“…if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is protected in us.” – 1 John 4:12

Dear Friends,

“God loves you, no exceptions.”

I caught sight of our Epiphany Episcopal bumper sticker the other day, as I walked out of my house to take a deep breath of fresh air, after another day of back-to-back conference calls with difficult clients, teacher emails about my unresponsive students and their unfinished work, and my guilt for the uncooked dinner, the decidedly untidy state of our home, and lack of energy to do anything about it. It was just another day of pandemic life. But, as my eye took in the words, “God loves you. No exceptions.” I felt my spirits lift a fraction, and a smile spread across my face, as it occurred to me… God loves ME. 

It was a very comforting thought that it doesn’t matter if your sink is full of dirty dishes, or your lawn is overgrown with weeds. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t showered, if you can’t see the floor of your kids’ rooms, if your couch is buried in laundry, if your child’s math homework is late, or if you skipped your daily workout. He loves you, even if you feel you are failing.

Taking comfort from these thoughts, I also realized, after a few deep breaths, that my troubles are fairly superficial, in the grand scheme of things. After all, I have a roof over my head, I’m gainfully employed from home, and my kids are healthy and (mostly) happy. My husband and I have a similar tolerance for mess and we work well together. Many are not so fortunate. 

So many of our friends and neighbors in the world are struggling, with loneliness, hunger, depression, fear, sickness, and many other challenges, above and beyond the daily grind. I wonder if others are comforted when they see my bumper sticker around town. Do they smile as they think about how He doesn’t judge who you love, or where you live, or the color of your skin, or how successful you are, or how often you fold your laundry? It doesn’t matter where you come from or how you got there. He loves you, just the way you are. 

I love the idea that our church stands for acceptance, hope, and unconditional love. I hope that all those that see our slogan – on a bumper sticker, online, or on our sign on the corner, like me, find themselves smiling and feeling a little bit better about their day, in spite of the challenges ahead and behind them. And, maybe they share that smile and His love with the next person they meet, and it will spread hope and love throughout our community and beyond, to help bolster all our spirits during these challenging times. 

Peace to all, 

Heather Modzelewski
Vestry Liaison
Outreach Ministry