March 17, 2023

Our readings today are mostly about repentance and our Father’s forgiveness. Our gospel are the two commandments of Christ which complete us after our repentance.

How loving and forgiving is our Father of all my mistakes. 

I spent so many years depending totally on myself… a perfectionist. I thought I had achieved everything I ever wanted or could have needed. Over the next 18 months, I lost everything… illusions slipping through my fingers. Professional loss, financial losses, my home and even some family.

Only after I registered my losses did I realize I was holding it up as my idols. It was shocking to realize that  all the material possessions were actually idols to me… all my time, my money, all my focus led me completely astray.

My mother used to say when your hands are full, you can’t receive anything. Wise woman.

God has healed my waywardness. There is so much freedom in learning to trust in him.

I will never amass all that I once had but it never brought me happiness or joy that my loving Saviour has.  During those very difficult days of loss, I realized I had to depend on Christ.

The blessing of leaving my last life, it gave me time to experience new volunteer work.

Everything was with people. I always worked with things… I did question why God was leading me this way. After a few different groups helping people, I was led to serving in the chapel of the jail. It was the most joyful five years of my life. Two large needlework pictures I made are still on the walls there. 

Ah yes I was told with a big smile that I needed to get a life if a night in the slammer was the highlight of my week!

Transitions within the prison system made it difficult to maintain our program as it had been working unfortunately. We were just being led in different directions.

With God’s blessings,

- Beth Golia