The Bridegroom Speaks

The Bride of the Song of Songs regrets hesitating to open the door of her heart to the Bridegroom. In her desperate search for Him, she asks her friends to please help her find the one whom her soul loves. She tells them to give Him the message that she is "sick with love". Many saints, including St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese of Lisieux, experienced the "wound of love". In this episode, Laura describes for us the agony and the ecstasy of being wounded by the Bridegroom's arrow of love.

Discover the richness and beauty of the Song of Songs with the Hope's Garden heart-led Scripture study, Brides of Christ.

https://hopesgarden.com/song-of-songs-scripture-study/

Laura shares her reflections on an excerpt from C.S. Lewis' sermon, "The Weight of Glory". Reading this beautiful sermon shortly after her divorce was life-changing and healing for Laura. In particular, C.S. Lewis' statement that each of us is "an ingredient in the divine happiness" was and still is a healing balm to her heart as well as the hearts of women she ministers to through Hope's Garden. May this episode be as a healing balm to your heart.

Here is a link to C.S. Lewis' "The Weight of Glory".

https://www.wheelersburg.net/Downloads/Lewis%20Glory.pdf

Learn more about Hope's Garden and our healing resources at

https://hopesgarden.com/

Take a few moments to sit at the feet of Jesus the Bridegroom and let Him love you. In this episode, Laura reads to us from chapter 5 of the Song of Songs and reflects on the Bridegroom's merciful and gentle love.

Learn more about Jesus the Bridegroom with the Hope's Garden heart-led study of the Song of Songs.

https://hopesgarden.com/song-of-songs-scripture-study/

The Bridegroom knocks on the door of our hearts, calling to us, to open to Him. In verse 5:2 of the Song of Songs He sings to the Bride, the symbol of the soul, “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is covered with dew, my locks with the drops of night.”

In this special episode, Laura and Father Michael Stalla, have a conversation about how relational trauma affects our ability to hear and recognize the voice of the Bridegroom. They share stories from their work together in spiritual direction during Laura's years of intense healing work from the effects of marital trauma and the subsequent trauma of divorce. Spiritual direction was an integral piece in the healing process.

Learn more about Christ the Bridegroom and how He is healing hearts, marriages, and families at hopesgarden.com

Laura shares prayers and artwork from her healing journey in the Hope's Garden Prayer Book available on Amazon.

Laura explains how verses 4:6 to 5:1 of The Song of Songs can be read as Jesus' praise of His Bride, the Church.

Our journey with Christ is an ascent up the mountain of God. At the summit is the entrance to the eternal wedding feast. Along the way, Jesus offers us healing and deepening relationship with Him. And, of course, there are trials, obstacles, and dangers on the path.

Learn more about the Hope's Garden heart-led study of The Song of Songs: https://hopesgarden.com/song-of-songs-scripture-study/

The wedding of heaven and earth took place within the most holy womb of Mary. Her fearless trust in God's love and goodness allowed her to experience unity, physical and spiritual, with the Holy Trinity. In her union with God, she knew the fulness of joy. She wants to lead us into the fulness of divine joy too.

Laura talks about the actions of the Holy Spirit in our garden hearts and shares prayers to the Holy Spirit inspired by verses 4:12-16 of The Song of Songs.