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I am a pastor and a clinical psychotherapist. My life's passion is defining healthiness from a human perspective and paralleling it to the holiness of God, divine perspective. Shifting perspectives creates a paradigm that is alongside of rather than over and against. The parakalein of God and the paradoxes of humanity are redefined. Humanity is all about winning and yet we are losing ground everywhere. Divinity is all about letting go of the desire to win and the fear of loss. The Divine embraces the world with loving care regardless of anything.

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A Symbol of Hope in the midst of Suffering

Posted by Don Paine


20 Years ago after 20 years of church life ministry the idea of parakalein and the symbol came The symbol presents and portrays the parakalein of God as over us in a loving presence nurturing growth.  We are like a seed planted with the intention of becoming a mighty oak tree of righteousness (Isaiah 61:1).  This happens through the transformation of ashes to beauty, of despair to hope and of mourning into light.  Hidden in the darkness of the shadows of life is the light (white) of the Cross.  Seeing the Cross as the hope and source of growth rather than the point and pain of suffering is the transforming work of the "Alongside of presence of God's Spirit in, around and through our lives. When you feel the most alone know that you are not alone for the "I will be With You God is with you right then".  It is God's mysterious and mystical presence in the pain of suffering. The goal of our suffering is not to create pain and perseveration but to invite us to shift perspective and surely persevere.  

painespresence.org will soon appear as a new blog on wordpress.org.  Watch for it, please!

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