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What brings you joy?

8/14/2020

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 Captain America: Winter Soldier

Steve is still on his search to figure out how he wants to be connected to SHIELD, now that he no longer trusts SHIELD.  He stops by the VA to see Sam Wilson, a new friend he met while running at the beginning of Captain American: Winter Soldier.  

They engage in conversation about the group Sam was just leading for vets.

Sam:  We all have the same issues:  guilt, regret.

Cap:  You lose someone?

Sam:  My wingman.  Flying a night mission.  Standard rescue op.  Nothing we hadn’t done 1000 times before until a RPG knocked him out of the sky.  Nothing I could do.  It was like I was up there just to watch.

Cap:  I’m sorry.
Sam:  After that I had a hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know.

Cap:  Are you happy now, back in the world?
Same:  The number of people giving me orders is down to about zero, so hell yeah.  You thinking about getting out?
Cap:  Um, I don’t know.  To be honest, I don’t know what I would do with myself it I did.

Sam:  Ultimate fighting?   Just an idea off the top of my head.  Seriously, you could do anything that you want to do.  What makes you happy?

Cap:  (thinking…)  I don’t know….



What brings you joy?

This is such a vital question.  We usually do not ask it to each other.  But when we ask it and listen, really listen, we are given the opportunity to hear their heart’s passion, their Soul’s purpose, their Call.
 

What brings you joy?

We also do not know how to answer it in this culture.  We can easily answer what we do.  We can sometimes answer what we enjoy doing, our hobbies.  We know what we do for fun, if we do things for fun.

But this stumps us.  What brings you joy?

Huh….

It stumps us because it is not an intellectual question.  It is a heart question.  Joy is not from the brain like fun, pleasure, work, hobbies, etc.  Joy is a heart created experience.  

Joy requires us to connect to our hearts. 

For some of us, this is scary.  We don’t go there.  Maybe we have been deeply wounded and we fear feeling that wound every time we connect with our hearts.  

Or maybe we have always been in our heads and intellect our entire lives.  We truly have never learned how to listen to our hearts.  We may think we are, but we are actually being tricked by our brains who are answering for our hearts.
Or what is happening in our culture at this moment, the violence, the mass shootings, the hatred, all is too much for us.  So we chose to not feel it, to stay out of our hearts.  This is understandable.  It is painful what is happening around us, in this country.  It is painful to witness all this violence happening across the country.  It is scary.  It creates anxiety and fear.  It makes it hard to be in our hearts.  

Living in our hearts, even in these painful times, can open up new avenues of healing, witnessing, action, perceiving and more.  Feeling our way through this time creates in our hearts an inner knowing to help us make a difference and create the change we desire.  Our heads can not do that.  Only Love can, only our Hearts can.

It takes Intention and a willingness to be Vulnerable to connect to our hearts.  Our hearts need to know that we are actually listening, that we truly want to know, and that once we know we will act upon the answers we receive.


So what brings you joy?

Anoukie brings me joy, my dog.  She is my teacher, constantly teaching me to take time to nature my heart, to laugh, to play, to be in experience, in the moment.  This powerful girl has transformed me and my heart, in ways that I not always aware of.  

Weaving, crocheting, knitting, fiber arts bring me joy.  I love to lose myself in this spiritual practice.  Each time I do, I come out of those moments feeling this deep peace, harmony and balance that I know (heart-knowing) is joy.

Hiking, walking, being outside in nature brings me joy.  I feel the support of Mother Earth below me.  Breath in the breathe that is the Sacred.  Witness beauty all around me.  Listen to the heart songs of the winged ones.  My heart fills with joy just being in contact with nature.
When I am connected to nature, weaving, or playing with my pup, I am in my heart.  Each of those activities drops me to the center of my being, to my heart, where I feel my heart expand with Love and Joy.


What brings you joy?
How are you incorporating that joy into your life?

When we let joy lead us, our lives are full of abundance, love, harmony, peace, and, of course, joy!​

What brings you joy?
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All we can do is our best...Captain America: Winter Soldier

8/7/2020

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Captain America:  Winter Soldier
Steve goes to visit Peggy Carter, his love interest from Captain America:  the First Avenger, who is now close to 100 years old.  She is lying in bed.

Steve:  You should be proud of yourself Peggy.

Peggy:  I have lived a life.  My only regret is that you didn’t get to live yours.  What is it?

