Category Archives: People

Inspirational people collection relating to lifestyle themes.

Draw Near to Me

Draw near to me

Draw Near to Me – Photograph courtesy of Gail_m

Draw near to me and be at peace, for I am the one that you truly seek…

”Come near to God and he will come near to you.”  —James 4:8

Draw Near to Me

Draw near to me and be at peace,

For I am the one that you truly seek.

You know not the things that I have planned;

They are not the same as you demand.

Draw near to me, all your desires I’ll fulfill;

You’ll continue to wallow in vain, until.

I will never leave you, stay hidden beneath my wings…

There is no better comfort than I, your Heavenly Father, brings.

Felecia R. Weber 2019, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

Draw near to me – an inviting phrase, isn’t it?  It makes me think of a young child burying his face into his mother’s bosom after having fallen and scraped his knee.  Or the open arms of an old friend that you haven’t seen in years, ready to envelope you into a warm embrace.  We are drawn to many inanimate objects that bring us comfort too.  Some of those things can be helpful, like a hot cup of tea to warm you up after coming in from the cold.  But many things in the world that are soothing initially are ultimately devastatingly harmful:  alcohol, drugs, and tobacco product to name a few.  None of these things, good or bad, can offer lasting comfort or provide the kind of help that we seek, that drew us to them in the first place, however…

”Come near to God and he will come near to you.”  —James 4:8

When you receive an invitation to “draw near to me” from the one who can fulfill your every need, now that’s an invitation worth accepting!

It is not possible for God to fail you, he is the creator of the universe, the beginning and the end.  Nothing was created without his hand in it…including you.  So when he beckons you to “draw near to me,” you can be certain that he will indeed draw near to you.  But that’s not all…

Whenever you allow yourself to come into the presence of the Almighty, there truly is no better place to be.  Your surrendered heart will not only be filled…his grace and provision will overflow into every area of your life.

Well, what are you waiting for…draw near to him!

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Rhythms, A Poem of Life

Rythms, A Poem of Life

Rythms, A Poem of Life – Photograph property of www.OntheWingofaDove.com

Rhythms, A Poem of Life – “I want the freedom to live my life; yet freedom isn’t free.  But there is power in living fully in the way God meant for me.” —FRW

”’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’” —Jeremiah 29:11

Rhythms, A Poem of Life

(a poem inspired by Ecclesiastes 1:1-18…struggles and hope)

Verily, verily – I tell you the truth,

Times like these haunt my days,

up ‘til now, way back to my youth.

In my mind resides turmoil, frustration, and strife…

Born from the hand that’s been dealt in my life.

No. It hasn’t always been pretty.

I’m not gonna lie.

But I swear I’ll keep fighting, ‘til the day I die.

What is the meaning, desperate for answers I search…

High and low, in the streets, in my heart…knocking on the doors of the church.

Gotta find some peace, for my soul to be still…

Is there nothing on earth, my longing will fulfill?

Maybe that’s the problem, when this world pains me so…

Need to peer through the darkness,

see clearly in the light…then I will know.

My life is a book…the best part still to be written…

No matter what lies ahead…I’m never quittin’.

The wounds of my life have wrought scars of steel…

God is commander of this battle,

and to me the victory he’ll reveal.

Felecia R. Weber 2016, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

Rythms, A Poem of Life – A tribute is given to those whose actions they deserve, to those who’ve gone humbly forward with a dignity; that at times was hard to preserve.  For those who’ve triumphed over hurdles that were unwarranted and unfair.  For those who keep fighting for what’s right, no matter the color of their skin; no matter the texture of their hair.  Even though the plight goes on…it seems never ending for some.  I applaud those whose struggles have made a difference for generations to come.  So here is a special tribute from me…an homage this week, to our nation’s Black History.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Do You Love Me?

Do you love me?

Do You Love Me? – Image property of www.OntheWingofaDove.com

Do you love me? – Love is an emotion that can spawn several different answers to that question…

”If you do not love me I shall not be loved.  If I do not love you I shall not love.”  —Samuel Beckett

Do You Love Me?

Do you love me? (Her)

Yes, I love you, of course I love you? (Him)

Why do you ask? (Him)

I don’t know, I guess I just need to be sure. (Her)

Do you love me? (Her)

I just answered that question…yes! (Him)

Why do you ask? (Him)

Sometimes it doesn’t seem as though you do. (Her)

Do you love me? (Her)

Can’t you tell?  I am here aren’t I? (Him)

But why are you here? (Her)

Because I LOVE you. (Him)

Do you love me? (Her)

I love you more than anything…please don’t ask me again. (Him)

Do you love me? (Him)

Yes, of course I love you.  Why do you ask? (Her)

Felecia R. Weber 2019, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

Do you love me? – That’s an age old question that has been asked by us and of us, I am sure more than once.  Love is an emotion that can spawn several different answers to that question.  Whether the reply is a verbal, “Yes, I love you.”, or shown by a tender hug or receiving a special gift, it is certainly a question that cannot be ignored…no matter how it is answered.

Do you love me? Is also a question that has a depth of meaning to it…

When someone asks Do you love me?, the very reason for asking that question may not even have anything to do with love.  I believe we all have an innate sense of whether we are loved or not.  Some forms of love are natural, such as the instinctual love that a mother has for her newborn child, and the romantic love that develops between two individuals that goes beyond just a physical attraction towards each other.  I suspect that we ask such a question more out of the need to be accepted by others, something that is not necessarily intrinsic, but rather based on one’s personal preferences.  It’s kind of like not wanting to be the proverbial last kid to be picked for the soccer team…won’t you pick me, please?…do you value who I am?

No doubt, this question will be asked in some form or another by many during this week as we celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Perhaps before you ask that question of another, why not try posing it to yourself? Do I love me?  Sounds kind of strange doesn’t it?  But isn’t it one of the most important questions to ask yourself?  And isn’t giving yourself an honest answer just as important?  Too many of us fail to realize how lovable we are…and in turn, how critical it is that we accept ourselves for who we are first.

”The second is this:  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no command greater than these.”  —Luke 10:27

In the Bible, Jesus tells us to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27).  In fact, he states that it is the second most important of all the Ten Commandments; (“To love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.” being the first).  But how can you love your neighbor if you don’t love and accept yourself?  I believe that we can genuinely love and accept those around us, our neighbors, co-workers, family members and friends, with an undeniable ferocity.  Can you imagine how dynamic such relationships would be if your love and acceptance of yourself were just as strong?  The first step in doing that however, is to love and accept the one who “…first loved us.”  (1 John 4:19)

Do you love me?  Before asking this questions, consider how much God loves you as the unique person he lovingly created you to be. When you embrace that truth…do you even need to ask the question at all?

Wishing you peace and much love,

Felecia ❤️

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What Does That Mean For Me?

What does that mean for me?

What Does That Mean For Me? – Photograph by Nathan Anderson/Unsplash

What Does That Mean For Me? – There are many types of friendships spanning from platonic to romantic, but there is one thing that they all have in common.

”A friend loveth at all times.” —Proverbs 17:17

What Does That Mean For Me?

What does it mean to love you?  What does that mean for me?

You know I’d do anything for you…but what does that mean for me?

Even when you make me angry; even when you make me cry;

I know you never really mean to hurt me…but what does that mean for me?

Thoughts of you consume me, even when you are not there.

No matter the distance between us; you know I’ll always care.

Nothing can separate us because our lives have already crossed…

You are a part of me forever…but what does that mean for me?

Felecia R. Weber 2019, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

What does that mean for me? – It’s a strange question that can be asked of many things.  In this context, I’d like to speak about relationships, specifically friendships.

There are many types of friendships spanning from platonic to romantic, but there is one thing that they all have in common.  All relationships require each party to give of themselves to the other.  I love how this concept is so beautifully illustrated in the interaction between the fox and the little prince in Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince:

(The fox speaking to the little prince):

”’Please-tame me!’ he said. 

‘What must I do to tame you?’ asked the little prince.

’You must be very patient,’ replied the fox.  ‘First you will sit down at a little distance from me-like that- in the grass.  I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing.  Words are the source of misunderstandings.  But you will sit a little closer to me, every day…’”

What does that mean for me?  I believe to be a friend to someone, one must become familiar with that person…their strengths, their vulnerabilities, their habits…everything about them.  This is done mostly by quiet observation, remember, actions speak louder than words.  Throughout this process, one must also give of themselves, by sharing the same with the other person.  It sounds like an arduous task, that is hardly worth the effort…but there is more…

(Again, the fox speaking to the little prince):

”You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”

Once a friendship is cultivated, it can never be undone really; if it is a true friendship.

Merriam-Webster defines a friend as “one attached to another by affection or esteem.”  Being attached or associated with someone for any length of time does create a history between the two.  And that time cannot be erased, neither the good nor the bad.  The bond of a true friendship is a powerful thing which can and will withstand anything…

(More wise words from the fox to the little prince):

”One runs the risk of weeping a little, if one lets oneself be tamed…”

Just as challenges arise in our individual lives, obstacles threaten to undo friendships.  Emotions tend to play a huge part in this aspect of a relationship…because true friends affect our hearts.  And it is within our hearts that our true selves reside…

(Again, the fox speaking to the little prince):

“But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is to be ready to greet you.”

Being attached to another, a true friend becomes a part of ourselves.  Our door is always open to them, and we greet them with open arms.  There is no distance, (spatially or emotionally), that is out of reach for the bond that seals the hearts of true friends.

Friendship…what does it mean for you?

Peace and love,

Felecia

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It’s All About

It’s All About

It’s All About – Photograph courtesy of Gail_m

It’s all about bending, stretching as far as you must…

”These are the times that try men’s souls.”  —Thomas Piane

It’s All About

It’s all about bending, stretching as far as you must,

But never forsaking the moral wisdom you trust.

It’s all about hanging on even when there’s nothing but air,

When there’s no one to help…when there’s no one to care.

It’s all about digging deeper, when the wind blows to and fro…

When it’s cold, and you’re hungry, but there’s no place you can go.

It’s all about life…nothing is promised, is anything for sure?

The trials, the frustrations that we all must endure.

It’s all about these things…yes, life sometimes seems that way;

But as it is in nature…night always turns into day.

It’s all about seeking and finding ways to cope.

There is one sure way leads us to hope…

Felecia R. Weber 2019, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

It’s all about – Life is about so many things…

Good times, bad times, times of plenty and times when provisions are lean.  Morning, noon, night, on it goes…the cycle never ends.  One year ends, another one begins.  Expectations are often fulfilled…but sometimes they are just too far out of reach.   With so many uncertainties, there are times when it’s all we can do to get through one day…how do I we do it? How do we find our way?

”Jesus answered, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’”  —John 14:6

When the weight of life bends you to the breaking point, you need not despair.  Life is not easy to live sometimes, but when you live a life surrendered to Jesus, it’s all about HIM.  He is “the way,” the one through whom God provided the gift of salvation to the world.  He is “the truth,” the true measure of God’s righteousness.  He is “the life,” he gave up his own life that we might have life, (in him), both now and throughout all eternity.

Indeed, life is all about something…what (or who) is yours all about?

Peace and love,

Felecia

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In the Quiet of the Night

In the Quiet of the Night

In the Quiet of the Night – Photograph courtesy of Gail_m

In the quiet of the night – through its stillness shone a light…

”While shepherds kept their watching O’er silent flocks by night, behold throughout the heavens, there shone a heavenly light.” (excerpt taken from the lyrics of the song “Go Tell it on the Mountain,” by John Wesley Work, Jr.)

In the Quiet of the Night

In the quiet of the night,

Throught its stillness shone a light.

So wondrously did it glow,

A beacon to the world did it show.

In the quiet of the night,

The shepherds gathered, not in fright.

The angels sang songs full of glory;

For through the babe, God will complete his story.

In the quiet of the night,

Our hearts are filled with delight.

Our Savior has come…death has lost its hold.

His truth continues to save, just as it was foretold.

Felecia R. Weber 2018, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

In the quiet of the night – sometimes the most amazing things happen during the wee hours of the night.

Picture it, the most unassuming scene.  A newly born baby wrapped is scraps of cloths, placed delicately upon the rough surface of wood and straw used as a makeshift cradle.  The flickering flames of a hastily built fire, projects a glowing light that fills the sky.  The look of uncertainty that adorns the young mother’s face as, little by little, the tiny stall becomes the stage for the greatest miracle of all time.  It is played out right before the eyes of the shepherds and livestock that had gathered to see it.

