Tag: Encouragement

Assurance for finding Hope, Love and Grace through Faith in the hard places.

🎄Christmastime Brings All Hearts Home

If even for just a moment, Christmastime brings all hearts home, pausing to remember:

  • happy times
  • happier times
  • what once was
  • what life was like, before…
  • ________ (you fill in the blank)

The memories may be heart-warming, affirming joyful times with family, friends, and loved ones.

Or the memories may rekindle angst and hurt felt during those times (or still feel, thinking back).

You may be surprised when those once-happy sweet, special moments suddenly turn into a stinging source of pain, piercing your heart with every remembrance. 

👉🏻 Take heart — all of these reactions, feelings, and emotions are normal! We are human. This is how we roll! 

Believers and unbelievers alike, Christmastime brings all hearts home, if even for just a moment:

  • it gives us that moment to pause amidst the blowout holiday sales and heavy party schedule or the darkness of long, lonely days.
  • during this small space of time between the old and new years, it gives us a moment to reflect upon life, this year, the way things are, and what we hope will be.

♥️Christmastime brings believers and unbelievers alike:

  • Comfort, if there is pain.
  • Peace, the assurance we are never alone.
  • Joy, knowing we are always loved (unconditionally), more than we could ever imagine. 
  • Hope, knowing God has a plan to prosper each of us. With Him all things are possible! 

🎁We are securely held in His love with a bright future if we accept His gracious invitation to receive the greatest gift freely given to all:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.” ~ John 3:16-17 [The Living Bible]

He is the way, the truth, and the light to help you through your darkest days. He will stand with you as you celebrate your greatest joys! 

👉🏻 Over the last 7 years, I have created resources to help you and those you care about, wherever you are in your life at this moment:

❤️‍🩹 Broken2Breakthrough – You CAN Transform Your Life One Relationship at a Time! https://Broken2Breakthrough.com

♥️Resources for REAL Life: http://Resources4RealLife.Broken2Breakthrough.com

💔 Building Healthy Relationships and Finding Forgiveness: http://ForgivenessBook.BeckyCortino.org

💥 Let’s KICK those Life-wrecking Lies to the Curb (we all have them!) and all have a better 2023, please👍🏻

NEW 📖 Kick Life-Wrecking Lies to the Curb! Letting Go of the Lies Keeping You From Living with Heart and Soul:

Additional favorite versions of John 3:16-17 and John 3:16-18

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” ~ John 3:16-17 [NIV]

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.” ~ John 3:16-18 [The Message]

#BecauseRelationshipsMatter #RelationshipsMatter #Relationships #KickLies #KickLiesToTheCurb #MindsetReset #Broken2Breakthrough

Broken Places in an Unforgiving World Presents Real Life Strategies

Restoring-the-Broken-Places-revised
Newly-revised edition of Restoring the Broken Places is available now!

Do you want to regain peace in your life, repair broken relationships and really live your best?

My book Restoring the Broken Places in an Unforgiving World provides a deep-dive look into relationships, forgiveness and the perplexing issues that cause relational problems.

I wrote this book with the heart mission of presenting a fresh look at why popular everyday methods (most often used by everyone) don’t work to ‘fix’ painful situations. Relationships matter!

It is a real life application book showing how to effectively move toward restoring broken relationships, and offering assurance that regaining peace in life is possible. 

I’m happy to share with you the NEWLY Revised Edition of Restoring the Broken Places in an Unforgiving World is now available— wherever books (and eBooks) are sold – online and in bookstores!

Amazon: AmazonAuthor.BeckyCortino.org

Barnes & Noble: Available in-store and order online

LULU.com: BeckyCortino.org

Many other online/brick-and-mortar book sellers: LivRad Publishing

#RestoringTheBrokenPlaces #RelationshipsMatter #Forgiveness #Grace #Peace #Restoration #Relationships #ForgivenessBook

Come for Inspiration at Barnes & Noble Book-Signing Event!

🤔 I’m pretty sure most of us never sat around trying to imagine what life would be like in the middle of a pandemic — or in the aftermath of it…

Probably because we were busy living life, right? (I hope so!)

Three things we know for sure:

  • In the wake of it all, life still happens. Truly! No.matter.what.
  • At the end of it, we are more than ready to gather♥️
  • God is always with us, through every moment… AMEN!
     

And when the time comes, gather we do… don’t we?!
 

YES!
 

🎈🎉 Now at last many more community gatherings are happening here! 

Like — My First Restoring the Broken Places Book Signing, at Barnes & Noble!

I’m SO excited to share the happy news of my FIRST book signing!

You’re invited!

If you’re in the area, join me and other inspiring authors at Barnes & Noble-Hickory, NC for an author meet-and-greet on Saturday, June 25th 10AM – 6PM!

I will be there signing books 1-3PM📖 

I’d love to see you there!

Forgiveness is Possible

🌷 I’m so pleased to share with you that a feature I wrote, entitled “Forgiveness is Possible,” is published in the beautiful Sweet To The Soul FAITH Magazine Spring 2022 “Grace” issue!