Steve:  For as long as I can remember, I just wanted to do what is right.  I guess I’m not quite sure what that is anymore.  I thought I could just throw myself back in, follow orders, and serve.  It is just not the same.

Peggy:  You are always so dramatic.  Look, you saved the world.  We rather mucked it up.

Steve: You didn’t.  Knowing that you helped found SHIELD is half the reason that I stay

Peggy:  The world has changed.  None of us can go back.  All we can do is our best.  And sometimes the best that we can do is to start over…. 
Peggy has a coughing fit.  Steve gets her water.

Steve:  Peggy

Peggy:  (recognizing Steve like she has not seen him since he awoke, deep emotion in her voice) You’re alive.  You came back.

Steve:  Yeah

Peggy:  It has been so long,  so long

Steve:  Well, I couldn’t leave my best girl, not when she owes me a dance…

Can you hear your Soul speak?
This is a beautiful tender scene where we learn that Steve Rogers (a.k.a. Captain America) is indeed struggling with SHIELD and SHIELD’s tactics.  He is wondering whether to stay in or get out.  He is unhappy with the agendas and ways SHIELD goes about its work to keep the world safe.

He is, quite frankly, not on board with SHEILD.

We will find ourselves in that place from time to time in our lives — that place where we feel like our Soul is not aligned with the mission of the organization, work, or congregation that we are currently involved in.

This moment, this dissonance, is an invitation to awaken to a new level of Soul Consciousness.  Your Soul has something important to tell you.  Stop and listen!

Steve Roger’s values and morals are being compromised.  He is becoming more and more uncomfortable with that compromise.  He is not seeing any good, any movement forward to be better place.  After his conversation with Nick Fury, he now sees how deeply SHIELD is entrained with fear and control.

We must heed the voice of our Soul when it speaks up, especially when it says: “I’m not comfortable with this.”  or “You are compromising your integrity if you do that.” or “This doesn’t feel right, good, positive, or beneficial to the greater good."



What is your Answer?
These are the moments of transformation, healing, growth and evolution for ourselves.  We have the opportunity to step closer to the Sacred and, therefore, closer to our Highest Self.
They are not easy decisions.
I am thinking about all the Border Patrol agents during the time child separation became a policy, especially those who have been doing this for a long time.  Maybe when they began they felt like they were helping to make the world a safer place.  They were helping refugees and immigrants work their way through the system to safely enter our country.

Now, they are being asked to do criminal acts against humanity!  They are being asked to do things against their conscience, their values and morals.  (I hope they feel that way.)  

What does it do to their soul to go about their job, compromising their Soul, their values, for no greater good?  

Yet, I have compassion.  Some of the Border Control have been placed between a rock and a hard place. Maybe they are close to retirement.  Maybe they need to support their families and can not go without an income-producing job. I have Compassion.

And yet, when we come to those moments in our lives, we must chose our Soul, we must chose Justice, we must chose Life.  

These are not easy choices.  

Our Soul’s are asking us to evolve, to up our game, to stand for WHO we are, to BE Christ Consciousness in this world.

That requires that when our Soul’s speak up and say NO, we must heed that no.

I don’t say it lightly.  I’ve been unemployed, homeless and more because I heeded the NO from my Soul and went on my way — making clear my reason for leaving, my recognition that harm is happening here, that this is not moral, not Christian, not for the benefit of the common good.
In the end, after I have found my way to another call, I look back and know I would make that decision again and again.  
I never regret when I heed the call of my Soul — no matter the cost.

I do regret when I ignore it.

Remember:
The Sacred Spirit is always with you 
always companioning you
always cheering you on
always enticing you toward Justice, Wholeness, Compassion
All we need to do is say YES to our Soul’s Call.
It is Spirit’s Call.

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How do you name God?  God as Spirit, a reflection from a congregation member

8/3/2020

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This series of blogs are responses from congregation members to drawings created by Enrique, one of our children, and his mother Katie. One Sunday in worship during the children’s conversation, we created a list of names for God. The congregation voiced the names they use for God. As our worship continued, Enrique and his mom created images of how they see and experience these various names of God.

In this blog, Jessie responds to the drawing of God as Spirit.  I asked her some questions to get her started and this is what came forth for her:


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​I relate to God as Spirit in my daily experiences and in what I see. Sometimes it feels like a breeze, a gentle tug or touch and sometimes a whisper.  It enhances my connection by being a form of connection instead of silence even though sometimes it is just silence.

