Transcription

• Speaker #0

  Welcome back to Promise Hill. This is Kimberlee Herman, your host. Through stories and practical tools, I help people find hope, healing, and guidance to a deeper relationship with God. And in my professional life, I'm a Christian counselor with over 22 years of counseling experience. I'm so glad that you're here today. If you're new, welcome. And just so you know, this is an unfolding story, so you can take a listen. But if you're curious, you can start with chapter one to get caught up. But I'm really curious to learn more about you. Would you send me a quick email to let me know where you are listening from and any questions you might have? I'll be adding a segment in the next season where a new character will be answering soul care questions. I will answer your email, but I would love to use some real questions by you in the episodes. You can reach me by the link below. Do you like gifts like I do? Well, I made one for you. For those that would like a handy tool for when you are overwhelmed, it's called P.A.W.S., a sacred reset. The link is listed below. I'd love to give it to you. Now in Chapter 9, we learned new information about Mira and a bit about her biological father, as well as watching Mira set a boundary, because she was not ready to learn more truth. Today in Chapter 10, we cover a lot of ground as Mira interacts with several characters, each one bringing a gift to her life. Be sure to subscribe and share this podcast with someone that could use some support. Now, let's listen in.

• Speaker #1

  Mira sat, staring at Grandma Eden. Her heart felt like it stopped when Eden responded to hearing that her dad had been living in Promise Hill all those years ago, and that Mira may have as well.

• Speaker #2

  Eden, what are you thinking? You look worried all of a sudden. Do you know something?

• Speaker #3

  I'm not sure, dear. I might. Give me a week to poke around and talk to a few people. I'm going out of town for a few days next week. but I'll gather information and share it with you if it relates to you. It may not.

• Speaker #2

  Can you tell me anything?

• Speaker #3

  I'm afraid not. Not right this moment, but I hope too soon. I need to head out. I'll talk to you about this after I return to town next week.

• Speaker #1

  After Eden left, Mira put everything related to Eleanor back into the envelope and put it on her bookshelf.

• Speaker #2

  I'm so glad Eden told me my feelings about waiting to meet the person who is texting me are valid. And I could wait. I'm in charge of when I want to learn more. There's no rush. That feels good to me.

• Speaker #1

  As Mira sat down to ponder what Eden had told her, a knock at the door startled her.

• Speaker #2

  Mira, it's Charity. Are you home? Oh, I'm coming, Charity.

• Speaker #1

  Mira ran to open the door to see Charity slightly flushed and out of breath.

• Speaker #2

  I'm so sorry to interrupt. I tried calling, but you didn't answer. Could you come to the bakery with me right now? Sure. Is everything okay? Yeah, but I need your help to work the bakery for me for about an hour. None of my other employees can come in. Pastor Enoch is stopping by in an hour, and I need to speak with him privately. It's important. I'll show you everything you need to know.

• Speaker #1

  Mira followed her down the cobbled lane toward the bakery, which was just a few blocks away. Charity unlocked the door. Inside, the scent of cinnamon and fresh cookies hung thick in the air. Charity turned with urgency in her eyes. Just as Mira was mastering the espresso machine, the bell above the door jingled. A tall, middle-aged man with salty short hair and a calm presence stepped inside. Charity looked up from the register and smiled gently.

• Speaker #2

  Pastor Enoch, I'm so glad you're here. Mira, this is Pastor Enoch, and this is my friend Mira.

• Speaker #1

  Pastor Enoch gave Mira a big, welcoming smile.

• Speaker #4

  Welcome to our little town of Promise Hill, Mira. I was too I told you just moved here a few months ago.

• Speaker #2

  Nice to meet you, Pastor. Yes, I did. You have a beautiful town.

• Speaker #1

  Mira felt a sense of home and something safe with the pastor. She stepped aside as Charity guided him to a table in the corner. The two sat down. their voices low, their expressions shifting in waves of emotion, sadness, relief, and a flicker of hope that shimmered at the corners of Charity's eyes.

• Speaker #5

  Hey, I know you You're the lady from the park

• Speaker #1

  Mira looked down to see hope. Meadowlark at the counter and smiled. The young girl who encouraged Mira to seek Grandma Eden.

• Speaker #2

  Hi there, Hope. What a nice surprise. What can I get you today?

• Speaker #5

  A warm chocolate mint cookie, please.

• Speaker #1

  Mira pulled out the warm, soft cookie and handed it over.

• Speaker #2

  On the house. It's the least I can do for a very helpful young lady.

• Speaker #6

  Thanks. What's your name?

• Speaker #2

  I'm Mira. Thanks again for introducing me to Grandma Emma Eden last month.

• Speaker #6

  You're welcome, Mira. I have a gift for you.

