{"id":8822,"date":"2025-07-20T22:06:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T20:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/?page_id=8822"},"modified":"2025-11-18T13:50:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T12:50:36","slug":"licht-gottes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/licht-gottes\/","title":{"rendered":"God's Light"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='full_slider_1'  class='avia-fullwidth-slider main_color avia-shadow   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_section  avia-builder-el-first   container_wrap fullsize'  ><div  class='avia-slideshow av-mdc4ox26-b8b1bd3ff495d90d65d57a7ec08bc157 avia-slideshow-featured av_slideshow_full avia-slide-slider av-slideshow-ui av-control-minimal av-slideshow-manual av-loop-once av-loop-manual-endless av-default-height-applied   avia-slideshow-1' data-slideshow-options=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:false,&quot;loop_autoplay&quot;:&quot;once&quot;,&quot;interval&quot;:6,&quot;loop_manual&quot;:&quot;manual-endless&quot;,&quot;autoplay_stopper&quot;:false,&quot;noNavigation&quot;:false,&quot;bg_slider&quot;:false,&quot;keep_padding&quot;:false,&quot;hoverpause&quot;:false,&quot;show_slide_delay&quot;:0}\"  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><ul class='avia-slideshow-inner' style='padding-bottom: 28.666666666667%;'><li  class='avia-slideshow-slide av-mdc4ox26-b8b1bd3ff495d90d65d57a7ec08bc157__0  av-single-slide slide-1 slide-odd'><div data-rel='slideshow-1' class='avia-slide-wrap'   ><div class='av-slideshow-caption av-mdc4ox26-b8b1bd3ff495d90d65d57a7ec08bc157__0 caption_fullwidth caption_left'><div class=\"container caption_container\"><div class=\"slideshow_caption\"><div class=\"slideshow_inner_caption\"><div class=\"slideshow_align_caption\"><h2 class='avia-caption-title'  itemprop=\"name\" >God's Light<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-8955 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-8955\"  src=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/552696_original_R_K_B_by_Rainer-Sturm_pixelio.de_-1500x430.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"430\" title='552696_original_R_K_B_by_Rainer Sturm_pixelio.de' alt='Licht durch B\u00e4ume auf Weg'  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  style='min-height:300px; min-width:1047px; ' \/><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-ss0cue-80cc35a3c4e408445634669d7e798005\">\n.avia-section.av-ss0cue-80cc35a3c4e408445634669d7e798005{\nbackground-color:#ffc300;\nbackground-image:unset;\nmargin-top:0px;\nmargin-bottom:0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section av-ss0cue-80cc35a3c4e408445634669d7e798005 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_slideshow_full  el_before_av_section  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-8822'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class='flex_column_table av-p11tfq-23d270e564c76f880941bec97ae80580 sc-av_one_fifth av-equal-height-column-flextable'>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-p11tfq-23d270e564c76f880941bec97ae80580\">\n.flex_column.av-p11tfq-23d270e564c76f880941bec97ae80580{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-p11tfq-23d270e564c76f880941bec97ae80580 av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-2  el_before_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top av-zero-column-padding'     ><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-2cblhy-35eb779eda9450269dc0e66336ea139d\">\n.flex_column.av-2cblhy-35eb779eda9450269dc0e66336ea139d{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-2cblhy-35eb779eda9450269dc0e66336ea139d av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_one_fifth  el_before_av_one_fifth  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top av-zero-column-padding'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mdc5g0yp-da73241283f2a4c3150e5e92ab6800ea\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mdc5g0yp-da73241283f2a4c3150e5e92ab6800ea .avia_textblock{\ncolor:#000000;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mdc5g0yp-da73241283f2a4c3150e5e92ab6800ea'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock av_inherit_color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h1 id=\"LichtGottes\" style=\"text-align: center;\">God's Light<\/h1>\n<p><strong>Shining and radiating \u2013 light and shadow \u2013 touch and growth\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!--StartFragment --><\/p>\n<p>On this page I approach the divine mystery through the image of light.<br \/>\nTo me, this mystery is not distant, but tangibly close \u2013 woven into my daily life..<\/p>\n<p>I would like to connect four themes like rays of light:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#Licht\"><strong>The divine light within me<\/strong> \u2013 an invitation not only to seek God's light in the heavens, but to recognise it shining within ourselves.