Recently, my grandson sent me a photo of a little treasure.
It was a stuffed animal I had given him several years ago. When I first gave it to him, it smelled like chocolate. That sweet scent made it extra special — something comforting, familiar, and just a little magical.
He told me the smell is fading
America the Beautiful- Cog Railway Photo Melody Lee There are moments in life that God quietly weaves into our hearts long before we understand their significance. Years ago, I had the privilege of riding the Cog Railway to the summit of Pikes Peak with my … Continue reading From Sea to Shining Sea: A Mountain, A Miracle, and a Prayer for America
Addie Odee Collier “Dee” Baggs was born in Courtland, Alabama, on November 20, 1923. A proud descendant of the Echota Cherokee Indian tribe, she left school in the eighth grade—but years of hard work, a fierce Alabama spirit, and the willingness to learn a trade … Continue reading Maters, Taters and Mama Happy Fourth of July!
There are moments in life when God allows us to meet people whose stories become part of our own. My friend Naomi is one of those people. Most of us know the name Martin Luther King Jr. We have seen the photographs, heard the speeches, … Continue reading From MLK to Naomi: Suffering for Freedom’s Sake
“The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” — Gospel of Matthew
This morning I woke from a sobering, intense dream with a weight in my spirit—an awareness that we are in a very real spiritual battle. Not one of flesh and blood, but one that presses into the mind, the heart, and even the body.
There is a flood—a saturation—of what Scripture warns us about: a spirit opposed to Christ, subtle yet aggressive, persuasive yet destructive. It numbs truth, distorts identity, and dulls our sensitivity to the voice of the Lord.
And yet… Jesus has already given us the answer.
When God Turns the Tide to Conviction and Victory in Christ
A special message today from Marlene… about seeking the power of God through prayer. Recently, the Lord has been speaking to me about a simple two-word check-in I gave during our weekly Women of Valor gathering. When it was my turn to share what was … Continue reading Prompting Intercession: Standing in the Gap Against Hopelessness & Strongholds
Happy Birthday Daddy! It seems like a lifetime since I went to help my brother Keith care for Daddy back in 2006. And yet, in so many ways, he’s still with me—in the laughter of my sons, in the scent of fresh vegetables, and in … Continue reading A Cup of Coffee, a Lifetime of Love, and a Legacy That Still Speaks|a tribute to Elmer Gordon Baggs
Do not let the foot of pride come against me, and the hand of the wicked drive me away.” — Psalm 36:11
Today some thing happened to me with this Psalm.
It wasn’t loud or dramatic. It was quiet… but piercing.
Pride.
We often think of it as something obvious—arrogance, boasting, self-exaltation. But pride is far more subtle than that. It doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it whispers. Sometimes it disguises itself as strength, self-protection, even righteousness.
And what struck me deeply today is this:
Pride can come from without… or from within.
Naomi…
I wrapped this memory up in a letter and gave it to God before I ever found the courage to give it to you. But you’ve been sitting beside me all along, haven’t you? Humming low, steady… like you do when the weight of a story is too much for one heart to carry alone.
So I’m going to tell you now—plain and honest—the way it rises up in me.
In our house, crows meant death.
Not the poetic kind either… the kind that settles in your chest before anything has even happened. The kind that whispers something is coming, and you don’t have the language yet to rebuke it.
My mama… she died a little more than two months after my eighteenth birthday. Cirrhosis of the liver.
I was the one who took her to see Dr. Perez. Just a week before. Her regular doctor had missed it—missed how bad it really was—but this man looked at her one time and told the truth straight:
“If she lives, it’ll be a miracle. And she has to stop drinking. Now.”
Breaking the Noise Devotional There is a quiet war happening—one not fought with weapons, but with words, images, and endless noise. We are becoming products of what we constantly see and say. Scroll after scroll. Opinion after opinion. Conversation after conversation.And somewhere in the middle … Continue reading Breaking the Noise: Returning to the Voice of the Lord
By Marlene Hoenig | Cinderella Released Ministries I was spending time with the Lord this morning when a phrase from my childhood came rushing back to me—something my mama would say whenever I was poking my nose where it didn’t belong: “Curiosity will kill the … Continue reading Curiosity, Crisis, and Compassion: A Kingdom Response to Iran
Woman of Valor Founder Beverly Lewis Women of Valor… WOW. What a conversation today. I mean… the kind that doesn’t just stay in your head—it settles in your spirit and starts asking questions. We touched everything—worldviews, psychology, politics, doctrine, culture, what we’ve been taught, what we’ve … Continue reading The Value of Being Born a Woman
Palm Sunday Reflections from Marlene – Cinderella Released Ministries There are some moments with God that mark you so deeply, you never forget them. Palm Sunday is one of those for me. Over 30 years ago, I was standing in church during praise and worship. … Continue reading Ain’t No Rock Gonna Cry Out for Me
“This is a wonderful day; I have never seen this one before.”— Maya Angelou I remember watching Naomi that day. She had grown quiet, her hands folded gently in her lap, her eyes looking somewhere far beyond the room we were sitting in. It was the … Continue reading Roots That Held, Seeds That Prayed
“Youth fades, love droops, the leaves of friendship fall;a mother’s secret hope outlives them all.”—Oliver Wendell Holmes I watched Naomi walk to the back door, lift her purse from its hook, and hang her apron neatly in its place. She turned, gave me that familiar … Continue reading Wrapped Up Names and Rooted Faith
“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”— Frederick Douglass I am only months old when my story begins in Sanford, Florida. My parents settle into a wood-frame house on the lower end of an upper-middle-class neighborhood—a place of order, comfort, … Continue reading I Wrapped Your Name Up in A Letter and Gave It To God….
