Go ahead,
and throw your mud into my water –
your stones too.

This river is going to keep on flowing down
from further up than we can see
beyond the clouds-
pristine and pure,
sunshine mixed with stardust, grace and power –
and it won’t ever stop
pouring into this wilderness,
softening the rough edges of jagged rocks,
creating a path of beauty through the wild,
nourishing the soil for new growth,
and washing everything else away.

Throw your mud and your stones too –
I welcome this dance
between the luminescent waters of divine life
and what happens here all the time.
You are not my source,
and I will be just fine.

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.”

I was recently asked to give a talk on spiritual wellness for a group of government employees, and it challenged me to share the benefits of spiritual principles like meditation, forgiveness, gratitude, journaling, and more to a nondenominational group. Being put in a position to “teach” caused me to really reflect and check myself. Do I really believe in these principles? The answer is a resounding yes.

Though we don’t always see results right away, in the long run investing time into these practices completely changes the trajectory of our lives. My life is proof of that on every level. At 43, I have more peace, health, energy, and well-being than I did at 23 – by far. This is 100% attributable to the blessing of learning and applying these basic spiritual principals, which can seem “woo woo” to some.

I have seen miracles that happened dramatically quickly, but upon reflection I realize it’s the long-term miraculous results that are the most profound. Slowly but surely, my life has been transformed from the inside out. I have been transformed interiorly, and externally miraculous opportunities have opened up beyond my wildest dreams.

In my heart of hearts, I give glory to Jesus for these miraculous events and have no doubt that is true. Prayer has been an important part of my journey, as has being surrounded by and influenced by people of faith. I couldn’t make it this far without the grace of God.

I recognize that unfortunately, not everyone is in a position to hear the language of Christianity without recoiling thinking of some hypocrisy or injustice they have experienced in the church. This is understandable.

I will never deny Christ publicly or privately, but I think we need to be willing to meet people where they are and respect healthy boundaries. I also believe that sometimes we can best preach “without saying a word.” St. Francis put it best when he said: “Preach always, and if necessary, use words.” I believe that cultivating attitudes and disposition of heart, which are in alignment to Jesus connect us with Jesus and a God, who is the essence of love. The full truth is revealed to us gradually by God Himself.

In a non-religious interfaith context, I can teach basic spiritual principles, which Jesus taught, while also sharing that I am a follower of Christ and incorporate religious traditions into my own spiritual practice – without expecting everyone to be. My hope is that I can gently invite someone to learn about how I practice faith through prayer and my faith tradition, rather than making them feel like I’m forcing my views upon them and possibly triggering their resistance, due to previous bad experiences with the church.

In preparing for the presentation, I learned that science is starting to prove the healing power of these practices beyond what I realized. Not pseudo-science – credible sources like mayo clinic and psychology today. It truly is amazing how science is still catching up to prove what Jesus taught all those generations ago.

Miracles happen when we do the interior work of the soul and uproot our doubts – I believe it whole heartedly.

Your faith and interior life of the soul matter. Keep up the great work, and please let me know if I can do anything to help on your journey.

So … how radical is your faith? Do you really believe prayer and meditation heals and transforms our lives from the inside out? Do you believe in miracles in this world where so much darkness prevails? I do and would love to encourage you on your faith journey to more fully believe!

Lord, give us the courage to share the gospel in whatever unique way we personally are called. Give us opportunities to preach with and without words, through our prayers and actions in the world. Help us to more fully trust in the healing power of Your love and share it with others in unique ways, which really resonate in our times and transform lives in miraculous ways. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.

written by Nicky Gant http://www.uniteinprayer.org 5/31/2022