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Schatten\"><strong>Light and shadow<\/strong> \u2013we need both for life to emerge and grow; after all, light reveals its beauty most fully when surrounded by darkness<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Verantwortung\"><strong>Growing beyond childhood<\/strong> \u2013 spiritual growth and maturing as friends and housemates<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#peak\"><strong>Divine Touches<\/strong> \u2013 those precious moments in which life shines and the divine presence becomes tangible \u2013 and that this may influence our lives.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"#Rassismus\">Further on, I explore how the language and imagery we use \u2014 particularly in relation to light and shadow \u2014 may unintentionally exclude or marginalise.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>As a gentle addition, <a href=\"#Charlie\">part of Charlie Chaplin\u2019s speech on his 70th birthday is quoted<\/a> \u2013  a beautiful example of how light may shine forth in a face, in a human being.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I invite you to discover how your own light can shine.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-m60r7a-a0a44c68da856da25188d8221c36128d\">\n.flex_column.av-m60r7a-a0a44c68da856da25188d8221c36128d{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-m60r7a-a0a44c68da856da25188d8221c36128d av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top av-zero-column-padding'     ><\/div><\/div><!--close column table wrapper. Autoclose: 1 -->\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-j8y6d2-444450ce0171a2acb901c7724d517aea\">\n.avia-section.av-j8y6d2-444450ce0171a2acb901c7724d517aea{\nbackground-color:#fff8dc;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_2'  class='avia-section av-j8y6d2-444450ce0171a2acb901c7724d517aea main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_section  el_before_av_section  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-8822'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class='flex_column_table av-fw3tpi-c73c900337a2308800e534afa318ebdb sc-av_one_half av-equal-height-column-flextable'>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-fw3tpi-c73c900337a2308800e534afa318ebdb\">\n.flex_column.av-fw3tpi-c73c900337a2308800e534afa318ebdb{\nborder-width:2px;\nborder-color:#ffc300;\nborder-style:solid;\nborder-radius:10px 10px 10px 10px;\npadding:40px 40px 40px 40px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-fw3tpi-c73c900337a2308800e534afa318ebdb av_one_half  avia-builder-el-7  el_before_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mdc60y6r-411cdda011ec809d0cc4fdf83cdbb1c6\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mdc60y6r-411cdda011ec809d0cc4fdf83cdbb1c6 .avia_textblock{\ncolor:#333333;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mdc60y6r-411cdda011ec809d0cc4fdf83cdbb1c6'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock av_inherit_color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2 id=\"Licht\">The divine light within me<\/h2>\n<p><strong>You within me and I within you<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is how people experience the divine mystery \u2013 it is within me, it can shine within me, God is within me, and I am part of God. God is not distant, but near, within me, within every person. And one of my tasks in this life is to continually strengthen this divine light, to make it shine.<\/p>\n<p>On the one hand, the New Testament says:<br \/>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-69e9def91ccc1\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-69e9def91ccc1\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-69e9def91ccc1\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-69e9def91ccc1\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <br \/>\nJesus says: <strong>I am the light of the world.<br \/>\n<\/strong>Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)<\/p>\n<p>Jesus also says: <strong>You are the light of the world<\/strong>.<br \/>\nA town built on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (Matthew 5:14-15)<\/p>\n<p>This may seem like a contradiction at first. Is Jesus the light of the world, or are we the light? It's not a contradiction, but it rather shows that the divine is within me, within each of us. And in Jesus, this divine light shines so brightly that it draws me to follow him.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that the divine light shines within me gives me hope. It allows me to grow, and therefore I am not small and insignificant. No one is. And I feel partly responsible for spreading the light, because my actions make a difference.