A Summer To Remember

Dear Friends and Blog followers,
Let me start by saying "wheeuuww"!  We've almost made it through the summer here in the Northern Hemisphere.   I thought I would give you an update and fill you in on what Robert and I have been up to.

A couple's prayer for Christina and Chad at their wedding reception.

  For those of you who also follow us on Facebook you've more than likely seen that our daughter, Christina got married on August 21st!   What a great day it was, beginning with a lovely service in our own Laguna Presbyterian Church here in Laguna Beach, which happens to be the place where I attended Sunday school as a child.   Robert was father of the bride and walked her down the aisle, Dr. Robert H. read a scripture which Christina had selected, and her brother, Bobby conducted the service and pronounced them husband and wife.   Afterwards we enjoyed a beautiful and very lively reception at our friends, Mindy and Glenn Stearns' house in Pelican Hill, Newport Coast.  All in all it was a perfect day filled with love and the many blessings of God.

Crazy enough, twenty-four hours later Robert and I were on a plane bound for Mongolia where we spent a week participating in a global peace convention and festival.  The main purpose of this particular peace conference was to set the stage for a meeting between North and South Korea in November.  Mongolia is positioned to mediate this next gathering as they have diplomatic relations with both Koreas.   It is anticipated that our next meeting with take place in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.   We are hoping and praying that we can make a difference in not only helping people find inner peace, but with helping to facilitate what is surely on God's heart, and that is to encourage peace in all corners of the globe.  For more information you can go to their website at globalpeacefestival.org

Robert and I in front of "Great Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade"

Me speaking on "Family As The Foundation For Peace"

Upon returning home a day and a half ago,  we have moved out of the apartment we were staying in and back into our home.  There is something really great about sleeping in your own bed after being away for seven weeks!   We have also launched a very exciting project! We have opened our home for "spiritual retreats".  We look forward to hosting retreats for 1-4 people where we will help people grow closer to God in body, mind, and spirit.   As many of you might recall, this is what we did for years at Rancho Capistrano with our "Possibility Living Seminars."  As an ordained pastor with years of life experience Robert is well-positioned to shepherd,  mentor, and counsel.   As a certified nutritional consultant and a family systems student and teacher for the past twenty years,  I know I  am prepared to help people with their physical issues such as diet and exercise as well as joining my husband in counseling and mentoring.    Both of us also have a passion, a desire,  and the experience to help individuals with family disharmony, business or financial struggles, grief, dealing with children, and other challenging issues.  We want to help people make sense of it all and more importantly find peace and wholeness through the process.   For more information on our retreat go to airbnb.com   Type in "Laguna Beach" and then "Robert A. Schuller Spiritual...."below on the right.

The beach is a great place for spiritual reflection

I don't know what most of you are facing today or what challenges you are dealing with.   What I can assure you of is this:  whatever you are dealing with, God will get you through it.    I am convinced and certain that the promises of God are real and you can count on them.    I say this as one who has experienced the death of my father when I was a child,  a divorce in my 20s,  marrying Robert and helping him to raise his two plus our two,  a life-threatening illness of a daughter, and finally the betrayal of close family members.  These are only the heartaches and disappointments that come to mind immediately.  I know that a lot of you have lived through similar situations and have experienced personal growth in wisdom and patience having survived them.  So have I.   This is a perfect example of God's message of hope and restoration!
In the new testament book of Peter, chapter one, verses 10 and 11 it is written:
"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast."
Remember that we cannot count on things happening in our own timing but if we continue to rely and trust in God, in his timing all will be made right... somehow, some way.
Remember...God is blessing you.   Donna