What Biblical story arises in you as you contemplate God as Spirit?  The Biblical story that arises is the story of Moses. I feel it’s the closest story to my personal experiences, especially when it’s a whisper on the wind that catches my attention.

What event in your life brought forth an experience of God as Spirit? The only event I feel like as palpable is when my god-father passed away.   I had a dream he passed away on the operating table and I was never told he was having an operation/procedure. I saw him lying in peace with doctors and nurses around him. Like I was in the room with them but not. I was more calm when I was awakened and told of his passing.

Thank you Jessie for sharing your connection to God as Spirit.
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How do you name God?  Congregation responds to our children's drawings

7/7/2020

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This series of blogs are responses from congregation members to drawings created by Enrique, one of our children, and his mother Katie. One Sunday in worship during the children’s conversation, we created a list of names for God. The congregation voiced the names they use for God. As our worship continued, Enrique and his mom created images of how they see and experience these various names of God.

In this blog entry, Martha has responded to the drawing of God as God. I sent her questions and she has answered them in her own way, challenging us to reflect upon the entirety of the Hebraic tradition. I am always grateful for the way in which Martha reminds us that we are connected spiritually with our Islamic brothers and sisters, going back to Genesis, to the siblings Isaac and Ishmael. Here is her response and challenge for us this day:

Not too long ago, I received a writing request from our pastor. She invited me to write about images of God. It was a hard assignment, and I didn’t do it . . . then. Upon her persistence, here it is now, with a challenge.

I grew up in a Roman Catholic family and went to Catholic school for 10 years, until our high school was closed. God was that stern old man with a flowing white beard, smiting those who angered him. Or the Jesus on the cross over the altar, with nails in his hands and blood dripping down his face. Or a baby boy or young man riding a donkey. God had a body, and it was male. (To be honest, I am convinced, popular theology aside, that God is indeed male. Think about it. Childbirth? Hormones? War? No female god would have come up with those ideas.)

When I took a course in Islam at Bangor Theological Seminary, I learned that God indeed comes with many more images. Ninety-nine are included in the Quran. One of my copies of the Quran takes three pages of index to list them all.

WhyIslam.org says:
“Allah has described Himself in the Quran through His Names and Attributes. Muslims believe that studying these Names and Attributes is one of the most effective ways of strengthening one’s relationship with God. Each Name and Attribute nourishes a kind of consciousness and humility in man and their study leads one to constantly better their actions.”  

Muslims are asked to call upon God during their supplications by the most appropriate names that relate to what they are asking for. For example, if one is seeking forgiveness from God for a sin they have committed, they would call upon Him by His name ‘Al-Ghaffar,’ meaning ‘The Ever Forgiving.’ If one is asking for peace and tranquility in their life while experiencing a period of tension, they would call on God by His name ‘As-Salaam,’ meaning ‘The Ultimate Source of Peace.’”​

My assignment to you is to select an image from the table in the article and reflect upon it. Share your reflections here if you wish.
https://www.whyislam.org/…/g…/names-and-attributes-of-allah/
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How do you name God?  Our Congregation responds to our children's drawing

5/4/2020

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This series of blogs are responses from congregation members to drawings created by Enrique, one of our children, and his mother Katie. One Sunday in worship during the children’s conversation, we created a list of names for God. The congregation voiced the names they use for God. As our worship continued, Enrique and his mom created images of how they see and experience these various names of God.

In this blog entry, Emily has responded to the drawing of God as Lion, the name for God that she called out during our children’s conversation. I sent her three questions and she has beautifully answered them. I am grateful for the way in which Emily reminds us of the power and magnificence of lions--of how lions do indeed conquer all.




  1. Why God as Lion? 
Jesus is referenced in Revelation 5:5b as a conqueror. “See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” In Genesis, Jacob names his fourth son Judah. This tribe of Israel became the line of Kings from which David and Jesus descended.

(2) How does relating to God as Lion enhance, challenge, invoke within you? 

I like a powerful, almighty God! His strength and magnificence is portrayed in this image. 