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><em>O my God<br \/>\n<\/em><\/strong>give me light<br \/>\nstrengthen my light<br \/>\nlet me be light<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>is a Sufi text, set to music by <em><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Qq6v4iXq7KE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Helge Burggrabe , known as: Light Prayer<\/a><\/u><\/em>\u00a0.<br \/>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/p>\n<p><strong>Meditation:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you would wish to meditate on this, light a candle and settle into your meditation posture.<br \/>\nImagine divine light flowing around you and through you.<br \/>\nHow this divine light within you becomes ever stronger.<br \/>\nYou are part of the divine light and this light shines in you and through you.<\/p>\n<p>As you visualise this, follow your breath. If your mind wanders, return to your breath. Return to the image of the light within you.<\/p>\n<p>End the meditation after about 10 minutes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-etykza-c8bd853ef7657f6c73198296bc95fbb9\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-etykza-c8bd853ef7657f6c73198296bc95fbb9{\nheight:8px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-etykza-c8bd853ef7657f6c73198296bc95fbb9 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-last'><span class='hr-inner'><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-csuzbq-fabff4b8d8c7999dc0393114511bd16d\">\n.flex_column.av-csuzbq-fabff4b8d8c7999dc0393114511bd16d{\nborder-width:2px;\nborder-color:#ffc300;\nborder-style:solid;\nborder-radius:10px 10px 10px 10px;\npadding:40px 40px 40px 40px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-csuzbq-fabff4b8d8c7999dc0393114511bd16d av_one_half  avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mdc5yiin-bec26a94ff13322a85e31187dc70f725\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mdc5yiin-bec26a94ff13322a85e31187dc70f725 .avia_textblock{\ncolor:#333333;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mdc5yiin-bec26a94ff13322a85e31187dc70f725'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock av_inherit_color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2 id=\"Schatten\">LIGHT and SHADOW<\/h2>\n<p>Each human being is born with light within. I see it in children who shine, as if they are aware of the treasure they carry within them.<br \/>\nThen children encounter the world: for some, it feels mostly safe and sheltering; for others, it is changeable, at times even violent. And some find it so unrelenting that they cannot stay in life. All are shaped by the outside world, by experiences, by life; they grow, thrive, learn to lie, struggle, are disappointed, their hearts bleed, they adapt or rebel, as small people or as grown-ups. All pass on their experiences in some way, whether healing or destructive. All bear wounds, some become bitter, some know that through this crack in their hearts, light shines (Rumi).<br \/>\nEvery person has LIGHT and shadow.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-69e9def91d576\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-69e9def91d576\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-69e9def91d576\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-69e9def91d576\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<p>Being just light\u2014that&#039;s not possible; we can&#039;t live solely in the sun. Life consists of contours and forms.<\/p>\n<p>For everyone, it seems as if the shadow shapes the light, and the light shapes the shadow. Everyone seems to have a mission to develop their light. And that includes the experience of shadows. We can&#039;t run away from suffering or ignore it with positive thinking. Shadows and suffering are also there. Just like the light. <a href=\"https:\/\/plumvillage.org\/de\/books\/ohne-schlamm-kein-lotus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">(No mud, no lotus \u2013 How we transform suffering \u2013 Thich Nhat Hanh)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>People develop, grow older, and hopefully wiser. No one can go back to being an &quot;innocent&quot; child.<br \/>\nTo develop, we must integrate our shadows; only then can we become whole. Knowing this has made me gentler\u2014to myself and to others.<\/p>\n<p>Some forget their light or do not believe in their light. We are all children of God on this earth, in whom the divine light shines and who <a href=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/glaubens-gedanken\/was-will-gott\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">carry their own light.<\/a>And that is what we are called to nurture.<\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<hr \/>\n<p>One way I let my light shine is by helping others discover theirs \u2026 through<a href=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/veranstaltungenii\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Gatherings<\/a>we host and through the way we shape this website<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where is your light shining (again)? How can you nuture your own light?