June 20, 2025
The Secret Room, Season 1, Ep, 6
As Mira steps back in time, a mystery begins to unfold, one that she was not expecting. What will she find and what is still hidden? This is episode 6 of an unfolding story. While I am a counselor, this podcast is just for entertainment. Use what you like and ignore the rest. I am so glad you are joining me on this journey.
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WEBVTT
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Hello,
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I'm Kimberlee Herman,
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your host on Promise Hill,
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and I'm so glad that you're here with me today.
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This is Chapter 6,
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The Secret Room.
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This is an unfolding fictional story that I've written.
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So you can start with Chapter 1 and let the story unfold,
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or you can jump in here,
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wherever you feel most comfortable.
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I'm just honored that you're spending your time with me today.
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Sometimes the past waits quietly,
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tucked in attics,
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hidden in old handwriting,
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or cemented into places we once called home.
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Today we return to one of those places with Mira,
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not knowing exactly what she'll find,
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only that something long buried is beginning to surface.
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Let's listen in.
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Mira sat in her car,
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staring at the house she had grown up in.
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The blue shutters were now painted white,
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and a different car sat in the driveway.
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It wasn't hers anymore.
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She took a deep breath,
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gripping the steering wheel,
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ready to fight the rain.
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Would they even let her in?
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With a steadying exhale,
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she stepped out,
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covering her head with her jacket,
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and made her way to the front door,
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standing under the roof.
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Mira knocked with courage.
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A middle-aged woman with a short blonde bob and kind blue eyes opened the door.
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Can I help you?
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Mira cleared her throat.
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Hi there.
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My name is Mira.
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My family and I used to live here.
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My mom just told me she left something in the attic before she moved a few years ago.
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I know this is a strange request.
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I was wondering if you would let me look for it.
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The woman hesitated,
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glancing back inside.
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I promise I won't take much of your time.
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The woman studied her for a moment with cautious curiosity.
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The woman responded,
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There wasn't anything up there when we moved in.
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Are you sure?
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Mira nodded and opened up her mom's journal.
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She says there's a hidden room.
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I have no idea if it really exists,
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but she drew this to show me how to find it.
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Mira handed her the opened journal.
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The woman's expression softened.
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She looked at the drawing,
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then back at Mira with a big smile.
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This sounds like the beginning of an adventure.
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I'm going to let my husband know what's going on.
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I'll be right back.
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Mira exhaled,
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a quiet relief washing over her.
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Thank you so much.
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As she waited,
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she glanced down and noticed her small handprint,
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pressed into the cement all those years ago.
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The sight stirred a rush of memories.
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Birthday parties in the yard,
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the day she got her first car,
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her father's return from long business trips,
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her mother's love through every season.
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The woman returned and brought Mira back to the presence.
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I'm Claire,
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by the way.
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Come on in.
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Mira smiled.
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It's very nice to meet you,
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Claire.
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She stepped over the threshold,
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stomping off the weather onto rainmats.
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She walked into the house that once held the heartbeat of her childhood.
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But time had changed everything.
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New floors,
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fresh paint,
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restructured walls,
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a familiar shell with a different soul.
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As they made their way up to the attic,
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they shared pleasant,
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surface-level conversation.
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Nothing too deep,
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just enough to keep the silence at bay.
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The attic greeted them with the scent of aged wood and dust.
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A single beam of sunlight slipped through a small window,
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casting long shadows across the floor.
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Mira's heart beat louder in her chest.
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as she took in the space,
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past brushing up against her like a whisper.
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Hide-and-seek?
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Christmas decorations?
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Her mother's voice calling her down for dinner.
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Claire interrupted Mira's thoughts.
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Here we are.
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Let's take a look at that map again.
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They both looked at the map and walked towards the wall in the back corner.
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Smooth,
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barely distinguishable.
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But there,
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just as her mother described,
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was the hidden button.
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camouflaged in the wood panel on the side wall.
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Mira pressed it,
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and a soft click echoed through the space.
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A concealed door swung open slowly.
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A light flickered to life inside the secret room.
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Claire gasped.
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I can't believe this was here all along.
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What a lovely little space.
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Mira stepped inside,
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awe settling over her like a blanket.
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A green leather recliner sat on a soft beige and blue rug by a small window cleverly hidden from the outside.
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On the other side,
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a tall lamp.
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A wall clock frozen at 3.16.
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One wall was lined with a built-in bookshelf,
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a few old books still resting there.
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It felt like a retreat,
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a sanctuary frozen in time.
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Beside the chair sat a banker's box,
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taped closed on all sides.
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Mira crouched beside it,
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brushing dust from the top.
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Her hand hovered over the tape,
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but something in her chest hesitated.
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This wasn't hers to open.
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Not yet.
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Instead,
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she lifted it carefully into her arms,
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feeling the weight of the box and the weight of memories.
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Coming here was much harder than she anticipated.
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Mira turned to Claire needing to leave.
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The weight of grief was settling in.
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Thank you for letting me do this,
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Claire.
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I really appreciate it.
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But I need to leave.
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Of course,
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Mira.
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This must be a lot to take in.
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I'll walk you out.
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As they left the attic,
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Claire said,
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You're welcome back anytime.
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If I find anything else that belongs to your family,
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I'll let you know.
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Would you like to leave your number?
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Mira nodded as they landed in the entryway.
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She scribbled her number on a notepad.
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Thank you again,
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Claire.
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I appreciate your help.
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It was so nice to meet you.
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Claire smiled and gave Mira a hug.
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It continued to rain as Mira ran to her car.
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She drove just around the corner before pulling over.
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The box sat on the passenger seat,
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silent but weighty with unspoken mementos.
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She rested a hand on the lid and wondered what could be living in the box that her mother wanted to keep private.
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Mira took a deep breath,
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ready to learn more from her mom as she arrived back at the care home,
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remembering Charity's advice to be grateful for the moments with her mom.
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and experiencing them as gifts.
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Mira ran through the rain into the care home.
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When she arrived to her mother's room,
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she found her sitting up in bed,
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humming softly to herself.
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When she saw the box,
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her eyes widened slightly.
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Hey,
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Mama.
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I found the box you asked for.
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It was right where you said it would be,
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and I brought back your journal,
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too.
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That secret room is pretty neat.
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I can't believe I never knew about it.
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Mira kissed her mom on the cheek.
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and set the box and book on the table.
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Ruth smiled softly,
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then looked away.
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A shadow passed across her face.
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I'm…
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I'm not quite ready to open it.
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Mira nodded,
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sensing something unspoken beneath her mother's hesitation.
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That's okay,
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Mama.
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We can open it when you're ready.
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Ruth reached for her hand.
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Come back in a few days.
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We'll open it together then.
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I will,
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Mama.
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Two days later,
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it was a bright spring day with the birds singing their tunes.
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Mira walked the familiar hallway to her mother's room.
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Ruth was sitting in her chair this time,
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looking out the opened window.
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A gentle breeze kissing her face,
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while the sun gently caressed her skin.
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The box was moved to the corner,
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like a secret waiting to be shared.
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Ruth was staring peacefully out the window,
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catching glimpses of dancing birds and feisty squirrels.
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Mira hoped her mom would be able to have clarity today.
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When Mira entered,
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Ruth turned and smiled.
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Oh,
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sweet girl,
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I'm glad you came back.
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Mira exhaled a breath she did not realize was there.
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It's good to see you,
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Mama.
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I brought you a gift from the bakery.
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Mira handed her mom a paper napkin with a nice fat cookie on top.
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Oh,
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thank you,
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dear Mira.
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You remembered my favorite.
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Mira smiled as she savored the precious moment of her mother filled with joy at the small moment of eating a tasty cookie.
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Hey,
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Mama,
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how do you feel about opening the box today?
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Yes,
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Mira,
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it's time.
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They tore off the tape and then opened the box together slowly,
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carefully removing a few old items from the top.
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College letters,
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family photos,
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journals.
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And then Ruth's breath caught as she pulled out a yellowed handkerchief.
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She slowly unwrapped the object,
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revealing a small wooden carving,
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a tiny bluebird with wings outstretched.
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I haven't seen this in years.
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Your father gave it to me.
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It's my bluebird always reminding me that Robert would be flying home to see me.
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Mira looked up.
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My dad did something that thoughtful?
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Ruth's voice dropped lower,
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distant.
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He was gone a lot when you were little.
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Special Forces
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I never told you that,
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did I?
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Mira shook her head slowly,
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stunned.
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No.
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You told me he was in sales and had to travel the world selling vacuums.
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That didn't make sense when I got older,
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but you both never wanted to talk about it.
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He couldn't tell us where he was.
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We weren't sure what to tell you.
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But every time he came home,
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he brought a gift.
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Something small,
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thoughtful.
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He said it helped-
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It helped him feel like he was still part of our everyday life.
271
00:10:32.912 --> 00:10:34.271
Ruth looked down at the box.
272
00:10:35.294 --> 00:10:36.314
I kept them all,
273
00:10:36.494 --> 00:10:37.037
everyone.
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00:10:38.193 --> 00:10:40.560
Most were Christmas ornaments or coins.
275
00:10:41.599 --> 00:10:43.880
Do you remember the toys he brought home for you?
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00:10:45.427 --> 00:10:46.599
I have some memories,
277
00:10:47.677 --> 00:10:50.224
but I really remember just wanting him to stay home.
278
00:10:51.505 --> 00:10:53.037
Everyone else's dad was around.
279
00:10:53.630 --> 00:10:55.365
I thought he didn't like us enough to stay.
280
00:10:56.693 --> 00:10:57.146
I'm sorry,
281
00:10:57.240 --> 00:10:57.599
my dear.
282
00:10:58.610 --> 00:11:01.634
That's not what happened and I'm sad you held that for so long.
283
00:11:02.393 --> 00:11:03.475
It was complicated.
284
00:11:04.917 --> 00:11:10.983
Mira's eyes misted as she glanced at the growing pile of keepsakes between them as her mother took them out one by one.
285
00:11:12.303 --> 00:11:13.327
You saved all this?
286
00:11:14.405 --> 00:11:15.233
I saved him.
287
00:11:16.014 --> 00:11:17.889
Her voice clinging to her own memories.
