Repost for the Canada Day of Prayer July 9th, 2026
This is my very first poem.
Today’s the world day of prayer
And around the world, everywhere
People are taking the time to pray,
For missionaries far away
through their work and endless days
They may teach others about Jesus Way
While we are at home can do our part
And pray for God’s guidance from above
Wrapped safely in His loving arms.
We pray that they are safe from harm.
Rev. Marie Yvonne
We are not a church but a ministry.
If you see a Baptist minister inside an Independent Catholic Ministry, it is not because I’m participating in an ecumenical event, attending a personal milestone, or undergoing a faith transition.
It is because I’m the co-founder, a member of the chaplaincy as chief chaplain, and president of the house of bishops. As an independent entity, we are autonomous and set our own rules, meaning we are not bound by the Pope’s authority or Vatican law.
I’m a Baptist bishop, and I do not have that hat as my coat of arms. The wide-brimmed ecclesiastical hat (the galero) and hanging tassels seen in traditional Ecclesiastical Heraldry are specific to the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Independent Catholic traditions. Baptist polity does not employ this uniform heraldic system. Because Baptist church governance, including the role of a bishop or overseer, is largely autonomous, there are no universal, standardized rules dictating an official hat or crest for your coat of arms. If a Baptist bishop chooses to design a personal crest, they typically follow general principles of amateur heraldry rather than the Vatican’s strict colour and tassel system. We have the freedom to design a coat of arms that reflects your personal faith, ministry, and spiritual calling, using symbols meaningful to our specific congregation or community. Notice the Archbishop’s colours and symbols, which were taken from mine, except for the brown, which reflects the Franciscan colour; my gold, blue, and white were added to his.
Meaning of the Founder’s Blason
The Blason of the Archbishop Eric
✝️ Central Structure — The Cross
The white cross (Argent) divides the shield into four parts. It represents: Christ at the center of everything, Unity of life and mission, the foundation upon which all else rests. 👉 This is the governing symbol of the whole shield
🔵 Left Side (Azure Field)
Fleur-de-lis (Top Left) Symbol of Purity and consecration Traditionally associated with Our Lady Meaning here: A life placed under Marian protection and spiritual purity
Crossed Elements (Bottom Left)
These resemble missionary or apostolic crosses/tools.
Meaning: Evangelization Readiness to serve Apostolic labour
👉 Together, the left side speaks of:
Faith received and lived in devotion and mission
🔥 In One Sentence
A life rooted in faith, formed in devotion, and fulfilled through sacrifice in union with Christ.
Co-Founder’s Arms
The Blason of Bishop Marie
The coat of arms of Bishop Marie expresses a ministry rooted in charity, guided by truth, and open to all without distinction.
The shield is rendered in azure, signifying fidelity, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to serve. At its center stands a cross argent, the enduring sign of Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
In chief, a dove bearing an olive branch represents peace and renewal, reflecting a mission oriented toward reconciliation and new beginnings. In base, two hands joined in service signify a life dedicated to helping others, embodying a ministry of presence, care, and compassion. At the heart of the composition, the figure of Christ reminds all who behold it that every act of service flows from Him and returns to Him.
In keeping with Baptist tradition, the arms are presented in simplicity, without external ecclesiastical ornaments, emphasizing the primacy of the Gospel over rank or distinction.
Blazon in English (Formal Heraldic Form)
A shield quarterly divided by a cross Argent;
In the first quarter, Azure, a fleur-de-lis Or;
In the second quarter, Brown, the Sacred Heart Gules;
In the third quarter, Azure, two apostolic emblems Or in saltire;
In the fourth quarter, Brown, two arms in saltire, one bare and one sleeved, after the Franciscan manner;
Overall, upon the cross, a crown of thorns proper.
For the glory of Almighty God and the good of souls, we declare and confirm the heraldic arms of the Founder and the Co-Founder, which manifest both the unity of their vocation and the distinction of their ministries.
The arms of the Founder, quarterly divided by a cross Argent, express a faith firmly rooted, a life shaped by sacrifice, and perseverance in the way of Christ.
The arms of the Co-Founder, set upon a brown field with a blue cross, signify peace, service, and a charity extended to all without distinction.
These arms, though distinct, are united in one mission: that the work founded in Christ may grow and extend through charity to all.
Given under the sign of the Cross, in a spirit of truth and peace.
You will discover that you can’t.
