This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham…and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.  Matthew 1:1, 16
 
 
Some of my earliest memories involve travel. At the time, however, I was probably a most unwilling traveler. I remembering spending many weekends in the car with my parents and brothers as we went from libraries to courthouses and from churches to cemeteries. You see, my father was passionate about discovering his family tree. Both he and my grandmother did much research to determine from where and from whom we came. While Dad was zealous about the many facts he uncovered as he sought church records, public deeds, and headstones, I, on the other hand, was more thrilled with the trinkets purchased during these adventures, as many a child would be. Only now as an adult do I cherish those handwritten pages with print oh-so-tiny to fit in the designated ancestry blocks on the page. Only now do I understand the value of discovering my roots. Only now do I see that the legacies of my ancestors live on through me and that by knowing where I come from, I gain a better sense of my own identity.
 
I recently read an article* in The Washington Post that gave a more nuanced joy of discovering one’s roots. A man was contacted by his sister who told him an old property near their childhood home was up for sale. He remembered riding past this stately home in their rural county. But only after he purchased this home and the surrounding land did he realize how connected he and his family were to this property. It was not a coincidence that his last name and the name of the original owners in the 1800’s was the same. As he and his family dug deeper into the genealogy of the family associated with this old homestead, he discovered that his ancestors were enslaved on this property. This truth was bittersweet. To know where you come from is grounding, but to understand more concretely that your ancestors endured the horrors of slavery is traumatizing.
 
Unlike tracing the roots of my white ancestors through names and dates detailed in county and church records, ancestry details for descendants of slaves may only reveal gender and date of purchase, not names, birth dates, marriage dates, and death dates. Slavery prevents this discovery. Sadly, even stories that might have been passed down from generation to generation were kept under wraps because those generations close to slavery were too traumatized to repeat them. Perhaps they also didn’t want to traumatize their descendants. However, there is new research that shows that trauma can be carried in our genes from one generation to the next. So even without direct knowledge of those stories, the trauma of the past lives on in the lives of individuals today. But also, the trauma of structural racism that began in slavery lives on in our many institutions, laws, policies, and practices, impacting all of us, some obviously more than others.
 
In Matthew 1, the lineage of Jesus is detailed, tracing Jesus’ roots back to Abraham and David, which for Matthew, a Jew, that connection was of utmost importance in his understanding of who Jesus was. This lineage from both Abraham and David confirmed many of the prophecies of the Messiah, thus helping to prove Jesus was the Christ. (For another list of Jesus’ genealogy which traces Jesus’ roots all the way back to Adam and God, see Luke 3:23-38.)
 
Just as Matthew’s detailing of Jesus’ lineage helped him and his Jewish audience better understand and connect with the Messiah, understanding our roots helps connect us with our heritage in order to fully understanding who we are. The stories of our collective ancestors, particularly how they overcame hardships, encourage resilience when we face our own adversities.
 
As one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, Matthew was a witness to how Jesus put into practice His mission statement** on setting the oppressed free and how Jesus worked to create a more just society, often one person at a time. Matthew recorded this history in the book of the Bible that bears his name. 
 
History continues to be written. As the centuries-old legacy of chattel slavery continues to thread its way into the fabric of our society and into our daily lives, will we look back on our own history and be able to say we did what we could to undo the present-day effects of slavery and systemic racism? Will we follow Jesus’ example of love, justice, and mercy? If we don’t, our passivity breeds complicity. There’s no better time than the month of February, Black History Month, to read about the legacy of slavery in the lives of its victims and their descendants, to better understand our collective past, and to work together for a better future. Click here to learn more:
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month
 
 
Heavenly Father, the Bible states over and over that You are on the side of the oppressed, that You are for love, justice, and mercy. Increase my understanding of racial injustice and oppression in my community, in my country, and around the world. Help me not to be passive and complicit by ignoring the cries of those who suffer, but rather help me to actively work against injustice and by doing so, help fulfill Jesus’ mission to set the oppressed free. Amen.
 
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2022 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of a tree “dancing in the moonlight” on its gnarly roots in Mystery Valley, Arizona, where I visited some years ago. This valley of amazing red rock formations is located in the Navajo Tribal Park near Monument Valley.
 
 
*The article that inspired this blog is entitled “An Old Virginia Plantation, a New Owner and a Family Legacy Unveiled” written by Joe Heim, and appeared on washingtonpost.com on 1/22/22.
 
**Jesus’ mission statement is found in Luke 4:18-19: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
 
 
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A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find RECENTLY UPDATED resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

”His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” Luke 1:50-53
 
 
This Christmas season, the second one in this never-ending pandemic, wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. With plans canceled, the holidays were cobbled together just as the previous endless months witnessed me languishing through uncertainty, fear, and disappointment. My weary body and my worried brain began to wonder what this New Year will indeed hold.
 
Tomorrow, January 6, marks the beginning of Epiphany, the liturgical season that begins with the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child and ends as the Season of Lent begins. My own epiphanous journey throughout this holiday season of unpredictability is grounded by Mary’s Magnificat. Her words, nestled between Gabriel’s foretelling of Jesus’ birth and the birth of John the Baptist, bring a sense of calm and peace to my anxious heart. But that is only the beginning of this winding path to a deeper discovery of God and His purposes through His servant Mary.
 