288
00:11:18.311 --> 00:11:19.155
In my own way.
289
00:11:20.124 --> 00:11:22.717
Mira sat beside her mother and reached for her hand.
290
00:11:23.717 --> 00:11:24.889
The moment was quiet.
291
00:11:25.622 --> 00:11:25.983
Sacred.
292
00:11:26.883 --> 00:11:27.905
And in that silence,
293
00:11:28.204 --> 00:11:30.547
the past didn't feel so far away anymore.
294
00:11:31.426 --> 00:11:34.848
She felt close to her mom as she studied her face and her hands.
295
00:11:35.653 --> 00:11:42.176
She was grateful for these shared moments of nostalgia and thankful for charity that she reminded her to cherish these moments.
296
00:11:43.036 --> 00:11:45.223
As Mira's fingers traced the edge of the box,
297
00:11:45.880 --> 00:11:54.036
her eyes caught a delicate worn piece of lace that were remnants of another time laying on top of an old brooch with a faded stone.
298
00:11:55.118 --> 00:11:57.761
Another bundle of handwritten letters tied with twine.
299
00:11:58.341 --> 00:11:59.040
Her wedding photo,
300
00:11:59.521 --> 00:12:01.384
a photo album she had never seen,
301
00:12:01.947 --> 00:12:02.966
and at the very bottom,
302
00:12:03.345 --> 00:12:04.345
a manila envelope.
303
00:12:05.330 --> 00:12:07.533
Mira reached in and pulled out the envelope,
304
00:12:08.033 --> 00:12:10.111
the weight of it unexpected in her hands.
305
00:12:10.853 --> 00:12:11.790
Before she could open it,
306
00:12:12.150 --> 00:12:14.353
Ruth's hand shot out and snatched it away.
307
00:12:15.259 --> 00:12:16.572
That's not for now!
308
00:12:17.775 --> 00:12:18.384
Mira blinked,
309
00:12:18.665 --> 00:12:19.087
startled.
310
00:12:19.869 --> 00:12:20.150
But...
311
00:12:21.447 --> 00:12:22.009
Not now!
312
00:12:22.830 --> 00:12:26.473
Ruth clutched the envelope to her chest as she stood up and walked to her bed.
313
00:12:27.475 --> 00:12:28.577
Mira gently got up,
314
00:12:29.018 --> 00:12:30.456
laying the lace on her mother's bed,
315
00:12:31.042 --> 00:12:32.698
her heart thudding with questions.
316
00:12:33.682 --> 00:12:33.979
Okay,
317
00:12:34.042 --> 00:12:34.284
Mama.
318
00:12:35.221 --> 00:12:36.143
I will be back soon.
319
00:12:37.323 --> 00:12:38.604
As Mira got into her car,
320
00:12:38.682 --> 00:12:39.643
she finally asked,
321
00:12:40.706 --> 00:12:43.346
I wonder what could possibly be in that envelope?
322
00:12:44.174 --> 00:12:46.315
And why did she get so agitated about it?
323
00:12:47.815 --> 00:12:49.862
Some boxes hold more than objects.
324
00:12:50.377 --> 00:12:51.252
They carry memory,
325
00:12:51.674 --> 00:12:52.034
mystery.
326
00:12:52.350 --> 00:12:52.831
and meaning,
327
00:12:53.271 --> 00:12:55.234
wrapped in dust and quiet hope.
328
00:12:56.035 --> 00:12:57.714
Mira didn't just find a hidden room.
329
00:12:58.394 --> 00:13:00.402
She uncovered a piece of her family's soul.
330
00:13:01.402 --> 00:13:02.082
And sometimes,
331
00:13:02.597 --> 00:13:03.839
even the smallest item,
332
00:13:04.378 --> 00:13:05.441
a wooden bluebird,
333
00:13:05.839 --> 00:13:06.621
a hidden note,
334
00:13:07.144 --> 00:13:11.371
can remind us that love finds its way back in its own time.
335
00:13:12.355 --> 00:13:14.105
Join us next time in Promise Hill,
336
00:13:14.636 --> 00:13:17.152
where every discovery brings us closer to the heart.
337
00:13:17.808 --> 00:13:18.277
Take it away,
338
00:13:18.355 --> 00:13:18.730
Kimberlee.
339
00:13:19.210 --> 00:13:22.053
Do you find yourself in a similar situation?
340
00:13:22.693 --> 00:13:26.018
Watching a loved one walk through changes or difficult times?
341
00:13:27.256 --> 00:13:29.943
Going back in time to feel what surfaces?
342
00:13:30.904 --> 00:13:36.264
I think a lot of us can feel what Mira is going through on some level.
343
00:13:37.154 --> 00:13:41.389
Today I have five reflections and four live it out action steps for you.
344
00:13:42.576 --> 00:13:43.139
Number one,
345
00:13:43.732 --> 00:13:46.436
sometimes the past doesn't ask to be remembered,
346
00:13:46.514 --> 00:13:48.201
it waits to be invited back in.
347
00:13:49.286 --> 00:13:50.948
Like a room hidden behind walls,
348
00:13:50.988 --> 00:13:54.631
the things we think we've lost often remain quietly preserved,
349
00:13:55.131 --> 00:13:57.592
waiting for the right moment to be uncovered.
350
00:13:58.577 --> 00:14:00.178
What are you ready to revisit,
351
00:14:00.538 --> 00:14:02.217
gently and without fear?
352
00:14:03.663 --> 00:14:04.498
Hear it and hold it.
353
00:14:04.803 --> 00:14:09.280
There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.
354
00:14:09.733 --> 00:14:11.623
Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1.
355
00:14:12.592 --> 00:14:13.952
I know we have covered this
356
00:14:14.327 --> 00:14:15.452
Bible verse previously,
357
00:14:15.545 --> 00:14:17.952
but it's an important reminder that there is
358
00:14:18.222 --> 00:14:19.383
order with God.
359
00:14:20.264 --> 00:14:21.504
It shows up everywhere.
360
00:14:22.086 --> 00:14:23.149
The four seasons,
361
00:14:23.168 --> 00:14:24.329
the work of the planets,
362
00:14:24.848 --> 00:14:26.391
growing plants and flowers.
363
00:14:27.110 --> 00:14:30.297
Keep that in mind as you are walking through this season.
364
00:14:32.079 --> 00:14:32.657
Number two,
365
00:14:33.297 --> 00:14:35.696
memory is not just what we recall,
366
00:14:35.914 --> 00:14:36.961
it's what shapes us.
367
00:14:38.055 --> 00:14:39.227
A porch handprint,
368
00:14:39.477 --> 00:14:40.477
a secret room,
369
00:14:40.727 --> 00:14:42.024
a carved bluebird.
370
00:14:42.524 --> 00:14:46.883
The details we think are small can hold the entire weight of a lifetime.
371
00:14:47.762 --> 00:14:51.186
What small object or place brings your past rushing back?
372
00:14:52.045 --> 00:14:53.186
What does it still teach you?
373
00:14:54.787 --> 00:14:58.393
Last time I drove by the house I grew up in in small town Iowa.
374
00:14:59.107 --> 00:15:04.992
It still had our handprints in concrete on the sidewalk with our nicknames next to it,
375
00:15:05.472 --> 00:15:09.535
which I am not going to share with you at this time because they're a little embarrassing.
376
00:15:10.136 --> 00:15:14.379
My grandfather always picked out interesting nicknames for people that he loved.
377
00:15:15.808 --> 00:15:17.761
And when I looked at those handprints,
378
00:15:19.464 --> 00:15:20.355
oh my goodness,
379
00:15:20.543 --> 00:15:23.605
so many memories came flooding back to me.
380
00:15:24.386 --> 00:15:27.839
Precious memories and so many emotions.
381
00:15:28.587 --> 00:15:28.787
Right?
382
00:15:28.788 --> 00:15:32.047
A lot of time has gone by since we made those handprints.
383
00:15:32.768 --> 00:15:35.049
It's a lot of great things and a lot of grief.
384
00:15:36.670 --> 00:15:41.951
But I'm grateful to have those memories attached to something so simple.
385
00:15:44.069 --> 00:15:44.811
Hear it and hold it.
386
00:15:44.936 --> 00:15:45.764
Isaiah 49,
387
00:15:45.795 --> 00:15:46.295
16.
388
00:15:46.904 --> 00:15:47.092
See,
389
00:15:47.217 --> 00:15:49.608
I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.
390
00:15:49.733 --> 00:15:51.279
Your walls are ever before me.
391
00:15:52.404 --> 00:15:57.373
This verse beautifully echoes the idea that even when places change and time moves on,
392
00:15:57.839 --> 00:15:58.700
we are not forgotten.
393
00:15:59.220 --> 00:16:04.205
Our stories and our identities are still held and remembered by God.
394
00:16:05.849 --> 00:16:06.404
Number three,
395
00:16:07.388 --> 00:16:09.834
not everything buried is meant to stay hidden,
396
00:16:10.295 --> 00:16:12.951
and not everything found must be opened right away.
397
00:16:13.998 --> 00:16:15.435
There is wisdom in waiting.
398
00:16:16.123 --> 00:16:19.201
Mira honored her mother's readiness instead of rushing the moment.
399
00:16:20.013 --> 00:16:20.935
In your own story,
400
00:16:21.076 --> 00:16:26.685
is there something you're holding emotionally or spiritually that might need more time before it's unwrapped.
401
00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:32.343
I've watched a couple videos and read a few books on people that have died,
402
00:16:32.784 --> 00:16:34.585
had an encounter with Jesus in heaven,
403
00:16:34.605 --> 00:16:36.027
and have come back to talk about it.
404
00:16:36.585 --> 00:16:37.929
But in those cases,
405
00:16:38.952 --> 00:16:45.616
many times it took them years to be able to talk about the fullness of that experience.
406
00:16:46.413 --> 00:16:53.820
It was so deep that it needed time to percolate for them to be able to share with others.
407
00:16:54.283 --> 00:16:55.064
And even then,
408
00:16:55.265 --> 00:16:56.905
they only shared with one or two people.
409
00:16:56.966 --> 00:16:58.526
It wasn't meant for everyone to hear.
410
00:17:01.030 --> 00:17:01.749
Hear it and hold it.
