Three Strands Ministries

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Today I met John. He was sitting outside a fast food establishment with his cardboard sign that had a few small coins on it. One loonie. Not much… definitely not enough to get lunch. So after getting some food for him, and a snack for myself, we sat on the sidewalk, sheltered from the rain by the overhang of the restaurant and we ate together.

No agenda. Just 2 people, sharing conversation and a little bit of food.

He asked me how my day was going, and I, in turn, asked about his. We spoke of the weather in Vancouver, where he normally hangs out, we spoke of crows and ravens, what books he likes to read, and of the difficulty of accessing his bank account with no identification.

As I left John, and wished him a good rest of the day, I looked at his deep, brown eyes and I could almost swear I could see Jesus looking back at me.

*unsplash image*

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Exciting week for me as I travelled halfway across the country to attend a week-long summer course at Regent College.

God’s kindness to me has been so evident…

I’m grateful for this learning opportunity and the wonderful people I have met, the ‘stretching’ experiences I have had, the interesting conversations, the thought-provoking readings, the smell of a library full of amazing books 📚…

How have you experienced the kindness of God this week?

The women of Afghanistan are often on my heart. This morning a few intrepid women and I braved the rain for an event called the Secret 3k. Hosted by the 30 Birds Foundation out of Saskatchewan to raise money for Afghan women, the origin story is of women runners in Afghanistan having to have secret running races. Now of course, that is not even permitted as the reins have tightened around the necks of those women.

As we walked under the rainy skies, I couldn’t help but be reminded of all the tears that must be shed by young women in that country. And the tears of God, the One who created each woman. The God who longs for the freedom of all her daughters. May it come to pass…

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A café mocha, ☕️ crafted by a friend sits on a beautiful table cloth where I enjoy its creamy warmth while overlooking a large lake.

Where are you in this present moment?
What are you sitting with, in your soul?
What is taking up some space that might need attending?
And where do you sense the presence of the Holy One?

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I first saw this sign on my neighbour’s lawn “Walk softly for 2 weeks” and thought that perhaps their church was doing an interesting spiritual practice together.

I contemplated about what it could mean to walk softly.

Walk softly to work,
Walk softly around the ‘hood,
Walk softly … with care.
Walk softly … and listen.

The next day I drew closer and realized that they had laid new sod.
Ohhhh… 😂🤦‍♀️

But still, the idea of walking softly is still intriguing to my soul.

What would it mean for you to walk softly this week? Is there anything the idea that piques your interest?
(Or is it just me…?)

Lmk below ⬇️ if you have any thoughts that arise from this beautiful idea.

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A simple prayer for today…🩷

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These beautiful fiddleheads speak of hope.
Where are you sensing hope in your life?
Where are you lacking hope, perhaps?
Take a moment to share with God about what emerged for you just now.

With love and care,

Kristen