Luke 1:46-55, often called the Magnificat or Mary’s Song, are verses I have previously viewed as words spilling over from a heart full of gratitude when Mary learns she is to give birth to the Messiah. Upon closer examination, I realize Mary’s words are an insightful epiphany of a society turned on its head when love, mercy, and justice intersect at the manger and continue all the way to the cross and beyond.
 
Verses 51-53 in particular jump off the page when I read that the proud, the rulers, and the rich will be brought down and the faithful, the humble, and the hungry will be lifted up. Jesus’ birth begins a new social order where the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). His isn’t a new world where the poor and humble exchange roles with the rich and powerful; He utterly destroys the concept of oppression and in doing so, ushers in the kingdom of heaven on earth where love reigns, mercy rules, and justice prevails.
 
In-between the manger and the cross, Jesus navigates a world filled with fear, dominated by the cruel, tyrannical, take-no-prisoners Roman government and exacerbated by the power-hungry, overbearing religious leaders, all of whom work within a system of oppression and injustice. Jesus, as described in His mission statement (Luke 4:18-19*), intends to turn society upside down with His focus on setting the prisoners and the oppressed free while providing good news to the poor, the marginalized, and those living on the fringes of society.
 
This is the Way of the Savior. This is God’s kingdom on earth. While Mary’s Song may be praise to her God, it is a foretelling of Emmanuel (“God with us”), the One born out of God’s love for all people, the One who showed mercy to all He encountered, and the One who died for justice for all. May we see hope in Mary’s Magnificat, hope for a better world where someday oppression is eliminated and true peace on earth reigns, a hope that begins with each of us when we follow in Jesus’ footsteps and stand up for the powerless, the poor, and the marginalized.
 
Jesus stepped out of the clouds of heaven and into the stable of humanity, fully understanding in His divinity the messiness of humankind. His great love compelled Him to enter into our fearful and difficult world to save not just souls, but also lives, and to teach us to love radically, to live fearlessly, and to follow Him relentlessly. Following Jesus means being His instrument of love, mercy, and justice in a world turned upside down by power, greed, and abuse. If only we would open our eyes to His works and wonders and our ears to His words.
 
The hope found in Mary’s Magnificat is only the beginning, for hope is a call to action.
 
What an incredible world this would be:
if we offer love instead of indifference,
if we show mercy instead of intolerance,
if we pursue justice instead of power.
 
Beginning with this New Year before us, may we each heed the call of Mary’s hope: to offer love, to show mercy, and to pursue justice.
 
 
Lord, in this sacred space between Christmas and Easter, may Your love, mercy, and justice be my epiphany and my guide to continue Your good work of turning the world upside down for the sake of the poor and disenfranchised. May Your hope and peace rule in this world and reign in my heart. Amen.
 
 
*Matthew 5:5 –“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
 
*Luke 4:18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
 
 
Text and photographs copyright © 2022 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the dove inside the cupola of Salzburg Cathedral, Austria. While a dove can symbolize the Holy Spirit or peace, here it symbolizes hope. The beautiful and ornate Dom zu Salzburg was a highlight of my 2019 trip to Salzburg. See also the colorful cupola and a view of the cathedral from behind the pipes of the massive organ upstairs.
 
 
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A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
​

The cupola inside Salzburg Cathedral, Austria:

Inside the beautiful Salzburg Cathedral:

“For nothing is impossible with God.”  Luke 1:37
 
 
An angel visits a young teen who humbly accepts the divine revelation she receives. She does not doubt but believes this miracle of divine birth as declared by this angelic being and previously foretold by the prophets.
 
That one so young articulates such a mature faith is a wonder.
 
She makes the difficult journey to Bethlehem as she is heavy with child and the donkey is heavy with her. The town is either so crowded or she and her fiancé are so poor that no one offers them a room. Cast aside in a smelly stable without the help of a midwife, she gives birth to the Son of God.
 
That God’s ways are often antithetical to the world’s is stunning.
 
A large heavenly host of angels appears, not to the wealthy and powerful, but to lowly shepherds who are just minding their sheep as they usually do on a cold night. Yet God choses the meek to defy the proud. They are the privileged ones to receive the message of the long-awaited Messiah.
 
That the kingdom of God turns our ideas of society on its head is extraordinary.
 
A dazzling star glimmers so bright in the heavens that it garners the attention of sages from a foreign country. So enthralled are they that they leave their hometown and travel for two years to follow this curious luminary. When it pauses to hover in the firmament, they discover the Christ Child and bow in worship as they shower Him with gifts.
 
That these foreigners worship Him is a marvel. That they find Him is a miracle.
 
What are the odds that all of this would happen as the Scriptures had foretold? The angel tells Mary that “nothing is impossible with God”, meaning God keeps His promises. He is able to do and will do all that He has foretold.
 
God reaches down from the heavens in the cuddly form of a newborn baby, born in a roughly-hewn trough to die on a ruggedly-chiseled cross. From cradle to grave, Jesus reveals Himself to be God incarnate yet fully human. He divinely navigates the trials and tribulations of terrestrial life to forge a path we can follow back to heaven, through the starry hosts to the throne of God.
 
When we believe in the miracles, no matter who we are or what we've done, against all odds, we become children of God. Perhaps that is the biggest miracle of all.
 
 
Lord, like Mary, may I be open to Your divine possibilities in my very human existence and may I heed Your calling and obey Your revelations to me. Like the shepherds and sages, may I bow down and simply worship You. Amen
 
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of a stain glass window in La Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, Lugano, Switzerland.
 
 
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A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.  Used by permission of Zondervan.  All rights reserved.

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.  Luke 18:6-8a
 
 
Day after day, she knocked on the door. The knocks were timid at first, then louder. Persistent. Desperate. Her creditors threatened to destroy her. Would the law actually protect this marginalized person who was fast losing hope?
 
Jesus’ favorite teaching tool was the use of the parable, a story that hid the meaning in layers of words for the faithful to find. In Luke 18, in the “Parable of the Persistent Widow” (see below for text), Jesus narrates a widow’s persistent attempts to entreat a disaffected judge to help her in her desperate plight. Her dogged attempts at knocking on the judge’s door finally wear him down and he eventually helps her. Typically, the meaning of this story is that persistence in prayer with our Heavenly Father yields results. But as we dig below the surface, this parable mines even greater riches.
 
What is prayer? Although this may be an all-too-basic question to ask, it begs asking, at least as a starting point. Prayer is simply a conversation with God. Whether we are on our knees or washing dishes, prayer is talking with God about our lives, including our hopes and dreams, as well as our sorrows and struggles. While prayer includes praise, thanksgiving, and confession, our focus today is on supplication, the petitions we implore on behalf of ourselves and others.
 
Prayer needn’t be full of pious words or smartly turned phrases. God simply wants our honesty. He is, after all, sovereign and omniscient (all-knowing) so He already knows what we need before we ask it (Matthew 6:7-8*). Yet it is in the conversation itself that we deepen our relationship when we are honest with God about our thoughts and feelings. Our raw emotions spill over into the holiness of God. It may feel like the good, the bad, and the ugly, depending on what is top of mind for us. Expressing anger, anxiety, sadness, or other emotions is perfectly fine. While we may have learned that feelings can’t be trusted, our feelings and emotions offer clues as to what’s wrong and show us where we need to direct our attention.
 
Honesty opens up the dialog between us and God. It’s the bridge that prayer is built on, one that deepens our faith. When we’re honest with God about our thoughts and feelings, our wants and needs surface more clearly and petitions fall naturally from our lips to God’s ears. And our ears hear more clearly the voice of God.
 
The widow in this story has great needs and she boldly petitions the judge to help her. As we look more closely, we see someone who in biblical society had no rights. Women were entirely dependent on their husbands or sons for their financial security. If they were widowed with no grown sons to support them, they often were poor.
 
I wonder why Jesus chose to cast a widow as one of the two characters in this drama. Perhaps His disciples had neighbors and relatives that were poor widows. Maybe Jesus wanted His followers to see how even a cantankerous judge is moved to help someone no one else wants to aid. Perhaps He wanted them to see prayer as a call to action.
 
The other character in the parable is the judge who is clearly fed up with the widow’s petitions. He grants her wish only so she will leave him alone. His motives are purely selfish. In contrast, God is good, merciful, and compassionate. He desires a relationship with us and calls us to converse with Him in prayer, never tiring of hearing our emotional pleas.
 
But God is also just and is always on the side of the oppressed. If an unjust judge will help a poor widow, how much more will God help those who are oppressed? Verse 7 tells us that God will hear the pleas of those who call out for justice and, unlike the judge in this parable, will not put them off.
 
The judge represents not only the antithesis of God in this story; perhaps the judge also symbolizes us. Do we ignore the needs around us out of busyness or complacency? If God puts someone on our hearts, do we just pray for them? Or do we see this as an opportunity to help? If we’re open to God’s Spirit, prayer can spring to life a new idea and craft an action plan to help someone in need.
 
It is said that prayer changes us. When we are honest with God in our prayer conversations, the doors of our hearts open to His will and to His work in ways that deepen our relationship with Him. Acting upon these conversations is a way to help those in need around us, whether they are persistently knocking or not. Honest prayers lead to action, not just the satisfaction in knowing we prayed today and can check it off the “list”. And that action can bring about God’s justice in a desperate world whose cries continue to be heard among the disenfranchised and the marginalized.
 
How honest are you with God? Who has He put on your heart? To what action might He be calling you? How can you be an instrument of God’s justice in your world of influence? Perhaps God is knocking on the doors of your heart today.
 
 
Father God, sometimes I make prayer complicated when all You ask for is an honest conversation. As You call me to pray, may I hear Your call for action, for the sake of those less fortunate and marginalized in my community and around the world. Amen.
 
 
Luke 18:1-8 - Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
 
 
*Matthew 6:7-8 – [Jesus says,]“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
 
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the medieval doors at St. Edward’s Church in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, England, that are said to be the inspiration for JRR Tolkien’s Doors of Durin in The Lord of the Rings.
 
 
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NOTE:  November is National Native American Heritage Month. Check out nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/.

A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Proverbs 31:8
 
 
Her illustrious career over decades won her numerous accolades. Yet her work practically dried up one day after attending a luncheon at the White House. Speaking from her convictions and pulling back the curtain on poverty, she found that speaking truth to power often comes with a price.
 
Eartha Kitt (1927-2008) was a Black American singer, actress, dancer, and activist. Her career, spanning decades, including three Emmy awards and numerous other nominations. Perhaps her best-known but controversial song was a sultry Santa Baby which was the best-selling Christmas song of 1953 and was later recorded by many other artists. Some may remember her for her role as Cat Woman in the 3rd season of the 1960’s TV series Batman.
 
