PARISH VOICES

When you go to bed with a contented mind, recall the blessings and generous providence of God; be filled with holy thoughts and great joy. Then, while your body sleeps, your soul will keep watch; the closing of your eyes will bring you a true vision of God; your silence will be pregnant with sanctity, and in your sleep you will continue to glorify the God of all with the full strength of your soul. —St. Anthony the Great

St. Paul challenges us to practice giving thanks to God, and our beloved St. Anthony's words implore us to have a peaceful and contented mind! We are called to filter the negative thoughts and to resist focusing on what is wrong with the world, what is broken in life, what needs fixing, and make time to cultivate a grateful heart. One way that helps cultivate a grateful heart is to recite the amazing prayers of the Akathist Hymn "Glory to God for All Things."

Sometimes, I forget to appreciate all that God has given to us. It's easy to get caught up in the minutiae of daily living and forget that He is at work all the time. We may not recognize God's visible and invisible work due to the worldly concerns and activities that press in on us. All things, living and inanimate, are here on earth by His design. God's abundant and everlasting love for each one of us on earth encompasses everything.

For many who struggle with fear, anxiety, a deep sense of unworthiness, or addictions of any sort, the voice of shame is certainly part of their narrative. For many, shame becomes an uninvited guest that takes over life! We have seen how shame makes people feel they are wrong, bad, or simply unworthy of love. According to Brené Brown, shame is basically the fear of being unlovable—it's the total opposite of owning our story and feeling worthy of being God's beloved child...

More Than Just a Holiday Like many things in life, holidays often come and go and for some, holidays have lost their meaning and have become just another day. In recent years many have called Thanksgiving, "Turkey Day" or it has become a day to watch football and eat a big feast without a second thought. ​ As we prepare to come together as family and friends, let’s intentionally strive to make Thanksgiving a day to remember our abundant blessings. As Orthodox Christians we a

Growing up in the Midwest, I became quite accustomed to severe weather events. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, blizzards, and ​ice storms were a regular part of life. Yet, in my 40 years, I can't recall ever being without power for more than 24 hours. Now, I am facing up to four days without power. Even during missionary work in a remote village in the Dominican Republic, we had electricity, albeit with occasional short outages. The culture and environment there somehow made it eas