411
00:17:01.811 --> 00:17:03.288
Psalm 27 14.
412
00:17:03.929 --> 00:17:04.733
Wait for the Lord,
413
00:17:04.835 --> 00:17:06.554
be strong and take heart,
414
00:17:06.718 --> 00:17:07.835
and wait for the Lord.
415
00:17:08.757 --> 00:17:12.679
This scripture speaks to the wisdom in waiting and the importance of timing.
416
00:17:13.382 --> 00:17:15.179
This verse encourages patience,
417
00:17:15.304 --> 00:17:18.007
trusting in the right time for revelation and action.
418
00:17:18.522 --> 00:17:22.413
It emphasizes the strength found in waiting and honoring the process.
419
00:17:22.899 --> 00:17:24.561
especially when waiting on God.
420
00:17:25.241 --> 00:17:26.083
In this chapter,
421
00:17:26.282 --> 00:17:28.864
Mira did this by respecting her mother's readiness.
422
00:17:30.485 --> 00:17:31.044
Number four,
423
00:17:31.887 --> 00:17:34.309
the journey back is not always about the place.
424
00:17:35.130 --> 00:17:37.497
It's about the person you become on the way.
425
00:17:39.052 --> 00:17:40.020
In returning home,
426
00:17:40.130 --> 00:17:41.270
Mira found more than a box.
427
00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:42.895
She found connection,
428
00:17:43.098 --> 00:17:43.677
patience,
429
00:17:43.723 --> 00:17:43.973
hope.
430
00:17:44.505 --> 00:17:46.395
When you revisit something from your past,
431
00:17:46.489 --> 00:17:48.989
are you open to seeing it with new eyes?
432
00:17:50.275 --> 00:17:56.281
Have you ever looked at old items from your childhood and experienced them in a new way because of the changes in you?
433
00:17:57.601 --> 00:17:59.047
I have on many occasions,
434
00:17:59.687 --> 00:18:03.070
and it's usually with a deeper level of compassion for my younger self.
435
00:18:03.945 --> 00:18:04.211
To me,
436
00:18:04.250 --> 00:18:06.976
it feels good to care for myself with grace in this way.
437
00:18:08.632 --> 00:18:13.492
And I don't have a scripture to go along with this because I didn't want to mold scripture to my point.
438
00:18:13.976 --> 00:18:14.773
That's not what...
439
00:18:15.243 --> 00:18:16.984
I want to do with this podcast.
440
00:18:17.005 --> 00:18:20.049
I want to utilize scripture and make it come alive for us,
441
00:18:20.209 --> 00:18:22.451
not use it to make my point.
442
00:18:22.529 --> 00:18:24.592
So number five,
443
00:18:25.154 --> 00:18:27.412
sometimes healing starts not with answers,
444
00:18:27.475 --> 00:18:28.498
but with presence.
445
00:18:29.436 --> 00:18:30.795
Ruth wanted Mira's company,
446
00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:35.045
someone to sit beside her as she stepped back in time to previous memories.
447
00:18:35.842 --> 00:18:37.811
Who in your life might need your presence?
448
00:18:38.545 --> 00:18:42.186
Or do you need someone to sit with you to look at precious moments in your life?
449
00:18:43.807 --> 00:18:47.628
It's so sacred looking through photo albums and old things.
450
00:18:48.007 --> 00:18:49.729
Sometimes we want to do it by ourselves,
451
00:18:49.730 --> 00:18:50.507
and that's great.
452
00:18:51.229 --> 00:18:54.190
And sometimes we want to invite someone along on the journey.
453
00:18:55.651 --> 00:18:56.394
Hear it and hold it.
454
00:18:56.894 --> 00:18:57.573
Ruth 1,
455
00:18:57.831 --> 00:18:58.409
16.
456
00:18:59.729 --> 00:19:00.589
But Ruth said,
457
00:19:00.823 --> 00:19:04.073
Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.
458
00:19:04.589 --> 00:19:05.354
For where you go,
459
00:19:05.589 --> 00:19:05.995
I will go,
460
00:19:06.292 --> 00:19:07.245
and where you lodge,
461
00:19:07.354 --> 00:19:08.011
I will lodge.
462
00:19:08.573 --> 00:19:10.058
Your people shall be my people,
463
00:19:10.136 --> 00:19:11.354
and your God my God.
464
00:19:12.503 --> 00:19:16.989
This verse captures the sacred ministry of simply being with someone.
465
00:19:17.708 --> 00:19:19.169
Ruth didn't come with solutions.
466
00:19:19.251 --> 00:19:20.270
She came with loyalty,
467
00:19:20.434 --> 00:19:20.755
love,
468
00:19:20.833 --> 00:19:21.528
and presence.
469
00:19:22.270 --> 00:19:22.591
All right,
470
00:19:22.676 --> 00:19:26.294
I have four live it out action steps for you today.
471
00:19:28.716 --> 00:19:31.075
Before we jump into the action steps,
472
00:19:31.341 --> 00:19:37.591
I want to put a little disclaimer out there because I'm not sure who's listening and what your background is.
473
00:19:38.153 --> 00:19:39.262
But basically,
474
00:19:39.466 --> 00:19:41.153
I give these action steps to help
475
00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:42.540
people get unstuck,
476
00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:48.404
move forward in life to look at things differently and to try new things.
477
00:19:49.006 --> 00:19:53.651
If you feel like some of the suggestions I make would feel too overwhelming to you,
478
00:19:53.791 --> 00:19:55.096
please don't do it.
479
00:19:55.174 --> 00:19:55.471
Please,
480
00:19:55.510 --> 00:19:55.736
please,
481
00:19:55.752 --> 00:19:56.830
please just stay away from it.
482
00:19:57.471 --> 00:19:59.158
But if you feel like there's something,
483
00:19:59.190 --> 00:20:01.783
an action step I give that you feel like could be helpful,
484
00:20:01.877 --> 00:20:02.846
then go ahead and try it.
485
00:20:03.424 --> 00:20:04.955
And if you're already in therapy,
486
00:20:05.283 --> 00:20:09.611
then use this tool or these tools that I give you.
487
00:20:10.092 --> 00:20:11.770
and share them with your counselor, so that your counselor can support you in the work that you're doing.
488
00:20:16.984 --> 00:20:17.343
All right,
489
00:20:17.523 --> 00:20:18.265
let's jump in.
490
00:20:19.343 --> 00:20:19.863
Number one,
491
00:20:20.542 --> 00:20:22.206
visit a place from your past.
492
00:20:22.886 --> 00:20:28.706
Take a quiet walk or a drive to a home neighborhood or meaningful spot from your past.
493
00:20:29.472 --> 00:20:31.144
And if you don't have access to those,
494
00:20:31.206 --> 00:20:34.144
get out some pictures or even use Google Earth.
495
00:20:34.972 --> 00:20:39.066
My new favorite thing right now is my VR set.
496
00:20:40.081 --> 00:20:41.066
I really love that thing.
497
00:20:42.106 --> 00:20:43.207
I use it for exercise,
498
00:20:43.707 --> 00:20:50.828
but sometimes I will use it for Google Earth and go back to standing in front of my old home in my little town in Iowa.
499
00:20:50.992 --> 00:20:51.906
It's pretty cool.
500
00:20:52.851 --> 00:20:53.992
So as you're doing that,
501
00:20:54.312 --> 00:20:57.172
notice what has changed and what remains.
502
00:20:57.812 --> 00:20:58.984
Let your heart speak.
503
00:20:59.687 --> 00:21:01.875
What memories rise to the surface?
504
00:21:04.015 --> 00:21:04.531
Number two,
505
00:21:05.218 --> 00:21:07.468
write a letter you're never going to send.
506
00:21:08.078 --> 00:21:09.619
Think of someone from your past,
507
00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.500
maybe a parent,
508
00:21:10.541 --> 00:21:11.262
a sibling,
509
00:21:11.822 --> 00:21:13.264
a younger version of yourself,
510
00:21:13.303 --> 00:21:15.385
or someone no longer in your life.
511
00:21:16.326 --> 00:21:17.123
Write them a letter.
512
00:21:17.850 --> 00:21:19.811
Say what was left unsaid.
513
00:21:20.748 --> 00:21:21.873
But let this be healing.
514
00:21:21.951 --> 00:21:22.670
This is for you,
515
00:21:22.811 --> 00:21:23.412
not for them.
516
00:21:23.592 --> 00:21:25.342
So don't plan on sending it.
517
00:21:25.842 --> 00:21:30.998
This is a space for you to be able to release any thoughts,
518
00:21:31.107 --> 00:21:31.857
feelings.
519
00:21:33.334 --> 00:21:36.398
Anything that you feel like you want to say to that person,
520
00:21:36.616 --> 00:21:39.839
but either they're not here or they're not a safe person to say it to.
521
00:21:41.605 --> 00:21:42.105
Number three,
522
00:21:42.745 --> 00:21:44.284
create a memory box.
523
00:21:44.964 --> 00:21:48.433
Gather a few keepsakes that tell a story about your life or family.
524
00:21:48.987 --> 00:21:49.995
It could be photographs,
525
00:21:50.073 --> 00:21:50.370
notes,
526
00:21:50.433 --> 00:21:50.948
small gifts,
527
00:21:50.949 --> 00:21:53.073
or objects with emotional value.
528
00:21:53.730 --> 00:21:56.683
Create a quiet space to honor those memories.
529
00:21:58.323 --> 00:21:58.839
Number four,
530
00:21:59.042 --> 00:22:00.745
practice sacred waiting.
531
00:22:01.994 --> 00:22:05.077
Is there a question in your life that doesn't have an answer yet?
532
00:22:05.797 --> 00:22:06.377
Like Mira,
533
00:22:06.659 --> 00:22:08.639
allow yourself space to not know.
534
00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:13.542
Create a quiet moment and journal to ask God for peace as you wait.
535
00:22:14.510 --> 00:22:16.331
If you're a hands-on type person,
536
00:22:16.432 --> 00:22:17.292
kind of like I am,
537
00:22:18.010 --> 00:22:24.838
you can light a candle as an honor to God who is the light of the world and is a reflection of lighting up with answers.
