It’s Good to Be “Just” a Person
Mandy Smith knows a little something about anxiety.
As the first female pastor in her denomination, Smith has felt the pressure of being the only person of her gender in the room time and time again. She knows what it’s like to have people assume she’s in a meeting to take minutes. She’s felt the responsibility to represent all women in settings where she feels like a token rather than truly belonging.
In those moments when discomfort and worry begin to bubble up, Smith takes comfort in the presence of the living God.
“I know nothing good comes from anxiety,” said Smith on a recent episode of Being Human. There is a power that is beyond our power, and that is the place where any good creativity comes from.”
Whether she is preparing to preach or working on a piece of art, Smith reminds herself that God is God and that she is “just a person”โa statement she finds soothing when she feels the weight of the world upon her shoulders.
As we encounter our own moments of angst and anxiety, may we seek out God’s presence with intention. And may the Holy Spirit remind us that the fact that we are “just” a person is, in fact, wonderful news.
Podcast of the week
How can Christians in America navigate politics with their souls intact? Thatโs one of the questions that host Steve Cuss and his guestโauthor, pastor, and artist Mandy Smithโconsiderโฆ
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