Under the Sitka Tree Soul Tour

Let’s open the door to your soul-house and get to work on the most beautiful restoration project you could ever imagine ~ Melody Brave Living  Most of us have dealt with some kind of monolith in our lives. Whether a massive fragment that proves to be a stumbling block or as a monumental presence to declare I have overcome; these stones serve as reminders that we exist.  Last weekend, as I sat in Bethel Church in Penticton, my highly charged emotions were being quelled by an unseen presence. As a result, I was able to intake each personalized message of those who came to remember, honour and pay respects to a young man… whose life ended at 22 years in a car crash.  As those gathered, it soon became apparent how deeply loved Eythan was. Between the funeral service and Celebration of Life, an estimated 750 people attended. Sitting in my seat, my hands folded in prayer, I was able to keep myself together. That was until two songs directly connected to ...

Before my departure, I picked up a telephone call, only to hear the sobs of someone I have known for nearly thirty years. My dearest friend’s fragmented words collided with my own past loss as she uttered the unimaginable…   “Yesterday, my 22 year old nephew was killed in a car accident!”  This prompted a surge of my own emotions as I could barely mutter a reply, “I’m so sorry…” my shaky voice trailed off.  Only days before, we had spoke of our impending visit after a long break of not seeing one another, in the past 5 years. Our plans had shifted in an instant from celebrating our reunion… to the heartbreak of my friend in losing her beloved nephew.  Once I arrived, my arms wrapped around someone who was there for me, when my own 21 year old daughter died in a car crash. I knew the weeks ahead would be a challenge; however I could not fathom what it was like to be on the other side.  While I could not alter the ci...

"Words on a page that linger on your heart... tend to breathe life into a new chapter of never ending stories." ~ TL Alton As I stood on the uneven asphalt drawing in the elevated oxygen, I felt my throat yearn for the drenching of hot liquid- if only to entice warmth inside. As people slumbered under a region of darkness, I let my eyes adjust to the surrounding night and wrap me in a shawl of stars.  I had returned from the metropolis with a churning of sentiments I could not shake. Earlier, I sat riveted in my theater seat watching on the big screen, Bart Millard’s testimony of faith, redemption, loss and being saved. The true story of Mercy Me's lead singer is peppered with a trajectory of life moments that tore off old wounds; exposing my own vulnerabilities to a viewing audience.  There was not enough tissue to mop up what had been extracted from my soul in watching,   "I Can Only I magine." The titled film is based on the song Millard wrote.  ...