When it comes time each week to write a blog post, I sometimes have so many words clamoring for space in my head that I have no chance but to lay them all out on the page, rearranging and editing until they read just right. But on other weeks, I don’t have that same clamor in my head. My words have already been put into order and I feel at peace. This is one of those weeks where I don’t have burning questions or issues that I need to send out into the world. Instead, I want to listen to the words of my fellow Marsh Associates. They also wrangle words into blog posts each week, forging meaning out of the clamor. They illuminate things that have been thrown into shadow, grow faith from seeds of doubt, and try to find clarity amidst confusion. They inspire and challenge me every week and I hope I can do the same for them. So here are my fellow Marsh Associates, sending their words out into the world—growing faith, illuminating the shadows, finding clarity:
Courtney:
“The true and honest exposure of the complicated beautiful nature of interfaith was given as a gift to those of us willing to listen…Faith, all faith should be celebrated authentically.”
Jaimie:
“Music will always be a part of my dreams. It grounds me and comforts me. It fills me with overwhelming joy, and it makes me feel close to the divinity inside myself.”
Ian:
“The excitement and anticipation of [the lunar eclipse] on that clear and calm night reminded me that sometimes the wait for something rare and breathtaking has as much worth as the experience itself.”
Courtney:
“We cannot ignore the rest of the New Testament because it is hard… Paul may have said some problematic things. It is okay for us to struggle with those things… those that came before us struggled. We struggle. Those that come after us will struggle also.”
Jaimie:
“I think it’s a fun mental experiment to think about what it would be like to rebel against society and go off to live in a cabin in the woods. But I have to believe that abandoning the problems of a system is not the way to solve them.”
Ian:
“Ambiguity is a sensation that I have struggled to come to terms with. So often, it leads to more confusion, doubt, and uncertainty than clarity, consistency, and stability. I don’t know if I encountered the Divine in these moments, but I do know that they brought uncertainty with a gentle whisper of comfort. Whether that is from the Divine or elsewhere, I hope to listen for and embrace that still small voice as I continue to encounter ambiguity in my everyday life.”
Courtney:
“All things are possible through God. Including getting through this semester. I can do this. With God’s help, I can do this.”
Jaimie:
“This is my prayer for myself: Dream. Make new dreams. Love yourself. Follow your dreams, and let yourself make time to live into your old dreams too. Never stop singing!”
Ian:
“The divine may appear in the ringing of the organ, the chanting of hymns, and the collective voice of all those gathered in prayer. But the divine can also appear in a soft whisper, when we are alone in a quiet space. Wherever we greet the divine, I hope that it can bring some comfort with it to face the unknown that lies ahead. May it help us find calm amid anxiety, clarity among confusion, and peace among the turbulent exams and trials to come.”
Amen.