Posts

Seen

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  A friend lent me a book. Theo of Golden. I had just begun reading it. It’s about an artist and people being seen. It led me to think about this friend I made on a pilgrimage in Israel. She is much older than me and darling. We are an unlikely pair, but our hearts are knit together. We were on buses, in gardens, on windy cliffs. I lit a candle in a monastery for her in Haifa, Israel after she fell ill. I photographed flowers for her. She is well now. She lends me books. Ingrid. As I thought about people that I pray for, I could see the depths hidden in their heart. I could see my friend Jenni breaking her alabaster jar in public spaces. She is writing a book. I pray for her fire to illuminate darkened rooms and hearts. I could see my brilliant, beautiful daughter not able to see how wonderful she is. I love her. She’s strumming her ukelele and talking to a cat. Hope looks so simple. Laomai. I could see myself sitting on deep things because they weren’t welcome in the market place. Lib
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Pave Your Road

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Are you wanting your brain to form new, healthy pathways already? You are on the way to your brave future and your brain wants to travel in a familiar rut. It’s quite a bit of work to help your brain know that it is safe to operate in a new way.  I’ve been paving a literal path in my back yard. It gives such a great visual because you can see that you aren’t just laying down stones and walking. There’s ground to break up, roots to pull out, and a new sand base to be laid. I’ve had to chisel and break pavers to fit the path. There is a process of creating stability that involves repeated removing and replacing of stones.  We do this in our healing journey. Sometimes, the removing can feel as though our chest is on fire. The great and beautiful news is that we do not do this alone. God puts a fire in our bones that makes us long for healing. Reading scripture gives us strength, stamina, and comfort for the long days of work. We can rest in God’s presence along the way. Simply start with
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Gather Your Seeds

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 The end of a flowering, flourishing season can feel sad. If you look closely you will see the next steps for your life. The earth literally cracks open with seeds. You have hope in your hand. From here, you dream of new things. You decide what you want to grow and where. You are given a gift to grow the life you love. As the ground is dormant and our lives are dormant, we can dream of and prepare for spring. What will you be growing? Book an appointment to plan the next season of your life. StephCherry.com  
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Welcome, October!

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🍁 It is October 1st! Let’s commit our month to Jesus.  Jesus, thank you for autumn and the invitation to savor colors and flavors and company. We commit this October to You. Lead us to act in wisdom and kindness to those in our path. Give us the humility to follow where you lead and to receive what you generously give. Show us what you want for our October. May we sow beauty for your Namesake. Amen. Let’s create a life you love. Book a session at StephCherry.com
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I Am a Life Coach

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  A few years ago, I found myself in an unparalleled season of grief. I was completely collapsing under the weight of it and I had no idea how to get up. I had been counseling and studying God’s word for 20 years, but I could not navigate that valley. I felt a strong nudge to seek out a woman I had seen on a friend’s Instagram post and that led me to Life Mentoring School. I have known quite a few Biblical Therapists and Christian Counselors that have transitioned or added coaching into their practice. It made me curious on that level. I knew that it might help me better serve others. I also had complete clarity that I was going to go through this program for myself. I had to wade through every bit of the process myself. I had to navigate the pain. We don’t help other people heal by giving them tools that we don’t use. So, I went. It was one of the biggest investments that I had ever made in myself and it changed my life. My coaching cohort was and is a life line to me. Maybe you find
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Miscarriage | Infertility | Hope

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I encountered Jesus as a young child in a church pew in the balcony of an old country church. Through a lifetime of trial, I knew he was there. I did not always know or understand what he wanted of me, but I knew I was wanted. We could go through all of the pain and abuse of my life and unpack each tiny detail, but that is not what this is really about. I love what Frederick Buechner said, “Pain is not the biggest thing that has ever happened to you.” That is true. I have beheld far greater glory. As I clung to his word through all of this, I knew he was there.   My story about trying begins long before I began trying to have children. I tell you this because almost half of the population has been abused in some way. The attack on my uterus began when I was four-years-old. I spent most of my life believing that I was broken and I was crippled by shame. I carried that shame into every relationship I had. As I encountered people in the church, I never felt safe enough to ask for prayer o
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Read My Story

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My story involves 6 miscarried babies (with a set of twins I went into early labor with to bury), 4 failed adoptions, 3 sibling deaths, abuse, infertility, and loads of trauma. Jesus took it all and made the things that should bring death usher in healing. My dear friend Emily took my story and placed it in the pages of her book. If you are struggling today, you’re not alone. Raising children is hard. Not having children to raise is hard. Losing children is hard. I want you to know that you are not alone. No matter how much the enemy of our souls wants us to feel isolated, God has given us community. The beautiful thing about suffering in the hand of Christ is that it makes us vulnerable in the places we have built walls. We can all take a collective, soulful breath and know we reside in a kingdom community that awaits our honest pain. You can read my story and others in Trying.  Now available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xXGV6S
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