Idea called Christ, “and so it was!” (Genesis 1:9)” (The First Incarnation, Center for Action and Contemplation, Feb. 21, 2019).

And since God is love (1 John 4:8), we are also meant to be bearers of this Eternal Love in the imperfect and unique way that each of us can.

Open your heart to receive the free and unconditional Love that is pouring-out-continuously in all that is.

Let go and be a part of that One Flow.

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Listen to the song of the day “Pour Me Out” on the Give Praise and Thanks album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Grace Happens

Posted on April 28, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

“The best name for God is compassion.” – Meister Eckhart

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Listen to my song “The Way You Are” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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Psalm 67:2-3

May God be gracious to us and bless us; may his face shine upon us. So shall your way be known upon the earth.

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The truth is: God is gracious to us and is blessing us.

God’s face is metaphorically shining upon us.

God is love (1 John 4:8).

What else would Love do but be gracious, bless us and shine upon us?

We have been poisoned by a toxic image of God that implies the One who created everything is testing us to see if we measure up.

This image tells us that when we fail we invoke God’s anger and that we deserve punishment.

How can this image jive with a God who is love?

As scripture states, “Perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).

Jesus gave us the perfect example of a loving God when he told the parable of the Prodigal Son.

The father in that story runs to his returning son when he has not even admitted his atrocious sinfulness.

The father requests no apology or restitution nor does he exact any punishment.

Instead, he throws the son a party!

I know.

It’s so hard for us to accept this kind of love when we have been taught for so long that we have to earn love.

And the amazing thing about this is that you really can’t experience God’s unconditional love until you receive it in your brokenness when you least deserve it!

When you have done nothing to deserve it, you receive total love and acceptance.

That’s a Love that transforms a person.

That’s a Love that ignites the Love that a person carries at their core, a Love implanted in them by an Infinite Love.

And then, lo and behold, you actually start shining this Love with your life such that God’s way is known upon the earth.

It’s the way of Love.

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Listen to the song of the day “The Way You Are” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Share Your Gifts

Posted on April 27, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

“To be creative means to be in love with life.” – Osho

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Listen to my song “Shall We Sing” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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Psalm 87:7

So singers and dancers: “All my springs are in you.”

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All that exists is spawned by One Source.

Many call this source God.

When Moses asked for God’s name, God said, “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).

God is the very Beingness of everything!

This is truly mystery.

It evokes great awe in me.

We are all part of this Beingness.

As St. Paul said, “In God we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).

All things have their being in God.

God, who is love (1 John 4:8), is the Creator.

All things are animated by God, a Love that is continuously creating.

We all are channels of this creativity.

As today’s scripture verse states, God’s very springs, life-giving-waters, are in singers and dancers.

Of course, these springs are in all of us no matter what our talents are.

We are called to channel Love’s creativity through our talents into the world.

This is how God’s kingdom, as Jesus put it, or the realm of God comes alive in the present.

That’s what my song for today is about.

Let us all sing and dance!

Let us all share the gifts that each of us uniquely brings!

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Listen to the song of the day “Shall We Sing” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Love Is the Way

Posted on April 26, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Tim Hill from Pixabay

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” – Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

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Listen to my song “I Want to Follow You” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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John 10:9-10

“I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

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In today’s scripture, Jesus compares himself to the Good Shepherd of the sheep.

Jesus invites us, the sheep, to follow him.

He also describes himself metaphorically as “the gate.”

To enter through this gate in order to follow him requires that we live our lives as Jesus lived his life: to be peacemakers; to care for the hungry, the poor, the stranger, the imprisoned (Matthew 25:35-40); to be healers, forgivers, and channels of compassion and equal justice.

This requires shedding the many masks created by our egos, as well as letting go of ego-driven attachments to power, prestige and possessions.

To your ego, this will seem like dying.

But in reality, your true self will be coming to life!

This is being saved.

This is the truth that I have found and am sharing with you today.

This saving-way-of-life is not exclusive to Christianity, but is the way of love that is professed by many religions and spiritual masters.

Jesus himself stated that it all comes down to this: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself. 

When you do this, love will return to you, and you will be living as your true self.

You will have life and have it more abundantly!

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Listen to the song of the day “I Want to Follow You” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Be the Change

Posted on April 23, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Listen to my song “May I Be Light” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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Acts 9:1-2

Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.

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Saul was more than just a thorn in the sides of the first Christians.

He was truly a terrorist.

He was reigning terror upon these first followers of Christ.

Saul was “breathing murderous threats” as he carried out his mission to round up these followers of “the Way” and forcibly take them in chains to imprisonment and even execution.

Nice guy, huh?

What is the human response to such a despicable character?

Vengeance, retaliation, perhaps assassination?

These are all “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” responses.

All these responses were soundly rejected by Jesus when he specifically overturned that Old Testament edict and commanded his followers to love their enemies (Matthew 5:43-45).

You know, actually follow what Jesus demonstrated when he asked God to forgive his killers from the cross (Luke 23:34).

The first followers of Christ were known as “the Way” because it was a radical way of life.

The radical love they practiced sometimes led to their persecution and deaths, but it also resulted in transforming many lives.

