To all the women in my life

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape ...
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape...

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything ...
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear...

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her ...
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone...

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them...

A strong woman walks sure footedly...
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls...

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...
but a woman of strength wears grace...

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong...

- Marta S. Hardy

The Way of Jesus (2/22/10)

This year I have been attending a Bible study at church entitled "Seeing Jesus." We have been working our way through John's Gospel. Yesterday we were going through John 14, where Jesus says, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me" (Jn 14:6). As I was reading it, the following thought came to my mind and heart:

"This, then, is our Way in Christ. We follow Him in obedience by faith through love. Christ, in turn, loves us and shows us the Truth, which is in Him. In His Truth is freedom, freedom to live life to the fullest, to live life abundantly!" (Jn 8:31-32; 10:10; 14:6-7, 15, 21, 23).

I shared this with the class and our teacher shared a similar quote:

Follow thou me. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Without the Way, there is no going; without the Truth, there is no knowing; without the Life, there is no living. I am the Way thou must follow; the Truth thou must believe; the Life for which thou must hope. I am the inviolable Way; the infallible Truth; the never-ending Life. I am the straightest Life; the sovereign Truth; Life, true Life, Life blessed, Life uncreated. (Thomas A. Kempis, Imitation of Christ)

Let us, therefore, walk in His footsteps, just as Jesus has shown us. Amen.

For Valentine's Day . . .

I am a big fan of Gimundo, Good News, Served Daily. Today they posted an article on the longest married couple in the world. Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher have been married since 1924 and they are 102 and 104, respectfully. From now until tomorrow, February 13th they plan to answer 14 questions via Twitter. You can send your questions via Twitter to @longestmarried or to follow their feel, just click on the Twitter address and it will take you to their Twitter site. Have a great Valentine's Day!

Really good poem by one of my favorite therapists

My Declaration of Self-Esteem

            I am Me. In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me. Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine, because I alone chose it -- I own everything about me: my body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions, whether they be to others or myself.

            I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes. Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me. By so doing, I can love me and be friendly with all my parts. I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects that I do not know -- but as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles and ways to find out more about me.

            However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is authentically me. If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought, and felt turn out to be unfitting, I can discard that which is unfitting, keep the rest, and invent something new for that which I discarded. I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do.

            I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me. I own me, and therefore, I can engineer me. I am me, and I am Okay.

- Virginia Satir, Self Esteem

Meaningful Words (02/07/10)

So, here we are close to the end again. Here is where I share some of God’s work in and through me through poetry and song.  As I think through my school change, upcoming move and possible vision, here are some words that come to mind and heart:

There is a White

There is a white for this black of ours.

It will show itself in its hour,

But we who hold it in our hearts,

No ray of dark can penetrate our parts.

But what of this light?

What use is it, if it cannot shine bright!

Too often we turn away its source.

We take out our swords,

Made by the hand of Satan,

And slash it into oblivion.

But this light cannot die.

It cannot be swept away.

There are those who have claimed it

And the light lives on in them.

The light has a place in all of our hearts.

Every single one must play its part.

Through them this world will change.

Through them it will exchange

Its darkness for the EVERLASTING LIGHT!

A-men

Into the Woods

I saw you when you ran into the woods,

For I was there with you,

I was the One you were running away from,

Yet I was the One you were running to,

Which was I to you?

Which were you to Me?

How I long for you to cling to Me as you used to,

To feel your heart beat with mine,

To share your thoughts and know your mind,

Yet you have drifted far away and are ever still running,

Farther and farther you roam,

It seems almost as if you are at home,

There in the wilderness,

Off in the distance.

Come home to Me, My love, 

The journey is really not that long,

If you would but turn around,

Lift up your eyes and see,

There you would find me,

My gentle hands will wipe away your every tear,

The blood from My wounds will cleanse your every sin.

Cleansing and reaching ever deeper within,

Bring your broken hearts and shattered dreams

Lay them at My nail-pierced feet

For when you cried, I cried with you,

When you ran, I was there at your side,

When you hid there in the dark,

I was there as well.

I am with you always,

Not as a presence to be feared

But as One who knows you through and through,

One who has seen you at your worst and at your best

I know you, I love you, and I am for you.

Community

Christ in you, Christ in me

This is what it means to be a true community

Christ in you, Christ in me

This is what God desires, His earthly Trinity

Your heart beating next to mine,

My heart beating next to yours

And at the center, there is God

In our midst

Christ in you, Christ in me

This is what it means to be a true community

Christ in you, Christ in me

This is what God desires, His earthly Trinity

For there are loads we cannot carry alone

Never were meant to be on our own

But side by side,

Let me carry you,

And when I’m tired

You’ll carry me too.

And we can’t carry on

That’s when we’ll look to God

And find He’s been with us all along

Christ in you, Christ in me

This is what it means to be a true community

Christ in you, Christ in me

This is what God desires, His earthly Trinity

This road of life is long and narrow

With much toil and real sorrow

Yet hold to me,

As I hold to you,

And we will grow in His embrace.

Well, here we are at the end of another letter. Today is SuperBowl Sunday, the Colts are playing the Saints and, to be honest, I couldn't care less who wins. Yet as we gather with friends and family to watch the game, I hope and pray that we will see in each other, a far greater prize than any SuperBowl trophy. God has place His image in each of us and longs to bring it to light for the whole world to see. As my favorite Bible verse reads, “We are God’s works of art, created in Christ, to do good works, which He has laid out before us” (Ephesians 2:10). Thank you. I pray you are all doing well.

Sharing My Life (02/07/10): A vision of what may come . . .

Some of you have been with me long enough to know I have recently received a bit of clarity about my future in God’s kingdom. A mentor of mine, Greg Bourgond, recently helped me complete my Personal Life Mandate(PLM). If you’re receiving this via email, just click the link above and it will bring you to the proper page in my blog. Otherwise, just go to my blog (ww.mjwillard.blogspot.com) and search for it using the search box in the upper left-hand corner. Anyway, part of that PLM was a vision for the future entitled “Ultimate Contribution.” One of the reasons I elected to go into Argosy’s DMFT program is because along with giving me most of what I need to get a Marriage and Family Therapy license, it also helps students prepare to both supervise and teach future therapists. Part of my vision is not just to be a therapist who helps struggling people to find their full potential in Christ. It is also to equip and train others to do the same. I have always desired to learn things not just for the sake of knowledge, but to share that knowledge with those around me. By becoming a therapist and possibly a trainer of therapists, I hope to help fan the flame that exists in the hearts of those I work with. That flame which Christ first ignited in them and longs for them to share. In fanning the flame I desire to see a passion for knowing and sharing God’s love in all those around me.

Life Update (02/07/10): Still Changing . . .

I know it’s been a while since last I wrote and I apologize for that. Life can get so busy at times. Since last I wrote, two major changes have happened in my life. First off, I have transferred from the Masters in Mental Health Counseling Degree program at Capella University to the Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy program at Argosy University in Eagan, MN. The change in schools was mostly due to the lack of face to face contact I was getting at Capellla. As to the change in programs, partly that is because Argosy had that program and I thought why pursue another Masters degree, when I can get a Doctorate? The other reason will becoming later. Second, I have changed my mind about buying a house. While I do still need to move out of my present location by May, as I talked through the possibilities with my folks and friends, getting an apartment seemed to be a much more reasonable idea. At least for now ;-) So, now I am looking for a place nicely located between my church in Maple Grove, MN and Argosy in Eagan, MN. That covers a big area and fortunately, there’s still time between now and May.