538
00:22:25.651 --> 00:22:26.854
I'm a metaphor type of girl,
539
00:22:26.932 --> 00:22:28.854
so I have a lot of candles.
540
00:22:28.948 --> 00:22:30.417
Not that I use it for all this purpose,
541
00:22:30.526 --> 00:22:30.682
but...
542
00:22:31.126 --> 00:22:39.889
I do have times in my life where I have lit a candle and just ask God to hold whatever I am holding on to,
543
00:22:40.529 --> 00:22:44.365
to put it into his hands for his perspective and his peace.
544
00:22:46.826 --> 00:22:50.897
I also wanted to share something pretty fun that I think I've done.
545
00:22:51.553 --> 00:22:58.584
I have written a handful of books and one of the books is called Women of the Bible and it goes through 12 different women.
546
00:23:00.058 --> 00:23:06.084
looking at their lives and seeing how we are very similar to most of these women.
547
00:23:06.783 --> 00:23:10.006
And I share that with you because Ruth is one of the women.
548
00:23:10.326 --> 00:23:12.811
And we did read a Bible verse about Ruth.
549
00:23:12.873 --> 00:23:14.311
So if you head to my website,
550
00:23:14.350 --> 00:23:18.319
you can find a link there to read more about it if you're interested.
551
00:23:20.334 --> 00:23:22.740
Let me end us in prayer today.
552
00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:24.444
Dear Father,
553
00:23:24.782 --> 00:23:29.929
Thank you so much for the gentle way you lead us back to the places we've left behind,
554
00:23:30.409 --> 00:23:31.370
not to haunt us,
555
00:23:31.608 --> 00:23:32.608
but to heal us.
556
00:23:33.272 --> 00:23:33.827
Like Mira,
557
00:23:33.929 --> 00:23:35.374
we all carry questions,
558
00:23:35.475 --> 00:23:36.030
longings,
559
00:23:36.093 --> 00:23:39.194
and a quiet ache for things lost or left unspoken.
560
00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:41.061
Yet in your time,
561
00:23:41.139 --> 00:23:44.796
you stir what's been buried and shine light on what still matters.
562
00:23:45.561 --> 00:23:47.952
We thank you for the people who welcome us in,
563
00:23:48.046 --> 00:23:49.764
for the courage to face the past,
564
00:23:50.139 --> 00:23:53.030
and for the grace to wait when answers aren't ready yet.
565
00:23:53.730 --> 00:23:56.132
Teach us to hold space for our families,
566
00:23:56.372 --> 00:23:57.114
for our healing,
567
00:23:57.173 --> 00:23:59.517
and for the things we don't yet understand.
568
00:24:00.415 --> 00:24:03.021
Help us to see you in the smallest things.
569
00:24:03.442 --> 00:24:05.060
A handprint on concrete,
570
00:24:05.083 --> 00:24:06.263
a carved bluebird,
571
00:24:06.302 --> 00:24:07.724
a mother's quiet pause,
572
00:24:08.146 --> 00:24:12.005
and remind us that nothing meaningful is ever truly lost.
573
00:24:12.536 --> 00:24:14.630
It's just waiting to be found again.
574
00:24:15.833 --> 00:24:17.333
We trust you with our stories,
575
00:24:17.677 --> 00:24:19.036
we trust you with the timing,
576
00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:20.271
and we trust that love,
577
00:24:20.614 --> 00:24:21.771
when rooted in you,
578
00:24:22.052 --> 00:24:22.505
always.
579
00:24:22.666 --> 00:24:23.728
finds its way home.
580
00:24:24.288 --> 00:24:24.948
In Jesus'
581
00:24:25.149 --> 00:24:26.349
holy name we pray.
582
00:24:27.052 --> 00:24:27.470
Amen.
583
00:24:28.493 --> 00:24:29.372
Until next time,
584
00:24:29.431 --> 00:24:29.872
friends,
585
00:24:30.235 --> 00:24:33.876
may you find peace in the presence and hope on the hilltop.
586
00:24:34.438 --> 00:24:38.438
This is Kimberlee Herman cheering you on from Promise Hill.
1
00:00:20.149 --> 00:00:20.371
Hello,
2
00:00:20.852 --> 00:00:21.906
I'm Kimberlee Herman,
3
00:00:21.953 --> 00:00:23.531
your host on Promise Hill,
4
00:00:23.813 --> 00:00:26.352
and I'm so glad that you're here with me today.
5
00:00:27.133 --> 00:00:28.570
This is Chapter 6,
6
00:00:28.758 --> 00:00:29.617
The Secret Room.
7
00:00:30.274 --> 00:00:33.633
This is an unfolding fictional story that I've written.
8
00:00:34.336 --> 00:00:37.508
So you can start with Chapter 1 and let the story unfold,
9
00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:39.430
or you can jump in here,
10
00:00:39.633 --> 00:00:41.492
wherever you feel most comfortable.
11
00:00:42.044 --> 00:00:44.866
I'm just honored that you're spending your time with me today.
12
00:00:46.310 --> 00:00:48.591
Sometimes the past waits quietly,
13
00:00:48.970 --> 00:00:50.056
tucked in attics,
14
00:00:50.634 --> 00:00:52.111
hidden in old handwriting,
15
00:00:52.290 --> 00:00:55.275
or cemented into places we once called home.
16
00:00:56.236 --> 00:00:58.962
Today we return to one of those places with Mira,
17
00:00:59.743 --> 00:01:01.884
not knowing exactly what she'll find,
18
00:01:02.478 --> 00:01:06.462
only that something long buried is beginning to surface.
19
00:01:07.275 --> 00:01:08.775
Let's listen in.
20
00:01:13.300 --> 00:01:14.241
Mira sat in her car,
21
00:01:14.782 --> 00:01:16.422
staring at the house she had grown up in.
22
00:01:17.223 --> 00:01:19.164
The blue shutters were now painted white,
23
00:01:19.664 --> 00:01:21.368
and a different car sat in the driveway.
24
00:01:22.446 --> 00:01:23.469
It wasn't hers anymore.
25
00:01:24.469 --> 00:01:25.453
She took a deep breath,
26
00:01:26.055 --> 00:01:27.118
gripping the steering wheel,
27
00:01:27.336 --> 00:01:28.352
ready to fight the rain.
28
00:01:29.336 --> 00:01:30.555
Would they even let her in?
29
00:01:31.524 --> 00:01:32.852
With a steadying exhale,
30
00:01:33.196 --> 00:01:33.914
she stepped out,
31
00:01:34.039 --> 00:01:35.321
covering her head with her jacket,
32
00:01:35.727 --> 00:01:37.211
and made her way to the front door,
33
00:01:37.336 --> 00:01:38.305
standing under the roof.
34
00:01:39.211 --> 00:01:40.352
Mira knocked with courage.
35
00:01:42.348 --> 00:01:46.733
A middle-aged woman with a short blonde bob and kind blue eyes opened the door.
36
00:01:47.733 --> 00:01:48.315
Can I help you?
37
00:01:49.616 --> 00:01:50.713
Mira cleared her throat.
38
00:01:51.581 --> 00:01:52.018
Hi there.
39
00:01:52.659 --> 00:01:53.401
My name is Mira.
40
00:01:53.916 --> 00:01:55.463
My family and I used to live here.
41
00:01:56.338 --> 00:01:59.940
My mom just told me she left something in the attic before she moved a few years ago.
42
00:02:01.034 --> 00:02:02.674
I know this is a strange request.
43
00:02:03.034 --> 00:02:04.643
I was wondering if you would let me look for it.
44
00:02:06.456 --> 00:02:07.534
The woman hesitated,
45
00:02:08.034 --> 00:02:09.221
glancing back inside.
46
00:02:10.228 --> 00:02:12.370
I promise I won't take much of your time.
47
00:02:13.190 --> 00:02:16.335
The woman studied her for a moment with cautious curiosity.
48
00:02:17.116 --> 00:02:18.057
The woman responded,
49
00:02:18.858 --> 00:02:20.897
There wasn't anything up there when we moved in.
50
00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:22.280
Are you sure?
51
00:02:23.600 --> 00:02:25.866
Mira nodded and opened up her mom's journal.
52
00:02:26.749 --> 00:02:27.999
She says there's a hidden room.
53
00:02:28.561 --> 00:02:30.452
I have no idea if it really exists,
54
00:02:30.514 --> 00:02:32.452
but she drew this to show me how to find it.
55
00:02:33.264 --> 00:02:34.936
Mira handed her the opened journal.
56
00:02:35.733 --> 00:02:37.202
The woman's expression softened.
57
00:02:37.856 --> 00:02:38.777
She looked at the drawing,
58
00:02:39.397 --> 00:02:41.477
then back at Mira with a big smile.
59
00:02:42.576 --> 00:02:44.557
This sounds like the beginning of an adventure.
60
00:02:45.756 --> 00:02:47.842
I'm going to let my husband know what's going on.
61
00:02:48.295 --> 00:02:49.100
I'll be right back.
62
00:02:50.459 --> 00:02:51.436
Mira exhaled,
63
00:02:51.803 --> 00:02:53.678
a quiet relief washing over her.
64
00:02:54.647 --> 00:02:55.662
Thank you so much.
65
00:02:56.865 --> 00:02:57.522
As she waited,
66
00:02:57.756 --> 00:03:00.287
she glanced down and noticed her small handprint,
67
00:03:00.834 --> 00:03:02.647
pressed into the cement all those years ago.
68
00:03:03.678 --> 00:03:05.569
The sight stirred a rush of memories.
69
00:03:06.292 --> 00:03:07.613
Birthday parties in the yard,
70
00:03:08.174 --> 00:03:09.555
the day she got her first car,
71
00:03:10.016 --> 00:03:12.098
her father's return from long business trips,
72
00:03:12.539 --> 00:03:14.383
her mother's love through every season.
73
00:03:15.203 --> 00:03:17.883
The woman returned and brought Mira back to the presence.
74
00:03:18.867 --> 00:03:19.266
I'm Claire,
75
00:03:19.281 --> 00:03:19.727
by the way.
76
00:03:19.844 --> 00:03:20.344
Come on in.
77
00:03:21.524 --> 00:03:22.313
Mira smiled.
78
00:03:23.031 --> 00:03:24.406
It's very nice to meet you,
79
00:03:24.407 --> 00:03:24.750
Claire.
80
00:03:25.734 --> 00:03:27.125
She stepped over the threshold,
81
00:03:27.406 --> 00:03:29.172
stomping off the weather onto rainmats.
82
00:03:30.094 --> 00:03:33.297
She walked into the house that once held the heartbeat of her childhood.
83
00:03:34.016 --> 00:03:35.359
But time had changed everything.
84
00:03:35.892 --> 00:03:36.533
New floors,
85
00:03:36.993 --> 00:03:37.514
fresh paint,
86
00:03:38.053 --> 00:03:38.915
restructured walls,
87
00:03:39.536 --> 00:03:41.999
a familiar shell with a different soul.
88
00:03:42.897 --> 00:03:44.764
As they made their way up to the attic,
89
00:03:45.163 --> 00:03:46.202
they shared pleasant,
90
00:03:46.506 --> 00:03:47.725
surface-level conversation.
91
00:03:48.608 --> 00:03:49.327
Nothing too deep,
92
00:03:50.147 --> 00:03:51.881
just enough to keep the silence at bay.
93
00:03:52.834 --> 00:03:55.928
The attic greeted them with the scent of aged wood and dust.
94
00:03:56.756 --> 00:03:59.819
A single beam of sunlight slipped through a small window,
95
00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:02.459
casting long shadows across the floor.
96
00:04:03.459 --> 00:04:05.303
Mira's heart beat louder in her chest.
97
00:04:05.600 --> 00:04:06.621
as she took in the space,
98
00:04:07.422 --> 00:04:09.523
past brushing up against her like a whisper.
99
00:04:10.145 --> 00:04:10.684
Hide-and-seek?
100
00:04:11.324 --> 00:04:12.266
Christmas decorations?
101
00:04:12.746 --> 00:04:14.625
Her mother's voice calling her down for dinner.
102
00:04:15.453 --> 00:04:16.914
Claire interrupted Mira's thoughts.
103
00:04:17.633 --> 00:04:18.234
Here we are.
104
00:04:18.875 --> 00:04:20.375
Let's take a look at that map again.
105
00:04:21.703 --> 00:04:25.594
They both looked at the map and walked towards the wall in the back corner.
106
00:04:26.516 --> 00:04:26.922
Smooth,
107
00:04:27.359 --> 00:04:28.375
barely distinguishable.
108
00:04:29.250 --> 00:04:29.688
But there,
109
00:04:30.156 --> 00:04:31.469
just as her mother described,
110
00:04:31.953 --> 00:04:32.953
was the hidden button.
111
00:04:33.624 --> 00:04:35.867
camouflaged in the wood panel on the side wall.
112
00:04:36.767 --> 00:04:37.507
Mira pressed it,
113
00:04:37.970 --> 00:04:40.232
and a soft click echoed through the space.
114
00:04:40.990 --> 00:04:43.353
A concealed door swung open slowly.
115
00:04:44.236 --> 00:04:46.759
A light flickered to life inside the secret room.
116
00:04:47.736 --> 00:04:48.478
Claire gasped.
117
00:04:49.361 --> 00:04:51.502
I can't believe this was here all along.
118
00:04:52.517 --> 00:04:54.205
What a lovely little space.
119
00:04:55.345 --> 00:04:56.502
Mira stepped inside,
120
00:04:57.189 --> 00:04:58.986
awe settling over her like a blanket.
121
00:04:59.893 --> 00:05:06.419
A green leather recliner sat on a soft beige and blue rug by a small window cleverly hidden from the outside.
122
00:05:07.278 --> 00:05:08.099
On the other side,
123
00:05:08.263 --> 00:05:08.864
a tall lamp.
124
00:05:09.520 --> 00:05:11.903
A wall clock frozen at 3.16.
125
00:05:12.825 --> 00:05:14.911
One wall was lined with a built-in bookshelf,
126
00:05:15.349 --> 00:05:16.989
a few old books still resting there.
127
00:05:17.567 --> 00:05:18.614
It felt like a retreat,
128
00:05:19.114 --> 00:05:21.052
a sanctuary frozen in time.
129
00:05:21.989 --> 00:05:23.833
Beside the chair sat a banker's box,
130
00:05:24.458 --> 00:05:26.161
taped closed on all sides.
131
00:05:26.817 --> 00:05:28.099
Mira crouched beside it,
132
00:05:28.458 --> 00:05:29.536
brushing dust from the top.
133
00:05:30.293 --> 00:05:31.754
Her hand hovered over the tape,
134
00:05:32.253 --> 00:05:33.973
but something in her chest hesitated.
135
00:05:34.815 --> 00:05:35.913
This wasn't hers to open.
136
00:05:36.733 --> 00:05:37.135
Not yet.
137
00:05:38.135 --> 00:05:38.553
Instead,
138
00:05:38.999 --> 00:05:40.772
she lifted it carefully into her arms,
139
00:05:41.178 --> 00:05:43.592
feeling the weight of the box and the weight of memories.
140
00:05:44.436 --> 00:05:46.921
Coming here was much harder than she anticipated.
141
00:05:47.952 --> 00:05:49.796
Mira turned to Claire needing to leave.
142
00:05:50.717 --> 00:05:52.233
The weight of grief was settling in.
143
00:05:53.139 --> 00:05:54.296
Thank you for letting me do this,
144
00:05:54.358 --> 00:05:54.655
Claire.
145
00:05:55.233 --> 00:05:56.514
I really appreciate it.
146
00:05:57.124 --> 00:05:58.155
But I need to leave.
147
00:05:59.014 --> 00:05:59.436
Of course,
148
00:05:59.499 --> 00:05:59.717
Mira.
149
00:06:00.733 --> 00:06:01.994
This must be a lot to take in.
150
00:06:02.375 --> 00:06:03.035
I'll walk you out.
151
00:06:04.336 --> 00:06:05.360
As they left the attic,
152
00:06:05.539 --> 00:06:06.078
Claire said,
153
00:06:06.860 --> 00:06:08.461
You're welcome back anytime.
154
00:06:09.399 --> 00:06:12.063
If I find anything else that belongs to your family,
155
00:06:12.266 --> 00:06:12.844
I'll let you know.
156
00:06:13.649 --> 00:06:14.789
Would you like to leave your number?
157
00:06:16.164 --> 00:06:18.758
Mira nodded as they landed in the entryway.
158
00:06:19.508 --> 00:06:21.133
She scribbled her number on a notepad.
159
00:06:21.930 --> 00:06:22.508
Thank you again,
160
00:06:22.570 --> 00:06:22.914
Claire.
161
00:06:23.414 --> 00:06:24.524
I appreciate your help.
162
00:06:25.164 --> 00:06:26.570
It was so nice to meet you.
163
00:06:27.539 --> 00:06:29.789
Claire smiled and gave Mira a hug.
164
00:06:30.673 --> 00:06:33.336
It continued to rain as Mira ran to her car.
165
00:06:34.037 --> 00:06:36.619
She drove just around the corner before pulling over.
166
00:06:37.658 --> 00:06:39.381
The box sat on the passenger seat,
167
00:06:39.944 --> 00:06:42.928
silent but weighty with unspoken mementos.
168
00:06:43.967 --> 00:06:49.475
She rested a hand on the lid and wondered what could be living in the box that her mother wanted to keep private.
169
00:06:50.569 --> 00:06:51.740
Mira took a deep breath,
170
00:06:52.319 --> 00:06:55.459
ready to learn more from her mom as she arrived back at the care home,
171
00:06:56.178 --> 00:06:59.365
remembering Charity's advice to be grateful for the moments with her mom.
172
00:06:59.825 --> 00:07:01.406
and experiencing them as gifts.
173
00:07:02.428 --> 00:07:04.529
Mira ran through the rain into the care home.
174
00:07:05.252 --> 00:07:06.713
When she arrived to her mother's room,
175
00:07:07.131 --> 00:07:09.455
she found her sitting up in bed,
176
00:07:09.916 --> 00:07:11.096
humming softly to herself.
177
00:07:11.994 --> 00:07:12.861
When she saw the box,
178
00:07:13.361 --> 00:07:14.736
her eyes widened slightly.
179
00:07:15.736 --> 00:07:15.877
Hey,
180
00:07:15.955 --> 00:07:16.236
Mama.
181
00:07:17.142 --> 00:07:18.517
I found the box you asked for.
182
00:07:19.158 --> 00:07:20.502
It was right where you said it would be,
183
00:07:20.705 --> 00:07:21.830
and I brought back your journal,
184
00:07:21.892 --> 00:07:22.111
too.
185
00:07:22.861 --> 00:07:24.205
That secret room is pretty neat.
186
00:07:24.908 --> 00:07:26.517
I can't believe I never knew about it.
187
00:07:27.971 --> 00:07:29.392
Mira kissed her mom on the cheek.
188
00:07:29.657 --> 00:07:31.279
and set the box and book on the table.
189
00:07:32.359 --> 00:07:33.781
Ruth smiled softly,
190
00:07:34.324 --> 00:07:35.081
then looked away.
191
00:07:35.843 --> 00:07:37.546
A shadow passed across her face.
192
00:07:38.503 --> 00:07:38.628
I'm…
193
00:07:39.730 --> 00:07:41.269
I'm not quite ready to open it.
194
00:07:42.909 --> 00:07:43.534
Mira nodded,
195
00:07:43.894 --> 00:07:46.597
sensing something unspoken beneath her mother's hesitation.
196
00:07:47.597 --> 00:07:48.159
That's okay,
197
00:07:48.222 --> 00:07:48.519
Mama.
198
00:07:49.331 --> 00:07:50.644
We can open it when you're ready.
199
00:07:51.863 --> 00:07:53.159
Ruth reached for her hand.
200
00:07:53.628 --> 00:07:54.941
Come back in a few days.
201
00:07:55.066 --> 00:07:56.441
We'll open it together then.
202
00:07:58.300 --> 00:07:58.581
I will,
203
00:07:58.644 --> 00:07:58.878
Mama.
204
00:08:01.533 --> 00:08:02.254
Two days later,
205
00:08:03.235 --> 00:08:06.238
it was a bright spring day with the birds singing their tunes.
