Tag: Hope

Kingdoms and Treasures > Hope
Blog
December 18, 20240

The Wild Love of God

Written by Tracy Busse

In contemplative silence with another, I found my heart beating wildly with love for God. It was as if the Holy Spirit had taken my heart for a raucous dance, leaving me breathless with delight. What a wonder it is to be loved.

The past few months have felt wild in a circumstantial way, with so many changes and movements around me. It has been a season of discernment and sweet gifts from God—a time of transition where I’ve both celebrated and grieved the seasons that have passed. It’s also a time when I long for what’s ahead. I pray for God’s grace to help me be fully present to the in-between, to slow down before rushing to the next thing. And in that slow-down, I find God’s wild love for me—and for you.

As Advent wraps up this week and we prepare for Christmas, I find myself not quite ready to leave the quiet spaces of Advent. Every year, I grow an Amaryllis, hoping it will bloom by Christmas. This year, though, the plant seems to reflect my desire to linger in Advent a little longer. I’m not sure when it will bloom, but I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it does.

My Amaryllis came from a local farmer’s market, and the vendor told me it was a unique species from somewhere in South America. It’s exciting to have something in my life that is both familiar and new. Tending to this little plant has been a sweet gift. I communicate with her every day, reassuring her that there’s no rush to bloom. She is just as wondrous in her growth as she will be when she blooms.

In the in-betweens of life, there is a temptation to rush. But the way of Jesus invites me to slow down and savor where I am. This place of presence and waiting is where I encounter God’s wild love. Jesus keeps reminding me that there is nothing more to do. I am invited to rest as God works within me, cultivating growth. We often miss what God is doing during times of transition—and the truth is, we may not need to know what is happening beneath the surface of our lives.

While the Holy Trinity invites me into a raucous dance followed by moments of sweet embrace, I wonder how the Holy One is inviting you to encounter love. You may be in the middle of a season that feels heavy or light, or perhaps you, too, find yourself in the in-betweens. Wherever you are, I invite you to take small moments to encounter God’s love. How does Love desire you? Can you imagine how God wants to be with you today? And when you notice God’s love with you, can you take a few moments to savor what is being offered?

Blog
December 9, 20230

Hope and Freedom: Initial Thoughts on Luther Smith Jr.’s New Book Hope Is Here

            This month I started reading Hope Is Here by Luther Smith, who is a Howard Thurman scholar and an individual who has played an important role in the justice movement in Atlanta and other places. Sometimes I go into a book thinking I will fly through it because it is so good. This book is not that. This is a book for savoring, the way you let a perfect piece of chocolate melt on your tongue or the way you soak in the sun’s rays on a crisp fall day. Right now, I am savoring the way Smith relates hope to the Great Cloud of witnesses versus the “tyranny of the familiar.”

            Referring to Hebrews 11:39-40, he says, “We look to the (great cloud of) witnesses as icons in our resourceful past, and the witnesses look to us as promise bearers for a fulfilled future.”[1] They are urging us toward greater hope, faith, and love. Hope is not just about something we desire in the future, it is about the way we live right now. It is an act of faith that lets go of predictable outcomes in favor of freedom. 

            To be free is to be unattached to anything but the grace and love of God. It is the freedom to live from your core essence, a mirror image of God only you can bear. This unhindered way of living is wrapped up in hope. Smith states, “… hope inspires us to imagine creatively, perceive reality anew, persevere in despair, risk with opportunities, and trust beyond our control. Hope exists with the purpose of expanding our awareness and hearts to experience God’s abiding love through all creation—including ourselves.”[2] With this type of hope we are invited to live in a way that keeps the saints on the edge of their seats. It is not mundane or predictable, but it is unique to each person’s reality.

