Friday Photographs: Astonishing Light

"I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being."

~Hafiz

When we feel like darkness has engulfed our being it is difficult to remember that God's light illumines our being and that even if one speck of light is greater than massive darkness. It is this ever present light and love that can give us hope in the midst of darkness. It is this light and love that illumine the path from loneliness to belonging. It is this light and love that illumine the beauty that each of us share with the world.

In what ways do you feel God's light shining within you? How do you see yourself today? Share your stories in the comments. 

Reflections of Light and Love

While I was viewing and photographing the lunar eclipse the other night I began to ponder the idea of light. When I was very young I believed that the moon produced it's own light like the sun did. Of course at some point I learned that the light we observe from the moon is actually just a reflection of light from the sun.

As I was viewing the eclipse it hit me-humans like the moon are only reflections of God's light and love. While God's light and love live with in us we are not producers of this light and love. God has entrusted us to be reflections of this light and love by embedding it within us. With out God there is no love or light to reflect.

Just like the during a lunar eclipse the light reflected by the mood seems to disappear as the earth obstructs the light, there are times when the light in us seems to go out. The brokenness, suffering and sin of the world can block out our reflection of God's light and love. It is during these times that we tend to forget we are not creators of light and love-God is. God's light and love are always within us that is good news!

We know the darkness of the lunar eclipse is only temporary and that the moon will once again reflect the sun light. This is also true of the darkness that evades our lives. It is temporary and we can have faith that we will again reflect God's light and love. We must keep moving forward during the times of darkness. We must be on the look out for that first glimmer of light reappearing within our heart and soul and when we glimpse it we can celebrate knowing that we are more fully reflecting God's amazing healing and transforming light and love!

Emmanuel-God Within Me

The beginning of Advent is just over a week away and I have been thinking about waiting and preparing. The purpose of Advent is to prepare for Emmanuel or God with us. I feel like I have just come out of a long period of Advent in my faith journey. Since I left my previous position in Hudson, WI over two years ago I had been preparing and waiting for my next call. My experience in Hudson proved to be a turning point in my faith journey. 

The experience propelled me to do some serious "soul work".  I yearned to feel God's presence and I yearned to feel worthy. It turns our what I really needed was to recover Emmanuel within myself. I embarked on a journey of peeling away the layers of shame and fear that hid my true soul, my authentic self-that hid Emmanuel. In the beginning I believed this uncovering would be easy-just learning skills to make the shame and fear go away. It turns out it was a painful process because healing means wading through the messiness of shame and fear and coming out on the other side. It meant learning what triggers my feelings of shame and fear, it meant lots of crying, and it meant lots of hard work.

What I discovered was that under all the shame and fear God was  present within me. God was working in me. God's healing love was transforming the dark wounds of shame and fear into light. The light revealed gifts of worthiness, leadership, compassion, confidence, hope, and joy. I also discovered that God was preparing me for a new adventure-an adventure that has taken me away from my family, my friends, my support system. Two years ago I was not ready for this adventure-I had to wait. God was preparing my heart and soul to minister with the congregation of Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Right now seems to be a Christmas season in my faith journey. I am able to more fully embrace Emmanuel or God within me. I am grateful for the Advent Season in my life but even more grateful for this new season of joy and light!

Emmanuel!

Friday Photographs-Light

"I wish I could show when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being."

~Hafiz