• Speaker #1

  She handed Mira a fresh-picked dandelion.

• Speaker #6

  Don't forget to smell the flowers. See you later, alligator.

• Speaker #2

  Oh, thanks, Hope. Just what I needed.

• Speaker #1

  Hope took the cookie and ran out the door. Customers filtered in steadily. Mira stayed busy, wiping counters and serving lemon scones and the best-smelling cookies around. Every now and then, she glanced at Charity and Pastor Enoch. Something in Charity's posture suggested both the weight of something released and the strength of something surrendered. When the conversation ended, Pastor Enoch... Enoch walked to the counter.

• Speaker #4

  It's nice to meet you, Mira. You're always welcome to visit us at church, if you like.

• Speaker #2

  I'm not much of a church person. Never been in one. But thank you.

• Speaker #4

  I understand, dear. Our doors are always open if you're curious. No pressure.

• Speaker #1

  Charity returned to the counter with a hug as the pastor left.

• Speaker #2

  You were amazing, Mira. Thank you.

• Speaker #1

  Mira smiled with a new sense of purpose.

• Speaker #2

  It was kind of fun. Anytime you need help while I'm looking for another job, I'm your gal. Actually, would you be willing to work 6 to 2 on Saturday? I need to help the church with something. It's very important. My other employees who fill in can't come in until 2. Of course. I'd love to help. By the way, remind me of what work you're looking for. Something in marketing. Do you know how to help small businesses grow? That's my specialty. Hmm, I'll keep my eyes out.

• Speaker #1

  It was late afternoon as she wandered through town after working at the bakery. Mira ducked into the little bookstore, The Lantern, tucked between the bakery and the Blooming on the Hill gift shop. A colourful flyer on the front table caught her attention.

• Speaker #2

  Kids of all ages are invited to listen to Grandma Eden. Next Saturday at 11, come listen to her newest children's book.

• Speaker #1

  Mira blinked with surprise.

• Speaker #2

  Grandma Eden wrote children's books? Of course she did. Grandma Eden has wisdom for all ages.

• Speaker #1

  She walked deeper into the shop, letting her fingers brush spines and paperbacks. Then she spotted him, Gideon Thorne. The rugged blacksmith, usually cloaked in soot and firelight, was sitting on a wooden chair in the back, reading. A book balanced gently in his rough hands. She tried to turn away, not wanting to disturb him, but it was too late. He looked up. Their eyes met. He smiled, subtle but genuine, and waved her over. With some hesitation, she walked toward him.

• Speaker #2

  Hello there. I didn't peg you for a bookworm.

• Speaker #1

  Don't tell the anvil. It might get jealous.

• Speaker #7

  You know, strength isn't always loud. Sometimes it's sitting still when your heart wants to run.

• Speaker #1

  Sometimes it's letting someone else see the parts you usually hide. Mira blinked, taken aback. This was something Grandma Eden had told her. There was something in his voice, gravelly but kind, that struck her deeper than she expected.

• Speaker #2

  That's pretty profound for a Saturday.

• Speaker #1

  Gideon smiled. I felt you needed to hear it. He was correct. Mira did need to hear it. She was used to shutting down when things got hard. After talking to Gideon, Mira walked home. She sat down with her Mind Your Curls mug filled with hot jasmine green tea that Grandma Eden had given her and reflected on her day. Her encounter with Hope Meadowlark brought a smile to her soul. Then there's Gideon, gruff on the outside and full of wisdom on the inside.

• Speaker #2

  Who would have guessed he likes to hang out in bookstores? What an interesting place Promise Hill is. A girl who hands out dandelions. A blacksmith who reads books. A baker who somehow always knows exactly what people need. And a grandmother who seemed to know more than she was saying.

• Speaker #1

  As the evening settled over the town, Mira climbed into bed, exhausted from the day. It wasn't long before sleep found her. At first, the dream felt ordinary. She stood alone in a golden wheat field beneath a sky painted in twilight colours. Then she heard it. A distant voice. As if someone were telling a story from far away. She turned toward the sound. At the edge of the field stood an old wooden stage, illuminated by lantern light. A crowd had gathered, listening to a storyteller whose face she couldn't quite see. His words drifted across the wind. The things we lose are not always gone. The storyteller slowly raised one hand and pointed towards someone standing behind her. Mirror spun around. A woman stood several yards away. Her dark hair moved gently in the breeze. In her hands was a Bible. She smiled and held it out. The storyteller said,

• Speaker #8

  The truth always arrives as a story first.

• Speaker #1

  Suddenly, wind chimes rang. Mira jolted awake. The room was dark. Her heart hammered against her ribs, out of excitement, not fear. The dream lingered like a fog she couldn't shake. Mira repeated what she heard in the dream.

