a peaceful home | day eighteen

by christina britt lewis and timothy dean lewis

we are so happy to be working on another project for safe alliance. making a home for the hopeful was one of the best things we ever did. this time we are redesigning the lobby to make it warm and cozy and happy. we want these courageous people to walk in and feel safe and loved.

we went to a benefit lunch for safe alliance partners and supporters the other day. a couple told their story. strangers passed each other tissues as hundreds wept hearing about their grown daughter. she was smart, fun, kind, brilliant, successful, and beautiful. a sweet soul who called her grandfather every veteran's day to thank him for serving our country. she was the kind of child we all hope to have. and she was murdered.

domestic violence crosses all boundaries. somebody you know is living in fear. children you know hide under the covers and pray to a God they are not so sure is there. sometimes you give and you give and you give and all you get is hurt. you know if this is you. please call the safe alliance hotline 704.332.2513 right now. you are not alone in this.

BUT FOR MANY OF US...

we don't fear being hurt. we fear being wrong.
the life we say we want is right in front of us.
we are our own problem. we are our own solution.

stop waiting.
if you want your marriage and family to change, be the change.
do not keep hoping and waiting for the other one to make the first move.
shock him. surprise her. wake him up. make her remember why she picked you.
take him away for a long weekend. make all of the arrangements yourself and surprise her.
you are POWERFUL. never underestimate your ability to change everything.

marriane williamson said this better than anyone…

​our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
it is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
we ask ourselves, who am i to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
actually, who are you not to be? you are a child of God.
your playing small does not serve the world.
there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
we are all meant to shine, as children do.
we were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
it’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
as we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

jesus, who taught shakespeare that brevity is the soul of wit, said…

giving, not getting, is the way.
generosity begets generosity.
stinginess impoverishes.
anything can happen.

this is one day of a 31 day series about living in a peaceful home. 
click here to read the rest of the series.

peace be with you,
tim
christina
cole 
camden 
george