Her career came to a screeching halt in 1968 after Eartha was invited by Lady Bird Johnson to a White House luncheon to discuss the growing issue of crime in America. As Eartha listened to the speeches by the other guests, she was disappointed as they failed to touch on the topic for which they had assembled. When Eartha stood to speak, she boldly laid out poverty as one of the underlying causes of crime, much to the discomfort of the white women in the room. When it was all over, Eartha Kitt found herself shunned from performing in the United States. The CIA even created a dossier on her.
 
How devastating it must have been for her to have fallen from grace so quickly simply for answering the question they ostensibly were there to hear. How disappointing it must have been to speak truth to power only to find herself out of work and out of favor.
 
What gave Eartha the strength to stand by her beliefs in the face of power? How could she remain strong despite the hardship of rejection by her own country? I believe the answer lies in her very core. She remained true to herself in spite of any fear she may have felt and regardless of the consequences. She knew who she was and she held true to her convictions to stand up for those who could not stand up for themselves. Speaking her truth led to backlash, but Eartha was able to live in peace with herself rather than pretend to be who others expected her to be. Eartha went on to perform internationally where she continued her stardom, never losing sight of her convictions.
 
As Eartha Kitt demonstrated, being true to yourself involves respecting, loving, and standing up for yourself which enables you to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute”, as our key verse states. As a result, lives and circumstances are changed for the better.
 
Being true to our deepest core means first understanding who we are which takes time and solitude to really know ourselves. Being true to ourselves also means being true to who God created us to be, endowed with all the gifts and talents He has bestowed upon us for His purposes. All of this informs our values and convictions.
 
Throughout my own life, I find that all roads lead back to being true to myself. Sometimes it feels like walking to the beat of a different drum which often has a social cost. But when I show up as my authentic self, there is no pretense, mask, or dissonance between who I portray myself to be and who I am. In the midst of struggles and conflicts, I can be my best self and find peace in the process.
 
But it isn’t just about me. When we live out God’s purposes with focus and intention from our authentic selves, we create ripples of change in our sphere of influence. Like skipping stones undulating a lake’s smooth façade, the sand shifts, grain by grain, as the ripples splash the shore.
 
Jesus spoke truth to power as He condemned the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who along with the Roman rulers, ultimately plotted and carried out a death sentence for His truth-telling. Yet Jesus was true to Himself and true to His mission to stand up to power for the sake of the marginalized so He could indeed have good news for the poor and truly set the oppressed free (Luke 4:16-21*). His movement of social justice continues to this day.
 
Eartha Kitt may not be a household name today, but her legacy of truth-telling lives on and the truths she spoke that day at the White House are still relevant over 50 years later. While daring to speak truth to power, she shined a spotlight on the injustices of poverty in this country and gave the much-needed Civil Rights Movement a push forward.
 
Jesus’ love for all humanity and His sense of justice motivated Him to speak truth to power. Eartha Kitt’s sense of justice motivated her, too. While we may not be invited to the White House to speak, when we speak truth bravely, when we live our lives as our true and authentic selves for our God-given purposes, regardless of the costs, we too can be a part of Jesus’ continuing mission to bring about the much-needed change in our society today.
 
 
Lord Jesus, You came to radically demonstrate God’s love to all people while speaking truth to the powerful in the society in which You lived. May I be fearless in speaking Your truth to power. May I be ever-conscious of those less fortunate who need a voice to speak for them so the chains of injustice may be broken. Fill my mind with Your truth and my heart with Your courage as I stay true to myself for Your purposes for me and for the sake of those in need. Amen.
 
 
*Luke 4:16-21:  He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Lake Windermere in the Lake District, England.
 
 
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NOTE: September 15 – October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month. Check out: https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/ 
 https://artsandculture.google.com/project/uslatinocultures.
 
 
A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.  John 19:26-27
 
 
From all walks of life, they come. Daring to raise their voices, trying to make themselves heard amidst the clamor of louder voices, they persist. Fighting to be heard, they reach out to those who have the power to help, only to be dismissed, their battle diminished to a pleading phone call for help.
 
For every one of the of more than 650,000 lives lost to CoVid-19 in the US so far and more than 4.4 million worldwide, there are dozens who mourn each life lost. Do the math and we see that we are a nation and a planet who mourn. Hundreds of millions mourn the lives snatched by this horrific crisis and fear their loved ones will only be remembered as a statistic in this pandemic war.
 
Some see the tragedy that their loss will be forgotten and so, here in the US, they call their members of Congress and pitch their desire to create a day each year to remember the victims of this pandemic. So far, their voices have gone mostly unheard and unheeded. But they have not given up.
 
Sometimes in our grieving we are afraid that our loved ones will be forgotten. As time marches on, the memory of those who suffered and died during this health crisis will fade into oblivion, remembered only in history as one of the multitudes of pandemic deaths.
 
Sometimes we hold onto our grief because we feel it is the only thing we have left. If we are not actively grieving and feeling the pain of our loss every day, then we may believe we’re not honoring our dead. If we let go of that pain, we believe we will forget our loved ones.
 
Yet, when we do the hard work of grief by acknowledging our pain, we can get to a place where the pain isn’t so raw. We can let go of the intensity of the suffering and believe that we will not forget. We will forever hold our loved ones in our hearts and they go with us wherever we go. Of course, we will remember. How can we truly forget them?
 
