Rhema | Listening For God

Mark Beardsley November 26, 2021

For me, it is sometimes hard to see the Word of God active and alive in the world. There are conflicts and wars and pandemics and it all just seems to be too much. All of these noises and distractions can drown out all the signs of the Word and that Still, Small Voice.

But it does not drown it out completely. The Word and The Voice are steady and strong, if I take a Selah breath and listen. If I pause the video and stop bringing up the TikTok and the YouTube views and playing on the PlayStation, I can hear His Voice and feel His Presence. In this space, I can think back through the day’s events and see God’s Word at work.

I see it in the interactions I have at work with customers (even frustrated ones) and my co-workers. We celebrate each other more, I think, than when we could be physically in the same space together. This week we are helping a coworker to raise funds for her daughter’s sports trip to Europe next summer.

I see it when we meet up with family, in spite of some differences in opinion around the Pandemic. We can interact with and appreciate one another. My brother-in-law was rather talkative at our last gathering. It was good to chat him up and hear about his life.

I see it as we are helping my mother-in-law find a new place in town. Really, this effort has all been on my wife and mom-in-law as they look around town at the many communities available, but I’ve tried to step it up and make dinner more often and keep up the chores as they look.

And I see God’s Word alive in the people around me. The way they have hearts for people and joy in life in spite of the trials they face. Like the terrific people of our church body when they love on each other and the community we serve.

What it all comes down to, for me, anyway, is going back to Matthew 22:37-40, which, in the briefest of terms is: Love God, Love People. When I feel like I’m not hearing God, or the world is just too much, I try my best to love God and the people I interact with. And, I feel for myself, this brings me in alignment with God enough that I start to hear Him again and to feel His Presence.

Take care of yourselves and take care of those you interact with on a daily basis and, I believe, you will start to hear more clearly from God.

Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

About the Author

Mark lives in Oregon with his lovely wife, Darla and enjoys reading, writing, playing games and working to make the world a better place. He currently serves CitySalt church as a sound engineer and on the church council.

Cycles | Fire Season

Mark Beardsley August 13, 2021

The Earth orbits the Sun and the seasons change. The cycles of the world come and go, as do cycles of loss, grief and recovery.

The summer season is again upon us and with its hot, dry weather and the possibility of wildfires. Last year’s fire season was one of the worst in a long time in the McKenzie Valley, destroying many homes and businesses. I remember those days very clearly, even though our home wasn’t in danger, some of my coworkers did have homes in areas of evacuation that crept closer and closer as the days went on. Finally, two of my coworkers had to stop work and get ready to move as their area was elevated to “Be Ready” status, meaning they could be told to leave their homes and belongings at any moment. We wished them well and prayed that they would be okay.

I later learned that one of the casualties of the fire was a resort in Blue River where I had spent many writing retreats over the years. In fact, most of the town of Blue River had burned, leaving burnt out cars and charred chimneys standing alone.

In the midst of this year of destruction, I received a phone call. My son had died. Alex was not my biological son, but I dated his mother for several years and he had started calling me dad and so I called him son and, so in my heart he was my son. And now he is gone. We had not spoken to each other for a long time as we had drifted apart, but now there was no hope of reconciliation on this side of Heaven. I pray that I will meet him there someday and we will have our chance to make broken things right.

As the fires burned through our forests, they also burned through my life, my heart and my mind. I, too, am left with charred remains inside my soul, some with lonely, solitary chimneys left standing to remind me of the structures that once stood there.

When the Holiday Farm Fire was finally contained and the area deemed safe, my wife and I went up the McKenzie both to escape our confines during lockdown and to see the remains of the resort. Some of the buildings were gone, but others still stood in the capricious way that good things can also happen in this world. People were working to tear down the wreckage and build anew. Many trees still stood and were still green, and the river still flowed nearby. These were signs that all was not lost and of hope for the future.

Now that the fires of that season have ended, I, too, feel hope and love building in my heart. I feel the support of my wife and family and friends and the love of the Lord to repair that which was lost to me and I hope resides in a better world to come. Wildfires can be healing as well as destructive as they clear out the dead undergrowth and give the trees room to grow and be healthier.

