Joyce Meyer has always been my go to refresher for all things religious.
I've never read one of her books that I've not truly enjoyed and this newest piece, In Search of Wisdom was no different.
Joyce has a way of bringing that reality check, to treat your brothers and sisters as your own, to live in faith, to love oneself as you are to love another.
What I found here was the biblical proverbs that were broken down into simpler lingo and how each of us must not just act as if we care about the impoverished but do our part to offer a hand up.
I've seen so much during my 20 years volunteering on the front line at food banks, soup kitchens, shelters, and more.
We cannot be Christians if we simply ignore the plight of the common man/woman/child.
We cannot judge and become jury as we've all sinned and non of us are without sin so how can we cast judgement upon others?
How do we begin to heal past traumas and move forward in a world full of hatred, anger, and mental illness? How do we as women assure our daughters that their lives hold value, that they're not body parts, that they're to be placed on high like our Virgin Mother Mary?
How do we rectify the sexual abuse in our churches and the hidden don't see don't tell motto that's so prevalent today?
This is not discussed but I'm hoping in the future it might be addressed because as a minister of hospitality I can only base my life upon my own personal experiences that have been lived, endured, and survived.
My life became one of daily survival and I must note while I was homeless, bankrupt, extreme poverty stricken I sent my kids to a private school thankfully based on tuition assistance. However, it's sad when they'd request canned goods, monetary donations, and major purchases knowing that not everyone comes from such wealth. While my kids attended these private schools we were and still are extremely poor and that shouldn't be lost here in discussion.
In addition, Wisdom for me was knowing during Sunday Morning Mass as a registered minister of hospitality that my services ended upon older white male ushers literally removing the collection basket out of my hands during the mass simply because they wanted all MALE ushers.
Upon opening up the dialogue with the vicar/Bishop of the Diocese of Scranton I was informed that these men, "need time to come around to this new line of thinking."
I was then sent a letter not long after saying, "It's been brought to my attention you're no longer a member of St. Ignatius of Loyola in Kingston, Pennsylvania."
We are still being ruled by old philosophies, teachings, and proverbs and I can only pray that women and children are protected because we are in a losing battle.
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