In His pain and suffering on the Cross, Jesus looks down at his weeping mother and feels her sense of grief and loss of losing her only Son. In that moment, His agony on the Cross is superseded only by the depth of human grief, reflected back to him from the visceral pain of watching a precious loved one die. In that moment, Christ, despite His physical pain, has compassion on His mother and entrusts her to the disciple He loves most. Perhaps together Mary and John would comfort each other in their loss, helping each other to remember their special times with Jesus.
 
The Cross becomes a symbol of their gut-wrenching grief. Yet the empty tomb becomes a source of their heart-filled joy.
 
If you’ve lost a loved one to CoVid-19 (or to any other cause), what can you do to memorialize their lives? Could sharing good memories with others who mourn their passing be a helpful way to remember them? Could creating a new tradition or ritual that you repeat each year on the anniversary of their death or on their birthday be helpful? Could taking up a cause or project in their honor allow their legacy to continue?
 
Learning how to live in our grief while doing our best to move forward requires strength as well as self-compassion. We may not get it right each time, but we know that our loved one would want us to move forward with our lives while holding them in our hearts and memories.
 
Walking with our crucified and risen Lord on the path of grief as we move toward healing strengthens us and gives us hope. In the depths of our despair, we trade our pain for a deeper knowledge and understanding of the good and merciful, all-compassionate God who loves us. The One who understands our suffering walks with us, even carries us at times. We are not alone.
 
 
Lord Jesus, I am amazed at Your love, that in the middle of intense pain, You showed compassion on one who grieved Your death the most. In Your pain on the Cross, You offered heart-felt compassion and mercy, as well as very practical help. In my own pain, may I grasp Your ever-present help in my time of need as I glimpse Your ever-transcendent presence in my walk of grief. May I never forget Your mercies are new every morning as I always remember my loved ones and hold them in my heart. Amen.
 
 
NOTE: If you’ve lost a loved one recently or know someone who has, my latest book From Grief to Grace: A 40-Day Devotional on Healing from Loss may help you or those you care about find peace and hope in the midst of grief. Illustrated with floral photos from my travels, the book is available in 3 formats:

​Softcover with color interior photos - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DBNH8VC
Softcover with black & white interior photos - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DBZDCSY
Kindle version (in color or B&W depending on device - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DHR2KCY.
Click here for more information: https://www.dawndailey.org/books-and-articles-by-dawn-dailey.html.

 
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of a tulip from Keukenhof, The Netherlands.
 
 
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A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.   Hebrews 13:8
 
 
It is a beautiful day. Looking up, the colorful castle gleams in the sunlight. Even Disney couldn’t create a mosaic masterpiece such as this! The bus takes us up the extremely steep incline to the top for our tour of the Palácio Nacional da Pena, near Lisbon, Portugal. As they say, what goes up must come down. After the informative tour of this illustrious castle with all of its glorious history, I climb aboard the bus for the ride down. It’s standing room only and the steep descent is filled with bumps and jolts. I hang on for dear life to the dangling strap above my head, hoping I won’t fall into the person in front of me. But as I bend my knees and go with the flow, I realize that the jarring sensation is absorbed and the impact is lessened. When I let go of my fear and annoyance, I actually enjoy the thrill of the ride to the bottom of the hill.
 
Life is like that sometimes. While it infrequently can be a smooth ride, life often entails lots of bumps and jolts along the way. Not only is the path not certain and calm, it is usually wildly unpredictable and the fear of what is around the next bend can sometimes paralyze us. Often life vacillates between joy and suffering. The road is never the same as it bends and twists through life. Change is definitely the name of the game.
 
With over 16 months of pandemic life under our belts, there are still changes to navigate. As schools, businesses, stores, and restaurants open up, there are still a myriad of rules to follow which seem to change daily, as they have for the past year.
 
Perhaps you’ve gotten in a rhythm during the pandemic and now things are changing again. Or perhaps you never felt like there was any consistency in the first place and the last 16 months have been a constant upheaval. Or maybe life has changed due to other circumstances beyond your control and you struggle to find your footing.
 
Our key verse today is one that brings to mind a solid rock to cling to in times of change. Yet, this verse has come to mean even more than that to me.
 
When we interpret our key verse in context, Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus is the same as He was from the beginning of time (see John 1:1*). That is, He is God. He always has been God and always will be God. The early readers of this text as Jewish Christians needed encouragement as new converts to believe in Jesus as God.
 
While the original context was to equate Jesus with God, we often interpret this verse to mean that Jesus is the Rock that never changes. But while His character, nature, and purposes do not change over time and throughout eternity, how He manifests Himself in our lives does indeed change as we grow to know Him better and love Him more.
 
As life morphs and transforms, often throwing us curve balls, God’s presence with us becomes exactly what we need when we need it. In the process, our faith changes too, often growing deeper in times of adversity so that we glimpse new facets of God’s character and learn to lean more into our relationship with Him. That God shifts to meet us where we are is antithetical to the idea of a rock that never changes. But His presence does indeed transform into what we need. Verses like Philippians 4:19 which says “God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” confirm this truth. God abundantly provides us many spiritual blessings, including His love, grace, strength, comfort, and wisdom.
 
God meets our needs while He molds our character into who we need to be. And oftentimes, it’s the fires of adversity that burn the dross to refine us, to shape us as the Potter shapes the clay.
 
But sometimes we chafe under the adversity and we rebel against the circumstances that seek to change us. If we can step back, grab hold of the hand of God reaching down, bend our knees, and go with the flow, we will grasp the exhilarating ride with the God who is with us in all the changes of life.
 