I pray that the fires that have burned through my soul will also be able to help me heal and grow in spite of the pain and destruction that it feels like this past year has wrought. I pray that you also can feel the healing and growth for yourselves in the coming new season.

Psalm 107:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. 5 They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

About the Author

Resilient | Resilience is Hope

Mark Beardsley April 23, 2021

I don’t think of myself as resilient.

When I consider resilience, I think of Mother Teresa taking care of the sick. Or of Gandhi being beaten by English guards without raising his hand in defense. I think of Congressman John Lewis, marching across the Edmund Pettus bridge in support of civil rights and being beaten by police and thrown to jail, yet continuing to fight.

But, I was reminded today by one of my favorite webcomics that resilience can also be just getting out of bed in the morning. Getting to work on time. Getting the laundry done. Reading a story to your kid when all you want to do is lie down and take a nap.

In the past, I have lost a job. I have lost friends and loved ones. I have felt alone and miserable and without hope. And yet I do keep going, in spite of these things.

So I ask myself, “what does resilience mean to me?” Suffering loss and continuing on with your life. Loving again, in spite of being hurt. Moving on from tragedy and bad circumstances. Standing up after being knocked down. Resilience is the strength to continue the struggle long after others have given up. Resilience is hope. Hope for something more. Hope for something better.

I know I rely on my wife, family and friends for support through life’s trials and tragedies, but I also know that God has given me the gift of these connections to sustain me.

I think of Jesus in the garden Gethsemane, praying to His Father.

Mark 14:32-36
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Even Jesus brings his friends along for support in his time of need. Even Jesus faced distress and trouble. His Father is also my Father. And yours. Our Father is there for us in our times of fear, depression and need. He is why we can be resilient in the face of terrible things. This faith in these hard times can sustain us all.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.

About the Author

Love Your Enemies | Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

Mark Beardsley January 29, 2021

Loving your enemy is hard. It’s really, REALLY hard. It takes patience, restraint and understanding. The work of considering who my enemies are, what they believe, and how to understand where they are coming from can take a lot of energy. This requires more than just normal, daily living, and God would have us forgive our enemies daily.

One of the ways I have found to help with this is to consider God’s greatest commandment, according to Jesus:

Matt 22: 37-40
“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

After loving God, I find I am supposed to love my neighbor as myself. This implies I love myself, which I suppose I do, but I don’t think about it much. More often, I am harder on myself than I have ever been on another human being. This has been especially trying during this past year--feeling trapped at home and surrounded by the scourge of disease. I have been blessed with much support, thankfully, and my wife and I pray often for those who have not. My wife has told me to stop being so hard on her husband because she loves him and he is the beloved child of God. That makes me stop and consider: Am I not following God’s commandments by not loving myself as I would love my neighbor?

In addition to praying and seeking God, we must actually be the stewards of our bodies and minds in order to be able to love our enemies more fully – and to not become an enemy to self.

In taking care of my body, I try to see my physical self, in spite of its many flaws, as a gift from God. I try to exercise and eat well, but have failed at times. But I keep trying to stop the negative self talk, give it to God and move forward.

In taking care of my mind, I indulge in reading and watching shows with my wife. We both like playing games and have been enjoying some new ones as the pandemic months have dragged on. We take walks throughout the neighborhood, enjoying each other’s company and getting some physical exercise to boot!

In taking care of my spirit, my wife and I pray together. We continue to enjoy our Sunday church services with CitySalt on Sunday, albeit through YouTube, and also have enjoyed participating in other socially- distanced time with our church, friends and family.

In order to be ready to serve God in all that He asks: loving myself, loving my loved ones and loving my enemies, I am practicing loving myself first to fill up that well, that all might drink from it.

