Book Excerpt

Monarch Butterfly 2
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I Believe
Karen Thomas Smith

I believe that we are signs of gospel hope
when we can let the old pass away and live the new creation now,
when we can decide to live differently and hopefully,
not in the old paradigms but in the new –

where church doesn’t have to mean big buildings
and marketing
and fundraising campaigns to pay for the big buildings
but can be lived on the streets,

where Christian mission can be lived
hand in hand with Muslim neighbors,

where families don’t have to swirl around
pursuing affluence and success
and making sure their kids don’t miss out on
any enriching opportunity in a frenzy that sucks our life out
but can gently enjoy the gift of life
and live it gently and generously as a gift to others.

By the grace of God, we can live the new.
We can be the sign.

We can be the revolution.

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From the Preface of Bread for the Journey: Stories and Whatnot from Jeff Street