(3) This drawing is very much apocalyptic. How does the image of dragon (Revelation) and Lion (for me Isaiah’s lion and lamb story) speak to you?  ​

I think of C.S. Lewis’ Aslan. The forces against the Lion in this series are apocalyptic, yet he calmly conquers in the final battle. The Lion King is another portrayal of a lion that meets many foes, but in the end prevails. Neither of these lions had an easy time of it. There were always the bullies and naysayers. So while the dragon may be physically larger  and appears to be more ferocious, I’m thinkin’, the harder he falls. We know who wins, who conquers. I’m glad I know the end of the story. That dragon is scary. Great drawing Enrique!

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How do you experience God? Our congregation responds to drawings.

4/27/2020

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This series of blogs are responses from  congregation members to drawings created by one of our children Enrique and his mother Katie. One Sunday in worship during the children’s conversation, we created a list of names for God. The congregation shared the names they use for God. As our worship continued, Enrique and his mom created images of how they see and experience these various names of God.

In this blog entry, Trish has responded to the drawing of Beloved. I am grateful for the way in which she brings alive the many layers of Beloved, going deeper and deeper into the Core of the Sacred as Beloved. Thank you, Trish.

Enrique,
    You have drawn many beautiful drawings of what you see as The Beloved. I think you have already encountered the Beloved.

    Beloved. We don’t use that name very often. Married people, though, often use that term when they are referring to each other. Beloved. Meaning they set each other apart from and are deeper in relationship than other friends. You are also, as you know, Beloved as the child of your parents. You are Beloved by your grandparents. This is a deeper bond formed than friendship, and you know you love your friends. You can call them up and ask them how they’re doing and they do the same to you. You want to stay in touch with them and have a close connection with them.

    But the word Beloved goes deeper. You are treasured and cherished, you are the dear one. This is how the Creator of the Universe sees you. Beloved. The same being that thought up rainbows and trees and dogs thought up you. The Beloved wakes up with you, walks with you and dreams with you. As you talk to your mom and dad, so you can talk to the Beloved, for you are one. What you experience, the Beloved experiences and yes, The Beloved adores a good basketball pickup game just as much as you.

    To think of the Beloved as close as your heart beat, as close as your breathing in and breathing out, to experience compassion as the Beloved of the Universe experiences it passes all understanding. We know this happens because we have encountered the Beloved when we truly love ourselves and see the Beloved in the mirror with us. Beloved looking at the Beloved.​

Trish Herron
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What are your spiritual practices during Quarantine?  Praying with Icons

4/11/2020

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Pantokrator (Divine Ruler of All)
Submitted by Rita Noe

Having grown up in a fundamentalist Pentecostal church, the word “icon” had never been in my vocabulary. I heard about such things as a rosary and crucifix from my Catholic cousins, but was taught that they were “graven images,” forbidden by God in the Old Testament.
It wasn’t until undergraduate and graduate school, while studying art history, that I heard the word icon, eikon in Greek, referring to visible images depicting heavenly beings.
Following the conversion of Constantine and the establishment of Constantinople as the chief center of Christianity, icons became common, more so in Eastern as opposed to Western Christianity. They were usually created as paintings on panels or as mosaics.
The use of icons in Eastern Orthodox churches passed through several stages of acceptance and rejection. Iconoclasmic episodes saw the destruction of thousands of icons made prior to c. 1000 A.D. Artistic style also followed the roller coaster of severity and emotion, elaboration and simplicity.
My education as an icon appreciator was heightened by a trip to Yugoslavia in 1984, where I visited many Orthodox churches, and an Oasis class held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Albuquerque in 2016. I even have an artist friend in Corrales who paints traditional icons.
When my United Church of Christ congregation voted to share space with St. Francis Episcopal Church last September, I was introduced to many examples of icons throughout the building. Our pastor has introduced several icons to us during February and March, including that of the Black Madonna.
Sometime between January and March, while searching for wood inspirations online, I discovered that a woodworking technique I had seen before has an “official” name—Intarsia. It’s an Italian word for inlaying different colors of wood, much like a mosaic made from clay tiles. 
Pastor Jocelyn’s mention of icons caused me to look up my photos from Byzantine cathedrals. I found several of icons, and thought, “Icon, I CAN!”
It took 10 days to plan it out, painstakingly cut the wood pieces with a jeweler’s saw from 1/8” stock, round over all the edges, and fit the pieces as precisely as I could. I glued them onto a backing board made of ¼” Black Lignum, then framed it with ¼” Padauk. Coats of oil and wax finish it with a subtle glow.