I woke up this morning thankful for the Holy Spirit—our faithful Guide, who leads us into all truth.
I’m sitting here sipping coffee my son warmed for me—as hot as I can stand it—cradled in a wide-brimmed cup. And just like that, I am taken back…
The other night, I couldn’t sleep.
I was tossing and turning, replaying a conversation over and over—an argument that, truthfully, was over nothing. Yet it didn’t feel like nothing. It felt heavy. It felt consuming. My heart was unsettled, my body tense, and my spirit burdened.
As I lay there, I could feel it—something deeper than frustration.
There was striving.
There was discouragement.
There was a quiet fear creeping in about finances, about the future… about hopes and dreams that suddenly felt like they were slipping away. Deals seemed to be disappearing. Doors felt like they were closing.
And I asked the Lord a simple but honest question:
“Why?”
In His mercy, He answered.
There is a quiet but dangerous line that can be crossed in the life of a believer—a line between receiving the favor of God and assuming we are entitled to it.
Favor is a gift.
Entitlement is a demand.
And when we begin to take what we believe we are owed, rather than receive what God freely gives, we step out of grace and into a posture that Scripture warns can actually rob us—and yes, even invite consequences we never intended.
Let’s talk about the difference.
He will remove anyone standing on His Holy Hill. Do not fear but....Trust in the Lord and Wait on Him He is coming to deliver those who are His sons and daughters... Cinderella Released MinistriesFrom Ashes to BeautyMarlene Hoenig My thoughts about the questions; “What … Continue reading Who will stand on God’s Holy Hill?
February - 2026 Dear Friend, I pray this letter finds you well and filled with the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we step into the second quarter of 2026, I’m excited to share how God is leading Cinderella Released Ministries into … Continue reading Exciting News from Marlene
I don’t know about you…
but it’s the sweet and innocent kind of love
that touches my heart the most.
Today I’m remembering a tender season—
California sunshine on my face,
Pensacola memories tucked away in boxes.
My grandson Jonah had just turned four then…
now he is ten, Hudson two, now he’s eight.
Time moves like water—
fast, living, unstoppable—
and still somehow holy.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.Be careful how you handle the things God places in your hands. Recently, I grabbed my cast-iron skillet from the oven using two potholders that were wet. Instantly, they burned through, releasing steam and searing straight through the padding. … Continue reading Amazed & Afraid to Follow…
As this year draws to a close, I wanted to pause and reflect on a few moments from 2025—posts, poems, dreams, and visions—that the Lord allowed me to share along the way. Each one marks a step in the journey: some written through tears, some through laughter, all through faith.
Calling God’s Sons and Daughters to Rise From the Ashes Into Their True Identity and Eternal Purpose Cinderella Released Ministries exists to call both men and women out of the ashes of adversity, trauma, crisis, and abuse—not through the myth of the phoenix or any … Continue reading Cinderella Released Ministries — Purpose & Networking Statement
Special Christmas Card Collection As some of you know, over the years I have carefully created and repurposed cards from the beautiful Christmas cards I’ve received from friends and family—treasured over many, many years. Each piece is hand-crafted, prayed over, and made with love. Most … Continue reading Cinderella Released Christmas Card Collection….
The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:18 When all else fails there are so many promises from God that He will save, deliver and heal us from all evil. Hear the … Continue reading Trust the Process!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Christmas and the New Year can be a struggle for many of us—especially when we feel the closing of one chapter and don’t yet … Continue reading When the Chapter Ends but the Page Is Still Blank
Dear Beloved Friends & Partners in Faith, As we enter this holiday season, many hearts ache under the weight of separation. Some of us long to gather with family, to hold grandchildren again, to celebrate answered prayers that are still unfolding. Yet in this season … Continue reading Hope In The Waiting: God Is Still Moving.
Finding the Treasure That Never Fades Throughout human history, men and women have chased after power, money, security, happiness, and peace. People will go to extraordinary lengths to obtain what they treasure most. Webster’s Dictionary defines worship as worthiness, respect, honor, and the object of … Continue reading From Diamond Rings to Eternal Things:
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