A Beautiful Refuge Among the Pines

Along the rolling hills outside of Atlanta one can venture off eastbound I-20 and find a true respite from the daily stressful news and bustle of the "what ifs" of the future.

Yes, it is essential to the mind and body to take time for nature and feel nurtured by Mother Earth and our dear beloved Blessed Virgin Mary, who, down through the ages, has appeared and assisted in lifting men, women, children, and elementals to realize the sweet smell of roses, to take in the healing presence of joy.

At times when there is a prompting from the heart to go off the beaten path of "I've tried everything" to heal trauma, heartache and brokenness and stretch out your own inner "staff" of things you can do and reach for new doors opening when you cannot even see the doorknob.

Apparition Center

Theresa K-17 on YouTube
Published Nov 2, 2022
2:59 viewing length

This is a current video of the serene hillsides plated with greenery and roses. The blessings and devotion of the people who have prayed the rosary over the past decades serve as a buffer for these times when Mother Mary had warned of wars and calamities throughout the past centuries. However, when hundreds and thousands of people gather together to pray and give devotion to peace, the outcome is not always met with open arms, as seen in the treatment of Fatima's children and Bernadette of Lourdes. 

I have made a pilgrimage to Lourdes and Fatima, and this land in Conyers is close to where I live. I feel very fortunate to have a well of Mother Mary's hand protecting and directing people who pay homage and write petitions.

 
From October 13, 1990, through October 13, 1998, Conyers housewife Nancy Fowler claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared to her and relayed messages to all citizens of the United States. The messages ranged from admonitions to prayers to warnings of war. The Virgin's supposed visits to Conyers, a suburban community about thirty miles east of Atlanta, make Conyers one of the longest-lived Marian apparition sites in the nation.

In the early 1990s, the roads to Conyers were clogged with pilgrims yearning to hear Mary's message. They came from everywhere, but most were from heavily Hispanic southern Florida. They headed toward a large field adjacent to Fowler's home. Once there, they prayed on Mary's Holy Hill, filled bottles with water from the Blessed Well, or visited the small bookstore on the property.

At midday, the pilgrims moved toward Fowler's farmhouse. Members of Our Loving Mother's Children, the volunteer group that organized the Conyers gatherings, led the crowd in song and prayer. The pilgrims prayed in their native tongues, including English, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. When Mary's message was broadcast over loudspeakers, the pilgrims raised their rosaries, icons, and petitions heavenward, hoping the Presence of the Virgin Mary would bless the items. 

Some claimed miracles at this site—rosaries turning to gold, the sun spinning and changing colors, and the scent of rose petals filling the air.

All this has passed now, and the beautiful land is cared for by a tiny group of caretakers. Yet, the joy and comfort of nature are magnified by the prayers anchored there.

As time passed, the gathering of tens of thousands of people making a pilgrimage there dwindled to almost nothing by 1998. But the essence of the devotions and the answered prayers of these humble dear hearts who had traveled many miles can still be felt throughout the serene hillsides. At sunset, the birds can be heard singing their thankful songs to the Presence that lingers through the words of the few who still gather throughout the week and on Sundays. Some grandmothers still bring their grandchildren in remembrance of that community joy and express gratitude for the gifts of answered prayers they were touched by and which were magnified by the Love of Mother Mary.

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"Let that Mind be in You Which Was Also in Christ Jesus"

When Paul gave us that admonishment in Philippians 2:5, it was a reminder of who we are in Christ. What did Paul know that he also knew we would need to be reminded of? And when the Psalmist said, "I have said ye are gods, and that all of you are children of the Most High", was this not a reminder of who we really are? Jesus said in John 10:34: Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?"