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div><!--close column table wrapper. Autoclose: 1 --><\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-bkmwie-6ef02a53763ee0b551a4672c9fd8fc29\">\n.avia-section.av-bkmwie-6ef02a53763ee0b551a4672c9fd8fc29{\nbackground-color:#ffc300;\nbackground-image:unset;\nmargin-top:0px;\nmargin-bottom:0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_3'  class='avia-section av-bkmwie-6ef02a53763ee0b551a4672c9fd8fc29 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-12  el_after_av_section  el_before_av_slideshow_full  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-8822'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-99qi8m-94334bc6f958531c5442b90efe69a2fb\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-99qi8m-94334bc6f958531c5442b90efe69a2fb{\nheight:20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-99qi8m-94334bc6f958531c5442b90efe69a2fb hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-13  el_before_av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-first'><span class='hr-inner'><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-82wkza-465e254fdc657d289e238dae10acbaba\">\n.flex_column.av-82wkza-465e254fdc657d289e238dae10acbaba{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-82wkza-465e254fdc657d289e238dae10acbaba av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-14  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_three_fifth  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-5ioyt2-e989024a1fafd3d0ac61ba760551d800\">\n.flex_column.av-5ioyt2-e989024a1fafd3d0ac61ba760551d800{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-5ioyt2-e989024a1fafd3d0ac61ba760551d800 av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-15  el_after_av_one_fifth  el_before_av_one_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-4ud712-48950b428d0f4d0d9d69482cc6b9531a\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-4ud712-48950b428d0f4d0d9d69482cc6b9531a .avia_textblock{\ncolor:#333333;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-4ud712-48950b428d0f4d0d9d69482cc6b9531a'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock av_inherit_color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3 id=\"Rassismus\"><em>In the Night We See the Stars\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n<h4><strong>when symbols exclude instead of nourish\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>\u201cWhat do you preach at Christmas?\u201d Stephanie asked me, a Presbyterian minister in the United States.<br \/>\n&quot;I preach about light\u2014that with Jesus, light came into the world. That the shepherds themselves were surrounded by light.&quot;<br \/>\n\u201cThat\u2019s beautiful, \u201d she said, \u201cbut I can\u2019t really preach that here.\u201d<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-69e9def91e253\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-69e9def91e253\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-69e9def91e253\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-69e9def91e253\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <br \/>\n\u201cWhy not?\u201d I asked, surprised.<br \/>\n\u201cBecause light is associated with white \u2013 and darkness with black.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I was puzzled. \"That can't be true,\" I said. \"That's just stupid\"<br \/>\n&quot;In a world where racism is part of history and still has an impact today, that&#039;s not stupid,&quot; she replied calmly. &quot;Don&#039;t you have racism in your own country?&quot;<br \/>\n&quot;Yes \u2013 more against migrants. In the past, also against Poles or Russian Germans.&quot;<br \/>\n\"Well, Poles are Slavs \u2014 and that\u2019s where the word \u2018slave\u2019 comes from <em>slave<\/em> \u2026\u201c<br \/>\n\u201cOoh.\u201d I grew thoughtful.<\/p>\n<p>Stephanie continued:<br \/>\n<!--StartFragment --><\/p>\n<p><!--StartFragment --><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201eIt\u2019s not that I can\u2019t use light\/dark, but that I need to make sure that dark is not always and only equated with evil\/sin\/bad and white is not always and only linked to good\/holy\/pure. When they are always used those ways, combined with the very coulor-based racist language in US history, we can\u2019t help but reinforce those harmful messages \u2013 unintentionally.\u201c<\/em><!--EndFragment --><!--EndFragment --><\/p>\n<p>She told me about studies in the US where children are shown pictures of White and Black children \u2014 without any context.\nThey\u2019re asked: \u201cWhich child is good, which is bad?\u201d<br \/>\nMany point to the Black child and say, \u201cThat\u2019s the bad one.\u201d<br \/>\nNot because they were taught that directly \u2014 but because they\u2019ve absorbed it from language, images, stories and the culture around them.