 
Lord Jesus, You are God. While I think of You as my Rock, I know that is not a perfect analogy. Rocks sometimes slide down mountains and tumble into oceans. While I know You are with me in the rough and tumble of life, I may not hear Your voice in the rumbling of tumbling rocks as much as I feel it in the whisper of the thin silence as rising dust plumes skyward in the aftermath. Yet You are Immanuel, God with us, and not just in a holy place called heaven, but You are thankfully here with me on this constantly changing earthly path called life. Amen.
 
 
*John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
 
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the Palácio Nacional da Pena, near Lisbon, Portugal.
 
 
Not a subscriber to the monthly blog posts? Click here to subscribe.
 
 
A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  Matthew 14:13-14
 
 
His friend has just been killed. Yet, instead of returning to his busy ministry, he steals away to a quiet place to acknowledge his pain and to pray. Soon the plethora of needy people find him, as they always do when he takes time out to care for himself. But without these respite moments, however fleeting, his mortal body and emotional health would lack the strength to meet the demands of this divine calling. Sailing the boat closer to the shore where a bedraggled crowd awaits him, he looks into their anxious faces and feels their anguish deeply. Stepping out of the boat and wading to the shore, he begins to do what he can to alleviate their suffering.
 
Sandwiched between the horrific story of the beheading of John the Baptist and the narrative known as the Feeding of the Five Thousand, we find Jesus withdrawing to a solitary place to mourn. When His alone-time is cut short by the impatient crowd, Jesus nonetheless has compassion for these needy people and He continues to minister to them by healing their sick.
 
As recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Jesus demonstrates a compelling picture of compassion as He heals the sick, raises the dead, and feeds the hungry. But Jesus is also a noteworthy illustration of self-compassion as He often pulls away from the penurious crowds to find respite in solitude and prayer.
 
Compassion is defined as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.” It is more than just putting yourself in someone else’s shoes; it’s doing what you can to help. Compassion is empathy in action.
 
If compassion is showing empathy to someone else, then self-compassion is obviously showing empathy to ourselves. It’s like the safety instructions at the beginning of a flight telling us to don our oxygen mask before helping someone else with theirs. In order to be kind and compassionate, we have to first be kind and compassionate to ourselves. But as Shakespeare says in Hamlet, “Ay, there’s the rub”!
 
Just as Jesus pulled away from the demands of life to mourn and to pray, we too need to stop our busyness to recognize our own losses and hurts. Facing ourselves honestly by identifying our pain is the beginning of healing. But often, that’s where we get stuck. Acknowledging our own hurts is painful.
 
We’re all broken in some way. It’s impossible to experience life without emotional and psychological scrapes, bruises, and trauma. But it is possible to accept our weaknesses and brokenness without judgment while rejoicing in our strengths and moving towards healing. Often it takes the expertise of a good therapist to help us see our brokenness, understand our hurts, and begin a new path of healing.
 
Jesus says in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Suffering and pain are a normal part of the human experience. Jesus’ practice of self-compassion shows us the importance of embracing suffering in order to begin healing. To accept and embrace our suffering means saying to ourselves, “I acknowledge that pain and I give myself kindness and compassion around it.” Self-compassion is the beginning of healing.
 
Shame often prevents us from showing compassion to ourselves. Guilt is saying we have done a bad thing; shame is saying we are a bad person. Shame teaches us that we are not worthy, that we are not enough, that we are less than. But God says we are worthy simply because we are His. What is it about yourself that you would not want the world to know? The answer may reveal a place of shame that needs self-compassion. When we acknowledge shame and utilize the tool of self-compassion, we become free to be who God created us to be.
 
Sometimes the lack of self-compassion shows up in negative self-talk. Most of us would never dream of talking to others like we talk to ourselves. Paying attention to those self-condemning thoughts that circle inside our brains like tapes on an endless loop can actually stop them in their tracks. When we notice these negative thoughts, we can counter them with kind thoughts, just as you would comfort a hurting friend. If we continue interrupting these negative thoughts, we rob them of their power. Self-compassion creates new tracks; we’re no longer stuck circling in a holding pattern of negative thoughts. We land on a new runway of self-love, self-acceptance, and self-forgiveness.
 
Loving ourselves and being kind to ourselves is the beginning of a new road to compassion. When we can hold space for our own self-compassion, we find the emotional energy to extend that compassion to others. In a society that is often lacking in kindness, we can put empathy in action by showing compassion to those who are less fortunate than ourselves, to those who are discriminated against, and to those in our society who are the most vulnerable. While we may not be able to heal the sick like Jesus did, when we land in a place of self-compassion, we can look out on the sea of faces around us, experience true compassion, and do what we can to alleviate the suffering around us.
 
 
Dear Jesus, help me to emulate Your practice of self-compassion. Help me overcome the barriers of shame and negative self-talk that so often rob me of accepting compassion and kindness from myself and even from You. May my new-found self-compassion actively overflow into a sea of empathy that gently surrounds those in need with Your love and mercy. May I actively take arms against their sea of troubles for those suffering and by showing compassion, end as much suffering as I can. For Your glory, Amen.
 
 
To learn more about self-compassion, I highly recommend the book Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristen Neff.
 
 
Text and photographs copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of a lone bench on a pathway in Bodnant Garden, near Colwyn Bay, Wales.
 
 
Not a subscriber to the monthly blog posts? Click here to subscribe.
 