Do you often feel that you are being pulled in all directions? Have you been wishing for some time away from all the insanity? Then this message is for you. Don’t get trapped into thinking you are the only one who can do everything that needs to be done, and that it must be done immediately.
Take a step back and refocus. Whose job is it to plan your day, yours or God’s?
Have you ever stood out of the way and just let things flow in sequence as they should?
Life can be a beautiful thing if we just learn not to push it. We need to learn to slow down and enjoy the beauty and tranquillity that surrounds us.
We cannot do that as long as we allow ourselves to be pushed here and there in the frenzy of the demands of the day-to-day world. Take a little time each day for meditation, just be silent before the Creator and enjoy the solitude that you will find there.
It is time to free yourself from everything that causes you stress and holds you captive and decide what your priorities are, what is truly important in your life.
God gives you strength and wisdom to make those choices, and He takes care of the rest.
~ the One life in the many ~ 73.**
Let your mind become clear like a mountain lake.
Then all false beliefs will rise to the surface and evaporate, and only truth will remain.
Light of the Soul Practice Meditation, prayer, and inner silence are the steps toward a clear mind.
Give yourself permission to value this. Often, the value of ‘keeping busy’ or the sense of obligation to others creates a life out of balance, with no possibility of inner peace.
Today, find the way of silence that is most natural to you and the time to be alone with it. Let it nourish your soul.
Stop awhile and listen to the heartbeat of the Universe.
Shut out the voice of everyday life, telling you what you have to do, who you have to be, voices from television, family, and your job. You need the healing of silence, time to take back your life. Time to meditate and listen to that still small voice.
That voice that tells you that you are so much more than what everyday life defines you to be. You are not of some great value because of the work that you do; you are of great value just because of who you are and who you choose to be. As you connect with the true source of peace and contentment within the silence of your mind, you will discover that you are much more than what life dictates; you are a part of a much greater plan.
For years, humans have been searching for their true purpose and meaning in life. Are you one of those who are still searching?
Are you looking for a place where your soul can find lasting peace?
So many are going through life just wandering, with no real purpose, led by their ego, trying to find meaning by accumulating material possessions.
This is a life of unfulfilled dreams and a never-ending search for peace and contentment, where worldly possessions are never enough.
If this in any way describes you, then you have been missing out on a very simple way of finding the peace that you have been longing for.
It is through meditation that you take time to be silent and allow God to fill you with His Peace.
Don’t say you are too busy, take the time, this is your life, your time to accept the gift of peace that is waiting for you.
I KNOW MY CREATOR LIVES
You ask me if my creator lives
Well, I want you to know,
I”ve seen Him in each blade of grass
And in the breeze that blows.
I see Him when I see the sparrow
Fly graceful in the sky,
I also know my creator lives
And guides me from on high.
I see Him in a baby”s smile
So innocent and pure,
I see Him as I walk the sand
Along the peaceful shore.
And if you live your life for Him
And humbly do your part,
This God of all Creation
Will live within your heart
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
As you bow your head today
And you pray in Jesus name,
Will you thin
k to pray for others
With their sorrow and their pain.
Others with their heartaches
And others with their care
Will you think of all their trials
As our Father hears your prayers.
For as you take the burden
Of some soul to God above,
Your reward will be the blessing
Of our own Dear Saviour’s love.
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
Though strife surrounds us day by day
If we just take the time to pray,
Those troubles slowly fade away
As we commune with Jesus.
Though this old world be full of woe
There is one place we all can go,
We have a Heavenly Home, you know
If we just live for Jesus.
Though there be trials on every hand
The Christian has a salvation plan,
That someday in that Promised Land
We”ll walk beside our Jesus.
So don’t be ashamed of the Love of our Father
Don’t be ashamed of His Kindness and grace,
Don’t be ashamed of our Blessed Redeemer
Who, upon Calvary, died in our place.
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
In our tiny village, a church stands upon a hill
There was a time when songs rang out
As her seats filled, the people filled.
Where the neighbour greeted the neighbour
And children played so freely,
That was a time I now recall
with things as they should be.
Our little church stood proud and tall
And overlooked the sea
To guide our fishermen along
The path where they should be.
Things are all so different now
To a new church, we make our way
But the memories of that little church
In our minds will always stay.
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
Our little village we call home
Snugly nestled by the sea
With the harbor sparkling near your door
A lovely sight to see.
With fishing boats along the shore
Where the artist often come
To paint the seans of East Jeddore
The place that I call home.