<\/p>\n<h3><em>\u201cSo if I can try to reduce some of that imprinting of stereotypes in this one small way, I will.\u201d<\/em><\/h3>\n<p>I slowly came to understand how nuanced and profound these observations were \u2013 and I gained great respect for them. I realized: We, meaning all white people in Germany, have the choice of whether or not to engage with racism. We don&#039;t suffer from it.<br \/>\nBut those who are confronted with racism or other prejudices every day \u2014 <strong>they have no choice<\/strong> but to engage with it, to find ways of coping.<br \/>\nAs Debby Irving describes in her book <strong><em>Waking up White <\/em><\/strong>we often act as if it is none of our business.<\/p>\n<h3>There is a great deal of racism and discrimination embedded in German language and culture.<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cWhite Vest,\u201d \u201cWho\u2019s afraid of the Boogeyman?\u201d (in German: black man) and for those of us who go to the movies: In Star Wars, \u201cThe Dark Side of the Force\u201d is always evil.<br \/>\nThe N* word, many say, is \u201cnot so bad after all\u201d, because \u201cN*kisses (english: Chocolate-coated marshmallow treat)  are delicious, aren\u2019t they?<br \/>\nPeople of colour also experience discrimination here \u2013 starting with comments like:<br \/>\n\u201cWhere did you learn to speak German so well?\u201d \u201cUh, from my mother\u2014she\u2019s also black, by the way, and was born here.\u201d<br \/>\nIn church history and in symbolic systems such as yin and yang, white is considered active, masculine \u2013 black is considered passive, feminine.<br \/>\nUnconsciously, it is deeply rooted in our cultural history: light = good, darkness = evil.<\/p>\n<p>The African-American biblical scholar and Episcopal priest Dr Wil Gafney points out that while light and darkness are often read through a racial lens today, this was not the case in Jesus\u2019 time:<br \/>\n<strong>\"This good news is framed in the stark language of light and dark, shadow and glory. And it is far too easy for us as Americans to hear those words through our history of race and racism. We are taught from a young age that everything light and white is good and everything dark and black is bad. Even when we are not thinking about it, it is in the back of our minds. Race is always in the room for us. But it wasn\u2019t for John, Jesus and their world.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s astonishing how deeply language shapes us.<br \/>\nI felt ashamed of my ignorance \u2014 especially because I see myself as progressive.<br \/>\nAnd at the same time I realised:<br \/>\nLight and darkness are also prejudices.<br \/>\nLight can be glaring or scorching.<br \/>\nDarkness can be shelter \u2013 and the place where we see the stars.<\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-29h586-3daa60750606b3df3d11bc58e4062cc0\">\n.flex_column.av-29h586-3daa60750606b3df3d11bc58e4062cc0{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-29h586-3daa60750606b3df3d11bc58e4062cc0 av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-17  el_after_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='full_slider_2'  class='avia-fullwidth-slider main_color avia-shadow   avia-builder-el-18  el_after_av_section  el_before_av_section   slider-not-first container_wrap fullsize'  ><div  class='avia-slideshow av-cb4oxi-4ee381cc589bb1de92f681eb9036779b avia-slideshow-featured av_slideshow_full avia-slide-slider av-slideshow-ui av-control-default av-slideshow-manual av-loop-once av-loop-manual-endless av-default-height-applied   avia-slideshow-2' data-slideshow-options=\"{&quot;animation&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:false,&quot;loop_autoplay&quot;:&quot;once&quot;,&quot;interval&quot;:5,&quot;loop_manual&quot;:&quot;manual-endless&quot;,&quot;autoplay_stopper&quot;:false,&quot;noNavigation&quot;:false,&quot;bg_slider&quot;:false,&quot;keep_padding&quot;:false,&quot;hoverpause&quot;:false,&quot;show_slide_delay&quot;:0}\"  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><ul class='avia-slideshow-inner' style='padding-bottom: 45.696068012752%;'><li  class='avia-slideshow-slide av-cb4oxi-4ee381cc589bb1de92f681eb9036779b__0  av-single-slide slide-1 slide-odd'><div data-rel='slideshow-2' class='avia-slide-wrap'   ><img decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"wp-image-9663 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-9663\"  src=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/BankSonnenuntergangniedriger-941x430.jpg\" width=\"941\" height=\"430\" title='BankSunsetLower' alt=''  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"   \/><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-b5e7fa-fc953bbe3474968c9bc7b5bf01b47ef7\">\n.avia-section.av-b5e7fa-fc953bbe3474968c9bc7b5bf01b47ef7{\nbackground-color:#ffc300;\nbackground-image:unset;\nmargin-top:0px;\nmargin-bottom:0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_4'  