The Glow of Grace

I have chosen to write this book from a Christian perspective because that is the faith I personally follow. As such, I will occasionally include Bible verses, mostly from the New International Version, that resonate with my soul and have helped me to heal. I encourage you to search your own chosen religious text for passages that resonate with your own soul. I may be a different kind of Christian, however, in that in writing this, it is not my intention to persuade you to become a Christian also. In my heart, I believe that there is only one true God, yes, but I also believe that my God goes by many different names. In learning about other religions, I can see that many of the ancient stories are similar. Several ancient texts speak of a great flood. Many, if not all, have some name for what I call the devil, whether it be Trickster, Loki, or the evil one. I am not here to change your beliefs about the Omnipotent One and His angels and saints. My purpose is to help you heal your wounds from the past by becoming closer to your version of God. When I mention God, Jesus, Lord, or the Holy Spirit, please feel free to substitute the name you know Him by, whether it be Allah, Yahweh, Goddess, or any of His many other names. I use the masculine only because that is what I grew up with. I believe God to be neither specifically male nor female. God and spirituality are more significant than any man-made religion. Before being written down, all inspired messages passed through human filters; therefore, religious texts are flavored by human experiences. As such, they are good for reference, but we need to discover the Divine on our own terms. We can learn the words of a language by reading a dictionary, but we will not truly learn to speak that language without conversation with others. The Bible taught me the words, but prayer, communication with God, made the messages intimate and useful in my life. Spirituality is personal—the most personal thing you can cultivate in your life. It helps us find purpose, meaning, and peace in an otherwise chaotic world.