Category Archives: Stories

Are You Going to Wear It?

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

It wasn’t my outfit that offended; it was my belief. After the disgruntled person walked away, a friend remained and asked me if I was okay. Neither of us had more than a few minutes to talk. I blurted out, “I think … Continue reading →

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Sweet Freedom

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

I preached after a particularly full week and three restless nights. I was tired but felt confident. I had practised my sermon out loud without relying much on my notes and looked forward to doing it like that on Sunday. However, when … Continue reading →

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Reborn

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

I have been born again and again and again. With each new spiritual birth, I emerge from darkness into light as helpless as a babe. How does this new life in Christ work? In the past month, I have been … Continue reading →

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Resurrection Cleaners

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

. . . you implore me to so fall in Love, and fall anew in ever-new depths of skywashed Love till every capillary of your universe throbs with rivering fire . . . – from “The Word” by Margaret Avison … Continue reading →

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God’s Exuberant, Uncontainable Love

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

God’s crazy about us. If you’ve been reading my blog lately, you’d know that God has me riveted to this theme. God’s exuberance is uncontainable. Recently I stumbled upon this quote by Henri Nouwen, God does not require a pure heart before … Continue reading →

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A Retreat with God

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

As I prepared to go to Bowen Island for a three-day retreat, I got a divine nudge. “Leave your laptop at home,” God seemed to say. “Just come and be with me.” But I couldn’t possibly write much without my electronic friend. Hmm. I … Continue reading →

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With Christ in Glory

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

I look at the naked, bloodied body next to me. “What’s he doing here?” A sinless man is being crucified beside us: me on his left, the other criminal on his right. The crucified always die in disgrace, our lives held up as negative examples. Yet, he is good. People called him rabbi, healer, … Continue reading →

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Stay with Me

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

See how tenderly the angels comfort Jesus in his anguish. He longed for such compassion from his friends, but they couldn’t do it. They disappeared into a panacea of sleep. We rely on Jesus to be with us in everything, but will we be with … Continue reading →

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The Unending Miracle of Love

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

I felt my heart “strangely warmed,” like what happened to John Wesley at Aldersgate in 1738 when he knew for certain that he was saved, The same thing happened to the two travellers on the road to Emmaus. While they didn’t recognize the risen Christ walking … Continue reading →

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The Desire to Disappear

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

“Sometimes I wish I could disappear,” I told Father Elton once while I was doing the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises last year. “Of course you do,” he said. “You want to do as you were told.” “What do you mean?” I … Continue reading →

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