Blessings everyone,

I resigned my position at Unity of Naples on New Year’s Eve and boldly stepped into 2024 with my declaration and an unequivocal YES to this year being the best one so far. It takes effort to continue to have the 'best year so far' because there is a lot of thinking in the world that in our 70's and 80's the best years are behind us and were we to believe what 'they' say --- in my 73rd year, I should be winding down - not winding up.  I say, let us use every ounce of passion, intention, commitment and vitality we have in us, to continue to create amazing years. They may be different than the 40th year but can definitely be equally as satisfying.

Every year during December, I open myself to what the next year needs to be about for my soul.  My 2024 word came to me on 12/2 at the Levi Kreis concert at Unity. The platform for 2024 is WONDER. I love the meaning of the word which is “ a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar or inexplicable.” 2024 has been a whirlwind of wonder thus far – a mere 31 days.

I leave for South Africa in just 10 days for a glorious 60 days at Bush Baby Haven at the Hoedspruit Wildlife Estates..  I can’t really describe the level of peace, happiness, and contentment I experience on African soil.  I don’t really know if it is bounty of natural beauty and beings, or because the continent of Africa is the original home of humans. But whatever it is, is profound.

You can join me on this soul safari by signing up for my “Zoom Safari Connection” which will be a face-to-face zoom connection every Saturday morning at 9am EST.  The Safari Connection will be 60 minutes of spiritual centering, life affirming discussion on some spiritual topic and my sharing  the sights, scenes and the encounters of the week - animal and human.

African Zoom Safari - Click Here To Register

The other wondrous happening is that I have purchased a new home back in Del Tura in North Fort Myers.  As a reminder, I spent six month  in South Africa during 2022 to heal from my hip replacement. When I returned, I ended up renting a house in Del Tura for 5 months.  The owners of that house have purchased another home and sold me that beautiful house for a GREAT price.  This is such a life changing and unexpected turn of events.  Yet another inexplicable demonstration of how creation supports, maintains, and sustains us.  I believe that the universe is always conspiring for my greater good and it proves to me repeatedly that my belief is justified.

My prayer for your 2024 is that every longing you have for living your life reveals itself to you with grace and ease.  Don’t hesitate to give voice to what you desire, what would complete your life, all of those bucket list things and every other good thing you can think of. You say yes first and then people and Gods will follow. If what Jesus, Buddha, Lao Tzu and the others tell us is true, which it is, we have every reason to move into the year with positive and joyful expectation.  Even if you are moving through some unpleasantness – fear not. Whatever it might be - it came to pass not to stay.

As Ernest Holmes said in his beautiful book, This Thing Called You:
"In some way which you know not of, through some process which never reveals its face, life has entered you, and with it the irresistible impulse to create. Divine Intelligence has willed it so, thus you, nor any other person, nor all the wit, science, or philosophy of man, nor the inspiration of Saints or sages can change one bit of it any more than man can arrest the eternal circuits of time, the revolutions of the planets, or the desire of the fledgling to leave its nest.

You belong to the universe in which you live, you are one with the creative Genius back of this vast array of ceaseless motion, this original flow of life.  You are as much a part of it as the sun, the earth, and the air.  There is something in you telling you this – like a voice echoing from some mountain top of inward vision, like a light whose origin no man has seen, like an impulse welling up from an invisible source.

Your soul belongs to the universe. Your mind is an outlet through which the creative Intelligence of the universe seeks fulfillment.

I hope you choose to join me in Africa but if not, watch out for the written blogs and the return of Sunday Night Alive in the summer! My phone and email will continue to work seamlessly while I am 8,500 miles away so don't hesitate to stay in touch. It matters to me.

Love and more love, Rev. Denise