The icon represents Jesus the Christ as “Divine Ruler of All,” denoted by the position of His right hand, and the Gospels in His left hand. The woods are Wenge (the starry celestial skies); Yellowheart for the golden halo and book; Canary wood for the hair and facial features; Ebony for the face, neck and hands; walnut for the outer robe; Padauk for the red undergarment. Maple forms the bottom ring and a sash across the shoulder.

It’s interesting to note the hairstyle. Very early Christian images of Jesus had short, frizzy hair. By the time of Constantine, the hairstyle had changed to a middle part with long, flowing curls. All Byzantine icons feature a stylization that became mandatory. I also find it curious that Jesus is holding the Gospels, which were not written until decades after His death. Bound in gold, no less. (Sorry, my occasional irreverence is kicking in.)

I showed the finished product to an atheist friend, and she asked if there is a market for pieces like this. I replied, “This is how I pray.” I commune with the Divine while working with wood. I marvel in the Creator’s beauty of colors and woodgrains. I feel as though I am touching God.​

P.S. If the image offends anyone in any way, flip it over. There’s a wonderful mountain landscape on the back.

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How do you experience God?  Congregation responds to our children's drawings

4/8/2020

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This series of blogs are  responses from congregation members to drawings created by one of our children Enrique and his mother Katie. One Sunday in worship during the children’s conversation we created a list of names for God. The congregation shared the names they use for God. As our worship continued,  Enrique and his mom created images of how they see and experience these various names of God.

In this blog entry, Carol has responded to the drawing of God as Constant and Everlasting. I sent her three questions and she has beautifully answered them. I am grateful for the way in which Carol expresses how God is constant in her life.  Thank you Carol!

How do you experience God as constant and everlasting?

The whole day I feel as though I am carrying on a constant conversation with God. It’s like having a friend accompanying me throughout the day—someone who cares for me, helps me up when I fall and carries me when I feel that I can’t go on.

How does thinking about God as Constant, challenge, invite you to be in God’s presence?

The very word “constant” means ever-present. For that reason, the name “Constant” enhances my being in God’s presence.

Sometimes the chatter of the world draws me away from the presence of God as “The Constant.” Letting the chatter overcome the awareness of “The enhance Constant”is easy to do. The world is busy, busy, busy. Too busy to have time for God. This is where meditation is helpful. It clears one’s mind of the unnecessary thoughts outside of the presence of God. 

It certainly invites me to be in God’s presence.  No matter where I am or in what situation, knowing God is there brings me into the awareness of his presence and I know He is “The Constant”

Does thinking about God as Constant and Everlasting bring a challenge, question up for you regarding your faith?  If so, what does it bring forth? 

I’ve been watching a series on HULU titled Touch. This ten-year-old boy lost his mother in the 911 Twin Towers’ bombing. He’s autistic and has never uttered a single word. His father (played by Kiefer Sutherland) is desperately trying to find a way to communicate with him. The boy has a book with the pages covered with numbers. He sees the whole world in numbers; everything in the world is connected and causes things to happen. It’s really fascinating.  

It makes me think of the connectedness of our whole world, and how God is the overseer of it. But we are not God’s puppets. We make choices and they are not always good choices. Maybe this pandemic is something to bring the world together. . . It’s Man that has messed things up, not God. It’s the story of the Bible—again and again we stray. We want control of the world. 

Carol Smith
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How do you experience God?  Conversations with our congregation

3/30/2020

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This series of blogs are responses from  congregation members to drawings created by one of our children Enrique and his mother Katie. One Sunday in worship during the children’s conversation, we created a list of names for God. The congregation shared the names they use for God. As our worship continued, Enrique and his mom created images of how they see and experience these various names of God.

In this blog entry, Shari has responded to the drawing of God as Powerful. I am grateful for the way in which she brings God's love and power together, reminding us of God's power to change and transform us.

How do you experience God as Powerful in your life?

I consider God’s Power and God’s Love to be synonymous. When I have experienced His Power in my life, it has come with a huge dose of love—even when I didn’t recognize it as love at the time. As I write this, I am thinking about Elijah when he ran from Jezebel. He was hiding in a cave and whining about all that he had done for God and now this! The Lord told him to go stand on the mountain, as He was about to pass by. I’m sure Elijah thought at the time, “Yes! Now we’re going to see some action!” There was a powerful wind that tore the mountain apart, but God was not in the wind. Then an earthquake—same thing. A fire, but still nothing. Then there was a gentle whisper. I, like Elijah, have not experienced God’s power during one of my temper tantrums or pity parties. It is after I have calmed down and let Him speak in that gentle whisper that I am in awe of His Love, of His Power. 

