Today – with deep gratitude – I post these words written by my friend and colleague at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church – The Reverend Ilene Dunn – utilized in our worship services this morning:

There’s a sacred space, calm and quiet, where you can be yourself fully and freely, where you don’t have to measure up, to be deemed smart enough or good enough or faithful enough or enough of something else, because it is enough simply to be who you are . . . There’s a sacred space, full of compassion and care, where you don’t have to wear a mask or play a societal game or pretend to be somebody you’re not, where you don’t have to hide your wounds and your pain behind a pasted on “I’m-doing-just-fine” smile, where neither do you have to hide your faults and failures and mistakes, not even the wrongs you’ve done, because the you that you are is always, always accepted and always, always cherished . . . There’s a sacred space, filled with kindness and gentleness, where no one will label your dreams childish or foolish, where no one will label your fears cowardly or silly, where no one will label your questions stupid or bad, where no one will frown because your dreams and fears and questions are different from those of others, because the uniqueness of who you are is treasured . . . There’s a sacred space, full of tending and feeding, where you can go when the deepest part of your soul hungers and thirsts, where you can go even when you’re not at all sure what you really need, where there’s bread, a cup, a table set, a place at the table prepared especially for you, because you are wanted and celebrated and so very much loved.

Come no into sacred space . . . to breathe in Love’s unconditional welcome . . . to be centered in Love’s wondrous light.

Love ALWAYS includes!!