To see the evening sunset
Is more beautiful than gold
Done by the Master Painter
Is a beauty to behold.
The sky so blue, the trees so green
The birds that flutter by
As the sun sets slowly
On the sea, the fishing boats go by.
As I say goodbye one time again
To the beautiful East Jeddore,
I know that I will soon return
To see her just once more.
IT IS MY HOME
.Rev. Marie Yvonne.
I won first prize for this poem at two different poetry contests two years in a row.
The missionaries leave their homes
Their family, friends, and all,
To travel far across the seas
In answer to God’s call.
They learn the language of the land
In order to go,
And tell the natives of our God
Who cares and loves them so?
The natives in these foreign lands
To idols, they all go,
But idols neither hear nor speak
The Bible tells us so.
So the mission of our people here
Is to take the Holy Word,
Of salvation from a living God
To those who have never heard.
And we at home can do our part
As we do daily, we pray,
For God to keep them free from harm
While they are far away.
But let’s not forget our missionaries
That work for God at home,
And show God’s love to many
Who feel lost and all alone.
So let us all just do our part
For our missionaries dear,
Whether they be far away
Or whether they be near.
We’ll pray for God to guide them
As they teach His Word so true,
And support them with our pledges
As His work, they gladly do.
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
I felt so close to God today
As I stood beside a brook,
And watched the water flow
Or’e the rocks, as it’s trickling
Pathway took.
And as I stood there gazing
I saw our Creator’s plan,
For that tiny little babbling brook
Was made by God’s own hand.
And the God that made the rocks
The trees, the seas, and all the land,
Yes, the God of all the Universe
He, too, created man.
So if cares close in around you
And you need someone to care,
Go find yourself a babbling brook
God’s peace is always there.
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
From Just A Piece Of Clay
God took a piece of love one day
And turned it into a clump of clay
He worked it in His loving hands
And tenderly created man.
He made him strong and mighty and tall
To have dominion over all,
He put a garden fence
To rule all God’s creation there.
But man was lonely all alone
So God removed from him a bone
And made for him a helpmate true
To live with him his whole life through.
So from this tiny piece of bone
God made us all to be His own,
So be thankful for the life you share
And live for God while you are here.
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
When pressures are mounting
And burdens you bear
Your troubles grow day after day
You wonder if God”s really listening to you
Will He take all your sorrows away.
With your pain and your suffering
Your heartache and tears,
Your mind starts to question and say
Does God understand what I’m going through
Is He with me each step of the way.
God knows all our sorrows
He feels all our pain
He shares all our struggles and cares
He walks with us through crooked paths
And dries our eyes of our tears.
Our hearts are His garden
In which His love grows
Our tears are His dew on the rose
Our burdens grow lighter as His Spirit comes in
To harvest His joy in our souls.
Rev. Marie Yvonne
THE ABANDONED CHURCH
Upon a hill, a lonely hill an abandoned church house
stands, This proud old church in years gone by was
built by willing hands.
With timber strong and steeple tall, a wood stove
warmed the few that sang by oil lamps on the wall
to cast light on wooden pews.
As years went by a furnace new and electricity
replaced the stove and oil lamps. Much better
“ all agreed”
As time went by this simple church served the
faithful few, until a modern church was built
with softly padded pews.
As years go by and folks pass on to rest upon
the hill, our proud old church with steeple tall
will still stand abandoned on the hill
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
Is there something that you have been wanting so bad that it has been consuming your thoughts day and night? Does the longing for it bring tears to your eyes? Have you been praying to God for it to happen but it seems like it never will?
Why don’t you just stop worrying? In 1st.Peter 5 verse 7 we are told to “Cast all our cares upon Him because He cares for us.”
Don’t worry God hears your prayers and He will answer your prayers, but it will be in His good time. we can’t rush God. He doesn’t always give us what we want when we want it but He always gives us what we need when we need it.
When your thoughts consume you
All day and all night, with dreams
that you want to come true
Do tears fill your eyes, are you-
hurting inside wondering is God
really listening to you.
Do you pray day and night, do you
long for the light indicating
that hope will abound.
But let God do His part and let
peace fill your heart, He already
knows what you need, He will dry
all your tears give you joy for
your fears and the assurance that
new hope will abound.”So Give Him
your cares, your His child and He
cares for you.”
Rev. Marie Yvonne.
Do you wonder at times just where your life is heading? You may not know where your path is taking you or even what your next step should be. One thing you can be absolutely sure of is what you need to know God will show you.
