Now that I’ve identified the five evils triggered in the Garden of Eden, I see them everywhere.

I watch the news and hear of the earth’s chaos — floods, fires, and tragic deaths. I tune into a TV show, and the panelists lament the loss of truth, especially now that social media is laced with AI distortions. Over coffee, we swap stories of troublesome situations — in churches, in politics, in families — and whether we realize it or not, most of the time we’re just looking for someone to blame.

Then we talk about our leaders — our fallen leaders — and shake our heads, searching in vain for the true prophet or president who will guide us into the future. Yet there is no one we can all agree on.

And finally — even though we claim to seek peace — we hear of more drones, missiles, and airstrikes raining down, killing more and more in ongoing wars around the world. Even privately, in our own lives, we are still cancelling, aborting, and wounding each other.

But in the evening, sitting out on the deck, in spite of it all, we enjoy the blue sky, the summer breeze, and the aroma of a basket full of herbs. It is a beautiful moment.

I turn to the beautiful soul lounging on her soft summer sectional and ask:
“And what has God been saying to you today?”

There is a pause as she sinks deep inside herself, listening for that quiet inner voice. Then she answers:

“Rest in His peace.”

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” — Ashley Smith

Every time I’m faced with a tough—almost overwhelming—challenge, I find I need time to process it. To dissect it, examine it, and put it into words. And to do that, I need someone to do it with.

After Cliff’s death, I found that person in my older sister. She was slowly losing her husband to Alzheimer’s, and both of us were lonely “widows.” so Just having someone to debrief with—to articulate my grief, my loneliness, and my daily plans—was incredibly comforting and reassuring.

Slowly, this became a morning ritual. She lives in B.C., so I would call her at 10 o’clock my time—8 o’clock hers.

Since she is highly disciplined, I would often catch her during her morning Bible reading and prayer time. She’s one of those rare people who reads through the Bible every year—always in a different translation—and prays through a long, detailed list of names: world leaders, family, friends, acquaintances. She presents each name to God, asking Him to be present with them. She loves names, and this practice keeps her connected and current with the people in her life.

I’m not as disciplined, so I learned to “cash in” on all her daily devotions. At the end of our quick debrief, I would always ask: “What is God saying to you today?”

She would quote her Bible verse, for example: “Old age with wisdom will crown you with dignity and honor, for it takes a lifetime of righteousness to acquire it.” — Proverbs 16:31, TPT  And then she would add thoughtfully: “As we get older, we just need to concentrate on acquiring wisdom.”

Wow. There is nothing quite like a mini message, spoken deeply from the heart.

Over time, I began asking this same question of others in my circle of supporters. After a brief catch-up conversation, I would ask: “And what did God say to you today?”

It seems everyone has an inner voice, quietly speaking to them—if they’re willing to listen.

So as I continue blogging and exploring these new challenges in my life, I want to include this question for you, too:
“And what is God saying to you today?”

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”— Theodore Roosevelt