            In my work with individuals who have experienced trauma or abuse in Church settings, hope is a loaded word. But it is hope that invites my clients and directees to continue their healing journey. It is hope that washes away expected outcomes, and nurtures curiosity and wonder about themselves and the world around them. The healing journey is not about living life like everyone else, but it is about living in a way only you can. It starts in the core of your being, which holds the purest sense of the Imago Dei woven into your DNA, and it seeps its way through your entire soul. As Howard Thurman once said in a commencement address to Spelman graduates, “You are the only you that has ever lived: your idiom is the only idiom of its kind in all of existence and if you cannot hear the sound of the genuine in you, you will all your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls…” [3] Those strings are what Smith refers to as the “tyranny of the familiar.” 

Smith acknowledges the freedom that accompanies hope can be scary because we lose a sense of control, whereas the “tyranny of the familiar” brings a sense that we have power over the outcomes of our lives. I recall having my whole life planned out in my twenties, and I can also remember God’s invitation to surrender all at that time. My answer to God was no because I was afraid, I would not get to do the things I wanted to in life. In fact, all of my human efforts to get those things failed, and the path of letting go of familiar outcomes was a painful journey. However, hope remained through all the difficult seasons and what I have today is so much better than anything I could have ever predicted. What I have has nothing to do with life circumstances or material possessions, but it is completely rooted in active hope, love, and the amazing humans (both present and past) who anchor me in beloved community. My story is uniquely mine, and my hope is that I am faithful to my chapter in the book of the Great Cloud of Witness. It is a life-long process, and we are invited to join hope every day of our life.  May hope find you today and draw you into the beloved community of saints that surrounds us all. 

Luther Smith talks about the correlation between hope, beloved community, and justice in Hope Is Here. I’ll be relishing each chapter during Advent and you are invited to join me and tell me what you think! Blessings in this Advent Season and Merry Christmas.

[1] Luther E. Smith Jr., Hope Is Here: Spiritual Practices for Pursuing Justice and Beloved Community (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2023), 33.

[2] Ibid., 6.

[3] Howard Thurman, The Sound of The Genuine: Baccalaureate Ceremony (Emory Archives audio/transcription: Spellman College, May 4, 1980), retrieved from https://thurman.pitts.emory.edu/items/show/838.

Blog
March 29, 20230

My Little Gethsemane by Lisa Marie Byrd

Since October 28, 2022, when my flight landed at Washington Reagan National Airport in DC, I have experienced several bizarre firsts. It was the first time I would live without at least one of my children in the house since I started having them. I miss them all terribly and wonder why we ever let them grow up and move away. The first time I rented out a room in a house, which was quite an adjustment because I own a whole house in Georgia. 

It was the first time I had been without a car to get to and from work. I had the bright idea that I would take the bus/train service like so many others in the area.  Experience new things in a new city. And I did. For a month. Then I realized, after witnessing far more “firsts” than I have time to relay here, that public transportation life was not for me. So, I bought a car—not my first. 

There was the first time I heard that there was a shooter outside my job. Someone trying desperately to outrun the shooter had flown around the corner and crashed his vehicle into two of the cars belonging to our employees. As our staff looked out to see what caused the commotion, they saw a man out front shooting toward the out-of-control vehicle. Either the man’s angel was in full effect that day or the offender was using blanks because no one was actually hit by a bullet. Thankfully. I wasn’t there that morning. I was picking up my new car. I felt God had blessed me with favor by sparing me that terrifying experience. 

Nope. 

Less than two weeks later was the first time I heard gunshots outside of my job… well, outside of television actually. Because I had no frame of reference for the sound, I stood up to look out the window, expecting to see items falling from a truck. Maybe. And because I guess I was due for a twofer, it was also the first time I saw people shooting real guns. In broad daylight. Right outside the window of my job. 

I started looking for a new job that very night. The fact that I had been there less than six weeks meant absolutely nothing to me. I was afraid for my life (first time). I became anxious about going to and leaving work (first time). Each time I got to DC from where I lived in Virginia, the fear rose. I was hyper-vigilant and extremely tense. Constantly on guard for the next bad thing to happen. However, I didn’t have any peace about taking a different job. I felt I was supposed to be there on one hand, and like I needed to be Speedy Gonzales out of there on the other. Deep below the surface of my frightening circumstances, there was a gentle, constant reassuring of the Holy Spirit that I was where I should be.  

Then one of our clients died onsite. And it was the first time I touched a dead body outside of a family member at a funeral. I checked for a pulse preparing to do CPR and felt a stiff, hardened dead person instead. Now God and I had to have a talk. 

Of all the things that ran through my head while waiting for the police to arrive, next the detective, finally the coroner, then checking on and processing with my staff to make sure they were ok enough given the situation, my top thought was “I still have a house in Georgia.” And a very close second, “I’m going home.” 

All I wanted to do was dive under the covers for the night. However, a wise friend suggested I workout first to relieve the stress of the day. As I took the first few steps on my walk that evening, the magnitude and pressure of the day lifted, my body relaxed, and I cried for the first time that day. And prayed: What is this nightmare of a place you’ve called me to, Lord? Maybe I heard wrong. I’m hoping I heard wrong. God, I need to know with complete clarity what your will is for me here. 

And with no hesitation, I clearly heard, “You are there to be the light.” 

WHAT?!?! That was definitely not the answer I was looking for. I’m not sure what I expected to hear, if anything, but it was nowhere remotely close to that! I suddenly felt a deeper connection to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. The night before he was crucified, our Lord asked God to deliver him from the horrific beating and suffocating death he was about to face. Jesus basically prayed, “I still have a house in heaven.” And “I want to go home.” 

Then in the ultimate display of unfathomable love for us, he said, “Nevertheless, I will do your will, not my own.” (Luke 22:42)

While I am as far from that level of sacrifice as the ocean floor is from the moon, farther actually, I accepted my assignment and from that walk to this day have felt an indescribable peace about staying at this job for however long God determines. The constant anxiety around the windows at work is gone. The stress related to walking to and from my car has dissipated. I have relaxed and started focusing on the mission. I pray more. Listen more. And look for opportunities to glow. 

Obedience to God can be very hard. It can be scary, the opposite of logical, exhausting, taxing, lonely, and nerve-wracking. And I am learning, amid all, to trust His plan. I have lived through enough challenges to know that as I remain faithful the Lord provides, does the impossible, brings glory to himself, and actualizes His purpose in my life and those I’m supposed to impact in the world. 

Still, in all honesty, I am hoping to get this season completed as soon as possible. Until then, I am humbled and honored to be called light by THE light of the world. 

Blog
February 11, 20232

Thick Places: A Place of Encounter and Love

“Thin places” are thick places. Celtic tradition regards sacred spaces as “thin” because they are in essence the place where heaven and earth kiss one another. But if you have ever been to a place that has the feel of a thin place, you also know the weight spaces like these carry. The atmosphere of a thin place is thick with the presence of God. 

As I write this, the college I graduated from, Asbury University, is experiencing a revival. This was not a planned conference or a manufactured experience, but an ordinary chapel that has become something extraordinary for the students and the community involved. Witnesses are describing the atmosphere in Hughes Chapel as thick. When I heard that word I was transported back to my twenties, during an all-night prayer vigil I joined in the same chapel.

 It was late and as I prayed the air became swimmingly thick. As if molasses had joined forces with the oxygen we breathe, each inhalation became rich and sweet. A weight pressed around my body as if I was held by the Divine. I recall having an internal vision of all the saints that preceded me in that place and the many saints that would come to that place in the future. What I saw in their posture and presence was love. Not dogma or right ways of being, but authentic expressions of connection to self, God, and others. 

This vision continues to be a memory of consolation, and a reminder of God’s goodness across generations. We do our best spiritual work when we are actively falling in love with the creator, who is always falling in love with us. A love like this spills into the universe, touching individuals near and far. The reach of this embrace cannot be measured, it is a thin place unleashing the weight of glory into the air we breathe. It is holy just as you are holy. 

Blog
December 19, 20200

Do You Hear What I Hear? An Advent Letter to My Family of Faith

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

I see you. I want to hear you and I want to know your heart. Not just hear, but listen. We are a church divided. We are a Nation at odds and we are a world fighting for life. We are the Church. We belong to one another. We were created by love and for love. The darkness can cause our vision to falter, but it will never prevent the light from coming. 

Do You See What I See?

I see pastors wondering how to lead a scattered flock. I see an angry flock wondering where their shepherd has gone. I see people trying to glue together shattered glass, to recoup a past that is gone. I see angry people trying to be heard.

I see “a star dancing in the night.” I see hope when I look for the light. I see God’s beloved remembering who they are. I see joy in the smallest things. I see a world that is learning how to wait. I see a multitude of gifts in the myriad of faces around me. 

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I hear weary parents doing their best. I hear the cries of lonely hearts. I hear predictions of the future riddled with fear. I hear hopelessness from the ones that fought the good fight and believe they lost. I hear the sobs of grieving souls.

I hear “a song with a voice as big as the sea.” I hear parent’s adoration of their children. I hear laughter in the company of friends. I hear the voices of the abused and broken standing tall. I hear an invitation to dance with the Divine. 

Do You Know What I Know?

I know that I do not know a lot. I do not know how the pandemic will end. I do not know how to stir up hope in the hopeless, and I do not know how to give peace to the anxious. I know we are tired. I know we engage the Advent season longing for a weary world to rejoice.

I know this Advent we wait for Christ to come in a big way. I know that God comes in ways we cannot predict. I know his life is teeming within all of us, waiting to be revealed. I know he came to give us life and to invite us into life in his Kingdom.

Listen To What I Say…

I listen because I want to know you. I listen because I want to hear your story. I listen because I want to see your heart. 

I listen because Abba knows me and calls me daughter. I listen because the Holy Spirit always listens to me. I listen because Jesus has captured my heart.

Dear brothers and sisters,

 Will you join me in listening to one another? What do you hear, see, or know that brings you hope as you wait? We are a family united by Christ and in Him we are one.  

With all my love and grace,

 Your sister

Stories
November 28, 20200

Awakening from the Shadows: A Fable from the Forest of Eirian

There once was a wise woman that wandered the dense Forest of Eirian. It was named after the silver trees that were rumored to be filled with magic, harboring the essence of the Divine. Gilda was a tall woman, broad in stature, with brunette hair that curled down to her waist. Despite her remarkable size, most would say she glided through the forest like a light feather, moving wherever the wind beckoned. When people encountered her, they were greeted with a gentle kindness that made you feel like you were floating in a dream. 

There are many fables I could tell you about Gilda. Some are just that, while others speak of deep truths that weigh into the depths of our core. This is a story of how Gilda delivered three souls from a dark magic that had invaded the Eirian Forest. This dark force is known in other parts of the world, and very few escape its seductive powers.

Gilda was lounging by a sacred pool when she heard the screech of a dragon. She looked into the pond and entreated the creator of the Holy Waters to assist her.  As she stared deep into the pool a tear rolled from her right eye. She was disturbed by what she saw. A serpent with the scales and wings of a dragon and the talons of an eagle was shooting flames at another tiny beast. It was the size of a dwarf, but its skin was completely charred from the dragon and its eyes bled red. It curled up in front of the dragon while being engulfed by its flames. She could see that this was the way of things between these two creatures. The flames never consumed the little one, but made the creature’s skin set to flame while blood oozed out of the cracks. The serpent squealed in delight. 

Meanwhile, a small woman dressed from head to toe in white was kneeling behind the ruins of an old fortress. Her head was bowed, and it seemed she was praying. 

“I must help them,” Gilda stated out loud. She looked around as if to ask the trees’ opinion, but they remained silent. Gilda smiled and stroked the silver bark of a nearby tree. Each one possessed a soul, and the silver bark reminded anyone that saw the tree of the treasures it held. Many had tried to harvest the tree’s bark, but as soon as one takes the bark from the source it will turn to ash. Most treasures are meant to be enjoyed, not possessed, she mused. 

