Promise Hill, S1 Ep 3, Daily Bread

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Welcome back to Season 1,

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Chapter 3,

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Daily Bread.

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Hello,

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I'm Kimberlee Herman,

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your host.

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And today we're stepping back into Mira's journey,

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one that speaks to the hearts,

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memories and the sacred gift of the present moment.

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In our last episode,

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Mira spent more time with Grandma Eden in her garden.

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She learned that hardships reveal our character.

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And in hardship,

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we have two choices.

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and complain and stay with what's familiar or choose to dig deep for transformation.

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She also met Nathaniel,

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the wood artist.

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Today,

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Mira spends time with Charity who helps her as she prepares to see her mom.

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I'll meet you on the other side of the story with reflections,

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live it out action steps and prayer.

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Let's listen in.

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Mira sat in silence at her kitchen table thinking about

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ancient well story,

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and then the phone call from Nurse Rose.

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She was preparing herself to see her mum,

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Ruth,

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that afternoon.

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My mother called out for me by name.

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Just then,

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her phone rang again.

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She pulled it from her pocket and saw

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Mum flashing on the screen.

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Her heart tightened.

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Her mother,

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Ruth,

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rarely called anymore.

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Most days,

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dementia kept her wandering in a fog,

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confusing past and present,

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forgetting even Mira's name.

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Mom?

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Where are you?

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Mira's breath caught.

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That voice,

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clearer than she'd heard in months,

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slipped through the static like sunlight through storm clouds.

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I'm on my way,

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Mom.

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I'll be there soon.

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Mira stood up,

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the chair scraping back.

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She grabbed her bag and keys,

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already moving,

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heart pounding against her ribs.

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The neighboring city of whispering trees was only about an hour away,

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so she had time to think.

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Should she expect a breakthrough?

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Or another heartbreaking disappointment?

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Halfway down Dahlia Drive,

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something inside her whispered,

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stop at Daily Bread.

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This makes no sense.

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I don't really have time for cinnamon rolls or small talk.

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But the feeling tugged at her.

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Maybe I just need to see Charity,

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who always,

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somehow,

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cuts through the fog in my head the way Mom no longer can.

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Okay,

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I'll stop.

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I could use some coffee for the road,

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too.

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The scent of warm cinnamon honey bread wrapped around Mira like a familiar blanket as she stepped inside.

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Sunlight spilled across the wood floors,

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dancing over glass cases filled with baked comfort.

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The bakery always felt safe,

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like a hug made of butter and flour.

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Behind the counter,

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Charity worked dough with quiet authority.

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Her blonde and silver hair pulled back in a neat bun.

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Her sleeves were dusted in flour.

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and her bright brown eyes lit up when she saw Mira.

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Oh,

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Mira

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I haven't seen you in a while.

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Mira offered a faint smile.

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Yeah,

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life's been...

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a lot to handle.

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Charity wiped her hands on a towel and gestured toward the stools by the counter.

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Sounds like you need something warm.

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Cinnamon roll?

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I can't stay long.

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My mom...

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She called me today.

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I'm heading there now.

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But Charity was already sliding a plate in front of her.

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The icing glistened,

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the scent rose up like a memory.

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Mira sat,

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tension still coiled in her shoulders.

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She tore a piece of the roll,

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savoring the soft,

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warm dough.

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She hasn't called in ages.

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Most days she doesn't even know who I am.

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So I guess I'm trying not to...

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Hope too much.

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Charity's brows lifted gently.

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Hmm,

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could it be a gift?

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Mira stiffened.

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I think it's a trap.

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I think I'll get there and she'll be staring past me like I'm a nurse she doesn't trust.

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I think it'll hurt more because she remembered me for just a moment.

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Charity didn't flinch.

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She turned back to her doe,

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working it in slow,

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circular motions.

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Any thoughts?

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Yes,

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I'm glad you asked.

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Feel the pain.

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Let it ache,

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but don't let it steal the moment.

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These little flashes of light,

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they don't fix everything,

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but they do mean something.

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Mira stared at her.

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It feels unfair.

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Of course it does.

