Preface

After my friend Paula died, I found myself writing essays (some of the favorites are attached). I would send these essays to friends and family and they would respond with “you should write a book.” And so I write.

Hopefully some day this blog/collection of posts and essays will become a book titled All are Welcome in my Father’s House. The title best describes the most important journey of my life – the spiritual journey.  I hope the pages of this site describe that journey in an engaging manner.

First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge my spiritual mentor, Joanne. I would not have my own beliefs if not for her faith and guidance.

I want to thank my husband Clark for his endless support.

I want to thank my family and friends with whom I have enjoyed long discussions about our spiritual journeys. I want to thank Paula’s sister Susan and brother Frank.

I will try to give appropriate references to all the literature that influenced this writing; especially Mere Christianity ¹ by C.S. Lewis. In the introduction, he considered Faith to be like a large building with a large foyer. Each room off this foyer contains the discrete Theologies (Baptist, Catholic, etc…).

I also want to thank the events that made the above picture so meaningful to me.  After my friend Paula died, I decided to google the name of my childhood drug dealer. (I spent my teenage years lost in alcohol and drug abuse). I found out that he had died a few months earlier. I visited his grave site a few times to try to find closure regarding past hurts. On the anniversary of his death, I told myself that I would visit his grave if I could find an uplifting balloon at the grocery store – I found his grave depressing. The store did not have anything to my liking. As I drove home, I said a short prayer that ended with: “…when I die and breathe my last breath, it will be nice to see him again, God willing.” As I finished the prayer, I looked up and God was smiling over our home. I started to cry. If God welcomed him, God welcomes everyone.