My Walks with Remi: Book Two - Devotions Inspired by Nature to Deepen Your Faith Journey

By Cindy J. Anderson

“My Walks with Remi - Book Two” is the second book of devotions written by Cindy J. Anderson. Inspired by stunning color photos of nature taken during Cindy’s walks with her Portuguese Water Dog, Remi, she invites her readers to see God’s presence around them in a unique and thought-provoking way. The photos in each devotion will become visual cues for the reader in their everyday life to remind them of the life-lesson illustrated in each devotion. Walking with Remi amidst his beautiful surroundings in Southern California will help the reader experience God’s artistry in the soaring mountains, the sparkling blue of the Pacific Ocean, and the vibrant light that shines on the American Riviera, which makes colors pop against the backdrop of the clear, azure-blue sky.
With Scripture that spans both the Old and New Testaments, the devotions are a witness to how God still speaks to us today. The Scripture verses, photos, reflections, prayers, and life application questions that accompany each devotion will uplift and encourage the reader and help them feel God’s presence walking with them each day.
“My Walks with Remi - Book Two” will delight the eyes and nourish the soul.
Website: www.mywalkswithremi.com
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/mywalkswithremi
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/mywalkswithremi

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664249899

Cindy J. Anderson

Cindy Anderson has been involved in ministry her entire life. As an educator, Bible study leader, and art docent, Cindy enjoys helping people find meaning in what’s in front of them, whether a text, Bible passage, piece of art, or an image in nature. Cindy has a B.A. from Augustana College (IL) in Elementary and Secondary Education and French and a M.A. in French Language and Literature from Northern Illinois University. Her skill in analyzing French literature has translated into a talent for seeing images in nature and applying God’s life-lessons to them. She invites her readers to look for God’s presence in the beauty found in everyday life. A native of St. Charles, IL, Cindy lived in Connecticut and Kansas before moving to Southern California. She is fortunate to be surrounded by God’s artistry and enjoys life with her husband, who is her college sweetheart, and her affectionate companion, Remi.

Book preview

Copyright © 2022 Cindy J. Anderson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical,

including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written

permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make

no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some

cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

WestBow Press

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not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973

1978 1984 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

"Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977,

1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org"

"Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001

by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright

©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers,

a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018 by Passion

& Fire Ministries, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

All interior photos taken by Cindy J. Anderson unless otherwise noted below.

Front and back cover photos by Stephanie Baker Photography.

Expect the Unexpected photo by Branko Jovanovic from Shutterstock

The Power of a Footprint by Phurinut Chaisirilarp from Shutterstock

Beauty After the Storm by Conejo Joe of the Conejo Valley Guide.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4988-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-4989-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021923276

WestBow Press rev. date: 02/15/2022

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Contents

Dedication

Preface

Acknowledgments

A View from Above

Tending to the Geraniums

The Mexican Sage

It’s OK to Stand Out

Blue Skies

The Agony and the Ecstasy

Walls

Expect the Unexpected

Find the Shade

We are Family

Community

The Bougainvillea Canopy

The Power of a Footprint

Foundations

Special Moments

When Disappointment Comes

Who’s Walking with You?

A Shadow by My Side

Hold On

Bending

God Provides a Way

Legacy

Beauty After the Storm

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Footprints on the Beach

Breaking Free

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Dedication

To our grandchildren Graham and Sloane

May you continue to walk with Christ all of your days.

Image2Preface1.jpg

Preface

I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.

Leviticus 26:12 (NIV)

The past fifteen years have been filled with transitions and through them all I was thankful to have had a strong faith in God who accompanied me on my life’s journey. Moving from the Midwest to the East Coast, back to the Midwest, and then to California, retiring from teaching high school French, having three children go through college, planning a wedding, becoming a grandparent, and dealing with the loss of my Dad and my in-laws, all of these events brought me to a new stage of life. Through the joys, challenges, and sadness, I always felt God’s presence with me and relied on him to lead me through each change I faced.

When I stopped teaching, Remi came into our life as an eight-week-old bundle of energy and curiosity. Our walks together became a time we looked forward to. Remi had an outlet to explore his surroundings and expend some of his energy, and I had some quiet time to reflect, enjoy a brisk walk, and bond with Remi. When he was two, we moved to California and our walks changed. Remi still explored and happily trotted along, but for me, my sense of observation was heightened, and I began to notice things in nature as if God were whispering to me, Look at that! I felt as if my senses had been rejuvenated; I witnessed God’s artistry in the soaring mountains, the sparkling blue of the Pacific Ocean, and the vibrant light that shone on the American Riviera, creating colors of flowers that popped against the backdrop of the clear, azure-blue sky.

I began taking photos on my phone of images in nature that stood out on a particular day, and I wrote down a title and a few thoughts about each image. It seemed as if God were showing me life-lessons through his handiwork. I have been walking with Remi now for over twelve years, and God still reveals meaningful images to me through nature as we walk. After writing the first devotional, My Walks with Remi - Devotions Inspired by Nature to Strengthen Your Faith Journey, I wanted to share more of the life-lessons God had shown me through nature during our walks, and our second devotional was born.

I have experienced first-hand what the Scripture above states; as God has faithfully walked with me throughout my life, and as I honor him as my God - the being who guides and directs me, who gives me courage, wisdom, comfort, peace, and strength - I am more conscious of walking with him and deepening my faith as I quiet myself in the presence of his creation. I invite you to walk with Remi and me through the pages of this book and experience the insights I have had on our walks. May the Scripture verses, photos, reflections, prayers, and life application questions that accompany each devotion draw you closer to God and help you feel his presence as he walks with you each day.

Acknowledgments