Luann Tennant Coyne

Category: Meditations

The Gift of Hope

People think that only the elderly, living single, forgotten lives, can feel lonely and despondent.  People do not realize that the young, invisible in a crowd, can feel just as lonely, and just as miserable. When I was in sixth grade, I felt terminally different. I felt like a total misfit, a permanent ugly duckling… Continue reading The Gift of Hope

Dis- the Discougagement

Woman with open arms by the lake on a background of mountains.

All of us get discouraged at times. That’s part of being human. But if your heart is telling you to do something, don’t let the discouragement stop you. Yes, rejection hurts.  It hurts to be belittled by the world or even worse, ignored. It saps one’s energy, and one’s courage, to try and try and… Continue reading Dis- the Discougagement

Lilac Legacy

Each of the pass-along plants in my yard comes with a story.  The most powerful story, however, comes from the lilac bush, and with it, an unsolved mystery. When my husband and I built our new home, my mother gave me a piece of the lilac growing at her retirement home on Island Lake in… Continue reading Lilac Legacy

The Gift of Anxiety

Mental disorder, finding answers, confusion concept. Woman suffering from depression, closing face with palms in despair, girl trying to solve complex problems. Simple flat vector

I am working on thanking God for my problems, and it occurred to me today that one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received is my anxiety. I’ve had anxiety all my life. I have learned to treat it with a variety of remedies, including exercise, prayer and meditation, anxiety medicine, re-focusing my mind, sharing… Continue reading The Gift of Anxiety

Always a New Dawn

One thing I have learned in my life is that after every hard time, every struggle, there comes a new dawn.  The trick is to be open to it.  To say Yes to its gifts. Change can be hard. I know that my mother was anxious in the days leading up to my father’s retirement.… Continue reading Always a New Dawn

Growing Peace

Peace is something that we humans have to work at, if we want it.  We have to cultivate it, in our families, our relationships, and our communities. My grandmother did all those things. She even grew peace in her garden. It was a hot summer afternoon at my grandparents’ farm in Northern Michigan, in the… Continue reading Growing Peace

Rescuing Baby Fire Monsters

It is not only sheer fun to enter the pretend world of a child, but sometimes it gives us a glimpse of a better world. “These are our bear cages,” Hanah announces. (Hanah and her brother Elijah are visiting us, and playing inside on a rainy day.)  “We are safe from bears and monsters when… Continue reading Rescuing Baby Fire Monsters

Serenity: Trust God and Refuse to Worry

panoramic shot of depressed child sitting on floor isolated on black

My spiritual mentor of many years passed away last January. I miss her very much, especially now, with such alarming events going on in our world. So many times in the past when I was afraid or anxious, I would call her for comfort and guidance. She would listen and then give me her recipe… Continue reading Serenity: Trust God and Refuse to Worry

The First New Year’s Resolution I Need to Make

I know whereof I speak: the first and most important New Year’s resolution I need to make, and keep, is to go back to carving out that morning quiet time for reading, meditation, and prayer. Without that, any other resolutions I make will fade away before the last stale Christmas cookie gets thrown out. This… Continue reading The First New Year’s Resolution I Need to Make

Mindfulness: Being present to the gift in the moment

Years ago my mother kept a handwritten note on her refrigerator that read, “Help me be present to the present in this present moment.”  My wish for you and for myself, in this busy time of preparations for the holidays, is that we can find a few moments to be mindful, to see the presents… Continue reading Mindfulness: Being present to the gift in the moment