Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on… — Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
You may have noticed the “Rev.” in my name or bios connected to this website/email. I have to say, I’m not completely comfortable putting it there. It feels like wearing a tiara to Walmart - a bit too much. But late in 2021, I felt the influence of God working in my life. I was pleasantly surprised and felt the need to make a new commitment of faith in my life.
When you’re over 50, been baptized in the Methodist (drip), Episcopalian (baptismal dunk), and Charismatic (river dunk) churches; been “born again” at least three times; explored New Age, Buddhism, Wiccan, and other faiths and beliefs; separated from any church for years…
When you have lost any true faith that the Universe has wonderful blessings for your future… How do you rededicate yourself to God?
I guess my answer was to become a legally ordained minister.
Oh, I can hear the eye-rolling now. I can imagine groans and head-shaking and perhaps even screams of “hypocrite!” Yup. I know. I’m totally flawed. I’m human. But God can work with anyone, and I desperately needed to mark the moment I realized I had faith again.
That “Rev.” is like a tattoo on my title instead of my leg, arm, lower back, tush. It’s my reminder to myself — “God is with me.”
Becoming a legally certified ordained minister is not difficult. The process does NOT require seminary, training, specific education unless you want to serve a specific denomination: Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, etc. The law doesn’t care what denomination you are.
My heart is Gospel-based Celtic Christian. My ordination reminds me that all Christians are to share the message of grace, forgiveness, and love. That I, as a professed Christian, am to work to be an example of God’s grace, forgiveness, and love. I am to minister - to help or care for - others. That is the definition of my ministry. It doesn’t need to be complicated.
Two years into the Covid 19 Pandemic, I have found the root of my faith. I am surrendering my worries to Universe/God. I am giving up fear for faith. I have faith that we are all (people, animals, plants, trees, planet) connected to Him, to each other, and that He has a plan. I am surrendering to God’s will.
Do I know His will? Nope. But I have lived long enough to know what it’s not, and He clearly told me “No” to the plans I had last fall. So I will study, starting with John who said: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” (1 John 4:7-8 KJV)
Without faith, there can be no renaissance. Without fire, we cannot rise like a phoenix from the ashes. We need faith to carry us through troubled times, and we need each other.
Calm is as infectious as fear. We just have to be determined to spread it.
I know that Ukraine is on all our minds. We worry for them, for Europe, for the world. As we should, we pray for strangers across the world, because we are all connected. But as we pray for strangers afar, let us also pray for our own community, our local leaders (love them or hate them), our neighbors we know well, and those we don’t. Those strangers we see walking to and from work each day, those who have obvious struggles, and those who appear to have none. We need not wait for a war across the world to embrace peace here at home.
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