We’ve seen this series so many times before that I only half-watched most of the episodes while playing Words with Friends with my mom.
But last night, the quiet voice inside said, “Put your phone down for this one.” Curiously, I had missed the title of it, “The Calling,” by the time I looked up, which might have helped me prepare for what was ahead.
By the middle of it, I found myself wondering exactly when we had watched this the first time. I wonder if this coincides with…? I grabbed my phone to search for the release date on this episode. OMG! You cannot make this sh*t up! I thought as I watched the heroine wrestle with the humiliation, anger, and fear of not being able to perform her duties to her calling anymore.
Her known destiny was to create balance in the world, but she had abandoned it and exiled herself after the experience with her third major villain. The first two had stolen her superpowers, and this last one had poisoned her to the point that she’d lost her connection to it again. And this time, there was no fast fix. Separated from her spirit, her calling, and now her family and friends, she wandered alone, looking for an answer. Eventually, she found herself in a dark swamp, sitting with a wise old woman who told her the truth she needed to hear and showed her the way home… to her family, her spirit, and her calling. (You know what’s crazy? It only occurred to me as I wrote those words that her exile and return happened in the exact opposite order. There’s a message for all of us there, too.)
By the end of the episode, I was drowning in awe-inspired, grateful tears on the couch between my guys.
When the tv was off, hubby and son looked at me quietly, waiting for me to share.
“You guys!” I blurted through the tears. “I just cannot get over how my Co-Author writes everything, even movies and cartoons, into my life at the exact right time. We watched this episode in 2014, when I was completely destroyed and terrified that I would not be able to come back to my work after ______ and ________ (two of my villains) showed up in my life and cause all that chaos and pain. I was disconnected from my spirit and The Spirit just like her, but look at what Grace was doing while I was feeling lost and exiled! Grace was LITERALLY putting this story in my path to say, ‘I see you. This happens to a lot of people who are called to create change. And look, here is the way out.’ I mean, the awareness and instructions the mentor gave her in this episode are EXACTLY the path I had to take to reconnect with myself and Grace. You cannot make this sh*t up!”
Both of them smiled back and shook their heads in wonder with me.
This is the story of my life — looking back and seeing the threads of Grace’s omnipresence, even (and maybe especially) during the times when I felt the most lost, scared, and uncertain. My greatest privilege and blessing, outside of my experience as a mother, is that my work involves witnessing this same Grace in the stories of my clients and helping them to see It for themselves.
This is the reason I’ve decided to rename my blog Grounded By Grace and am working on three writing projects that explore this theme. In addition to my novel, Upside-Down Grace, I’m also collaborating with my son on a book titled, A Religion of Story: Cultivating Character and Preserving Freedom in Our Children and Our Culture, in which we talk about how his mindful engagement of story has helped him develop a worldview that has him feeling calmer and more stable in 2020 than most adults I know. Finally, we’ve put it on hold for a while because COVID interrupted our time to meet up, but a group of my clients and I are collaborating on a project titled You Can’t Make This St*ry Up!, in which we are going to share the incredible magic that brought us together and transpired while we partnered on their projects.
PRESENCE was my word for 2020, before I knew what that would mean
with all of the chaos and uncertainty of a pandemic and so much more.
But GRACE, in and through stories, is the real theme for me
and so many of the mindful messengers around me as we navigate 2020.
In fact, some of these mindful messengers are up to INCREDIBLE work right now, and I want to share some of their upcoming events and opportunities with you. Who knows?!? With Grace working so intentionally in all of our lives, I figure one of these will be an answer to your prayer, or a loved one’s.
Is one of these an answer
to YOUR prayers?
Alyssa Coelho, Founder of Lionheart Creations Foundation, has pulled together a full line-up of Singers, Actors, Dancers, Artists, Therapists, Skin Specialists, Astrologists, Authors, and Doctors who have all said YES to making a ✨VIRTUAL FUNDRAISER WEEK✨ happen October 25 – 30, 2020. Every night has a theme, and I’ve no doubt that one of the themes or experts will spark something for you. It is a win-win-win. Experts with great content and tools get to share their messages of hope and empowerment; donors and sponsors get access to some incredible insights and tools to navigate the week of the election and beyond with more ease and grace; and the kids at the Creation of Hope Orphanage get the playground and instruments that will increase their social-emotional and physical well-being. Check out what she’s doing and sign up for one, two, more, or all the nights of fun, learning, and community HERE if it feels right for you.
Dr. Niki Elliott, Founder of Mindful Leaders Project, has just launched an app, in which she shares her cutting-edge proprietary mindfulness practice called The Vagus Nerve Reset. This practice is one of the main reasons I am able to stay grounded, healthy, and productive in challenging times like these. The app is filling up with life-changing content, so check it out if you could use a little more calm and stability in your life. This is one of the best investments I’ve ever made in my mind, body, and work. Click HERE to learn more and see if this is a fit for you.
Dawn Bennett, Founder of Touch Remedies and EFT Practitioner, is offering Tapping for Election Stress classes. If you’re having trouble managing your anxiety and angst, click HERE to learn more.
Michelle Collins, Founder of Inhabit Joy, is offering online yoga sessions designed to help people stay flexible, strong, and solid through these uncertain times. Click HERE to learn more.
Valerie Aprahamian, Founder of Advocates for Angels, is helping parents of special needs children through this unprecedented time in education. If you are one of these parents, battling for your child’s well-being and trying to hold your school district accountable to meeting the needs of your child, check out her work HERE, or sign up for her Facebook LIVE on Monday, October 12, 2020, at 10 a.m. PST and send your question HERE.
Oh, and I’m putting the finishing touches on a new program that insists on being launched immediately. It’s called “Write to Right the World.” Stay tuned for the details!
May Grace Make Itself Known to You Today…