• Speaker #2

  The truth always arrives as a story first.

• Speaker #1

  Then she heard it, not in the dream. In her room, a voice, soft, barely above a whisper. Saturday. Mira bolted upright. Silence. Then, the faint sound of wind chimes outside her window. She looked at the clock. 3.17 a.m. Her pulse raced.

• Speaker #2

  Saturday. What's supposed to happen on Saturday?

• Speaker #1

  Sometimes, life reveals a piece of itself in a dream, or in a flower handed to you by a child, or a kindness you didn't know you needed. And sometimes, when you're settling into a new chapter, God sends items your way for the journey. Take it away, Kimberlee

• Speaker #0

  One of the things you'll discover about Promise Hill is that God rarely shouts through the story. More often, he whispers through a child with a dandelion, a conversation in a bakery, a sentence from a blacksmith, or a dream in the middle of the night. Mira doesn't see the whole picture yet, but little by little, God is preparing her heart, and I have a feeling he may be doing the same for you. Let's look at a few reflections from today's chapter. Reflection number one. God often speaks through ordinary moments. Nothing dramatic happened at the bakery. A child handed Mira a flower, a bakery asked for help, a pastor offered an invitation, and a blacksmith shared a few simple words. Yet each encounter quietly nudged her heart in the direction God was leading. We often expect God to speak through burning bushes and thunder. It might be easier if he did that, right? More often, he whispers through conversations, unexpected kindness, scripture, and the people he places along our path. Hear it and hold it. 1 Kings 19 verse 12. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. Don't overlook the ordinary. God's whispers often arrive wrapped in everyday moments. Reflection number two. You're allowed to have boundaries. When Mira realized she could wait to meet the mysterious texter, something inside her relaxed. She didn't have to force the next chapter. She could choose the pace. Many of us believe healing means pushing harder, digging deeper, or finding answers as quickly as possible. But God rarely rushes transformation. Sometimes saying, I'm not ready yet, is actually a sign of wisdom. Hear it and hold it. Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1. There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. Creating personal boundaries is important. Mira let it be known she is not ready yet. that she needs to slow down her pace. Maybe that's a takeaway for you. Other people may try to rush you in things, but if you're not ready, you don't have to pretend you are. Just remember, not everyone will agree with your decisions. It doesn't mean you're wrong. It means that you're honoring what you're capable of. This is called your window of tolerance. Go at your own pace. And I'm going to put a link down here. A boundaries book, if you're interested in learning more about boundaries. Reflection number three, strength isn't always what the world says it is. Gideon's words challenged Mira. Strength isn't always loud. Sometimes it's sitting still when your heart wants to run. Did you like my impersonation of Gideon? Anyway, the world often defines strength as independence, confidence, or having all the answers. God's definition might look a little different. Sometimes courage looks like staying present in difficult conversations. Sometimes it looks like asking for help. And sometimes bravery is simply refusing to run away. And in all of these situations, we can do this because God is our strength. Hear it and hold it. Second Corinthians 12 verse 9. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. God's strength often shines brightest where we feel weakest. Do you know this feeling or wanting to run but you choose to face whatever it was instead? That is strength even when you are feeling scared. Reflection is where insight begins, but action is where change happens. Mira's story isn't just meant to inspire us, it's meant to invite us to take our own next step. Here's one simple way you can put today's reflections into practice this week. Look for one ordinary holy moment each day this week. It might be an encouraging conversation, a verse that catches your attention, unexpected kindness, a beautiful sunset, a child's comment, or a quiet nudge during prayer. Write it down. By the end of the week, you may discover that God has been speaking more than you realized. Allow me to pray for you, my friend. Father, I lift up this listener who is quietly reaching for you, feeling lost, tumbling from stress or hardship. They wonder where you are. Father, I know you meet us where we are. So I ask for a blessing for this person, to see what you are showing them and to hear what you're whispering to them through the ordinary moments of each day. You bring treasures in the spaces between words. Allow the heart of this listener to connect with you in deeper ways to receive these treasures. I call this listener's spirit to do the work you have set it to do, to hear you and bring the revelation and wisdom to their souls, to hide your word in their hearts, to saturate their souls with your beauty and protection. In Jesus's holy name, amen. Thank you for listening, my friend. Don't forget to subscribe, and if my podcast is helping you or you like it, would you write me up a review? Also, don't forget to grab the gift I made for you and shoot me an email to let me know you are listening. And ask a counseling question or a relational question if you have one. I so look forward to hearing from you. Friends, may you find peace in the presence and hope on the hilltop. Until next time, this is Kimberlee Herman cheering you on from Promise Hill.