In the Quiet

+ J.M.J. So. This post is really hard for me to write. It's hard for me to admit to you that I have hated people before. Forgiveness is something that I struggle with, especially when the person doesn't apologize. I struggle to forgive when the person doesn't even think that he or she did something bad. I struggle to forgive when that person is walking around somewhere, perfectly oblivious to the fact that I am letting him or her make me miserable.  It sounds crazy, right? To let someone have that kind of power over you? In a way, it is. Christ asked me to forgive, and sometimes I hang on to offenses like they're going out of a fashion or something. In my life, grudges do need to go out of fashion. Because you see, I have purpose in life. I have passion, and I don't want it to be continuously marred by hatred. Now I'm going to tell you something that may surprise you.  I loathed myself. For years. For more years than I care to admit. The

+ J.M.J. In Krakow, Poland last summer, my fellow pilgrims and I walked through a torrential downpour with the largest rain buckets dropping on us I'd ever experienced. I looked at Melissa, my sister in Christ, and I said, just think. Jesus said, "Behold, I make all things new." I saw the rain as a sign that Christ was washing all old things away. She looked at me, sort of laughed, and we kept walking. And walking. And walking. Christ really does make all things new. When this year started, things were looking a bit bleak in my world. I did (and still do) have a boyfriend who cherishes me. However, the other areas of my life were a bit less than desirable.  Within just a month's time, my entire life changed for the better. Christ lifted me up out of the ashes of despair and very deep severe chronic stress. He brought me to a new job and I was also blessed with the opportunity to move close to where I work. A month ago, things looked really dark.