Meditation" — Every time I hear my Mama, Jane Harris, say that word it makes me want to know more about what she means by this. I've gathered my questions and we sat down to have a conversation about meditation and its impact on how we spend time with God.

I'm really excited to share this Christmas Message with you—it's all about the incredible depth of the heartfelt message from God to us through His Son, Jesus. As I speak about Jesus being the ultimate representation of God's love, forgiveness, and hope, it's truly impactful to realize these teachings don't just apply in our darkest moments but also in our everyday lives. Just like those timeless Christmas carols that touch our hearts, reminding us of our value and the promise of peace, these truths resonate deeply with the warmth and hope of the season...that is Jesus, our Savior.

This was a talk that I gave at a monthly meeting called Coffee & Connection in Birmingham for our Non-Profit called Beacon People. (To learn more go to ) You may or may not have heard the news that my husband, Tyler and I recently had to permanently close the coffee shop we owned and operated for almost seven years. Here’s a little of the backstory.

I recently engaged in a heartfelt conversation with a close friend and precious believer in Jesus, D'Anna Lundstrom, who graciously shared her sacred encounters and wisdom about how she spends time with God. D'Anna's journey with God is guided by two words: desperation and dependence, propelling her to devote meaningful moments in solitude with God.

"I love reading my old Bible," Marnie shares tenderly with me. As I visit with her you can tell by the tone of her voice how deeply meaningful her alone time with God seems to be. Her favorite tool is journaling. Her favorite book of the Bible is Isaiah.

At one point during our conversation Katy Shelton makes reference to Jesus by calling Him, "My Jesus". It reminded me of the hymn, "My Jesus, I Love Thee", a very endearing hymn and way to describe Him.

I always look forward to sitting down and visiting with my friend, Julie Sparkman. Julie is a counselor at Restore Ministries in Birmingham, AL. On this episode, she shares with us a practice she calls Spirit Guided Reflection. This is an opportunity to connect with God in the highs and lows of everyday life. Julie uses this tool often with clients in her office. I hope you will learn as much as I did through this conversation. If you would like to connect with Julie you can do so by going to restore-ministries.org

I also have the privilege of hosting Restore Ministries Podcast called "Head to Heart - Connecting What You Know With How You Live." You can hear many more conversations with Julie and me there.

“Connecting with God - Let’s Talk About It” is series of conversations I’ve had with people who long to deeply connect with God during their time alone with Him. As I visit with them, I learn how they spend time with God as well as some of the challenges and benefits. Each conversation is individual and unique. I pray that as you listen to these conversations you will find new ways to meet with God and feel Him touch your soul in the most personal way.

At the Seasons Refresh Day Retreat I had a chance to really dig in to discover what Jesus meant when He said in Matthew 11:30 "My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Why does this holiday often seem flat, falling on my deaf ears, ceasing to touch and ignite me with emotions of excitement to genuinely celebrate with joy? What has stolen the cheer in my heart? Why is true joy so hard to find or muster up? Listen as we discover together how to rekindle the meaningful emotions this Christmas.

It seems that many of us have been and still find ourselves in tough seasons of life. In the world, it is common to struggle almost daily to believe the truth that we know about and read in God’s Word. I've wrestled with God, begging Him to give me relief in certain areas of my life that I do not want to accept. I can’t help but think you can relate. In this episode listen as I share from a very personal time with God how He showed me a new way to live.

Recently my husband, Tyler and I found ourselves in a very unexpected situation as we became trapped in Bangkok, Thailand. Literally, everything felt completely out of control for us. We wanted and needed to be back home for so many reasons. Listen as I share the story and how God showed me His purposes in this crazy moment in time. My prayer is that we can trust Him and surrender our lives even when it doesn't make sense at all.

After listening, consider spending some time with God in the quiet as you process and pray through your own challenges.

Recently my husband, Tyler and I found ourselves in a very unexpected situation as we became trapped in Bangkok, Thailand. Literally, everything felt completely out of control for us. We wanted and needed to be back home for so many reasons. Listen as I share the story and how God showed me His purposes in this crazy moment in time. My prayer is that we can trust Him and surrender our lives even when it doesn't make sense at all.

After listening, consider spending some time with God in the quiet as you process and pray through your own challenges.