Matt 6:35-36
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

About the Author

Advent: He is Our Peace | Memories

Mark Beardsley December 4, 2020

When I think about Peace, I think of the times when I was a kid on Christmas vacation. I could sleep in and enjoy the morning, play with the dogs outside in the snow, then do some chores like chopping wood and bringing it inside for the fire. After that, I could warm up, change into some comfy clothes and sip a cup of hot chocolate—freshly made from scratch by my mom. I’d curl up on the couch by the fire and read a good sci-fi novel like something by Isaac Asimov.

It feels significant that these times happened during Christmas vacations. My family would stay home and enjoy each other’s company. I could enjoy being with my family, my loving parents and brother, in our dwelling place, with few burdens and the joy of not worrying about things.

Now that I am older, I realize that I was privileged to have a home where such times of peace could occur. It was a gift that models living in the new Kingdom, with a loving Father who cares for us and the ability to feel His Presence in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Knowing him as a Peace that can dwell inside of us in times of trouble. These special times were a reflection of the promise of the Peace that Jesus brings to us.

John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

If 2020 has given us anything, it has given us trouble. But I take heart that, even though I might be isolated, I can shelter with my wife in our home and with the comfort of the Peace that Jesus has given us. I pray that in these times of trouble and dissent, you may also find the Peace that surpasses understanding, which is a gift from our Father in Heaven, His Son, Jesus and in His Holy Spirit.

About the Author

Miracles Welcome | Miracles in the Movies

Mark Beardsley October 2, 2020

When I think about miracles, I find it hard to see them in my life. Miracles in the Bible always seemed momentous: mountains moving, seas opening to allow people to safely pass while drowning their enemies when they try to pursue. Or even smaller miracles of healing and changing water to wine. So when someone references a miracle, I wonder, how many lives were saved? When I lost my job and God granted me a new job when we had just purchased a new home, was it miraculous? Perhaps.

In this context, I thought about what was going on in my life lately, and something came to mind.

In the last year, I have participated in two book studies where we talked about race. These books and discussions put race in the forefront of my mind and this view of the black experience caused me to reflect on the movie The Black Panther and I thought, what a great time for it to come out!

I have been a comic book fan from way back. I have always enjoyed them--the stories of Superman and Spiderman, Peter Parker and Clark Kent. But these heroes were white. I could easily relate to them and their experience. When The Black Panther came out, depicting black culture, the experience of a black hero and an almost all black cast, I was very excited.

Was it a miracle?

Well, no, not really. It was God’s children using their God-given gifts of intelligence and creativity to make something fun and spectacular. I took my nephew to the movie and we both were blown away. Characters ranging from moral to not-so-moral, revealed in fully fleshed-out three-dimensional stories. Led by the performance of a dashing, handsome, humble, and truly amazing actor, Chadwick Boseman.

Was this a miracle?

Not necessarily, although, in one interview Chadwick states that he had been praying for this part since he heard that the movie was happening. Was it a gift from God? Chadwick was quoted as saying, “When God has something for you, it doesn’t matter who stands against it.”

And then, earlier this year, I heard about Chadwick Boseman passing away. He was just 43 years old and died from cancer that had been discovered in 2016. He had filmed four movies playing an action superhero while fighting cancer. I can’t imagine how much pain and struggle he endured while working so hard on these films, and fighting stage III cancer. And he remained positive, humble, and inspiring – a reflection of the character he portrayed. Humble. Inspiring. Inclusive. Loving.

Was this a miracle?

For him to play such an inspiring part in such an inspiring movie at a time when we need heroes, even fictional ones, to look up to—and both the Black Panther and Chadwick Boseman are heroes--I would say that this was miraculous. Not the seas parting for Moses perhaps, but somewhat of a pillar of fire for people to follow. Not manna from Heaven, but something to feed us spiritually.

Art can be fun and entertaining and moving, but some artistic expressions come together to inspire something greater. I believe The Black Panther is such a film. That Chadwick Boseman was able to complete the filming of these movies and see the inspiration they have been for people across the world was awesome.

His passing is a tragedy in this year of tragedies. That he was able to give us his performance as the Black Panther and King T’Challa before he left us, was miraculous.