”The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). —Matthew 1:23

In the quiet of the night – God came down to us.  Jesus Christ, our “Immanuel,” came down to earth, “…and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14).  It is hard to comprehend, even in this modern age that we live in, that such an awesome event could take place in such a humble way.  Unlike the clatter of being under the brightness of the noonday sun, the Savior of the world chose to enter it inconspicuously…yet the glory of that moment still illuminates the world.

May you celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in the quiet of your heart, and let his light shine brilliantly through you to others.

Wishing you and yours a peaceful Christmas.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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Breathe

Breathe

Breathe – Photograph property of www.OntheWingofaDove.com

Breathe – life is short so we need to live it…

”Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”  Genesis 2:7

Breathe

Life is short, so we need to live it.

Life is not about chance.

It’s a gift…we need only to receive it.

Man determines his steps, God directs his paths.

When we step out, there’s no turning back.

That I can assure you; believe it.

When we’re all caught up and fear grips us tighter…

Open up, let Him in…and breathe.

They say we control our own destiny…is that really true?

Can we cause the sun to rise? Can we cause it to set?

Does the world stop based on the things that we do?

There is nothing that happens beyond God’s control.

All power in heaven and on earth is in His hands to extol.

Darkness can’t exist where His light abounds.

Feel His love…and breathe.

Felecia R. Weber 2018, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

Breathe – Have you ever thought what it would feel like to not be able to breathe?

Breathing is one of the most elemental of all bodily functions.  Without it, we simply cannot survive.  From the time we enter into this world until the day we leave it, there is something we must all do…breathe.  Certainly breathing, in the physical sense is essential…but what about breathing on  the spiritual level.

When we breathe physically, we inhale, taking oxygen into our lungs, and the oxygen flows through our bloodstream, where nutrients are carried to our cells for sustenance and healing.  Then we exhale, and carbon dioxide is expelled from our lungs, ridding our bodies of toxins.  Although we have the ability to hold our breathe for activities such as swimming underwater; breathing basically happens automatically.

The breathing process is instrinsic to our spiritual well-being as well.  Like inhaling oxygen, we require regular intake of God’s living Word, the Bible, to nourish our souls.  The more we fill our spiritual lungs with the truths of scripture, the more we are able to expel what is not part of God’s good and perfect will for our lives.  Similarly, when we choose to breathe in the polluted ways of our imperfect world, we eventually feel the suffocating effects of not edifying our hearts with what truly gives us life…God’s Word.

”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.”  “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”  John 1:1-4, 14 NIV

In preparation for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, may you take some time each day to open your Bible…and breathe.

Peace and love,

Felecia

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There is Nothing You Lack

There is Nothing You Lack

There is Nothing You Lack – Photograph courtesy of Gail_m

There is nothing you lack – our “wants” far outweigh our “needs” and our appetite for more is never satiated!

”When you realize that what you have is indeed enough…there is nothing you lack.”  Felecia R. Weber 2018, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

There is Nothing You Lack

As seasons change, our lives do too…

Some for the better, some for the worse.

Many times we strive to go forward,

But winds of time blow us back in reverse.

No matter how far off course the road may lead,

There is always a chance to make it back.

Keep on striving, when you fall get right back up,

In time you’ll see, there is nothing you lack.

Felecia R. Weber 2018, www.OntheWingofaDove.com

There is nothing you lack – That’s an odd thing to say, especially while living in a world where the jar always seems to be half empty.  Bigger, better, faster, brighter…the list goes on and on.  Our “wants” far outweigh our “needs” and our appetite for more is never satiated.

“When you realize that what you have is indeed enough…there is nothing you lack.”

When the seasons of life lead you to the point of seeing the proverbial jar as half full and you see no need to fill it anymore…that is when you’ve learned the value of appreciating what you have and being content with it.  More is not necessarily better.  Remember, the more you have, the more you have to take care of.  In fact, I’ve learned that less is more…

“The important thing is not the quantity, but the quality of what you have that makes all the difference.

I’ve lived “out of a suitcase” for a good part of the past two years.  During that time, I’ve certainly learned what is essential for my daily living and what is dispensable.  I’ve realized that, in most cases, having more than what I require can actually be more of a hindrance that a help.  My jar is not nearly as full as it used to be, but I have all that I need…there is nothing I lack.

How about you?  Do you have more than you truly need?  Do you find yourself worrying about your possessions more than those things that really matter in life?  These are questions that you might consider…do you have all you truly need or is there something you lack?

Peace and love,

Felecia

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