Truth or Dare: Why Not Both/And? Be Daring With Your Truth

It's April Fool's Day, and while a lot of people spend a lifetime fooled by religious interpretations — don't question, obey, faith without a why — that's not us. Our principles are time-tested, practical, and visible. And last Sunday? They were on fire.

It was one of those services where everything lined up: Music, message, and meaning. It was one of those services that I wish would reach far beyond our rafters.

Sunday's vocalist, Miranda Westman, opened with Unwritten and closed with Brave, and everything in between felt like it was building toward a standing ovation. The music framed the whole morning, and the energy in the room was impossible to miss.

Justin's Oneness Candle picked up that first lyric — I am unwritten — and connected it to the great I Am, the ineffable power that cannot be named but is always present, always available. He brought in Moses, and not the Hollywood version, but the reluctant, uncertain, who-am-I-to-do-this Moses. Moses discovered, when confronting power, that he wasn't alone, that the infinite intelligence of the universe was behind him. And because of that, he acted anyway.

Cracks are how the light gets through

Justin's point: we are all Moses. We are all co-authors of our lives, with access to that same power. And his invitation: don't live small. Find the rules and break the ones that don't serve you. Plant the seed before you sleep that something new is coming. Then dare to expect it.

Bridge Minister Rev. Michael Auch closed out our five-week What If? series with a talk called "Becoming a Possibilitarian."

Yes, it's a real word, courtesy of Norman Vincent Peale, and yes, it's a mouthful. But the concept fits, and then Michael took it a step further. Don't just see the possibilities. Know they're already real. Meet them with gratitude.

And always, always act from love, especially when it's hard.

He noted the extraordinary convergence happening right now. We're in the Chinese Year of the Fire Horse — passion, rebirth, daring creativity. It's spring, finally. And this week, roughly two billion Muslims mark the end of Ramadan with forgiveness and reconciliation. Jewish communities celebrate Passover; Moses again, confronting the ruling power of his day, refusing to go it alone. Christians are in Holy Week, moving from Palm Sunday toward Easter. Every tradition, in its own way, is pointing to the same thing: something needs to die so something new can live.

We don't have two billion followers. But imagine the collective energy of that many people simultaneously releasing what no longer serves them, making amends, opening to transformation. We're part of that. We get to be part of that.

Which gets me to where we are right now, globally. Our systems are largely broken, and not just a little. Many were built on shaky, unjust foundations to begin with. Patching them back together isn't the answer. As Rev. Michael stated, and what some of us feel, the times are demanding something different. That requires the inner resilience that a Sunday like this one helps solidify: The courage to raise your sights, let go of what needs releasing, and dare to imagine something better.

That's a possibilitarian.

My current favorite God quality is "power" which I translate to agency — that internal force that says I am not a passive observer of my own life. I get to co-create. So do you. That's aligning with who we say we are. It's what Moses figured out. It's what the Year of the Fire Horse is energizing. It's what this Sunday service felt like.

Paraphrasing Rev. Michael's Ernest Holmes quote: when we fill our hearts with gratitude, align with the infinite flow of good, and remember we're never alone. What we recognize as true must manifest in our lives as peace, harmony, and success. We accept it. It is already so.

And, as Rev. Michael affirmed — let the resurrection continue.

So here's his question, and I'll ask you again: What are you willing to dare?

With gratitude,

Laura

And if you missed this awesome service, you can watch it on YouTube! - and feel free to share the link with your friends, family, neighbors...