Inspiration

I was introduced to podcasts at book club in January 2020, just before Covid started -- what great timing. It was such a blessing during Covid to have endless content for spiritual nourishment. 

Up until then, I never listened to music (or anything else) while I exercised. Being alone with my thoughts for that hour outside was cleansing. But now, I look forward to my podcast time, "meeting" people from around the world and soaking up their uplifting messages.

Thought I'd start sharing their words of wisdom that have boosted me during the week.

Melaney Tagg (on podcast: All In) is a native Virginian, engineer by degree, teacher by profession and aspiring advocate for civility in the home, the church, and in the public square. As a member of the Community Levee Association, she directs efforts striving to bring folks together from opposite sides of a variety of issues.

Loudoun County's bimonthly school board meetings were nothing to write home about, but contentious debate began with Covid protocol, continued into curriculum regarding race and by the time protections for transgender students were raised, tensions had reached a boiling point. Melaney Tagg didn't have strong positions on these issues, but she knew she had the ability to be a peacemaker.

"I think often about some of the beautiful phrases that we use over and over. Most of them are inward focused: "I am a child of God" "I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me" "I am a daughter of Heavenly Parents" 

And when I stop and think, You are a child of God. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers you. You are a daughter of Heavenly Parents. Then the world is a different place for me. It becomes divine, it becomes holy. And my desires to be unified with every brother and sister are immeasurable.

Steve Young (on podcast: All In) -- The Steve Young

"The relationship [with Jesus] should feel healing -- the law of love invites. It doesn't require, it doesn't demand, because it's not transactional. It invites. And that invitation is never ending. ... If you think about that statue, Christ is standing with his palms out as an eternal invitation."

"[I was told] God has a plan for you to go through this and see what you can learn on the other side. And I ended up going home and finding a way through it. To live through it. ...When you're in the moment of anxiety, you just want peace. You want healing. ...It wasn't easy... I wanted to go around it. ... but what would be most profitable for my soul at the time was to go through it. 

"Thomas Merton a Catholic monk said, 'Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they're worthy. That is not our business. And in fact, it is nobody's business. What we are asked to do is to love and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy."