Accepting and embracing our most challenging and painful experiences can crack our hearts open in ways that can be of help to both us and others. As we look back at things we’ve come through, we can spot lessons that we’ve learned, inner strength and perseverance that’s developed, and empathy that we’ve gained as we walk alongside others in their struggles.

You are beloved and perfect just the way you are! Both our perfections and imperfections are all meant to bless us, to provide us with greater wisdom and opportunities for inner healing, and to enable us to help someone else because of the lessons and strength that we’ve gained.

Each Friday’s bonus episode will include a Lovingkindness meditation. The meditation begins with words of self-love and self-compassion, spreading from there to express love for all others and creation. As the beloved of God, we can vulnerably name our areas of inner suffering and brokenness, and share compassion and lovingkindness with all of Humanity and creation.

Our struggles and brokenness carry clues for our healing. As we give these parts of our life to God -- letting them go -- we can break negative patterns and emotions, and find the peace of releasing something that is keeping, or has kept, a tight and life-draining hold on us.

I’ve heard it said that our struggles don’t define us, they refine us. Like the refining of gold, the fires of suffering and brokenness can make us stronger, more beautiful, more unique, and more priceless.

Each Friday’s bonus episode will include a Lovingkindness meditation. The meditation begins with words of self-love and self-compassion, spreading from there to express love for all others and creation. Our awareness and affirmations of being God’s beloved creates the starting point that propels us to share loving kindness with others, and with all of creation.

A beloved child of God, as we all are, is not immune to the challenges and uncertainties of life. And yet, knowing that we’re blessed and affirmed by God as a much loved son or daughter, we can feel certain that God “takes us by the hand and holds us fast.

Despite outward appearances that may lead you to feel somewhat more cursed, alone, and out of control than blessed, may you remember and hear God’s voice saying to you: “I am there”.

Each Friday’s bonus episode will include a Lovingkindness meditation. The meditation begins with words of self-love and self-compassion, spreading from there to express love for all others and creation. As we take in words and signs of blessing and affirmation of our true identity as God’s beloved, our sense of being blessed leads us to share loving kindness with others, and with all of creation.

Our Wednesday bonus episodes bring our topic for the week a little closer to home as I Invite you to examine something about your own life and journey a little more closely. This week, we reflect on what it means to be “blessed”.