I'm Afraid to Ask

Can Mark maintain his sanity after a squirrel moves into his attic? A light hearted Christmas story about the December that a squirrel tried to make its home in Mark's attic. Christmas joy is found in an unusual and humorous way. Episode NotesSpecial thanks to Alexander Nakanda for permission to use "Banjos Unite." Listen to more on SoundCloud and YouTube. Also, to Aaron Kenny for "Christmas Homecoming." Listen to more on YouTube.

Do you believe in ghosts? Lots of folks have a ghost story. This one true. But not all ghosts have come to scare us. Less than a year after his aunt's death, Mark and his parents travel to open up the old family cabin in the woods. That's when things start to go bump in the night!*Adults may wish to preview this episode before playing for younger audiences.

Will the circle be open? In this episode, Dr. Mark shares the story of Gloria, a woman who challenges our narrow notions about the circle of God's grace. The best circles are the ones that are open.For LGBTQ young people 25 and under who are struggling, please connect with the Trevor Project at TheTrevorProject.org or call the hotline at 866-488-7386. You are loved. 

We don't talk much about anxiety or depression, especially in faith circles where we're constantly reassured that "God's got this." But for many of us the spiritual wilderness is not an unfamiliar place. When the Well Runs Dry tells the story of Jimmy, a Nashville songwriter whose spiritual and emotional well was empty, and the woman of faith who dared to believe for him. Not only did she help salvage his faith, she may have saved his life.

Have you ever said something that as soon as the words came tumbling out of your mouth you were filled with regret? My number one rule of faith is: There is a God and I'm not it. For me, it was a hard learned truth. I had to make a lot of mistakes, and receive a lot of forgiveness before it really started to sink in. Today's episode tells the story of how my big ego was met by Chris and Jan's even bigger grace. 

Social media has its place, of course - especially in a pandemic. But it can also be a problem. Users report numerous complaints - from an inability to sleep at night to fragmented thinking during the day, headaches as well as physical and emotional stress-related tension in the neck and shoulders. Studies have shown, too, that the increased hours we spend in front of our screens can be directly correlated to an increase in anxiety and depression. Whatever your symptom or concern, Lent, may be the perfect occasion for a social media fast. In this special Lenten edition of Rags of Light, Dr. Mark Giuliano invites you to ask yourself 5 questions that will help you develop a personally tailored social media fast. Climb out of the muck and the mud of social media and step into a much brighter life. 

You can't have a shadow without light shining somewhere. Sometimes, the only way to experience that light, though, is to reach into the shadows. This episode is the story of young Christy who dared to reach into a shadow and announce that she found God's hand reaching back.

Who had/has a teacher who helped light your path? This lighthearted and inspirational episode of Rags of Light is dedicated to all our amazing teachers and educators who invested in our education AND in our lives. In some ways, Doug, my grade school principal knew me as well as I knew myself. I hadn't seen him in over three decades and yet he could still spot the fruits of my misdeeds. He knew me by spirit.

Grace had just been diagnosed with end-stage liver cancer. Her altruistic concern for others seemed to overshadow a deeper truth. Grace was afraid to ask God for her own healing. But why? 

Our very first episode is the delightful story of a toddler, "Teddy," who thinks he's aligned the cosmic tumblers and unlocked the secret to having too much. The story reminds us that while there is real scarcity in the world, the "scarcity mindset" is at the root of much of our anxiety. The way of gratitude is the antidote.