Discover joy in the hard places

Welcome to the blog of JP Mills where you will find encouragement and belonging through reflective journaling and poetry.

Joyful Ruins

Discovering joy in the hard places

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  • The Tears Between Us

    The Tears Between Us

    I’ve learned to honor the tears that fall from the eyes of another or my very own I honor them by letting them fall and reading their message Tears will tell me someone is soft at heart and needs a gentle touch They remind me I am moved by small beauties and that is a… Continue reading

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  • Expansiveness

    It is strange to experience rather than curling up and hiding To feel a stretching in my chest a warmth in my stomach there’s no other way to describe it except for expansiveness The truth is I never believed I’d feel this way trapped by pressure approval, perfection preventing all mistakes and every fear living… Continue reading

  • Who was I? Who am I? Who will I be?

    Who was I? Who am I? Who will I be?

    Who am I? To answer such a question, I must ask another. Who was I? A little girl who dreamed of being a mermaid. A girl who wanted to be lived, loved, and chosen A girl who felt special deep within but felt invisible deeply with out. A girl with so much to say and… Continue reading

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  • Reflections on Resilience

    Reflections on Resilience

    Resilience is not survival. It’s not a coping mechanism or a one-off decision. Resilience is found in every human being, not to be held against them. Not to toughen the soft ones up or come out on top of others. Resilience is deeply rooted hope. It doesn’t come from platitudes or happy thoughts. It doesn’t… Continue reading

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  • Crucified or Resurrected?

    I have lived as though I am on the cross but it is not me on the cross it is my sin it is not the person God delighted in making that is crucified It is the part of me that hates the part of me that shames The cross does not lead me to… Continue reading

About Me

An obsessive journaler who loves meeting others along their journey and giving them a hand to hold through pieces of writing. I write about the heartbreaks of life and the joys, the ups and downs, and I often learn my greatest lessons and miracles from nature.

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