Since publishing Restoring the Broken Places in an Unforgiving World, my goal and heart mission is sharing the important message of forgiveness and grace.

In all I write, speak and do — all forms of media, all the time — I endeavor to offer encouragement to everyone for finding forgiveness, clarity for getting to grace, and assuring all that forgiveness is possible. That’s why I am thrilled to have my article “Forgiveness is Possible” published in Sweet To The Soul FAITH Magazine’s Grace issue!

This issue of Sweet To The Soul FAITH is about God’s glorious grace… containing 140 full-color pages of faith-based inspiration, including articles, devotionals, Scripture reading lists, recipes, life management, Bible Art Journaling, creative resources and more!

Becky Cortino Grace Article
Forgiveness is Possible article by author Becky Cortino is featured in the GRACE issue of Sweet to the Soul Ministry FAITH Magazine, Spring 2022 edition.

Throughout this issue, tender hearts share about real-life experiences and struggles. Struggles to forgive others and even harder sometimes, to forgive ourselves… also stories of supernatural hope found in the most difficult of times, hope which only God can supply.

Articles include:

• Spiritual Complacency and How to Renew Your Focus

• Finding Freedom from Your Past

• Hanging on to Threadbare Hope

• When Life Seems Hopeless 

• How to Share Your Faith Story

• Praying for an Open Door

• Gospel Foundations for Your Finances

• Letting Go of Clutter for Good

• How to Bullet Journal

• So much more!

This is one of the most beautiful magazines of its type I’ve seen. The content is truly inspirational. Much food for thought, study and encouragement is reliably found between the covers of this quarterly magazine!

🌷 💻 📖 ☕️ MORE: Information and To Purchase:

Sweet To The Soul FAITH Magazine “Grace” Issue

New Beginnings

The New Year stretches out before us as a clear slate of fresh beginnings, great opportunities, hopes, dreams and wonders to be discovered…

What do you hope for in your life? The New Year is recognized as the time in our calendar year as a season for everything becoming new again. Fortunately for all of us, fresh starts and new beginnings aren’t scheduled only for January 1st!

New Beginnings are launched when we take steps in the right direction toward our heartfelt desire.

Becky Cortino

Relationships rank high on most people’s priority list, and yet this area remains as one of life’s most daunting challenges. Our days become complicated as we attempt to navigate through issues, desire to deftly address touchy issues and try to smooth over painful moments.

Have you added relationships to your list to focus on in the New Year? Many people place relationships at the top of their list. They begin their initiative armed with all good intentions and great resolve to deal with troubling relational messes.

Often, the thought of approaching a pain-filled area in life causes even the most resolute to freeze in place. Immobilized, the whole situation becomes increasingly more confusing as hurt, deep sorrow and bad memories blend into a chaotic mix. Progress in moving toward resolution comes to a screeching halt. Fear sets in. Where to begin? How to handle this? I just can’t do this!

Seeking to address relational breaks requires us to revisit times and places we’d prefer to keep on a shelf somewhere safely out of sight. In reviewing those breaks, the deep root of a problem inevitably stirs powerful emotions.

It’s difficult to cast aside the happy life we’ve comfortably surrounded ourselves with, to make time and create space for mending a break or to admit a wrong. But take heart! In our walk with Him, God often takes us through life’s dark, rough terrain before we arrive on the other side with Him, where we find true peace and the joy we seek.

How can you embrace New Beginnings in your life and effectively apply them to restoring broken relationships?

  • Recognize the situation for what it is in reality — not what you think, or how you feel about it. Admit it exists. See it for what it is.
  • Pray about the matter, all involved and touched by it. Ask God for a clear vision of the problem, and for His guidance in addressing it. He will change your heart in every aspect surrounding this issue! When we change our heart about a painful situation, our eyes see it more clearly.
  • Seek His guidance throughout. He is always with us. He stands beside us and will bring us through. We have to be willing participants wherever He leads us. We have to do our part — to do the hard things. He makes the way clear for us.
  • Let your reset heart redirect your mind, acting as a spiritual GPS, directing you where to go. Begin taking steps toward resolution, as the Lord leads you in that direction. His restoration will be far more complete and well beyond what you could ever imagine!

Forgiveness and restoring life’s broken places takes time.

When we want to restore a relationship or fix a problem in life, it helps to remember it is a process. It’s never a one-and-done or easy peasy cure for what ails us relationally. Sometimes it takes a lifetime. But forgiveness is possible.

Let the Holy Spirit lead you in this. Don’t take personal initiative to map out your relational restoration plan or detail this project on your calendar. This is a matter of the heart — carry it with you. Let the matter (and those involved) come to your mind frequently. Allow it to be laid on your heart and cover all with prayer.

Every small step you make toward restoration is a step forward.