class='avia-section av-b5e7fa-fc953bbe3474968c9bc7b5bf01b47ef7 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-19  el_after_av_slideshow_full  el_before_av_section  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-8822'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-8od9c6-be2040d6c59b5b094bf166bc13939b73\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-8od9c6-be2040d6c59b5b094bf166bc13939b73{\nheight:20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-8od9c6-be2040d6c59b5b094bf166bc13939b73 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-20  el_before_av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-first'><span class='hr-inner'><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-qv1wm-d54dab825c011e9dcf782adaa7d81b1e\">\n.flex_column.av-qv1wm-d54dab825c011e9dcf782adaa7d81b1e{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-qv1wm-d54dab825c011e9dcf782adaa7d81b1e av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-21  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_three_fifth  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-6kuuom-4e85d68c7cc57dc863811b8961536c7a\">\n.flex_column.av-6kuuom-4e85d68c7cc57dc863811b8961536c7a{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-6kuuom-4e85d68c7cc57dc863811b8961536c7a av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-22  el_after_av_one_fifth  el_before_av_one_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-4e3uhy-6500e1ac614e3ae0b348185b4fa3e95b\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-4e3uhy-6500e1ac614e3ae0b348185b4fa3e95b .avia_textblock{\ncolor:#333333;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-4e3uhy-6500e1ac614e3ae0b348185b4fa3e95b'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock av_inherit_color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2 id=\"Charlie\">As I began to love myself\u2026<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em>(Charlie Chaplin on his 70th birthday)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>As I began to love myself,<\/strong><br \/>\nI understood that at any circumstance,<br \/>\nI am in the right place at the right time,<br \/>\nand everything happens at the exactly right moment.<br \/>\nSo I could be calm.<br \/>\nToday I call it SELF-CONFIDENCE.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As I began to love myself,<\/strong><br \/>\nI found that anguish and emotional suffering<br \/>\nare only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.<br \/>\nToday I know, this is AUTHENTICITY.<\/p>\n<p><strong>        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-69e9def92163b\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-69e9def92163b\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-69e9def92163b\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-69e9def92163b\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>As I began to love myself,<\/strong><br \/>\nI stopped craving for different life<br \/>\nand I could see that everything that surrounded me\n\nwas inviting me to grow.<br \/>\nToday I call it MATURITY.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As I began to love myself,<\/strong><br \/>\nI quit stealing my own time,<br \/>\nand I stopped designing huge projects for the future.<br \/>\nToday, I only do what brings me joy and happiness,<br \/>\nthings I love to do and that make my heart cheer,<br \/>\nand I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm.<br \/>\nToday I call it SIMPLICITY.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As I began to love myself,<\/strong><br \/>\nI freed myself of anything that is no good for my health \u2013<br \/>\nfood, people, things, situations<br \/>\nand everything that drew me down and away from myself.<br \/>\nAt first I called it healthy egoism,<br \/>\nToday I know it is LOVE OF ONESELF.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As I began to love myself,<\/strong><br \/>\nI quit trying to always be right,<br \/>\nand ever since I was wrong less of the time.<br \/>\nToday I discovered that is MODESTY.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As I began to love myself,<\/strong><br \/>\nI refused to go on living in the past<br \/>\nand worry about the future.<br \/>\nNow, I only live for the moment,<br \/>\nwhere EVERYTHING is happening.<br \/>\nToday I live each day, day by day, and I call it FULFILLMENT.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As I began to love myself,<\/strong><br \/>\nI recognized that my mind can disturb me<br \/>\nand it can make me sick.<br \/>\nBut as I connected it to my heart,<br \/>\nmy mind became a valuable ally.<br \/>\nToday I call this connection WISDOM OF THE HEART.<\/p>\n<p>We no longer need to fear arguments,<br \/>\nconfrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others.