The Eclectic Evangelical-Arlene Bridges Samuels : Look into the Broken Pieces

My husband and I are vacationing for a few days at one of our favorite South Carolina beaches. We enjoy walking, feeling the gentle breeze, and deeply breathing in the fresh, salty air.
This section of beach is not a great one for finding beautiful shells though. By the time they reach the shoreline, they are battered and broken into small pieces. Then every once in a while, a whole shell, often a small one, shows up in the middle of the broken pieces. Walking along this morning, we found many sections of broken shells.
My husband commented, “Look into the broken pieces. We may find something of value.“ And there, in the middle of shattered shells, he picked up a small, yet whole shell.
It wasn’t an impressive shell, yet finding it among an entirely broken array of shells, it seemed to stand out saying, “Look. I made it.”

And therein is a lesson. Sometimes our lives are battered and broken by waves that are too big to handle. We wonder, “Will we make it? How will I get through this?” It’s at those times that even the smallest rays of light or smallest word of encouragement or help, make a huge difference. The good word of a friend. A bible verse. A tiny “I love you” gift. A telephone call or email. A small answer to prayer that helps us hold on as we wait in hope for bigger answers.
Here’s a verse today that will help you hold on: “For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” Hebrews 3:14
Now...look for the small, whole shells of encouragement amidst any broken pieces of your life. Hold on! You will make it!

A Tapestry of Churches

A splendid tapestry of churches has ripened my faith with fruit from many good trees; as a missionary with Mercy Ships in a crew I describe as a "Christian United Nations," and also living in Switzerland and Romania-plus moving around the United States.

Growing up, my Southern Baptist church laid my foundation built with singing the great hymns of the church, where to locate books of the Bible, and scripture memory. Through my youth group, I encountered the Lord in a personal way on July 31, 1963.

Presbyterians fed me at a buffet of Protestant theologians especially my favorite one, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and emphasized God’s sovereignty.

In The Episcopal Church, I waded into two different streams, one liturgical and the other charismatic. In the liturgical "high" Episcopal church, I feasted at the Eucharist each week and navigated the ups and downs of kneeling. In the charismatic Episcopal church, I connected more deeply with the Holy Spirit, finding freedom to raise my hands in joyful worship. As a member of a black church on then-small Hilton Head Island, the pastor and choir fed me with vibrant songs and eloquent sermons.

Living in Switzerland, we enjoyed worshipping with other ex-pats in the Church of Scotland. During our eight years with Mercy Ships, the world's largest private Christian hospital ship, we sailed the seas with a crew from 35 nations-among them South Sea Islanders who introduced us to their lovely, worshipful dances. On the mission field living in Romania, my senses delighted in the Romanian Orthodox Church replete with incense and gilded, intricate altars.

In a non-denominational church with contemporary music, I engaged with believers from varied church backgrounds and joined a small group. At the Church of God, I worshipped in a Pentecostal setting in a distinctly pro-Israel denomination that displayed the American and Israeli flags. Belongling to a small Anglican church I relished liturgy, weekly Eucharist, missions outreach to Rwanda, and acoustic guitars.

Transferring from small Anglican to big Baptist, I have reconnected with my chidlhood biblical roots where I feast on hymns sung by an outstanding choir and orchestra, an excellent Sunday School class, bible-focused sermons, and a prolific domestic and international missions focus. Last but not least, the Jewish community and expert Hebraic roots teachers have opened a door of deeper understanding that Judaism nurtured Christianity in an ancient cradle rich with commandments, festivals, wisdom, poetry, patriarchs, prophets, and Older and New Testaments. Significantly, learning more about Jewish culture and Christianity's Jewish roots has deepened a richer relationship with my Savior, a Jewish Rabbi. I've received an extraordinary gift as a non-Jew grafted into the branches of the ancient Jewish tree connecting me to Israel, my spiritual homeland. .

I invite you to walk with me through a lifetime of adventures reflecting a tapestry of faith that I hope will encourage you in your journey to discover extraordinary beauty and limitless fulfillment of our Christian faith.

In Him we hope, Arlene

Look into the Broken Pieces

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