 
A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
 
 
Flowers near the water lily pond at Bodnant Garden, Wales:

​The water lily pond at Bodnant Garden with Unbind the Wing sculpture by Trevor Leat installed in 2018 in celebration of the centennial of women’s suffrage in the UK:

One hundred years ago on May 31 and June 1, 1921, at least 300 Black people were killed and most homes and businesses were destroyed by their white neighbors in Tulsa, Oklahoma, leaving 10,000 of the 11,000 residents displaced in the otherwise thriving community of Greenwood, known as Black Wall Street.
 
Almost 99 years and many murders later, on May 25, 2020, the life of a Black man was callously snuffed out under the knee of a white police officer. Unlike the Tulsa Race Massacre, the world itself witnessed this gruesome act because a brave 17-year-old, helplessly watching the horror unfold before her very eyes, filmed the killing of George Floyd, a father, brother, uncle, boyfriend, and neighbor. This video shines a spotlight on an all-too-common practice of chokeholds and neck restraints and a senseless death of yet another person of color. What kind of society allows these atrocities to happen?
 
The earth shifted on its axis that day last year as evidenced by the many protests that ensued in this nation and around the world. Little did I know how my own internal landscape would shift because of this event that took place in Minneapolis, far from my home in California. My own contemplation sparked by this killing continues to morph into my ever-growing awareness of the white supremacy and structural and systemic racism that allows police brutality and the murders of people with skin a different color from my own. My participation in a society that sanctions such brutality makes me complicit.
 
If my faith isn’t actively transforming me to be more like Jesus every day, then my faith needs examining. I cannot turn a blind eye to the injustices in our society nor can I ignore my own complicity. While it would be easier to ignore the Holy Spirit’s conviction, the God of all humankind will not be kept in a box on a shelf, taken down when it’s convenient and comfortable, only to be returned to the dusty ledge when conviction dares to put a lid on it.
 
As I grasp the implications of the God who creates all humankind in His image (Genesis 1:26a*) to serve His purposes, for His glory, and for fellowship with Him, the Almighty Creator empowers the transformation of my faith and emboldens me to live out that transfigured faith regardless of its convenience or comfort. My perspective, my thoughts, and my actions are altered. I find that my faith isn’t shattered, but rather it is changed and expanded; its roots grow deeper.
 
In Luke 10:26-28*, Jesus affirms the two greatest commandments, the second of which is to love our neighbors. When the question arises as to who our neighbors are, Jesus makes it abundantly clear in His parable called the Good Samaritan that we are to reach across all cultural divides to show love in practical ways to whomever we encounter. In other words, neighbor means everyone.
 
Our key verse today from the Old Testament book of Amos gives us a visual of how God wants justice to flow through our world like a fast-flowing river that covers all in its path.  Prophesying to the tribes of Israel, Amos admonishes them to repent of their sins, pointing out particularly their lack of justice and truth and their oppression of the poor. They have become wealthy at the expense of the poor whom they keep in poverty with extra taxes (Amos 5:10-11*).
 
God wants His people to seek Him, to do good, and to seek justice, not to mollify Him with their empty sacrifices, meaningless ceremonies, and going-through-the-motion rituals. Their religious fervor rings hollow. God wants justice and righteousness (living right with God) to abound, like swift-flowing waters of a river as it rushes headlong down a mountain.
 
The Bible contains almost 330 references to justice. Clearly, God takes justice seriously. Likewise, we, too, are called to seek justice and to act justly in our personal lives and within our communities. Justice is not optional.
 
By remembering our neighbor George Floyd on the anniversary of his death, we lament with his loved ones their great loss, we confess our own complicity, and we actively seek justice in an unjust world. While George Floyd’s murderer was pronounced guilty, only a sliver of justice was served. The sentencing did not, nor could it, bring back George Floyd from the dead. Instead, this sentence was about accountability.
 
Yet, there is a glimmering hope that the door to racial justice has been cracked open so that the powerful light of a greater God-wrought justice will ultimately cast its glow on our darkened world. Remembering all the many victims and their untimely deaths can motivate us to change. Perhaps if we all expand the horizons of our hearts and minds to fully grasp the meaning of “made in the image of God” and the concept of “neighbor”, the hatred that infects our world and the deaths by bigotry and brutality would stop.
 
But it starts with each of us, being willing to own our complicity and to allow God to change our hearts and our actions. Only then will we truly see the face of God in each of our neighbors. Only then will all image-bearers be free to live out their God-given purposes without fear of discrimination, violence, and death. Only then will justice roll down from heaven like a river.
 
 
God of Amos, You have rightly judged my heart as lacking awareness, love, and compassion, and my actions as lacking justice. May I seek You, do good, and act justly amongst all Your image-bearers whom You call my neighbors. Change my selfish ways and free me from the chains of comfort and convenience to do Your will and Your work for the sake of all Your children. As Jesus as my example, may it be so. Amen.
 
 
*Genesis 1:26a (NRSV) - Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness…”
 
*Luke 10:26-28 - “What is written in the Law?” he [Jesus] replied. “How do you read it?” He [the expert in the law] answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
 
*Amos 5:10-11 - There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court and detest the one who tells the truth. You levy a straw tax on the poor and impose a tax on their grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine.
 
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the Kicking Horse River as it cascades through the Canadian Rockies at the Natural Bridge, near Field, British Columbia.
 
 
Not a subscriber to the monthly blog posts? Click here to subscribe.
 
