Suffering, Failure, Loneliness, Sorrow, Discouragement, And Death

Sin And Forgiveness And Falling And Getting Back Up And Losing The Pearl Of Great Price In The Couch Cushions But Then Finding It Again, And Again, And Again? Those Are The Stumbling Steps To Becoming Real, The Only Script That's Really Worth Following In This World Or The One That's Coming.

At Sunday Worship, As In Every Dimension Of Our Existence, Many Of Us Pretend To Believe We Are Sinners. Consequently, All We Can Do Is Pretend We Have Been Forgiven. As A Result, Our Whole Spiritual Life Is Pseudo-repentance And Pseudo-bliss.

Jesus Reveals A God Who Does Not Demand But Who Gives; Who Does Not Oppress But Who Raises Up; Who Does Not Wound But Who Heals; Who Does Not Condemn But Forgives.

We Are Enveloped In Peace, Whether Or Not We Feel Ourselves To Be At Peace. By That I Mean The Peace That Passes Understanding Is Not A Subjective Sensation Of Peace; If We Are In Christ, We Are In Peace Even When We Feel No Peace.

In A Futile Attempt To Erase Our Past, We Deprive The Community Of Our Healing Gift. If We Conceal Our Wounds Out Of Fear And Shame, Our Inner Darkness Can Neither Be Illuminated Nor Become A Light For Others.