Progress is made, moving toward that hope. Realize relationships involve more than “self,” so moving forward (or not) rests also in the hands of other(s). They may not wish to relinquish their control or admit wrong. Our heartfelt endeavors to restore broken places shaped by the Lord’s leading, will us free of our pain.

RESOURCES:

♥️ Read More about Forgiveness

❤️‍🩹 Becky Wants to Know: What is your #1 Forgiveness question/concern/challenge/problem?

MEDIA:

🎧 Listen to this content on LivRad The Podcast with Becky Cortino — on Your Fav Podcast Platform on App!

🍏 Apple Podcast episode here

🎯 Spotify Podcast episode here

📺 YouTube Podcast episode here

6 Tips for Creating an Enriching Personal Retreat at Home

Plan a Personal Retreat

For many of us the thought of being able to get away for a retreat sounds enticing, but seems impossible. Amidst the crush of every day crowded with unplanned challenges and schedule pressures, we find ourselves running on empty (or on a dangerously low reserve) of energy for much-needed soul care. 

Unfortunately when we need it most, resources and a margin of time often don’t permit us to attend a retreat. Conferences and fellowshipping (online and in real life) are wonderful, but when schedule allows, personal budgets don’t always stretch to cover registration, travel and hotel stays.    

Sometimes we realize the need for refreshment and a space for time away will help us regain focus, restore energy. Rather than not addressing our own personal soul care because it seems impossible in this season…

Here are 6 tips for creating an enriching personal retreat at home:

  1. PREPARE: Pray for refreshment to come, God’s direction in planning the right setting and topic to explore in your time with Him.
  2. PURPOSE: Determine the needs you want to address. Find a book, sermon series, Bible verse, devotional that speaks to your heart.
  3. PLAN: Select a day, blocking-out a time period of 2-3 hours (if possible). As needed, include childcare or necessary adult care. 
  4. SETTING: Choose an appealing environment conducive for your hoped-for  enrichment.
  5. IMMERSE: Once in retreat mode, turn off all notifications, put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door — and settle in!
  6. EMERGE: After your retreat, may you be blessed with greater clarity, refreshment, renewed hope, defined purpose and clear direction. 

Here are 6 ideas to encourage refreshment and clarity in your personal retreat:

  • Deep-dive mini-study of a topic, sermon series or a Bible Study. 
  • Select a key Bible verse (or verses), and during your time:
  1. Journal about it (or them), as extensively as your heart wants to roam.
  2. Bible Journal, as a visually creative activity to delve into the topic.
  3. Bullet Journal your study, for note taking, recoding discoveries.  
  4. Create Bible verse, prayer or personal reflection cards.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: As a ready resource of Bible verses organized by topic, including journalling tips and ideas we recommend The Grace Daily Journal:

The Grace Daily Journal

#RelationshipsMatter #ChristianLifestyle #Encouragement #SoulCare #SelfCare #PersonalCare #Forgiveness #RestoringTheBrokenPlaces #GraceDaily #PlanningARetreat #PersonalRetreat #PersonalGetaway #LivingALifeOfJoy Even in the face of adversity #BattlingBurnout

Your Calling — is Yours

Anointed

If you feel a calling, don’t let a ‘friend’ convince you otherwise. God can use anyone. Maybe you confided a ‘nudge’ you feel to serve in a new ministry to someone trusted. They begin to explain to you how UNqualified and completely ill-equipped you are to handle such a task. 

Worse yet: After immobilizing you, they grab your blessing and run with it, attempting to make your calling their newest mission while turning their back on you😮Well. Good luck to them with that!

Throughout history we have seen God call the least likely to do amazing things. How did they do it? He prepared and equipped them for their mission. He always remained close by. And it was all for His glory, not the for the fame and accomplishment of doer of the deed. 

He empowers those who faithfully heed His calling. Those who follow His leading are enabled to accomplish His Plan. It’s all about Him, not us. 

Often the preparation takes us through rough terrain, including an arduous journey, but there is a purpose to all of it. It is His Plan and for His purpose, and it is happening if we’re willing to step up in obedience and step out in faith to do it. Remaining diligent in our calling is a willingness to take that first step and keep going.

Never Walk Away

“Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;

    don’t for a minute lose sight of them.

They’ll keep your soul alive and well,

    they’ll keep you fit and attractive.

You’ll travel safely,

    you’ll neither tire nor trip.

You’ll take afternoon naps without a worry,

    you’ll enjoy a good night’s sleep.

No need to panic over alarms or surprises,

    or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner,

Because God will be right there with you;

    he’ll keep you safe and sound.” 

~ Proverbs 3:21-26 ( MSG)

MORE: Restoring the Broken Places in an Unforgiving World

RESOURCES: Journalling The Word can help us through challenging times. Keeping a journal can help us explore complex issues and make valuable personal discoveries so we can free ourselves from our pain. My 9th book, The Grace Daily Challenge Journal, is designed to help readers and writers explore what the Bible says about grace and finding forgiveness, as they Journal The Word.

MEET Becky Cortino