I love Maya Angelou, studied her in college at Wesleyan. Been reading some of her quotes today. This is one of my favorite ones. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Words are cheap, sometimes hard to remember, but once they’re said, you can’t take them back. It’s not what you say but how you say it. Your tone of voice can turn the words around. We need to think about how we impact people we meet on a daily basis. We need to live each day with kindness and compassion, to think before we wound someone speaking in impatient anger.

Angelou wrote a beautiful poem titled Caged Bird that contrasts the experience of being a free bird with the experience of a caged bird living in a confined space. Here are the first two stanzas — “A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wing in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky. But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.”

I immediately thought, people with faith in God are free to see the beauty in the sunset, to fly on the wings of God grace and mercy, to know there is hope for tomorrow. But those without faith have their wings clipped, locked in their cages of doubt with no hope of the freedom of God’s love and healing grace. Angelou wrote “a bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” God put that song in the songbird’s heart and gave them the freedom to soar in the heavens.

Faith puts a song in our heart and gives us the strength and courage to overcome life’s difficulties. Through our prayers God gives us guidance and empowers us to live a more fulfilling life. The peace we feel when God listens and answers our prayers anchors our faith in the promise of eternal life. Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith gives us strength and resilience.

I think a lack of faith fosters fear and anxiety specially when the storms of life are raging. Can’t imagine making important decisions or facing the deaths or illnesses of loved ones without holding hands with God in prayer. The human spirit expresses itself in the face of adversity through faith in God, through the hope of prayers heard and answered. Even in the midst of trials and tribulations knowing God is in control can give us peace and joy. Religious faith gives us a sense of purpose and meaning in life. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Jesus said, “All things are possible for one who believes.” Scripture also reads of how faith can move mountains. “For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you,” Matthew 17:20. God always stands with us as we battle life. In Deuteronomy 31:6 Jesus says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”

My faith has given me a sense of gratitude for the blessings in my life and a deep appreciation for the wonder and beauty in God’s creation of our world. I’m comforted and find peace through my prayers knowing God is guiding me, supporting me on my travels through life.

The beauty of faith is the gift of hope that keeps us searching for God’s light in the darkness. The reward of living a faithful Christian life is God’s promise of eternal life, to be reunited in heaven with our loved ones for eternity.

“Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.” — Rabindranath Tagore