Rest In Power, Chadwick Boseman

Wakanda Forever

About the Author

Emotional Well-Being | Iron Sharpens Iron

Mark Beardsley August 7, 2020

At the start of this pandemic, there were several memes that came across my Facebook feed about the introverts relaxing and enjoying themselves at home while the poor extroverts ran around the house going mad and lamenting the loss of their freedom to see their friends and coworkers. I chuckled at them, shaking my head. I worried about my wife but I wasn't all that concerned for myself. But as time has gone on and my office has extended their work at home timeline (now out to December 31st!) I started to realize something.

I miss people.

For some of you who know me well, such as my wife, this statement might be a bit of a shock. I am known to be comfortable staying at home, puttering away the hours reading or playing games or writing, relaxing or watching tv. I am pretty comfortable with my own company, you might say. That is not to say that I don't enjoy the company of others, but I don’t need it.

Or do I?

This realization was probably slower to dawn on me, like the proverbial frog in the slowly heating frying pan, thanks to my introverted nature. I, like the frog, start to experience gradual damage over time with the exposure to solitude and my own internal voices and fears.

Thank God that I have a live-in companion in my lovely wife. She helps me realize these dark tides and helps fight them, but it would be horrible to expect her to take care of these alone. Even with prayer and Jesus' presence, I still needed something more.

So I tried some things: meditation, some online writing events, trying to FaceTime my parents. But then, I heard my gym was going to open up and I thought that would be something helpful. My friend is a coach there, who I hadn't seen since the isolation began, and physical exercise would also be a great help to my mental attitude.

But now I had to leave the house and go somewhere in the outside world. It was pretty scary, I must admit. I had anxiety about it and balked at first. But I finally recognized the protocols that they were proposing were good and they were trying to take care of their people. I decided to go. And it was good. I hate exercising, so it's great to be able to have encouragement and a place to do it. And it was good to see my friend and talk to him.

In fact, we also made plans to have coffee. Outside and safely, but still it was great to enjoy his company.

I do believe that God made us for community, but at times I struggle with the concept. But then He reminds me why it is good and by His design.

Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

About the Author

Common Ground | The Holy Spirit is our Common Ground

Mark Beardsley June 12, 2020

As I write my blog post during Pentecost, I realize our common ground is the Holy Spirit, via the connection He gives us to Jesus, to God and to each other. I have a diverse group of friends of differing opinions and backgrounds, fears, loves and life experiences--Christians, Jews, lawyers, pastors, writers, carpenters, workers in all fields and persuasions.

I believe the Holy Spirit in me wants the best for all these people. I want them to excel and succeed and have their best lives. I treat them with love and respect as best I can and find that they treat me in kind. There are, of course, disagreements sometimes but more often than not, we are able to work things out and come back together.

Fiddler on the Roof is one of my favorite movies. Released in 1971, it tells the story of a poor village in pre revolutionary Russia and how they must face the changes in the world while the Jewish main character, Tevye, must deal with marrying off his three beloved daughters as they come of age. I recall a story Pastor John once told that is also depicted in the movie as Tevye is on his rounds delivering milk one morning:

MORDCHA: Why should I break my head about the outside world? Let them break their own heads.

TEVYE: He’s right. As the Good Book says, “If you spit in the air, it lands in your face.”

PERCHIK: That’s nonsense. You can’t close your eyes to what’s happening in the world.

TEVYE: He’s right.

AVRAM: He’s right and he’s right? How can they both be right?

TEVYE: You know, you’re also right.

Google script link.

This scene makes me chuckle. I like it because it shows an example of listening to other people and hearing their values, not just their words. Their words may seem to express opposite opinions, but often after breaking down what they truly mean, we find common ground in the values behind them.

I see this happen often on Facebook. I am delighted when I see several people from the different slices of my life agree on something and I shout (quietly, to myself), "You, see! There IS common ground!" It shows me that, in the end, we are all just humans with struggles, trying to find a way to take care of ourselves, our families and our friends.

God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit, the true common ground, not only between my friends, but also between them and Him. I am here to remind them of His link to them in times of need and joy, and to be salt and light that can bind us to each other and bring us together in Him.

Acts 2:2-12
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Matthew 22:8-10 (NIV)
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Matthew 5:13-14
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Tevye meets Perchik in the circle of the village. - He's right, and he's right - they can't both be right.

This scene is longer then the excerpt above, but contains the excerpt in context.

About the Author

Love Purified | Believing in His Promises

Mark Beardsley April 10, 2020

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, before we knew how widespread it might become, my mom, who lives in Albuquerque, fell and broke her hip bone. I was worried about her as she is the "prime doer" in my family and this would definitely slow her down, if not stop her in her tracks (or traction) for a little while.

I held off on going immediately, because my brother lives within driving distance from my parents and we were starting to hear news of the virus coming to our country from overseas. Mom was out of surgery and seemingly doing okay, but I could tell she was not happy to be laid up in a rehab center.

She finally got home and had everything pretty well organized, while my brother continued helping out. News about the virus was getting more frantic and so I still held off going. Was I really needed?

Then the call came. Or rather, the message (mom and I chat on Facebook Messenger). She would really like me to come down. So I prayed on it and prayed with my wife. Darla and I felt that I really needed to go down, in spite of all the fear--fear of the virus, of the financial cost of going and of the travel itself (planes both thrill and terrify me)!

I gave it all to God and He made it happen. My aunt and uncle helped with the travel expenses, I flew all the way there and had my first Uber experiences (both quite pleasant, actually).

Mom just wanted some extra care and love via a visit from her youngest son, whom she was unable to travel and see this year. I helped them out around the house and met their new doggie (a very friendly doggie indeed). I also got to see my brother and his partner. It was a good visit and a good thing to do.

During my visit, fear of ‘The Virus’ grew around the world, with nightly news reports on how it was spreading. It was pretty scary and I wondered if I would be allowed to get home, much less, not get infected.

But I left that all to God as I didn't have any choice in the matter now. When it was time to go home, I got another Uber to the airport and flew through LAX and SEATAC to arrive home. And, four weeks later, I am healthy, with no symptoms.

All this took place before we understood the full extent of the pandemic and social distancing became a way of living. I believe it is wise to follow the guidelines set out by our state. However this experience taught me something about giving my fears to God and following what I felt I heard from Him in my heart, even if the world and my own inner voices were telling me to do something else. My wife once told me that she took a risk because God told her that even if that risk didn't work out how she was hoping, that He would still be there to catch her. And He was. And still is. And always will be.

Psalm 3:5-6
“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.”

About the Author

Oneness | He is Within Us All

Mark Beardsley February 21, 2020

In pondering oneness, I considered many things. I thought of myself, alone at home with a good book, music or a movie and reveling in my alone time, seeking oneness with myself. As an introvert, I need these times to recharge, especially considering I have a customer service job dealing with the public.

I also remembered times that I have been camping with friends and sitting around the campfire with the stars out, when a silence falls in the darkness. Not an awkward silence, but one filled with contentment and the joy of a time of relaxation with good friends doing something we all enjoy.

I thought of times with my wife when we are relaxing together, praying together or driving together. Basically times of contentment when we are aligned with each other and hopefully with God and His purposes together.

But one time in particular reminded me of the Oneness we are invited to with God.

We were over at Pastor John's house where he was presenting a Seder —another time of oneness where Jewish families gather to celebrate Passover. John and Laura were dressed as Opa and Oma, our Jewish grandparents. John went through each step of the Seder, teaching us about this Jewish tradition as a part of our Christian heritage. John had reached the step where we open the front door as an invitation to Elijah to join us for the Seder. John opened the door, and, instead of an empty doorway, as is what normally occurs during the Seder, our friend, Cam, stood in the doorway and waved and came in. We all laughed and continued the Seder.

In Jewish tradition, Elijah heralds the coming of the Messiah. This got me thinking. If Elijah arrives to join the Seder, does that herald the coming of the Messiah? And, if that is the case, what if Cam, in the role of Elijah, did, indeed, herald the Messiah's coming?

And I realized, that we are not waiting for the Messiah. He is already here with us! We live in His presence with His Holy Spirit in our hearts. We can feel Oneness with Him and with others throughout our daily lives. In community and in solitude.

The Last Supper was also a Passover Seder that allowed Jesus to celebrate Oneness with His apostles one last time before his suffering and ascension into Heaven.

Luke 22:14-16
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

May we consider the oneness with Jesus that is available to us today, as we reflect on his moments of extending oneness throughout history.

About the Author

The Advent of Revolution | We Get to Choose

Mark Beardsley December 27, 2019

I grew up in a church. I believe it was Episcopalian. I remember being fascinated by the ceremony: the standing and singing hymns; the reading for the Book of Common Prayer; the kneeling to pray to God; going to the altar to receive the sacrament of bread and wine.

I also remember often drowsing in my pew and my mother nudging me awake. I remember getting up early on a Sunday and going with just my mother as my brother and father had stopped going to church. Eventually, I convinced my mother that I didn't want to go either and so I stopped and eventually she did, too. This was not out of some sense of despair or betrayal by the church or God, it was simply one less chore or time when I didn't have to get up early.

I realize now that what I lacked was a connection to the church and the parishioners. I was missing the point of Jesus' message: We are all in this together. We can support one another and are invited to do so by God Himself by allowing Jesus into our hearts. Let me say that again: allowing Jesus into our hearts. God, as a loving and caring parent, gives us the choice, as my mom did, to not do things. To not go to church. To not invite Jesus into our heart.

When I met my wife in college, years later, I met a caring, inviting, sweet soul who wanted to share with me her love of Jesus and all the gifts that came with. I chose to attend church with her and take another look at the religion that I had drifted away from in my youth. I went to church and spoke to pastors. I picked up a new bible. I read Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. I realized that there is a God who loves me and forgives me and invites me to join Him in Heaven. He has sent his Son Jesus to make this invitation personal, and He has sent His Holy Spirit to reside in me and guide me on my journey through this life. And He let me know that His invitation is open: that it is my choice.

My personal revelation (as well as revolution) came upon the realization that God loves me and, like John, I try to embrace that I am "the disciple that Jesus loved." That He has chosen me so that I can now choose Him--that I might learn more from Him and grow in my heart according to His ways and His love toward His people.

About the Author

Salt and Light | A Gentler Light; A Sprinkle of Salt

Mark Beardsley October 25, 2019

As the earth orbits the sun and the season turns to Autumn, I hear the gentle ping of rain on the chimney cover and revel in the cloudy days and stormy weather. Not so much for the lack of light but the reduction of it, resulting in less allergies, sun burns, sweat and glaring reflections that hurt my eyes. I enjoy the winter weather as it matches my temperament of quiet introspection, sitting in my living room reading a book and listening to the rain outside. Less light has always felt more safe and comfortable to me, but not the absolute lack of light. I need a lamp to light the pages of my book or my way in a dark hallway as the storm rages outside. Or a candle when the electricity goes out. And, like Jesus was to his followers, I feel I am called to bring that softer light into a room or a conversation when things turn dark.

This is reflective of the role I play in bringing the light of Jesus into the world. I am not the one to shine out through the darkness like an angel calling to the shepherds to "be not afraid!" Rather, I bring a smaller, gentler light to share with those who might also be intimidated by harsher, more brilliant illumination. Though I may not shine brilliantly like a star, I hope that I can bring that gentler light into the lives of the people I encounter and treat them with the love and dignity that I am called to by Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit.

I work in customer service and I have been told that I am good at it. My supervisor has said that I am polite and helpful to the customers and give them the best service that I can, even when delivering bad news. I think that this is more of a gift from the Father than from any spirit of mine as I know myself to sometimes be impatient and frustrated. But my nature, as created by God, has also called me to treat my fellow travelers with dignity, respect and the love that God has granted me. In this small way, I can pass on some modicum of the salt and gentle light the He has asked me to share with those that I encounter.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

About the Author

CitySalt Church

Celebrate Goodness