<br \/>\nEven stars collide,<br \/>\nand out of their crashing new worlds are born.<br \/>\nToday I know THAT IS LIFE!<\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/p>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-1y1meu-b3084f403b5862e753b258bf068aff13\">\n.flex_column.av-1y1meu-b3084f403b5862e753b258bf068aff13{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-1y1meu-b3084f403b5862e753b258bf068aff13 av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-24  el_after_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding'     ><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-73wibq-54aec4390322d0bd67572ecbb561448c\">\n.avia-section.av-73wibq-54aec4390322d0bd67572ecbb561448c{\nbackground-color:#fff8dc;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_5'  class='avia-section av-73wibq-54aec4390322d0bd67572ecbb561448c main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-25  el_after_av_section  avia-builder-el-last  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-8822'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class='flex_column_table av-4h1xxy-7a64636c6b84929912e0fc798e2e41e4 sc-av_one_half av-equal-height-column-flextable'>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-4h1xxy-7a64636c6b84929912e0fc798e2e41e4\">\n.flex_column.av-4h1xxy-7a64636c6b84929912e0fc798e2e41e4{\nborder-width:2px;\nborder-color:#ffc300;\nborder-style:solid;\nborder-radius:10px 10px 10px 10px;\npadding:40px 40px 40px 40px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-4h1xxy-7a64636c6b84929912e0fc798e2e41e4 av_one_half  avia-builder-el-26  el_before_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mdc79wpo-03d1a053304a8198aaad4ecd2b520658\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mdc79wpo-03d1a053304a8198aaad4ecd2b520658 .avia_textblock{\ncolor:#333333;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mdc79wpo-03d1a053304a8198aaad4ecd2b520658'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock av_inherit_color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2 id=\"Verantwortung\">Am I, as a child of God, always small and dependent?<\/h2>\n<p>Some people hold the view that believing in God means being dependent on Him \u2014 small, sinful, reliant on grace. God is seen as great, distant, and often even punishing and angry.<br \/>\nThis image of God terrifies me. Like Jesus, I cannot and will not believe in an angry and punishing God.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-69e9def922337\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-69e9def922337\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-69e9def922337\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-69e9def922337\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<p>Let us look at the story of Abraham\u2019s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac: Abraham is prepared to offer his child. At the last moment, God intervenes and makes it clear \u2014 He does not desire human sacrifice. It is said that this moment made God worthy of being the God of Israel.<\/p>\n<p>Time and again \u2014 in both the Old and New Testament \u2014 we read of a God who loves, who is just, and who first embraced us so that we might learn to love.<br \/>\nBut some people get stuck in a spiritual loop: I am sinful \u2013 Jesus redeemed me \u2013 I will become sinful again \u2013 Jesus redeemed me again. A cycle without growth.<\/p>\n<h3>Children of God \u2014 but not forever small<\/h3>\n<p>Jesus says: \u201cPray: Our Father in heaven.\u201d In doing so, he shows that God is not far off, but near. He is relationship, not mere authority. Jesus calls Him Father \u2014 and we may do the same. We are not strangers, but children of God.<br \/>\nBut do we remain in the role of small, needy children?<br \/>\nJust as our relationship with our parents changes as we grow, so too should our relationship with God evolve. God has gifted us with heart, mind, body and responsibility. We are invited to mature and to shape life ourselves.<\/p>\n<h3>A grown-up relationship with God<\/h3>\n<p>Paul writes: \u201cYou are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with God\u2019s people and members of His household.\u201d (Eph 2:19)<br \/>\nThis means: we are not the boss, but co-creators. It also means we take responsibility \u2014 for our lives, and for helping to shape God\u2019s work in the world.<br \/>\nJesus says: \u201cYou are the light of the world \u2026 Let your light shine before others.\u201d (Matthew 5:14\u201316)<br \/>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<p>A light exists to shine. As children of God, we are not merely small or dependent. We carry responsibility, and we are called to shine, to act, to love \u2014 in connection with the divine light.<br \/>\nThis is my calling:<br \/>\nTo let the divine light within me shine..