In 2014 I read the book, The Sacred Echo, by Margaret Feinberg. It's about hearing and recognizing the repetitive voice of God when He speaks. God is always speaking—actively working in our lives, even when we don't see Him. Even if all seems silence, He is, all the while, relentlessly sending out sacred echoes to get our attention.

One of these moments happened a few weeks earlier during a Sunday morning worship service. I noticed that standing in front of the first row of seats, there was a person interpreting the words of the songs and message through sign language. It occurred to me as I watched, that God can speak to us in different ways. Even if we sometimes question His voice, He sends echoes of His Word—"signing" each ripple with the same message again and again until we notice. 

One of the repetitive words God seemed to be speaking to me during that season of my life was that He is always actively working in my life—putting people and circumstances in my path, meticulously arranging divine encounters. Proverbs 16:9 says that we may plan our course, but the Lord establishes our steps. Always a step ahead, He directs, plans and prepares the path before us. Taking our intended course and redirecting it with divine intent, even if we are unaware.

Another one of these sacred echoes occurred as I was reading the story of Rahab who lived in the city of Jericho. Jericho was a well-fortified and seemingly unconquerable city located at the entrance of the Promised Land. Jericho had to be conquered before the Israelite could assume possession of the land. Two spies were sent into Jericho to scout out the city. Welcoming the spies, Rahab hid and protected them. But it wasn't just a happenstance or an accidental meeting. It was a divine appointment, well planned and orchestrated by God. Arranged before the beginning of time, He chose Rahab as a means of salvation. In return, Rahab's life was spared when Israel conquered the city. She later married an Israelite, and her ancestral line includes Christ, the Savior.

These scriptures remind me that even when I least expect it, God is working in my life. And even though all the events don't seem to go as I planned, He orders my steps so that I don't miss my intended destiny. God has a way of taking my encounters and reworking them for the better. Even when things look useless, He can refashion them into tremendous life-giving events. He takes even the worst circumstances in my life and redeems them. Buying them back, He recycles them. Returning them to me once again—reworked into greater purpose. Just as in the story of Jericho, God often hides the seeds of my salvation in the strongholds of my Jericho moments.

I had several other of these encounters with those echoes recently. Prayers that were sent out years ago that suddenly brought me back into a moment where I had to stand face-to-face with a seemingly indelible mark of hurt and disappointment that robbed me of a place of strength and faith. Again God was faithful to recycle those echoed prayers into an answer of tremendous breakthrough. A divine boomerang that came back into my life bringing healing and renewed faith at just the right time, a moment in time, when what was sent to rock my world, God used to heal secret places in my heart.  

He goes to great lengths to unveil His hidden plan. For years I struggled with my weight, but God recalled my circumstances. Racked with obesity, sickness and disease, God reached out and took my life. He redeemed my plight. Teaching and guiding me through each season of my life, He reworked the events. Turning them into something worthwhile, He sends them out again to accomplish their intended purpose. Not just for my benefit, but for many others who will read my story and find hope and encouragement.

Consider for a moment your sacred echo. Is there a thread that seems to repeat the same message day after day, season after season? Don't give up. Your salvation awaits. It may be hidden from view, but you can rest assured that planted within the hard shell of seeming disaster, God has placed the seeds of hope and renewal. He will take the clouds of doom and recycle them—sending them out again to refresh and renew those in your path who need them. Jericho moments, released for greater purpose.

Listen. Can you hear the sacred echoes? Echoes of God's love and grace ripple on.

I love Christmas ornaments. I collect Bible story ornaments, and things that remind me of scriptures, which are very hard to find these days. Among my favorites are Jonah and the fish, Daniel and the lion’s den, Noah's Ark, the Nativity, and I even have one of Samson. 

Among my favorite ornaments hang on my tree are those with special meaning from friends over the years. Some from the first year we were married and even some that I made myself. But my favorites by far, are the ornaments I hang there because they are handmade by those close and dear to my heart. The ones my three children and seven grandchildren have made over the years.

Of course, some of those more than 45 year-old ornaments aren't all that outwardly attractive. Some don't even look like ornaments at all. As adults, my children are always curious about why they mean so much to me, as they inquire, "What is this thing suppose to be, anyway?" But to me, they are highly prized, irreplaceable and one of a kind. But in 2009, (three years after I had weight loss surgery) something incredible happened that changed my view of things. As I hung these little treasures on the tree that year, little did I know God would use them to speak a special message to my heart.

Among the ornaments that grace my collection is a red "blob". It's happens to be the one that usually gets the most "why" questions asked about it.  Yep...it's just a blob of red plastic. It's actually a clear red plastic cup which has been melted in the oven. Inside the blob are a few small green plastic beads. It really doesn't even look like a Christmas ornament, much less a good Christmas ornament, but to me it is precious. 