206
00:08:06.999 --> 00:08:09.339
Mira walked the familiar hallway to her mother's room.
207
00:08:10.285 --> 00:08:11.863
Ruth was sitting in her chair this time,
208
00:08:12.285 --> 00:08:13.605
looking out the opened window.
209
00:08:14.667 --> 00:08:16.410
A gentle breeze kissing her face,
210
00:08:16.745 --> 00:08:18.464
while the sun gently caressed her skin.
211
00:08:19.433 --> 00:08:21.214
The box was moved to the corner,
212
00:08:21.511 --> 00:08:23.277
like a secret waiting to be shared.
213
00:08:24.089 --> 00:08:26.152
Ruth was staring peacefully out the window,
214
00:08:26.558 --> 00:08:29.355
catching glimpses of dancing birds and feisty squirrels.
215
00:08:30.105 --> 00:08:32.586
Mira hoped her mom would be able to have clarity today.
216
00:08:33.445 --> 00:08:34.367
When Mira entered,
217
00:08:34.746 --> 00:08:35.945
Ruth turned and smiled.
218
00:08:36.847 --> 00:08:36.988
Oh,
219
00:08:37.207 --> 00:08:37.925
sweet girl,
220
00:08:38.070 --> 00:08:39.343
I'm glad you came back.
221
00:08:40.711 --> 00:08:43.507
Mira exhaled a breath she did not realize was there.
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00:08:44.507 --> 00:08:45.304
It's good to see you,
223
00:08:45.351 --> 00:08:45.648
Mama.
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00:08:46.242 --> 00:08:47.929
I brought you a gift from the bakery.
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Mira handed her mom a paper napkin with a nice fat cookie on top.
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00:08:53.414 --> 00:08:53.570
Oh,
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00:08:53.789 --> 00:08:54.367
thank you,
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00:08:54.523 --> 00:08:55.336
dear Mira.
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00:08:56.007 --> 00:08:57.445
You remembered my favorite.
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Mira smiled as she savored the precious moment of her mother filled with joy at the small moment of eating a tasty cookie.
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Hey,
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Mama,
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00:09:08.124 --> 00:09:09.968
how do you feel about opening the box today?
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00:09:10.569 --> 00:09:10.812
Yes,
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00:09:10.905 --> 00:09:11.171
Mira,
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00:09:11.710 --> 00:09:12.312
it's time.
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00:09:13.569 --> 00:09:17.648
They tore off the tape and then opened the box together slowly,
238
00:09:18.194 --> 00:09:20.476
carefully removing a few old items from the top.
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00:09:21.132 --> 00:09:21.898
College letters,
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00:09:22.163 --> 00:09:22.944
family photos,
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00:09:23.507 --> 00:09:23.944
journals.
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00:09:24.804 --> 00:09:28.241
And then Ruth's breath caught as she pulled out a yellowed handkerchief.
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00:09:29.293 --> 00:09:30.835
She slowly unwrapped the object,
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00:09:31.074 --> 00:09:32.717
revealing a small wooden carving,
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00:09:33.219 --> 00:09:35.680
a tiny bluebird with wings outstretched.
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00:09:37.078 --> 00:09:38.640
I haven't seen this in years.
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00:09:39.742 --> 00:09:41.062
Your father gave it to me.
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00:09:41.906 --> 00:09:46.344
It's my bluebird always reminding me that Robert would be flying home to see me.
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00:09:48.125 --> 00:09:48.828
Mira looked up.
250
00:09:49.687 --> 00:09:51.359
My dad did something that thoughtful?
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00:09:52.140 --> 00:09:53.437
Ruth's voice dropped lower,
252
00:09:53.750 --> 00:09:54.156
distant.
253
00:09:54.984 --> 00:09:56.875
He was gone a lot when you were little.
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00:09:58.352 --> 00:09:59.308
Special Forces
255
00:10:00.370 --> 00:10:01.331
I never told you that,
256
00:10:01.392 --> 00:10:01.792
did I?
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00:10:03.052 --> 00:10:04.532
Mira shook her head slowly,
258
00:10:05.134 --> 00:10:05.575
stunned.
259
00:10:06.677 --> 00:10:06.798
No.
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00:10:07.579 --> 00:10:10.899
You told me he was in sales and had to travel the world selling vacuums.
261
00:10:11.540 --> 00:10:13.001
That didn't make sense when I got older,
262
00:10:13.102 --> 00:10:14.946
but you both never wanted to talk about it.
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00:10:16.227 --> 00:10:18.212
He couldn't tell us where he was.
264
00:10:18.884 --> 00:10:20.446
We weren't sure what to tell you.
265
00:10:21.727 --> 00:10:23.274
But every time he came home,
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he brought a gift.
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00:10:25.009 --> 00:10:25.993
Something small,
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thoughtful.
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00:10:27.852 --> 00:10:28.634
He said it helped-
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00:10:28.646 --> 00:10:31.429
It helped him feel like he was still part of our everyday life.
271
00:10:32.912 --> 00:10:34.271
Ruth looked down at the box.
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00:10:35.294 --> 00:10:36.314
I kept them all,
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00:10:36.494 --> 00:10:37.037
everyone.
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00:10:38.193 --> 00:10:40.560
Most were Christmas ornaments or coins.
275
00:10:41.599 --> 00:10:43.880
Do you remember the toys he brought home for you?
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00:10:45.427 --> 00:10:46.599
I have some memories,
277
00:10:47.677 --> 00:10:50.224
but I really remember just wanting him to stay home.
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00:10:51.505 --> 00:10:53.037
Everyone else's dad was around.
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00:10:53.630 --> 00:10:55.365
I thought he didn't like us enough to stay.
280
00:10:56.693 --> 00:10:57.146
I'm sorry,
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00:10:57.240 --> 00:10:57.599
my dear.
282
00:10:58.610 --> 00:11:01.634
That's not what happened and I'm sad you held that for so long.
283
00:11:02.393 --> 00:11:03.475
It was complicated.
284
00:11:04.917 --> 00:11:10.983
Mira's eyes misted as she glanced at the growing pile of keepsakes between them as her mother took them out one by one.
285
00:11:12.303 --> 00:11:13.327
You saved all this?
286
00:11:14.405 --> 00:11:15.233
I saved him.
287
00:11:16.014 --> 00:11:17.889
Her voice clinging to her own memories.
288
00:11:18.311 --> 00:11:19.155
In my own way.
289
00:11:20.124 --> 00:11:22.717
Mira sat beside her mother and reached for her hand.
290
00:11:23.717 --> 00:11:24.889
The moment was quiet.
291
00:11:25.622 --> 00:11:25.983
Sacred.
292
00:11:26.883 --> 00:11:27.905
And in that silence,
293
00:11:28.204 --> 00:11:30.547
the past didn't feel so far away anymore.
294
00:11:31.426 --> 00:11:34.848
She felt close to her mom as she studied her face and her hands.
295
00:11:35.653 --> 00:11:42.176
She was grateful for these shared moments of nostalgia and thankful for charity that she reminded her to cherish these moments.
296
00:11:43.036 --> 00:11:45.223
As Mira's fingers traced the edge of the box,
297
00:11:45.880 --> 00:11:54.036
her eyes caught a delicate worn piece of lace that were remnants of another time laying on top of an old brooch with a faded stone.
298
00:11:55.118 --> 00:11:57.761
Another bundle of handwritten letters tied with twine.
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00:11:58.341 --> 00:11:59.040
Her wedding photo,
300
00:11:59.521 --> 00:12:01.384
a photo album she had never seen,
301
00:12:01.947 --> 00:12:02.966
and at the very bottom,
302
00:12:03.345 --> 00:12:04.345
a manila envelope.
303
00:12:05.330 --> 00:12:07.533
Mira reached in and pulled out the envelope,
304
00:12:08.033 --> 00:12:10.111
the weight of it unexpected in her hands.
305
00:12:10.853 --> 00:12:11.790
Before she could open it,
306
00:12:12.150 --> 00:12:14.353
Ruth's hand shot out and snatched it away.
307
00:12:15.259 --> 00:12:16.572
That's not for now!
308
00:12:17.775 --> 00:12:18.384
Mira blinked,
309
00:12:18.665 --> 00:12:19.087
startled.
310
00:12:19.869 --> 00:12:20.150
But...
311
00:12:21.447 --> 00:12:22.009
Not now!
312
00:12:22.830 --> 00:12:26.473
Ruth clutched the envelope to her chest as she stood up and walked to her bed.
313
00:12:27.475 --> 00:12:28.577
Mira gently got up,
314
00:12:29.018 --> 00:12:30.456
laying the lace on her mother's bed,
315
00:12:31.042 --> 00:12:32.698
her heart thudding with questions.
316
00:12:33.682 --> 00:12:33.979
Okay,
317
00:12:34.042 --> 00:12:34.284
Mama.
318
00:12:35.221 --> 00:12:36.143
I will be back soon.
319
00:12:37.323 --> 00:12:38.604
As Mira got into her car,
320
00:12:38.682 --> 00:12:39.643
she finally asked,
321
00:12:40.706 --> 00:12:43.346
I wonder what could possibly be in that envelope?
322
00:12:44.174 --> 00:12:46.315
And why did she get so agitated about it?
323
00:12:47.815 --> 00:12:49.862
Some boxes hold more than objects.
324
00:12:50.377 --> 00:12:51.252
They carry memory,
325
00:12:51.674 --> 00:12:52.034
mystery.
326
00:12:52.350 --> 00:12:52.831
and meaning,
327
00:12:53.271 --> 00:12:55.234
wrapped in dust and quiet hope.
328
00:12:56.035 --> 00:12:57.714
Mira didn't just find a hidden room.
329
00:12:58.394 --> 00:13:00.402
She uncovered a piece of her family's soul.
330
00:13:01.402 --> 00:13:02.082
And sometimes,
331
00:13:02.597 --> 00:13:03.839
even the smallest item,
332
00:13:04.378 --> 00:13:05.441
a wooden bluebird,
333
00:13:05.839 --> 00:13:06.621
a hidden note,
334
00:13:07.144 --> 00:13:11.371
can remind us that love finds its way back in its own time.
335
00:13:12.355 --> 00:13:14.105
Join us next time in Promise Hill,
336
00:13:14.636 --> 00:13:17.152
where every discovery brings us closer to the heart.
