Erica OGrady

Erica OGrady: Sawa Bono Friends, I have toiled over what to say here. How to answer the question of who I am? On the one hand, I am a life-long seeker of the truth, driven by curiosity and wonder. On the other hand, I believe faith is often wiser than knowledge. I stand somewhere at the intersection of faith, wonder, and love—practicing a discernment born of trauma, struggle, and strife—and blessed by grace. I am Christian in the way I believe Christ intended, meaning I practice love. And Buddhist in the only way I know how to be, which constitutes a lot of staring at walls. My life is messy and imperfect—and I have at times been deeply broken by circumstances both within and outside of my control. I do not always recognize the difference. I love Jesus. Both the man, and the Son of God. He is, for me, more than mere myth. I have been lucky to study under great teachers, both formerly and informally. I have learned I have barely scratched the surface of all there is to know—and knowing you know nothing is far better than thinking you know everything. I once read a quote by Rachel Held Evans, which shook me to my core. She said, “Imagine if every church became a place where everyone is safe, but no one is comfortable. Imagine if every church became a place where we told one another the truth. We might just create sanctuary.” That is my goal here and everywhere. To create (to the best of my ability) sanctuary. #MayItBeOfBenefit #SpiritWarriors