Lives like Saul’s, who not only was not deemed unworthy by God but was instead chosen to be a world-renowned follower of Christ!

After a mystical encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, Saul was slowly but radically changed to one who would reign down mercy instead of terror.

Known by his new name, Paul, he became the greatest evangelist of all!

May we all take this to heart and allow God’s radical love to change us!

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Listen to the song of the day “May I Be Light” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Contemplative Living

Posted on April 22, 2021 by billtonnis

“God’s first language is silence.” – St. John of the Cross

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Listen to my song “Turn Off the Noise” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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Acts 8:26

Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, “Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route.”

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We can read these scripture passages and think it’s just fantasy, you know, angels speaking to people and such.

But there are many people who have had what is known as a Near Death Experience who talk about angels.

They claim they have personally seen angels in their experience of dying and going to a heavenly realm before being sent back because it wasn’t their time.

Many claim that their guardian angel still speaks to them.

I think we have all had the experience of having a thought pop into our heads suggesting we do something positive or helpful.

Have you ever wondered if that thought came from an angel, or perhaps the Holy Spirit in Christian terminology, or God?

Have you ever had such a thing happen and really wondered where such a foreign thought came from since it came out of nowhere?

Who knows?

But since I am someone who believes in God and believes there is more than this physical life, and because I have met people who have had a Near Death Experience (and I have had a Spiritually Transformative Experience), I have to believe that such Divine communications still happen.

Could it be they are happening all the time, but many people are simply not listening?

Could it be that many are too busy, too caught up in their mind’s constant, repetitive thoughts, too distracted by the noise of the world, to hear the silent, Sacred Voice?

More down time, more awareness to presence, more silence is needed.

One way to cultivate a more receptive heart is to practice some form of meditation such as Centering Prayer.

Spend more time walking in nature while simply observing the scenery.

Search here for a Contemplative Outreach chapter in your area to find a Centering Prayer group.

As the late Thomas Keating put it, to understand the silent Sacred Voice, “we must learn to be silent and to rest in God” (Invitation to Love).

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Listen to the song of the day “Turn Off the Noise” on the Listen to Your Heart album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Awestruck

Posted on April 21, 2021 by billtonnis
Nasa Photo

“The future of life on Earth depends on our ability to see the sacred where others see only the common.” – John Denver

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Listen to my song “How Magnificent, Wondrous and Glorious” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection below. Thank you!

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Psalm 66:2

Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; sing of his glorious name; give him glorious praise.

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With “Earth Day” coming tomorrow, this is a good time to pay respects to Mother Earth.

Scripture tells us that God created everything and said that it was all “very good” (Genesis 1:31).

Scripture also says that humans were given dominion over the earth, but our understanding of the word “dominion” here indicates more of a caretaking or stewardship role.

All of creation, by its very beingness, gives glory and praise to God.

I recently watched a video of the late contemplative monk Thomas Keating where he spoke of the Earth as a second womb.

He said that we all come from a first womb, that of our mothers.

Keating said we were all quite happy and contented there until one day, without our permission, we were birthed into this great big world.

It was quite a shock at first, but we soon discovered the beauty and wonder of our new world.

Keating said that the Earth became the second womb to hold us.

We are held and nurtured in Mother Earth’s womb until the day comes when, again without our permission, we will be birthed again, this time into the next heavenly realm.

The Earth is indeed a sacred and wondrous living orb.

How magnificent, wondrous and glorious is its creator!

May we all realize our planet’s sacredness and care for it with deep love and compassion.

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Listen to the song of the day “How Magnificent, Wondrous and Glorious” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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Let Go and Live

Posted on April 20, 2021 by billtonnis
Image by suju-foto from Pixabay

“Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name.” – Thomas Merton, A Book of Hours

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Listen to my song “Love Will Always Lead You Home” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links below the following scripture reflection. Thank you!

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Psalm 31:6

Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, Lord, God of truth.

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Jesus recited these words as he died on the cross (Luke 23:46).

When the people heard him, they would have realized that he was proclaiming the whole psalm, not just part of it.

Jesus was not only claiming that he would be redeemed by God, but was also encouraging us in the psalm’s final line which states: “Be strong and take heart, all who hope in the Lord.”

This idea of commending your spirit to God or laying down your life in the name of Love – remember, “God is love” (1 John 4:8) – is the model for living a Christian life in each moment.

It is living out Jesus’ famous quote: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24).

When I let go of my ego’s self-centered desires, in a sense dying to my false self, I am open to hearing the Spirit’s desires spoken silently in the depths of my heart.

(Some form of meditation such as Centering Prayer is very helpful.)

This is the way to living as my true self as well as living a truly abundant life.

It is the path to salvation, a term that unfortunately has been warped by doctrinal baggage evoking fear.

But since God is love, scripture also states: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).

Fear dissolves in the light of Love!

St. Paul tells us to work out our salvation for “God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work” (Philippians 2:13).

Salvation means wholeness and therefore living as the unique reflection of the Love that created you.

It is the purpose of our lives!

What could be more important?

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Listen to the song of the day “Love Will Always Lead You Home” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!

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