337
00:13:17.808 --> 00:13:18.277
Take it away,
338
00:13:18.355 --> 00:13:18.730
Kimberlee.
339
00:13:19.210 --> 00:13:22.053
Do you find yourself in a similar situation?
340
00:13:22.693 --> 00:13:26.018
Watching a loved one walk through changes or difficult times?
341
00:13:27.256 --> 00:13:29.943
Going back in time to feel what surfaces?
342
00:13:30.904 --> 00:13:36.264
I think a lot of us can feel what Mira is going through on some level.
343
00:13:37.154 --> 00:13:41.389
Today I have five reflections and four live it out action steps for you.
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00:13:42.576 --> 00:13:43.139
Number one,
345
00:13:43.732 --> 00:13:46.436
sometimes the past doesn't ask to be remembered,
346
00:13:46.514 --> 00:13:48.201
it waits to be invited back in.
347
00:13:49.286 --> 00:13:50.948
Like a room hidden behind walls,
348
00:13:50.988 --> 00:13:54.631
the things we think we've lost often remain quietly preserved,
349
00:13:55.131 --> 00:13:57.592
waiting for the right moment to be uncovered.
350
00:13:58.577 --> 00:14:00.178
What are you ready to revisit,
351
00:14:00.538 --> 00:14:02.217
gently and without fear?
352
00:14:03.663 --> 00:14:04.498
Hear it and hold it.
353
00:14:04.803 --> 00:14:09.280
There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.
354
00:14:09.733 --> 00:14:11.623
Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1.
355
00:14:12.592 --> 00:14:13.952
I know we have covered this
356
00:14:14.327 --> 00:14:15.452
Bible verse previously,
357
00:14:15.545 --> 00:14:17.952
but it's an important reminder that there is
358
00:14:18.222 --> 00:14:19.383
order with God.
359
00:14:20.264 --> 00:14:21.504
It shows up everywhere.
360
00:14:22.086 --> 00:14:23.149
The four seasons,
361
00:14:23.168 --> 00:14:24.329
the work of the planets,
362
00:14:24.848 --> 00:14:26.391
growing plants and flowers.
363
00:14:27.110 --> 00:14:30.297
Keep that in mind as you are walking through this season.
364
00:14:32.079 --> 00:14:32.657
Number two,
365
00:14:33.297 --> 00:14:35.696
memory is not just what we recall,
366
00:14:35.914 --> 00:14:36.961
it's what shapes us.
367
00:14:38.055 --> 00:14:39.227
A porch handprint,
368
00:14:39.477 --> 00:14:40.477
a secret room,
369
00:14:40.727 --> 00:14:42.024
a carved bluebird.
370
00:14:42.524 --> 00:14:46.883
The details we think are small can hold the entire weight of a lifetime.
371
00:14:47.762 --> 00:14:51.186
What small object or place brings your past rushing back?
372
00:14:52.045 --> 00:14:53.186
What does it still teach you?
373
00:14:54.787 --> 00:14:58.393
Last time I drove by the house I grew up in in small town Iowa.
374
00:14:59.107 --> 00:15:04.992
It still had our handprints in concrete on the sidewalk with our nicknames next to it,
375
00:15:05.472 --> 00:15:09.535
which I am not going to share with you at this time because they're a little embarrassing.
376
00:15:10.136 --> 00:15:14.379
My grandfather always picked out interesting nicknames for people that he loved.
377
00:15:15.808 --> 00:15:17.761
And when I looked at those handprints,
378
00:15:19.464 --> 00:15:20.355
oh my goodness,
379
00:15:20.543 --> 00:15:23.605
so many memories came flooding back to me.
380
00:15:24.386 --> 00:15:27.839
Precious memories and so many emotions.
381
00:15:28.587 --> 00:15:28.787
Right?
382
00:15:28.788 --> 00:15:32.047
A lot of time has gone by since we made those handprints.
383
00:15:32.768 --> 00:15:35.049
It's a lot of great things and a lot of grief.
384
00:15:36.670 --> 00:15:41.951
But I'm grateful to have those memories attached to something so simple.
385
00:15:44.069 --> 00:15:44.811
Hear it and hold it.
386
00:15:44.936 --> 00:15:45.764
Isaiah 49,
387
00:15:45.795 --> 00:15:46.295
16.
388
00:15:46.904 --> 00:15:47.092
See,
389
00:15:47.217 --> 00:15:49.608
I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.
390
00:15:49.733 --> 00:15:51.279
Your walls are ever before me.
391
00:15:52.404 --> 00:15:57.373
This verse beautifully echoes the idea that even when places change and time moves on,
392
00:15:57.839 --> 00:15:58.700
we are not forgotten.
393
00:15:59.220 --> 00:16:04.205
Our stories and our identities are still held and remembered by God.
394
00:16:05.849 --> 00:16:06.404
Number three,
395
00:16:07.388 --> 00:16:09.834
not everything buried is meant to stay hidden,
396
00:16:10.295 --> 00:16:12.951
and not everything found must be opened right away.
397
00:16:13.998 --> 00:16:15.435
There is wisdom in waiting.
398
00:16:16.123 --> 00:16:19.201
Mira honored her mother's readiness instead of rushing the moment.
399
00:16:20.013 --> 00:16:20.935
In your own story,
400
00:16:21.076 --> 00:16:26.685
is there something you're holding emotionally or spiritually that might need more time before it's unwrapped.
401
00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:32.343
I've watched a couple videos and read a few books on people that have died,
402
00:16:32.784 --> 00:16:34.585
had an encounter with Jesus in heaven,
403
00:16:34.605 --> 00:16:36.027
and have come back to talk about it.
404
00:16:36.585 --> 00:16:37.929
But in those cases,
405
00:16:38.952 --> 00:16:45.616
many times it took them years to be able to talk about the fullness of that experience.
406
00:16:46.413 --> 00:16:53.820
It was so deep that it needed time to percolate for them to be able to share with others.
407
00:16:54.283 --> 00:16:55.064
And even then,
408
00:16:55.265 --> 00:16:56.905
they only shared with one or two people.
409
00:16:56.966 --> 00:16:58.526
It wasn't meant for everyone to hear.
410
00:17:01.030 --> 00:17:01.749
Hear it and hold it.
411
00:17:01.811 --> 00:17:03.288
Psalm 27 14.
412
00:17:03.929 --> 00:17:04.733
Wait for the Lord,
413
00:17:04.835 --> 00:17:06.554
be strong and take heart,
414
00:17:06.718 --> 00:17:07.835
and wait for the Lord.
415
00:17:08.757 --> 00:17:12.679
This scripture speaks to the wisdom in waiting and the importance of timing.
416
00:17:13.382 --> 00:17:15.179
This verse encourages patience,
417
00:17:15.304 --> 00:17:18.007
trusting in the right time for revelation and action.
418
00:17:18.522 --> 00:17:22.413
It emphasizes the strength found in waiting and honoring the process.
419
00:17:22.899 --> 00:17:24.561
especially when waiting on God.
420
00:17:25.241 --> 00:17:26.083
In this chapter,
421
00:17:26.282 --> 00:17:28.864
Mira did this by respecting her mother's readiness.
422
00:17:30.485 --> 00:17:31.044
Number four,
423
00:17:31.887 --> 00:17:34.309
the journey back is not always about the place.
424
00:17:35.130 --> 00:17:37.497
It's about the person you become on the way.
425
00:17:39.052 --> 00:17:40.020
In returning home,
426
00:17:40.130 --> 00:17:41.270
Mira found more than a box.
427
00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:42.895
She found connection,
428
00:17:43.098 --> 00:17:43.677
patience,
429
00:17:43.723 --> 00:17:43.973
hope.
430
00:17:44.505 --> 00:17:46.395
When you revisit something from your past,
431
00:17:46.489 --> 00:17:48.989
are you open to seeing it with new eyes?
432
00:17:50.275 --> 00:17:56.281
Have you ever looked at old items from your childhood and experienced them in a new way because of the changes in you?
433
00:17:57.601 --> 00:17:59.047
I have on many occasions,
434
00:17:59.687 --> 00:18:03.070
and it's usually with a deeper level of compassion for my younger self.
435
00:18:03.945 --> 00:18:04.211
To me,
436
00:18:04.250 --> 00:18:06.976
it feels good to care for myself with grace in this way.
437
00:18:08.632 --> 00:18:13.492
And I don't have a scripture to go along with this because I didn't want to mold scripture to my point.
438
00:18:13.976 --> 00:18:14.773
That's not what...
439
00:18:15.243 --> 00:18:16.984
I want to do with this podcast.
440
00:18:17.005 --> 00:18:20.049
I want to utilize scripture and make it come alive for us,
441
00:18:20.209 --> 00:18:22.451
not use it to make my point.
442
00:18:22.529 --> 00:18:24.592
So number five,
443
00:18:25.154 --> 00:18:27.412
sometimes healing starts not with answers,
444
00:18:27.475 --> 00:18:28.498
but with presence.
445
00:18:29.436 --> 00:18:30.795
Ruth wanted Mira's company,
446
00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:35.045
someone to sit beside her as she stepped back in time to previous memories.
447
00:18:35.842 --> 00:18:37.811
Who in your life might need your presence?
448
00:18:38.545 --> 00:18:42.186
Or do you need someone to sit with you to look at precious moments in your life?
449
00:18:43.807 --> 00:18:47.628
It's so sacred looking through photo albums and old things.
450
00:18:48.007 --> 00:18:49.729
Sometimes we want to do it by ourselves,
451
00:18:49.730 --> 00:18:50.507
and that's great.
452
00:18:51.229 --> 00:18:54.190
And sometimes we want to invite someone along on the journey.
453
00:18:55.651 --> 00:18:56.394
Hear it and hold it.
454
00:18:56.894 --> 00:18:57.573
Ruth 1,
455
00:18:57.831 --> 00:18:58.409
16.
456
00:18:59.729 --> 00:19:00.589
But Ruth said,
457
00:19:00.823 --> 00:19:04.073
Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.