There will be times when things will seem hopeless and you will have to ask God for wisdom. We know that when we do God’s will that He is happy with us and He has given us a guidebook, the Bible to lead us step by step.
If we trust in Him and read His word, He will make it plain to us in which direction He wants our lives to go. Just be patient and walk with God. He will never steer you wrong.
When you’re drifting out there in the world
And all hope and faith seem lost,
When your burdened down with trials and cares
And defeat seems like your cost.
When sinking deep in miry clay
In quicksand, you seem to go,
When you cry for help but none is found
From friends, you use to know.
Do not despair you’re not alone
There’s a hand outstretched to you,
He’ll pull you from the miry clay
And walk along with you.
He promised He will be your friend
A friend that’s always true,
He’ll set your feet on solid rock
He’ll be that rock for you.
A friend that’s true, a Savour too
A Counselor and guide,
He’ll carry you through the mire and clay
If you walk by His side.
Rev. Marie Yvonne
Do you ever have an immense longing for this life to be over, To be free from suffering, fear, illness, debt, heartbreak, and stress?
Sometimes our greatest joy seems to be about being in Heaven, free from all our pain and suffering. Until God is ready to call us home He wants us to live in a manner that is honoring to Him.
It takes courage to live a Christian life, to face challenges every day and yet redirect our focus from our weakness and trust in God’s strength. But that is precisely what He had called us to do and we can do it. God supplies strength in our weakness and through Him, we can live courageously. As we surrender our needs to God, He will be exalted in us as He shows His strength and power through us.
JEWELS IN HIS CROWN
[1] We are jewels in the crown of our Savior
He refines us and makes us shine,
As we live here below with our troubles
He’s preparing our new home sublime.
[2] In this world with its heartaches and trials
We, er reminded of our dear Father’s Love,
And when all our trials are over
We, ll meet with our Lord up above.
[3] He tells our hearts not to be troubled
With burdens of this world so cold,
He’ll give us a crown when we meet Him
As bright-shining as any pure gold.
[4] So let’s be jewels in the crown of our Saviour
And serve Him while living below,
Then on that day when we meet Him
We, ll be shining much brighter than gold
Rev. Marie Yvonne
Today’s a day for mothers, and as we think of those
We love, we think of all the Children God entrusted
to our love
For just as He gave Mary-Jesus to love and nurture
For awhile He also put within your care that tender
Little child.
To be a Christian mother is a duty from above, so
Don’t ever fail to guide them and tell them of Jesus’ love.
So remember, Mom, those lives that you are moulding
Now with care, are the lives that you will smile upon
With joy in later years. And when they’re men and
women and their life for God, they can always
remember it was a Christian Mother’s Love.
Rev. Marie Yvonne
We read in Corn.12: 7-10 that Paul is speaking about a {thorn in the flesh}
He asked God three times to remove it but it never happened.
We don’t know if Paul’s problem was a physical, spiritual or emotional affliction.
Many explanations have been put forward but we have no way of knowing.
We do know that it caused him a great deal of pain, causing him to question
if God was allowing him to have this affliction so that he would not get too proud
of being chosen by God to bring the great commission to the people.
Today there are more afflictions then could ever be mentioned here, none of us get through life without something that could stop us from serving God, but like Paul, we have the same promise that Gods grace is sufficient in our times of trials. In this life, there isn’t one of us that doesn’t have some form of problem, be it physical, spiritual or emotional and there are those that are bereaved and many other problems. But we know that we are never alone. None of us likes to live in pain and we think that we could serve God so much more effectively if we had better health. God didn’t ask us to have a medical checkup he takes us as we are and gives us strength for each day.
Many times we try to figure out why things happen as they do, but there never seems to be an answer, we say where is God, why does he allow things to happen like they do and these are questions that cannot be answered because we can not know the mind of God our minds can’t comprehend a God that was powerful enough to create the universe and still take care of us, and all he asks of us is that we believe and have faith. We are children of God and if we do not allow him to have a part in our lives we have a very empty feeling that something is missing. I don’t know if this applies to any of you but if you have that empty feeling try giving God a chance you have nothing to lose.
Believe God! if he calls you to work then he will see to it that you will accomplish it. Many times we are impatient, ,sometimes we get discouraged, sometimes we grow weary of waiting and we jump ahead of God. But we must learn to be patient and not always be in control, we must learn to trust and wait on God..
Rev. Marie Arnold.