Can you remember a time when God as Powerful changed your life?

We often relate God’s power to physical healing, or miracles on a grand scale—but through my personal experience, even though I have witnessed what I perceive as miracles and have had a physical healing of my own, His greatest power, in my opinion, is when He changes a heart. I know this, because He changed mine. I had been an Evangelical Christian for over 30 years when my 37-year-old daughter told me she was gay. I did not take this news well. I didn’t just knock on Heaven’s door, I tried to beat it down, demanding that God change her! Silence. When I was worn out and totally out of ideas on how He should accomplish this, I heard the gentle whisper. He very lovingly told me (as only God can tell someone this lovingly), that I was the problem. That it was my lack of love and judgmental spirit that had to change. Although it didn’t happen overnight, changes in me took place until I felt an overwhelming sense of joy beyond what I had ever experienced, and I now embrace my precious daughter for who she is. That is Power! 

What Scripture arises in you as you contemplate God as Powerful?

Oddly enough, it is Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God . . .” First, it seems like a personal message directed to me, one who has a difficult time being still,  but also it reminds me that He is the powerful one – not I! 

How does relating to God as Powerful still allow you to relate to God as Compassion/Merciful? Are they the same? How do they relate to each other in your life.

I can only see God’s Power as Compassionate, Merciful and Loving. Through the years, I have heard so many teachings about the punitive nature of God. Apparently, “punitive” is only in the eyes of the beholder, because this beholder sees only a Powerful, Merciful, and Compassionate God. 

​
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Expanding Inner Freedom: Power of sharing secrets

3/24/2020

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Sara Bessey’s 40 Simple Practices for Lent, day 23:  Tell someone you trust the truth you’ve been holding back.​

As I read the instructions for this day, Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle came to mind. I have recently been diving deeply into her understanding of our Soul and the Sacred imaged as an Interior Castle. In Teresa’s image, there are seven dwellings. Each dwelling takes you closer and closer to the center, to the Sacred, to Oneness.

To get into the dwelling in the first place, we must enter it through prayer and meditation. Once we are in the first dwelling we learn that progression further into the dwellings depends upon a few things:  humility, trust, self-understanding, and learning to stay centered in the chaos around you.

Here is Sara Bessey inviting us to deepen trust, as well as humility. Sharing of secrets with another creates a feeling of vulnerability, an inner fear of humiliation. Once the secret is shared, once it is heard without judgment, once the secret is no longer a secret, we recognize that our fear of humiliation was actually a fear connected to something deeper in our psyche, something blocking us from trusting fully, from being humble.

Feel the release of telling a secret for a moment. Bring to mind a moment you shared something secret—something you were afraid to share with another. Allow yourself to feel the beforehand: the fear, the ways in which you tried to talk yourself out of sharing, all of those emotions. Feel them for a few moments.

Then allow yourself to feel the after. Feel the release of the secret. Feel what happens in your body and spirit. Was the weight lifted? Did something shift in your heart? Was some dense heaviness released? Did you experience growing inner freedom?

Notice what happened. Offer a few moments of gratitude for this re-membering—that humility and trust offer us a path to greater inner freedom, to deeper connection with the Sacred.

Now, prayerfully consider what “secret” is currently holding you back, holding you hostage. Is it time to share it with a trusted friend, therapist, spiritual director, pastor, family member, etc.? What do you need to instill within yourself to obtain the courage to share it?

When you are ready, share it. Share it prayerfully. Share it with great humility. Share it with understanding that the Sacred is inviting you to healing, to freedom. Share it from your heart, with no judgement upon yourself.

May you feel the Sacred’s embrace as you share this secret.
May you know God’s mercy and grace through the sharing of this secret.
May you find a deeper Presence of the Holy as you share this secret.

Amen.
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    Pastor Jocelyn Emerson weaves together her training as a Light and Energy worker, Reiki master, spiritual director, and Pastor with her life experience as a mystic and contemplative to offer a space of trust, safety, and honesty to support you on your life's journey.

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