<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class='av-flex-placeholder'><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-281hnq-6d803a8303dc5d10a73877f33737736f\">\n.flex_column.av-281hnq-6d803a8303dc5d10a73877f33737736f{\nborder-width:2px;\nborder-color:#ffc300;\nborder-style:solid;\nborder-radius:10px 10px 10px 10px;\npadding:40px 40px 40px 40px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-281hnq-6d803a8303dc5d10a73877f33737736f av_one_half  avia-builder-el-28  el_after_av_one_half  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_table_cell av-equal-height-column av-align-top'     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mdc6rn6r-70df1ffd234c30a52ff98c2d4132bdff\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mdc6rn6r-70df1ffd234c30a52ff98c2d4132bdff .avia_textblock{\ncolor:#333333;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mdc6rn6r-70df1ffd234c30a52ff98c2d4132bdff'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock av_inherit_color'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3 id=\"peak\">When I encounter God&#039;s light...<\/h3>\n<h2>\u201cGod\u2019s Touches\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>Psychologist A. Maslow called it a &quot;peak experience.&quot; It&#039;s an experience that transcends one&#039;s own self, is transcendental, and meaningful. In this mystical experience, another horizon seems to open up; thinking is clearer than usual in everyday life. Such an experience often encompasses a profound knowledge of meaning or peace, a sense of connectedness with all, or the experience of all-encompassing love.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"rmwr-wrapper\" \n             data-id=\"rmwr-69e9def922b0a\"\n             data-mode=\"normal\"\n             data-animation=\"fade\"\n             data-duration=\"300\"\n             data-smooth-scroll=\"true\"\n             data-scroll-offset=\"0\">\n            <button \n                type=\"button\"\n                class=\"read-link\" \n                id=\"readlinkrmwr-69e9def922b0a\"\n                data-open-text=\"mehr lesen\"\n                data-close-text=\"weniger lesen\"\n                aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                aria-controls=\"readrmwr-69e9def922b0a\"\n                aria-label=\"read more\"\n            >\n                <span class=\"rmwr-text\">read more<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div \n                class=\"read_div\" \n                id=\"readrmwr-69e9def922b0a\"\n                aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                data-animation=\"fade\"\n                data-duration=\"300\"\n                style=\"display: none;\"\n            >\n                <\/p>\n<p>Such peak experiences can be triggered in very different ways \u2013 by a (biblical) word, a comfort, a ray of sunshine, a sound, or simply because...<br \/>\nMany of these peak experiences, encounters with God, or touches with God can be found in the Bible itself: the burning bush of Moses, the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, Paul&#039;s Damascus experience...<\/p>\n<p>I, Esther S\u00fchling, also experienced such a touch. At first, I didn&#039;t want to acknowledge it \u2013 and repressed it. However, this didn&#039;t do me any good and was detrimental to my health.<br \/>\n<!--StartFragment --><\/p>\n<p>Only when I took it seriously and was able to approach it did I understand how many people experience similar things. Yet, it&#039;s often difficult to deal with such experiences:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Some ignore them (like me)<\/li>\n<li>Others try to explain them away or downplay them.<\/li>\n<li>And for some, it goes to their heads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Those who take divine touches seriously can draw great strength from them for their lives. Maslow calls them an important factor for mental health and personal resilience.<!--EndFragment -->\u00a0<em>(Literature: Abraham Maslow: \u201cEvery man is a mystic\u201d)<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>What helps me deal with divine touches?<br \/>\nI give them space. I give them time. I express them through writing, music, painting, and even silence. I exchange ideas with others and grapple with them.<\/p>\n<p>My spiritual director supported me well in this.<br \/>\nSuch guidance is precious. Thats why we  have created <a href=\"https:\/\/gottimalltag.de\/en\/sonstiges\/geistliche-begleitung\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a list here on the website,<\/a>\u00a0 and added some essential informations about  this support.<\/p>\n<p>            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<p>But above all, this decision helps me most:<br \/>\nThis experience is allowed. I am allowed to grow. My light\u2014God's light within me\u2014may shine.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div><!--close column table wrapper. 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