As I was pondering this little treasure, it suddenly occurred to me that this ornament required more adult involvement than that of a three-year-old child. In a preschool class, someone just handed him a cup or maybe placed it in front of him. He may not have even touched it. It didn't come from his imagination or even display any of his handiwork or creativity. The melting had to be done in the oven, so he didn't even get involved in the process, except maybe as an observer. So really the only thing he did was to drop a few little green beads in the cup.  

So why is it meaningful, so special? I have hung it on my tree with loving care and a smile for the over 38 years. "What is it about this red blob?"

But that day, in that moment, something that had been planted years ago suddenly came to life. In that moment, God began to reveal a special secret held within that little blob.  

In my minds eye, I followed the hands of a 3-year-old boy as he selected his little green beads and dropped them one by one into the red plastic cup.  And then I saw it, something I had missed before, but it has been there along.  

Fingerprints.  Tucked inside that red blob is a unique impression of a child. Not just any child, mind you. My child.  A child conceived in love, not just through human will, but by the will and hand of God himself. Fashioned by the God of the Universe. This little red blog carries a part of my heart along with those small little fingerprints.  Tiny invisible fingerprints that proclaim all that he is and all that he will ever be. Fingerprints that will remain constant and permanent following him into eternity.  Fingerprints that display his heritage from the beginning of time. Suddenly, I was caught up in quiet and silent world within the womb.  

The scriptures tell us that God fashioned and created us. In the quiet and secret place, when no one else was looking. He was alone with something so dear to his heart, a moment in time, so intimate, unshared with the world; He created "me" and "you".  

The word used in Psalms is embroidered. Handmade. We carry God's fingerprints. Just imagine. We carry the imprints of the one who made us, God’s unique signature.  We reflect the perfect love, care and tedious creativity of the Master, Himself. God might have spoken the universe into existence, but when he made you and I, He intricately formed us by hand. In that season of my life, I needed to be reminded of His extravagant love for me. Once again, God used a child to send a special message of His love into our world.

That moment played inside my heart that day, and into every Christmas season afterwards. Why do I doubt love?  I carry it around in my heart and in every part of me.   

Merry Christmas!

You created my inmost being; you embroidered and knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made: your works are wonderful. I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth.  Psalm 139:13-15. 

This month I will celebrate my 14th-year out weight loss surgery anniversary. Yes, I've gained a few pounds back...it happens. And I still have to "rein" myself in on occasion—to take inventory of what I'm eating, and what's eating me, and get back on track. But all-in-all things are going pretty well. I've managed to keep off well over 100 pounds and that a "HUGE" success. 

But the one thing I have noticed, no matter if I gain or lose weight from time to time, the image of myself in the mirror is the true image of who I am. It hasn't always been that way. 

Weight loss or not, what we often see in the mirror is a critically distorted version of what is really there. 

Several years after loosing 164 pounds, my mind and my body were still not on the same page. The mirror told me I was thin, but I didn't "feel" that way. Even after plastic surgery, I still felt fat. It was hard for me to see the real me in the mirror. My mind still reflected the 300 pound version of me. I knew I had to lose the fat feeling or I would end up in the same place my mind told me I was. I had to find a way to change my old image. I had to learn how to see the real me. 

My transformation took more than just looking in the mirror or trying to convince myself I was thinner. It took more than repeatedly trying on clothes every time I took them out of the dryer. It took more than plastic surgery. I needed answers to why my mind still continued to live in the past.

I had to find out why my mind wanted to believe I was still overweight and start believing that the image I saw in the mirror was the real and present me. It took some re-thinking before my head and my body came into alignment.

I did some research and discovered that we can change the way we feel and the way we see ourselves by changing our mind. The way we "feel" is rooted in the way we "think" or what we "believe". It results in the way we see ourselves.

I felt "fat" because I believed I would always be that way and that my circumstances would never change. I was fat because that's the way I thought about myself so that is the way I saw myself. I needed more than stomach surgery, or massive weight loss, I needed "brain surgery"!

In order to make changes in my image, I had to change my thinking. I discovered that it is possible to hold two conflicting beliefs at the time. My mind had a conflicting report about the new me. I believed that I had lost weight but I also held to a belief that I would never change and that I was always going to be overweight and unhealthy.

One of those beliefs was not true—I was believing a lie. The fact that I was once obese was true, but it wasn't the new and present truth. The old belief was ruling my thoughts, clouding my thinking, and choking out the new truth. My two beliefs had to come into agreement.

Once I identified the conflicting belief, I had to uproot it. I had to renounce the old by telling myself I was believing a lie. I had to begin to agree fully with my present truth. Immediately I was free. Free to see the new me. Free of the "fat" feeling. 