Gilda began weaving her way through the forest. The path to the three souls was lit by golden dust. While most are familiar with Gilda, you may not know that she is an Ancient One. The Ancient Ones are people that are chosen by the creator to serve the inhabitants of the nine realms. Each one speaks with a unique voice, but all see with an enhanced vision of what the world is meant to be. The golden path was a gift from the Creator, leading her towards the tortured souls.

She moved effortlessly and silently towards the woman dressed in white. She was so intent on her prayers she did not hear or see Gilda when she approached. 

Gilda placed her large hand on the shoulder of the woman, “Excuse me, Madame, but what are you doing?” 

The woman opened one eye suspiciously and replied, “praying, I mustn’t stop. I cannot stop until the child is free. She won’t be free until I find the right things to pray.”
“What are the right things?”

“Mustn’t stop if I do it wrong, nothing will ever change.”

“How long have you been this way?”

“Twenty-five years. I am certain the Creator will answer me soon, he must!”

“So, for twenty-five years you have kneeled behind this wall while the serpent continually scorches what you say is a child?”

“What else could I do? Look at how small I am!”

“You are pretty small.” Gilda smelled the burning flesh that was torturing the tiny creature. “Madam, I am Gilda of the Forest of Eirian, what is your name?”

“I have no name worth speaking of. I must continue praying. Please leave me to my work, Gilda of the Forest. I have no need of you. God will answer my prayers someday. Surely, he will see how hard I have worked.”

She sighed, “very well, I will go talk to the serpent.”

The woman’s eyes widened in fear and she put down her praying hands for the first time. “You mustn’t disturb the serpent, he could kill you! He could kill me! What evil could make you do such a thing? Don’t you dare reveal my hiding place!” the woman grumbled, “All this time talking to you I should be praying.”

Gilda smiled gently at the woman and said, “No harm will come to you except the harm you inflict on yourself. The serpent will not destroy you. To find freedom from your wall and your fears, you will need to allow yourself to be seen and heard.”

Confused, the woman stared back at her, “What difference could that make?”

“Madame, your voice could make all the difference, but first you must find strength and power. Ask God for power. Ask God for love. As the fear fades, you will find your words.”

The woman glanced at her suspiciously and quickly bowed her head. “You must go. So much praying to do. Who am I? God must save the child.”

Gilda’s eyes sparkled with delight, “I am sure He will!” She turned and meandered away but glanced back to see the kneeling woman praying with one eye closed and one eye fixed on her. Joyous laughter flowed out of her as she found a circuitous route towards the serpent’s tail. Gilda had every intention of interacting with the serpent before talking with the small black creature. She became curious about the serpent. Never had she seen such a creature.

The shriek of an eagle mixed with the roar of a lion reverberated from the beast as it rained fire and ash onto the child. Gilda cocked her head in wonder. “Serpent, what is your name?”

The thing ignored her question and continued his torturous task. 

Gilda placed her hand on her chest and asked the creator of all for the power to reach the serpent’s invisible ears. Golden rings of light encircled her body and stretched her to the height of the serpent’s head. In a thunderous voice she echoed, “Serpent, what is your name!”

The serpent looked to her and reared back, “I am Camara. Why do you bother me in such a manner?”

“Why are you scorching that child?”

He turned his head back to the weary creature. Smoke rose all around the little one, due to the reprieve of blistering fire. “I am merely protecting her.”

“I am curious. What are you protecting her from?”

“From all manner of evil. If I do not hurt her in this minimal way, the shadow creatures will consume her.”

Everyone in the nine realms knows the evil one uses shadow creatures to turn people into the worst versions of themselves. Most people were destroyed by these creatures, and many destroyed others when the shadows took control. 

“I see you have a desire to protect this little one. You must really love her.”

“More than anyone. She is my betrothed.”
“Your betrothed?”

The serpent looked back to the child, squinted his scaly eyes, shook his smoking nostrils, and shot another round of fire at the child. 

Again, Gilda raised her voice, “Are you quite finished?”

“I cannot stop for too long or it will hurt her.”
Gilda walked past the serpent and stooped low to put her giantess hand on the flaming child. A bubble reflecting all the colors of the rainbow surrounded the child. “There, now she will be protected.”

The serpent looked over Gilda’s shoulder and slithered his snake-like body around her to inspect. He pecked at the bubble with his forklike tongue and pulled back to face her. “I guess it will be ok for a little while.”

“Wonderful! Now tell me how you got to be this way?”

“Oh, well, we were walking through the forest looking for treasure when the shadow creatures attacked my beloved. Her name is Elianna. As soon as the darkness surrounded her, I did all I could to protect her from harm.”

“How old are you?”

The creature had shrunk a little as he told Gilda the story. Her height matched his as he replied. “I am twelve.”
“That is interesting. You must be a very brave twelve-year-old. The lady in white tells me you have been protecting the child for twenty-five years.”

“Truly? I do feel exhausted from all this work.” He peered past Gilda to make sure the child was still encased in the bubble. 

“I bet you are so tired! I wonder what it would be like to let the creator help you today.”

“Do you think he would?” The wings of the creature disappeared as he grew a little smaller.
“It would be his delight to see you as he created you to be.”

“I can’t imagine, but what can a mere child do against such evil?” 

“When we turn our hearts toward love and trust in the power of the Creator, there is much we can do.”

“But the woman in white has been praying for years, with no success. Does God even hear his creatures?”

“I can see how you would wonder that. Yet her prayers are steeped in fear and only have one outcome in mind. The God of the Universe responds to our needs in ways that are beyond our imagination. Repetitive prayers motivated by fear alone forget how powerful and loving he is. Despite that, I believe the creator has sent me here today.”

“My lady, your words have brought warmth to my blood and hope to my soul.”
She beamed at the serpent, “May I place my hand on your head?”

“Certainly.”

Gilda’s eyes lit up like a kaleidoscope and she spoke boldly over the boy’s head in an ancient tongue. To this day no one knows exactly what she prayed, but the one who lived as a serpent for twenty-five years would tell you it transformed his life. 

When Gilda finished, she looked at the man in front of her. He was built like a warrior. Both had shrunk to their God given height. His amber eyes sparkled as he regarded the Ancient lady in front of him. He looked down at his dark brown legs and powerful hands. He looked at her in disbelief. “I am a man!”

“Yes. I am afraid your childhood is over.”
His eyes widened, “The Princess!”

They both turned to the creature in the bubble, although they did not see her. Multi-faceted lights had filled the surrounding space. Gilda laughed with glee as she saw the light working its way with the child. “Darkness can never overcome the light, Camara.”

He stared in disbelief as the bubble burst and glittering dust filled the surrounding air. He threw his hands up in the air to catch the sparkling particles. For a moment he looked like a child trying to catch fireflies. 

Gilda glanced sideways at Camara in amusement and slowly returned her gaze to the spot the child had been. The light illuminated a full-grown woman. Her black hair fell in tight curls to her shoulder and her high cheek bones gave her a regal air. 

Camara ran to the woman and fell to his knees, “My dear lady, I hardly recognize you! We are free! This Ancient One has freed us!”

Eliana looked at him, “We are free?”

“Yes, my beloved. Will you forgive me for torturing you all these years? It seems we have both been under the spell of the shadow creatures.”
“If we were under a spell, there is nothing to forgive. Truth be told, I remember little. I know we were walking through the forest looking for treasure when I was struck down. Something took hold of me and would not let me go, I could barely breathe. I remember you running towards me, but then a giant serpent came and consumed you! Oh, what a nightmare. But strange to see you as a man. You look much like your father.” She brushed her hand along the side of his face.

“Yes, and you look like your mother.”

She looked down at her body to see she was a grown woman. “It cannot be, I was merely a child of ten!” She stared at Gilda bewildered.

Gilda looked at her with compassion, “I am sorry that I cannot turn back time. That is not a power the Creator has endowed me with.” She shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheek, “I am grieved to say much of your childhood is lost.”

“Camara, what should we do?”

He glanced at Gilda, “You say it has been twenty-five years?”
“That is what the woman dressed in white said.

“Mya? My dear maid! Where is she?”

“She was hiding behind that wall.”

Eliana ran to the other side of the wall and screamed. Camara ran to catch up as Gilda followed gracefully behind. As she turned the corner of the wall, she saw the shriveled corpse of an elderly woman. “How old was she when she accompanied you here?”

The couple looked at each other and Eliana replied, “She was in her final season of life, my lady. She was my nurse and my guide.” Her eyes brimmed with tears.
A tear rolled down Gilda’s cheek, “I am sad to see a shadow creature consumed her last days. It is not how the world was created to be. But it appears the shadow creature has fled and your maid is free.”

“It is a tragedy lady Gilda. Twenty-five years,” he shook his head in disbelief. “What has become of our Kingdoms? Our marriage was meant to unite them. Two realms under one Kingdom.”

“You must be the lost prince of Ignacia?”

“I did not know I was lost until now, but yes.”

“Then you are the princess of Masato.”

“That is right, but what of our parents? What is happening in our realms?”

“The evil one has waged war on the all the realms. There is a thin hope that the realms will stay united, but unless they turn to the creator for help, their resolve will fail. They never united your Kingdoms. In fact, they war against each other. Both sides were accused of your abduction and murder. It has been some time since I have been to your realms, but the trees tell me that the shadows have invaded your lands.”

“What must we do?” Elliana asked.

Gilda held out both of her hands and encouraged them to place their hand in hers. She took Camara’s right hand and placed it on top of Eliana’s left. As she cupped her sizeable hands around theirs, a golden light circled around their arms and hands. “You are free from the darkness and anointed with light. The ring of gold that circles your hands is an eternal symbol of your union and love. Do you wish to be joined to one another for all time?”

They looked at one another with love and devotion, “With all my heart, Eliana, I am yours.”

“And with all my heart, Camara, I am yours.”

“Your union represents a future Kingdom filled with peace and with hope. Tonight, you will bless your marriage and tomorrow you will travel to Zalmania, to seek the wisdom of the great council. There you will find a young woman named Alia, she will lead you on a quest that will bring unity to all the realms.” She released her hand from theirs to reveal intricate bracelets made of silver wrapped around each of their wrists. “The silver of the trees of Eirian formed these bands. It is a rare gift and a symbol of the Creator’s blessing. It seems he desires good things for both of you. Riches will flow out of your union and the Kingdom that is yet to come.”

Camara spoke quietly, “I do not know how to thank you.”

Her eyes twinkled with delight and she beamed at both of them with love. “Your freedom and your love are all the gratitude I need. Much has been lost and we will mourn those losses in due time. In times of upheaval, it is hard to grieve when the losses mount up. Follow the path laid before you and ask the creator for guidance. Some days will be filled with mourning and sadness, only to be followed with the rising sun of joy and freedom. Today, you have experienced both.”

“It is bit disorienting.” Eliana commented.

She looked at her knowingly, “Sometimes when we get disoriented, we will slow down enough to find our way. Most mistakes happen when we think we know where we are going, but have not taken the time to consult with wisdom. Life has many twists and turns. You are in the middle of your journey and there is much that is still to come.”

They bowed to Gilda in reverence, and she bowed in return. They would cross paths again, but that is a part of this tale not yet told. The Ancient Ones have crossed the paths of many souls and continue to guide them towards the light, when darkness obscures the way. Gilda’s light is ignited by the one true light, the one who will illuminate and restore all nine realms to the hidden kingdom.