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Human love can feel unfair at times,

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but maybe today is less about what's fair and more about what's still possible for today.

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Charity's words settled over her like sugar dust.

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Mira looked down at the cinnamon roll and finally took a bite.

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The sweetness grounded her.

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She had spent so much time grieving the mother she used to know.

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The one who had always been sharp,

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strong and steady.

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She had focused so much on the days when dementia stole her away that she hadn't thought to just be present when the light broke through.

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So you're saying I should just be there?

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Be there.

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Hold her hand.

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Laugh with her if she remembers something funny and let her know she's loved.

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Even if she forgets later,

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she'll feel it now.

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Mira exhaled slowly,

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nodding.

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She had been so afraid of the pain of her mother slipping away that she hadn't realized the beauty of now.

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Today is a gift,

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Mira.

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They sat in comfortable silence for a moment.

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Then Mira's gaze drifted to the back wall.

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A few new framed photographs hung there.

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Charity as a younger woman,

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arms around a girl with bright auburn curls and a wide smile.

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Who's that?

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Charity followed her gaze.

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A wistful smile touched her lips.

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That's my daughter Lily.

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She's very lost,

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but I still have hope that she'll find her way back.

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Before Mira could ask more,

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the bell over the door jingled.

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Nathaniel Ember stepped inside,

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carrying a small wooden box.

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His presence was calm and quiet,

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like a whispered prayer in a still room.

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He set the box gently on the counter and nodded toward Charity.

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Hi there,

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Charity I hope your day is going well.

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Your order's finally ready.

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I'm sorry it took a little longer than expected.

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He turned to Mira with a kind smile.

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Good to see you again,

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Mira.

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Mira returned the smile.

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Delivering another beauty,

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I see.

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Charity ran her fingers over the carved wheat stalks inside and outside of the box.

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She looked at the wood with reverence.

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Oh,

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Nathaniel,

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it's so perfect

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He nodded,

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bashful.

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Mira leaned closer,

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fingertips brushing the intricate pattern.

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It's beautiful,

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she whispered,

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and then declared,

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You're really gifted.

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Thanks,

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Mira.

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You are going to make my ego grow too big.

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Charity handed the box to Mira.

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This box will keep my written prayers safe.

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Once they're answered,

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I'll hang them on this wall for all to see.

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Charity pointed to the wall where the new pictures of Lily hung.

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Mira swallowed hard.

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Her fingers lingered on the grooves in the wood.

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I don't understand why people take the time to write out prayers,

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let alone pray.

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What's the point?

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But it sounds sweet.

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I understand.

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It's not something you're familiar with.

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I'm happy to answer any questions you have about prayer when you're ready.

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Mira smiled.

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Thanks,

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Charity.

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Okay,

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I'm off to see my mom.

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Can I get a cinnamon honey for the road?

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That's my mom's favorite bread.

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Charity handed her a warm loaf.

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On the house,

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here's some coffee for the drive too.

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Remember,

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today is a gift.

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Mira waved goodbye to Nathaniel and Charity while holding the warm loaf of cinnamon honey bread under her arm.

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My heart feels steadier,

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like I can face what is waiting without breaking.

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As Mira stepped out of the bakery,

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a man caught her eye from across the street.

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He stood still for a moment,

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then disappeared into the shadow of a brick storefront,

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tall,

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with dark eyes and something heavy about him,

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like a grudge he'd been carrying too long.

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It made her stomach turn.

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She slid into her car,

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unsettled.

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But then the warmth of the fresh loaf in her lap helped to quiet the unease that tried to cling to her as she drove toward the small,

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quaint town

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of whispering trees where her mother waited.

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Friends,

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today is about presence,

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about rising however slow,

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because today isn't about what had been lost.

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It was about what can still be found.

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Take it away,

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Kimberlee.

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Let's walk this story home and step inside the meaning.

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Many of us have faced seasons where someone we love begins to fade,

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whether through illness,

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distance or time.

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It's easy to grieve what once was or fear what's ahead.

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But what if instead of focusing on what's slipping away,

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we learn to embrace what's right in front of us?

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I have three reflections and three live it out action steps today.

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Number one,

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the fear of loss can steal today's joy.

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Mira spent so much time mourning the mother she used to know that she almost missed the moment when her mother Ruth reached out.

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It wasn't perfect or permanent,

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but it was real.

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Fear of the future can quietly steal the joy that God places in front of us today.

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When we live in tomorrow,

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we miss what's happening now.

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Hear it and hold it.

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Matthew 6 verse 34.

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Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

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for tomorrow will worry about itself.

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This is an invitation to presence,

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to stop rehearsing what hasn't happened yet and receive what's here.

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So I want you to practice something.

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Notice what you can see,

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hear and feel right now.

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Feel not emotions.

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Feel with your like fingertips.

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Take a slow deep breath and let this moment be enough.

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And what you're practicing is being intentional with time.

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You're being mindful of the present moment.

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I encourage you to try that throughout the day to bring all those thoughts that are swimming around in your head right back to this moment.

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Right back.

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to the present moment.

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Reflection number two,

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the power of small sacred moments.

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Charity tells Mira moments of clarity are like fresh bread.

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You don't worry about yesterday or tomorrow.

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You just savor it.

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Sacred moments are often small.

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Birds singing,

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a shared smile,

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the first sip of coffee.

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Presence matters more than words and love doesn't need to be remembered to be felt.

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Hear it and hold it.

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Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1.

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There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.

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Some seasons are simply for being there,

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sitting,

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listening,

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holding a hand.

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Those moments matter more than we realize.

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Number three,

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trusting God in the unknown.

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Illness,

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loss,

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and change bring uncertainty.

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Like Mira,

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we don't always know what's coming.

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but we can trust the one who does.

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God is working,

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even when we can't see it,

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like bread rising quietly in the dark.

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I know what you're thinking.

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We don't know what's coming,

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and I'm telling you to trust God.

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What I'm also saying is that we don't know what the future holds,

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and sometimes things go in a direction that we don't expect or we definitely don't want.

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But

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The promise is that God is with you.

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He has sent his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit to bring comfort to you when you're going through hardship.

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So there's no promises that everything's going to be rosy on the other side,

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but we can trust that God will carry us through dark times.

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Hear it and hold it.

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Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6.

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

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Trust doesn't mean having it together.

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It means turning towards God even after fear shows up.

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When control slips through our fingers,

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peace often enters when we ask for help.

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All right,

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let's turn to our live it out action steps.

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Number one,

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shift your perspective.

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Instead of focusing on what's been lost,

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ask,

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what can I cherish today?

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Number two,

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be fully present.

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Put down distractions and truly engage with those around you.

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Listen,

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hold space,

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and love without fear of tomorrow.

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Number three,

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look for the blessing in the moment.

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Whether it's a smile,

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a laugh,

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or a few clear words,

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acknowledge the gift of now.

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Mira walked away from that bakery with more than just a loaf of cinnamon honey bread.

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She left with a reminder that today is a gift,

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that even in loss,

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Something beautiful can still be found.

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Maybe you're facing a similar season.

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Maybe you've been holding your breath,

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fearing what's next,

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mourning what's changed.

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But friend,

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don't let today slip away.

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Be here,

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start digging deeper,

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and trust that God is still at work.

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Let me pray for you.

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Heavenly Father,

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I lift up the one listening right now,

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the one carrying more than they let on.

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Life has felt heavy and change has been hard.

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I ask that you help them slow down,

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breathe and receive this moment as a gift from you.

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If they are grieving loss of a person,

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a season or relationship,

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remind them that you have not changed.

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You are their refuge and steady foundation when everything feels uncertain.

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Help them stay present when their heart aches for what was.

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Open their eyes to what is still here.

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When they feel helpless,

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remind them that you are still working.

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quietly,

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faithfully making a way ahead.

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Thank you for meeting them here today in this moment.

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In Jesus's holy name,

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amen.

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Until next time friends,

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may you find peace in the presence and hope on the hilltop.

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This is Kimberlee Herman cheering you on from Promise Hill.