Saturday, February 11, 2012

Dearest God,

I watched from the 15th floor of the Westin Hotel as the sun began to set and the crosses atop spires of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church became emboldened in the dark sky.  Although taller buildings tried to take center stage, the crosses stood as a magnificent symbol of your presence in the world.

I never have to look far for a wondrous display of faith.  Sometimes it comes through beautiful architecture but it can come through nature, its marvelous sunrises and sunsets, the mountains rising higher and higher into the sky, or a mountain stream following its natural route bubbling up over rocks and craggy areas.  But it can come through music, art, or poetry.

I saw it this evening at a fundraising event for a local women and children's shelter.  I watched and listened to the story of a single mother of four who courageously fled with her children to the local shelter after 18 years as a victim of domestic abuse.  My own faith was strengthened as I heard how she grabbed hold of faith as the driver to provide a better life for her children and herself.  As she trusted you and herself more, she climbed out of a destructive marriage, went to college, and began to live a dream that only you can give.

After the event as we returned to our room my husband and I held one another by the window overlooking the church reminiscing how the cross had changed us, our relationship, and our love for one another.  My heart nearly burst with gratitude, appreciation, and faith.

Merciful God,
your compassion
never ends.
Your grace
never empties.
Your love
never runs dry.
The signs
and symbols
of your
living presence
are a
constant reminder
of faith
at work.

Yours forever, Andrea