I encourage you to find the new you. But you won't find it in the mirror or in a clothing store. You must first find the new you inside your mind. In order to take the next step in your recovery from the old you to the new you, you must first take a good look at how you see yourself.

Do you see yourself as you really are? If the real image of yourself is a lot different than what you are, I encourage you to seek the truth about what you believe—identify the lie—dispel it and begin to agree with your present truth.

If you would like to read the whole story of how I changed my life as well as other life-changing thinking patterns that helped me walk out of obesity into a new place, my book Out of Obesity and into the Promised Land  is available online. 

I love to cook in my slow cooker. It's so easy and over the years I've found lots of fast and delicious recipes that I can make ahead. Easy to cook, easy to clean. That's my motto!

But did you known you could cook fish in a slow cooker? Who ever thought that would work? But it does!

It's time you learned how. It's fun, it's fast, it's simple and it's delicious. Best of all it's loaded with healthy protein. It suddenly became a family favorite—they raved about it for days!

The serving size for this recipe is 4 ounces of sea bass fish fillets—which has 22grams of protein. However, I have used Tilapia, Flounder, and Salmon. The cooking time is approximately the same.  

Pecan-crusted Fish Packets

• 4  4ounce fresh skinless sea bass or salmon fillets, about an inch think. (Tilapia is thinner, but it works well).
• 1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
• 1 TBsp ghee (clarified butter or coconut oil)
• 1 tsp snipped fresh basil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach, I have also used garden peas and carrots and other vegetables.
• 4 lemon wedges

1. Rinse fish, pat dry.

2. In a small bowl combine the next five ingredients. 

3. Cut four 12-inch squares of parchment paper. For each packet, place 1 cup of spinach in the center of the square.

4. Top with a fish fillet, spread fish with 1/4 of the pecan mixture. 

5. Bring up the opposite sides of the parchment paper and fold several times over the fish. Fold remaining ends and tuck underneath packet. 

6. Place packets in a 4 to 5 qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 1/3/4 hours or until fish flakes easily. 

7. Serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings. For sea bass: 216 calories, 13g fat. 3g carbs, 2g fiber, 1g sugar, 22g protein. (revised from Better Homes and Gardens recipe)

Look for more recipes on Miles to Go in the recipe section.

Recently I've been on a "blue, red and purple" kick. Alongside the greens, my refrigerator is full of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, and apples. My pantry is sporting black beans, purple and orange sweet potatoes, beets, and peppers. 

Yesterday, my daughter visited the local strawberry fields, and with the virus going around, they were delivering them to the car. Beautiful, sweet, crimson strawberries now join the list.

Honestly, I'm more of a blueberry, blackberry person than strawberries, but I must say, they are wonderful. After dinner last night, my husband and I treated ourselves to our season's first fresh strawberry shortcake. (Although I did manage to add a few of those blues and purples, to mine, I just couldn't help myself.)

These are the foods I love. I enjoy the variety, the color, the taste, the textures and the aromas.

After years of dieting, I had to make peace with food. For years I viewed food as the enemy. But it's not. It's our source of life and health. After surgery, I had to learn to view food in a different role. I had to get over the forbidden, off limits, bad, or illegal terminology.  I had to put food back in it's rightful place. I loved food before surgery, but now I love food even more. 

If you haven't had a mind change about food since you had weight loss surgery, it's time you did. We need to let food nourish our body, soul and spirit.

As a successful weight loss surgery patient of 14 years, I give you permission to change your mind about food. It's okay to enjoy what you eat. Food is good. Maybe you aren't into purple sweet potatoes or blackberries, but the idea is to try to find new and exciting foods that you haven't tried before. Have fun, get creative and try something new. Try a new food or maybe a new recipe with an old favorite, or both. These foods are not "bad", and they aren't just pretty, they hold great health benefits. Vibrant colors of red, purple and blue foods contain antioxidant and nutrients that build and support our immune system—and we could all use that right now.

They are good and delicious. Enjoy the flavor and the color—enjoy the healthy benefits with no reservation. Enjoy everything about them. Fall in love with food all over again. It thrills me to remember that God's bounty is colorful, fun and more importantly, lifegiving—after all, He made it for us, for our benefit, and our enjoyment. We are His tabernacle‚ a work of art, dressed for His Glory.

So weave a little color and excitement into your diet. Let those first, fresh burst of spring fill your plate, your body and your mind with health, wellness and joy. Yes, you can. You have many more miles to go!

Genesis 1.29  God said, "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food.

Exodus 26:1-14 "Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine woven linen and blue, purple, and scarlet thread; with artistic designs of cherubim you shall weave them.