In the Center

Every so often something happens to us that changes everything — there’s a shift in the axis of our world. During those painful transitions we must seek our Center and grab onto what holds our True Self together: our faith in God or in a higher power or perhaps our belief in the order of the universe or in universal truths and values. We each have –or should have– a source of emotional and mental strength, a tower of refuge and comfort.

My source of strength is Jesus. In the dark night of my soul, He is there, filling me with peace and hope and courage, surrounding me with love, and proving to me that just as He has been with me all my life, He is with me now and will be with me forever.

In the dark, in the light

In the morning and night

In the good, in the hurt

In the places I hide

When I rise, when I fall

You’ll be there through it all

At the start, at the end

In the center of, the center of it all

In the loss, in the win

In the beauty and the sin

At the start, at the end

In the center of, the center of it all

(from the song “Center of It” by Chris August)

It is always in the midst, in the epicenter, of your troubles that you find serenity.  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.  ~Henry David Thoreau

There are things that we don’t want to happen but have to accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t live without but have to let go.  ~Author Unknown

Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.  ~Helen Keller

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. ~ Psalm 27:14, NIV

A Wanderer and a Wonderer

Today’s post is a reflection on my beliefs:

I see myself as a gypsy Christian: a wanderer and a “wonderer”. I borrow truths from here and there, and with them I continually build my own paradigm of the universe. I seek transcendence through revelation, through beauty, and through creativity.  I keep my mind open to the freedom God has given me, and, in that same freedom, I explore and question the universe.

This one thing I know: I am a beloved child of God. This knowledge is my strength, comfort, and refuge. And because I know that my Heavenly Father loves me, I can trust that He will provide and care for me in this life and the next.

My personal religious experience: The Lord Jesus is my savior, my shepherd, my teacher, my brother, and my friend. Apart from Him I am nothing and can do nothing. He rescued me from the pit of destruction many years ago. Without Him I would be dead, gone, and forgotten. He gave me back my self, my soul, and my dreams. Through the Holy Spirit, He gives me the strength and the purpose to carry on day after day.

This I believe:

Love is the most important and powerful force in the universe. Our main goal should be to love God. Loving and taking care of others, ourselves, and our planet are ways of expressing our love for God.

Wisdom should be one of our principal goals, but – like love – wisdom cannot be taught. Charity and knowledge can be learned from teachers, models, books, etc., but love and wisdom are chosen paths in the continuous experience of everyday choices and spiritual growth. We must choose to love and seek wisdom and to live our lives accordingly.

Joy and peace grow out of humility, gratefulness, and communion with God.  But all graces (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and the like) are part of the fruit or evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and are ours because of God’s unfailing love.

God has given us gifts and placed beautiful dreams in our hearts. Gifts and dreams He knows will make us experience fulfillment and happiness. But it’s up to us to develop and use those gifts and to respect and pursue those dreams. We will be blessed if we do, for we will be walking in God’s will and living the abundant life Jesus spoke about: A life of value and significance. A life that is a blessing to others. A life full of love, joy, and peace.

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa