Category Archives: Faith & Witness

Crown of thorns resting on bible

Some Thoughts on Suffering

No one needs to describe it. We have faced it many times in dark nights, lonely crowds, and flashing memories. We’ve even gotten pretty good at it, or so we think, until the next bout hits like the flu and makes us wish we were

Man praying in church

Attitude Can Ease Suffering

When prisoners of war return home, many of them have indicated that the main thing that helped them to survive with the least amount of mental anguish was their attitude which, in most cases, involved a belief in a God who was in control of

Dove flying in Lisbon, Portugal

With Feeling / Four: Lessons of Spirit and Flesh

Read the rest of the series God and sex. One, I learned about through very intentional, formal instruction, the other, through hearsay and secret books and brief, embarrassed sections in health class. The connection between the two was implicit and vague but strong enough to

Dove flying in Lisbon, Portugal

When Your Dogma Eats Your Karma

I was told recently by a parent figure that I was a lousy Christian. At first I was offended and thought that perhaps this person didn’t have the depth or wisdom to understand what I was saying. Then as I thought it over, I realized

Woman sitting alone in rustic church

The Salvation of Silence

My life is a listening, [God’s] is a speaking. My salvation is to hear and respond. For this, my life must be silent. Hence my silence is my salvation. (Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude) When I was in high school my class took the Armed

Woman sitting alone in rustic church

The Noise of God

I’d like a more predictable God. What I mean by that is that I want a more controllable God. What I mean is, I wish magic worked. There are times when I have heard the noise of God, and I use that word somewhat facetiously,

Woman sitting alone in rustic church

Silence

I am a gay woman of faith who is feeling loneliness and longing in the midst of a silent time. Even in my loneliness and longing for the Spirit of Love and Life, I know I am not alone. Jesus felt this loneliness when kneeling

Woman sitting alone in rustic church

I Am With You Always

During a rather difficult time in my life, when I had been praying consistently for a broken relationship to be restored, I recall mentioning to my rather conservative Christian father that God seemed to be responding to my prayers with silence, as the woman who