 
A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE:  Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

​

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
 
 
The gorgeous tropical scenery at the edge of the ocean filled me with awe of God’s creation when I had glanced briefly through the window. But now, keeping my eyes on the road ahead and gripping the steering wheel tightly, I didn’t dare look down to my left, down the cliff to the sea. Up ahead, a sign stood sentinel to mark the beginning of a much narrower road. It said, “One lane next 1/8 mile.” Or so I thought. That 1/8 mile was in reality 8 miles as I white-knuckled my way around twists and curves in this gravel-laid, one-lane path that passed for a road on the shores of the northern Maui coast. My passengers had gone silent, each praying we’d find our way safely to our destination. Approaching cars forced me to pull over as far as the bank on the right side of the road allowed or obliged me to back up until I could find a wider place to pull over.
 
That trip was over a decade ago now, but the memory of the fear that gripped me that day is as vivid as if it happened yesterday. I had traveled to Hawaii with my sister-in-law and my two nieces with the primary purpose of distributing my brother’s ashes over an area of the world he adored. Here we were, on the last day of our week-long trip, and we had just finished our somber task. Taking the “scenic” route back turned out to be more than we bargained for as we silently crawled along this cliff-hugging road for eight long miles.
 
Sometimes life is like that. We’re on sure, stable pavement one minute and then the next, we find ourselves in the weeds and wonder how we got off track. If we Google Mapped our lives, how did we get from Point A to Point B? At every fork in the road, did we make the right decision? Or if you’re a perfectionist like me, did we make the perfect choice? And what about the signs along the way? Did we misread them or miss them altogether?
 
I wonder if the circuitous routes we take on this road called life is what God intends for us. When we earnestly seek His will, are we left feeling like we still messed up? Will we get to the end of the road and regret the path we took? Or can God make something beautiful even out of the missed turns and detours along the way? What if this twisting, winding road is actually His will for us?
 
While I may not have all the answers, God does because He is sovereign. He is not surprised or shocked by the detours along my journey. When I trust in His sovereignty, in His control, the pressure to make the perfect decision diminishes. When I realize that I am a beloved child of God and covered in God’s grace, I can relax in knowing that He can use whatever decisions I make to grow me into who He wants me to be.
 
Sometimes as Christians, we make the Christian life unnecessarily complicated. Jesus states in Matthew 22:37-40* that the most important commandments are to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. The decision to love God and others is a decision that we must make over and over again at each fork in the road. These commands from Jesus give us a framework for our decision-making, a signpost to follow. Each time we have a choice to show kindness to others is a critical juncture on the road to loving our neighbor.
 
Loving our neighbor also implies that we love ourselves, as we cannot extend love to others until we first extend love to ourselves. Loving ourselves means letting go of regrets and wrapping ourselves in grace and compassion. When we are filled with God’s grace, love, and compassion, it will naturally spill over to others.
 
But in doing the hard work of loving ourselves, we must practice self-forgiveness and self-acceptance. When we realize that we are human and not perfect, we can forgive ourselves for any regretful decisions and past mistakes. We don’t have to live in some parallel universe of what life would have been like if only we had chosen differently. Forgiving ourselves and accepting the reality of our choices allows us to live fully and freely in the present moment. When we no longer allow the past to make our present choices, we are free from the prison of self-condemnation and free to love God, ourselves, and others well.
 
As today’s key verse implies, God’s will is not about doing the perfect path. It’s all about being joyful, prayerful, and thankful along the journey. It’s not about being thankful for the circumstances surrounding the path, but it’s being thankful for God’s steadfast presence in the midst of difficult circumstances. Despite whatever road we are on, when we are thankful for who God is and how He forgives and accepts us and when we soak in His presence through prayer, we find joy. And that joy is the key to forgiving and accepting ourselves and to loving God, ourselves, and others well.
 
Our journey will take us to places unknown to us, but not unknown to God. We may travel on busy freeways or we may find ourselves on a road less traveled. When we look into the rearview mirror and see God’s faithfulness to us in the past, we have the courage to face the present and the future. Even on a narrow path tracing the edge of a cliff, we know God is with us and we can trust Him to be with us around the next bend.
 
 
Dear Jesus, may I follow after You joyfully, prayerfully, and thankfully. May I love, accept, and forgive myself in Your mercy and grace. May I make the good choice everyday to love You with my entire being and to love my neighbor as myself. May I find true joy in Your faithful presence as I walk this oftentimes rocky path called life. Amen.
 
 
*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.”
 
 
NOTE: Sometimes others’ choices impact us negatively. While this blog focuses on our own choices, know that if you have been victimized by abuse, the decision to abuse was not one you made.  When we face our painful past, we can choose to remain a victim and allow someone else’s actions to influence our lives going forward or we can choose freedom. Regardless of the degree of past trauma in your life, Dr. Edith Eva Eger’s powerful book The Choice is an excellent resource on discovering self-forgiveness and self-acceptance and on choosing freedom from victimhood. As a clinical psychologist and Holocaust survivor, Dr. Eger shares lessons learned from her experiences in Auschwitz that has shaped her own healing and enabled her to make a significant difference in the lives of her patients.
 
 
Text and photograph copyright © 2021 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of rocky beach on the northern coast of Maui, Hawaii (taken just before the harrowing drive described above).
 
 
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Did you know that the month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month? PBS airs specials all month featuring the stories, contributions, and influence of AAPI Americans. See also https://asianpacificheritage.gov/. Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice, including injustice against AAPI Americans.  Click here to learn more.
 
 
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™