“Make ready for the Christ, Whose smile, like lightning, sets free the song of everlasting glory that now sleeps, in your paper flesh, like dynamite.” – Thomas Merton, “The Victory,” the Collected Poems of Thomas Merton

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Listen to my song “Make Your Way” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

Support my ministry by purchasing my songs and books at the links following the scripture reflection. Thank you!

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Psalm 30:12-13

You changed my mourning into dancing; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. So that my glory may praise you and not be silent. O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

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If you are in pain now, or suffering in some way, I feel for you.

I know that life sometimes hands us experiences that are very difficult.

But I have faith that no matter how difficult, there will be something positive gained when we make our way through the difficulty.

Jesus showed us that the self-emptying path leads to new life, now and always.

I have faith that God, the Ultimate Mystery, the Benevolent Beingness in which, as St. Paul put it, we “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28), will accompany us as we make our way to new life.

Finding God in all things is at the core of what is known as Ignatian Spirituality.

The Great “I AM” (Exodus 3:14) cannot not be with you!

Today’s scripture verses remind me of a personal experience.

(It would be many years later before I discovered the name for it: “Spiritually Transformative Experience.”)

In November of 1998, following surgery for a ruptured appendix, I was hospitalized for nearly nine days.

After several days of being very sick with an NG Tube down my nose to my stomach and IV’s in both arms, I found myself utterly helpless and scared.

It was in the middle of the night, when suddenly I was overwhelmed with the most wondrous Wave of Love that I had ever experienced!

It washed over me.

I have no words to describe this experience, except to say I felt utterly accepted and cherished just as I was.

There was complete Oneness with all things.

You might say that my mourning was changed to dancing, my sackcloth was exchanged for gladness.

This experience transformed my life.

I left the hospital determined to immediately purchase a new guitar to replace my childhood one, and to pursue a recently sparked desire to write and sing songs.

As of today, I have four albums of original songs all about my spiritual journey and God’s unconditional love.

I share my songs as part of a full-time ministry.

“So that my glory may praise you and not be silent. O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.”

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Listen to the song of the day “Make Your Way” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!