Faith & Living FreeArchive

St. Gregory Palamas, A White Christmas and Many Blessings!

December 24, 2014 · 1 min read

saint-gregory-palamas-monasteryWhether or not large petals of white joy are falling at your home this Christmas, may the spirit in your midst be one of joy, peace, and thanksgiving for life’s most important things – family, faith, and living with purpose.

boys-running-in-snowI took these pictures on a weekend visit a few years ago to Saint Gregory Palamas Monastery in Kelseyville, Ohio. We would not have made it if not for my 4WD Nissan Pathfinder. What a winter wonderland we found!

deep-snow-ohioThe storm cut us off from civilization for a couple days and the isolation sparked a joyous time. Thanks to over a foot of snowfall, no outside communication, no internet, no phones, just my boys, some friends, the monks and quiet time to just exist. That will awaken your soul and force you to reflect!

pathfinder-snow-stormMay your soul be awakened this Christmas. Do whatever you can to block out the noise of the world for even a few moments and focus on your family and your faith. Christ died for us. We might as well live a life of deep purpose and meaning for him. Besides saving your soul from darkness and despair, it is also a lot more fun!

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Silouan Green

Former US Marine officer, jet crash survivor, speaker, trainer and author. He works with leaders, first responders, military units and teams carrying real responsibility — and writes here about the life behind that work. Read his story.

Silouan brings this work to organizations in person — keynotes, workshops, retreats and unit training. Explore speaking and training.

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