The Miracle of the Forest

Jeroen captured this gorgeous sun set across the bridge near our Sanctuary Forest Garden.

For many years, my heart broke open many times, to embrace who I truly am & live a radical life that is not of this world..

Jeroen & I had lived our busy lives for almost 13 years, serving church, family, work...though we spent quality time with each other.  Let us put it in this way - we were more 'busy' with others than with each other.

In the recent 3 years, we were shaken up especially since the passing of his mother, my mother-in-law, then his colleagues and his dad, my father-in-law, all to illnesses, sudden heart attack... I'm not going into details... 

Each incident broke open Jeroen's heart and my heart again and again. We began to start questioning and evaluating our life as an individual and as a couple. It began a drastic healing for Jeroen to look within especially since I have been on the healing journey path for many years.

There were times when we were challenged with our marriage. I no longer wanted to live this kind of life anymore. I know what I need and want. I had to sit down with Jeroen to have many serious conversations about our life and marriage.

We moved to our Sanctuary Forest Garden after a long process of 2 years. We both love Nature dearly and we know where we wanted to be. Since the 3 months living in our new home, our forest strengthens and deepens our love for each other as we heal self and with each other. We find such deep joy and peace, sharing our deep love for the Nature World. We discover in the process what we want to serve as a couple in our Forest Ministry. Gradually, it is unfolding and evolving for us. We are very thankful to Nita. She has been supporting us in our walk for the last 2 1/2 years and me, 3 1/2 years  

I hope in sharing our journey will give you the inspiration and motivation to relook at your life and marriage. Marriage is more than just falling in love, building a home, yet it is a joint union of 2 unique individuals, being together, growing and transforming together, in partnership and collaboration, in whatever you are called to or find meaning in, together as an individual and as a couple, whether complementing each other's gifts or supporting each other's gift.

Jeroen and I always have love Nature however it took us 13 years to see what we truly want in life as a couple and as an individual. You may at the beginning caught up with your work or your children... never forget or lose the intimate connection with each other - heart to heart, soul to soul. 

Love grows with each other as we heal and connect to God, Divine Love in us. So we can also be the love and touch the Divine Love in your soulmate, children, friends, Nature... and those you encounter. For us, the forest is our way of being and way of life and we find miracles in our forest.  

So what is yours?

* Elizabeth worked as a dance therapist with family, children and couples before she embraces her full calling as a spiritual director and wholistic life coach with Nita in their Forest Ministry. Now having moved to their Sanctuary Forest Garden home, she and her husband, Jeroen, an engineer, are growing their forest. They joined hands together, with their gifts, complementing each other, creating their food forest, building a home for the creatures in the Nature world, for themselves, and for the retreatants  and visitors who visit their forest garden. They find ways on how they can live in harmony with the Nature by collaborating with the Nature and using Eco-friendly materials as much as possible for renovating their 1900s house. You can also listen more to their sharing on You Tube - A conversation about their marriage on their heart & soul desired life with Nita.*