458
00:19:04.589 --> 00:19:05.354
For where you go,
459
00:19:05.589 --> 00:19:05.995
I will go,
460
00:19:06.292 --> 00:19:07.245
and where you lodge,
461
00:19:07.354 --> 00:19:08.011
I will lodge.
462
00:19:08.573 --> 00:19:10.058
Your people shall be my people,
463
00:19:10.136 --> 00:19:11.354
and your God my God.
464
00:19:12.503 --> 00:19:16.989
This verse captures the sacred ministry of simply being with someone.
465
00:19:17.708 --> 00:19:19.169
Ruth didn't come with solutions.
466
00:19:19.251 --> 00:19:20.270
She came with loyalty,
467
00:19:20.434 --> 00:19:20.755
love,
468
00:19:20.833 --> 00:19:21.528
and presence.
469
00:19:22.270 --> 00:19:22.591
All right,
470
00:19:22.676 --> 00:19:26.294
I have four live it out action steps for you today.
471
00:19:28.716 --> 00:19:31.075
Before we jump into the action steps,
472
00:19:31.341 --> 00:19:37.591
I want to put a little disclaimer out there because I'm not sure who's listening and what your background is.
473
00:19:38.153 --> 00:19:39.262
But basically,
474
00:19:39.466 --> 00:19:41.153
I give these action steps to help
475
00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:42.540
people get unstuck,
476
00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:48.404
move forward in life to look at things differently and to try new things.
477
00:19:49.006 --> 00:19:53.651
If you feel like some of the suggestions I make would feel too overwhelming to you,
478
00:19:53.791 --> 00:19:55.096
please don't do it.
479
00:19:55.174 --> 00:19:55.471
Please,
480
00:19:55.510 --> 00:19:55.736
please,
481
00:19:55.752 --> 00:19:56.830
please just stay away from it.
482
00:19:57.471 --> 00:19:59.158
But if you feel like there's something,
483
00:19:59.190 --> 00:20:01.783
an action step I give that you feel like could be helpful,
484
00:20:01.877 --> 00:20:02.846
then go ahead and try it.
485
00:20:03.424 --> 00:20:04.955
And if you're already in therapy,
486
00:20:05.283 --> 00:20:09.611
then use this tool or these tools that I give you.
487
00:20:10.092 --> 00:20:11.770
and share them with your counselor, so that your counselor can support you in the work that you're doing.
488
00:20:16.984 --> 00:20:17.343
All right,
489
00:20:17.523 --> 00:20:18.265
let's jump in.
490
00:20:19.343 --> 00:20:19.863
Number one,
491
00:20:20.542 --> 00:20:22.206
visit a place from your past.
492
00:20:22.886 --> 00:20:28.706
Take a quiet walk or a drive to a home neighborhood or meaningful spot from your past.
493
00:20:29.472 --> 00:20:31.144
And if you don't have access to those,
494
00:20:31.206 --> 00:20:34.144
get out some pictures or even use Google Earth.
495
00:20:34.972 --> 00:20:39.066
My new favorite thing right now is my VR set.
496
00:20:40.081 --> 00:20:41.066
I really love that thing.
497
00:20:42.106 --> 00:20:43.207
I use it for exercise,
498
00:20:43.707 --> 00:20:50.828
but sometimes I will use it for Google Earth and go back to standing in front of my old home in my little town in Iowa.
499
00:20:50.992 --> 00:20:51.906
It's pretty cool.
500
00:20:52.851 --> 00:20:53.992
So as you're doing that,
501
00:20:54.312 --> 00:20:57.172
notice what has changed and what remains.
502
00:20:57.812 --> 00:20:58.984
Let your heart speak.
503
00:20:59.687 --> 00:21:01.875
What memories rise to the surface?
504
00:21:04.015 --> 00:21:04.531
Number two,
505
00:21:05.218 --> 00:21:07.468
write a letter you're never going to send.
506
00:21:08.078 --> 00:21:09.619
Think of someone from your past,
507
00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:10.500
maybe a parent,
508
00:21:10.541 --> 00:21:11.262
a sibling,
509
00:21:11.822 --> 00:21:13.264
a younger version of yourself,
510
00:21:13.303 --> 00:21:15.385
or someone no longer in your life.
511
00:21:16.326 --> 00:21:17.123
Write them a letter.
512
00:21:17.850 --> 00:21:19.811
Say what was left unsaid.
513
00:21:20.748 --> 00:21:21.873
But let this be healing.
514
00:21:21.951 --> 00:21:22.670
This is for you,
515
00:21:22.811 --> 00:21:23.412
not for them.
516
00:21:23.592 --> 00:21:25.342
So don't plan on sending it.
517
00:21:25.842 --> 00:21:30.998
This is a space for you to be able to release any thoughts,
518
00:21:31.107 --> 00:21:31.857
feelings.
519
00:21:33.334 --> 00:21:36.398
Anything that you feel like you want to say to that person,
520
00:21:36.616 --> 00:21:39.839
but either they're not here or they're not a safe person to say it to.
521
00:21:41.605 --> 00:21:42.105
Number three,
522
00:21:42.745 --> 00:21:44.284
create a memory box.
523
00:21:44.964 --> 00:21:48.433
Gather a few keepsakes that tell a story about your life or family.
524
00:21:48.987 --> 00:21:49.995
It could be photographs,
525
00:21:50.073 --> 00:21:50.370
notes,
526
00:21:50.433 --> 00:21:50.948
small gifts,
527
00:21:50.949 --> 00:21:53.073
or objects with emotional value.
528
00:21:53.730 --> 00:21:56.683
Create a quiet space to honor those memories.
529
00:21:58.323 --> 00:21:58.839
Number four,
530
00:21:59.042 --> 00:22:00.745
practice sacred waiting.
531
00:22:01.994 --> 00:22:05.077
Is there a question in your life that doesn't have an answer yet?
532
00:22:05.797 --> 00:22:06.377
Like Mira,
533
00:22:06.659 --> 00:22:08.639
allow yourself space to not know.
534
00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:13.542
Create a quiet moment and journal to ask God for peace as you wait.
535
00:22:14.510 --> 00:22:16.331
If you're a hands-on type person,
536
00:22:16.432 --> 00:22:17.292
kind of like I am,
537
00:22:18.010 --> 00:22:24.838
you can light a candle as an honor to God who is the light of the world and is a reflection of lighting up with answers.
538
00:22:25.651 --> 00:22:26.854
I'm a metaphor type of girl,
539
00:22:26.932 --> 00:22:28.854
so I have a lot of candles.
540
00:22:28.948 --> 00:22:30.417
Not that I use it for all this purpose,
541
00:22:30.526 --> 00:22:30.682
but...
542
00:22:31.126 --> 00:22:39.889
I do have times in my life where I have lit a candle and just ask God to hold whatever I am holding on to,
543
00:22:40.529 --> 00:22:44.365
to put it into his hands for his perspective and his peace.
544
00:22:46.826 --> 00:22:50.897
I also wanted to share something pretty fun that I think I've done.
545
00:22:51.553 --> 00:22:58.584
I have written a handful of books and one of the books is called Women of the Bible and it goes through 12 different women.
546
00:23:00.058 --> 00:23:06.084
looking at their lives and seeing how we are very similar to most of these women.
547
00:23:06.783 --> 00:23:10.006
And I share that with you because Ruth is one of the women.
548
00:23:10.326 --> 00:23:12.811
And we did read a Bible verse about Ruth.
549
00:23:12.873 --> 00:23:14.311
So if you head to my website,
550
00:23:14.350 --> 00:23:18.319
you can find a link there to read more about it if you're interested.
551
00:23:20.334 --> 00:23:22.740
Let me end us in prayer today.
552
00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:24.444
Dear Father,
553
00:23:24.782 --> 00:23:29.929
Thank you so much for the gentle way you lead us back to the places we've left behind,
554
00:23:30.409 --> 00:23:31.370
not to haunt us,
555
00:23:31.608 --> 00:23:32.608
but to heal us.
556
00:23:33.272 --> 00:23:33.827
Like Mira,
557
00:23:33.929 --> 00:23:35.374
we all carry questions,
558
00:23:35.475 --> 00:23:36.030
longings,
559
00:23:36.093 --> 00:23:39.194
and a quiet ache for things lost or left unspoken.
560
00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:41.061
Yet in your time,
561
00:23:41.139 --> 00:23:44.796
you stir what's been buried and shine light on what still matters.
562
00:23:45.561 --> 00:23:47.952
We thank you for the people who welcome us in,
563
00:23:48.046 --> 00:23:49.764
for the courage to face the past,
564
00:23:50.139 --> 00:23:53.030
and for the grace to wait when answers aren't ready yet.
565
00:23:53.730 --> 00:23:56.132
Teach us to hold space for our families,
566
00:23:56.372 --> 00:23:57.114
for our healing,
567
00:23:57.173 --> 00:23:59.517
and for the things we don't yet understand.
568
00:24:00.415 --> 00:24:03.021
Help us to see you in the smallest things.
569
00:24:03.442 --> 00:24:05.060
A handprint on concrete,
570
00:24:05.083 --> 00:24:06.263
a carved bluebird,
571
00:24:06.302 --> 00:24:07.724
a mother's quiet pause,
572
00:24:08.146 --> 00:24:12.005
and remind us that nothing meaningful is ever truly lost.
573
00:24:12.536 --> 00:24:14.630
It's just waiting to be found again.
574
00:24:15.833 --> 00:24:17.333
We trust you with our stories,
575
00:24:17.677 --> 00:24:19.036
we trust you with the timing,
576
00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:20.271
and we trust that love,
577
00:24:20.614 --> 00:24:21.771
when rooted in you,
578
00:24:22.052 --> 00:24:22.505
always.
579
00:24:22.666 --> 00:24:23.728
finds its way home.
580
00:24:24.288 --> 00:24:24.948
In Jesus'
581
00:24:25.149 --> 00:24:26.349
holy name we pray.
582
00:24:27.052 --> 00:24:27.470
Amen.
583
00:24:28.493 --> 00:24:29.372
Until next time,
584
00:24:29.431 --> 00:24:29.872
friends,
585
00:24:30.235 --> 00:24:33.876
may you find peace in the presence and hope on the hilltop.
586
00:24:34.438 --> 00:24:38.438
This is Kimberlee Herman cheering you on from Promise Hill.