In my book, “With Love, All Things Are Possible,” I tell the story of an old abandoned church where the steeple bell keeps tolling for everyone. It is our time as Americans to listen to that steeple bell, for Jesus Christ is calling us to unite and stand as one country. We are stronger when we stand together as one nation with one God. Despite the fact that many Americans are still mourning the election of a man they do not trust, the people have spoken with their vote. The only way we will solve our own problems and that of the country’s is by loving one another as we would want to be loved. To do anything less is to fall into the fire pit, letting our secularized society become our god.

I want to tell another story about St. Peter and the remaining disciples after Christ rose from the dead. Saul took the name of Paul after his conversion on the road to Damascus. The disciples were struggling with going on after Christ’s death and wondered if they could really go out into the world to preach the Gospels to other nations. St. Peter called them out into a fishing boat, and after a while, he invited each disciple to take the rudder of the boat so that they could steer their own directions. He said that taking the rudder was like going out into the the world to preach the Gospels to people who know nothing about Christ. Even though they would walk separate paths, they would always be together in the spirit of the Living God. Remembering one boat, one love, and one God, they would be united even while separated. In the quiet times of their journeys and in the turbulent storms of working with people from many different cultures, they would be united in the love of Jesus Christ.

So, too, we must hear Christ’s call to put aside the anger, hatred, violence, and vitriol we have all experienced in the run-up to the election. The music of His voice will calm our hearts and souls and guide us on different paths to a brighter future. Listening to the tolling of the steeple bell from that old abandoned church should stir up in us the wisdom we need to go forward. In that wisdom, we need to work to keep our democracy, to stand by our Constitution and our Bill of Rights, and to preach the Gospels  to all who do not know Christ. Like St. Peter’s story, we need to take the rudders of our boats and help steer our country away from false prophets, false values, and those who want to govern with hate and vengeance. We must keep in our hearts the Biblical verse, “With love, all things are possible.” My heart is hearing that steeple bell. Is yours?

Anna Hartt