Ohio is struggling to free herself from the blanket of heather gray skies, as is to be expected in the April shower season, but this spring is alive with a different hope for us. We see the world stirring, tapped by the refreshing drops of spiritual rain going on all over the globe. Being part of something far beyond ourselves, and yet infinitely personal, is such a joy. When the idea of Jesus grows beyond a set of rules or a filter through which we see the people in our lives, when Jesus ceases to be an idea and becomes the relationship we’ve heard about and talked about and wanted – that’s when dynamic things start to happen.

We are stepping out into a powerful new season where people can connect with others through honest dialog and open mindedness. I know what I believe, so there is no fear in hearing the thoughts and feelings of another. My faith is a fluid connection to a God I cannot see, yet know beyond doubt is with me. This faith is not a choice, a decision, a feeling, or a religion. It is a reaction to being still and knowing God. In the stillness, I am free to engage others because I no longer have to test my position by what is being said. I am steadfast, yet adaptable.