STOKING EMBERS

Letter from the Editor:

I have vivid memories of staring into my family fireplace, mesmerized by the activity of flames devoted to burning down the wood we brought home in bundles—a pleasant warmth accompanying our movie nights. I remember wondering how long the burn would last until we would need to replenish the light, and by night’s end, it diminished into what we expected would eventually come—dwindling embers that signaled the death of one evening’s fire.

Fire, in essence, requires a continual stoking, much like our faith. I turn inward to think about the inner hearth that exists within each person. When lit within by the Gospel, life as we know it is never the same again. God’s presence is, as the poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay, once penned in a sonnet, “love like a burning city in the breast.” In His flammable love, we can’t help but shine from the inside out.

However, in a world that is comfortable growing dim with darkness, oftentimes we may feel the flames of our faith are under threat, gusts of doubt attempting to make us believe that the fire within us is in danger of being snuffed out. This is the very essence of why the fall issue, Stoking Embers exists, to passionately beckon readers to recall that living flame that can never be extinguished, stirring up fresh desire to burn brightly for Jesus, no matter how intense darkness gets.

As the Apostle Paul appeals to weary believers in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 with a powerful reminder : “Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on our my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self discipline” (NIV), Stoking Embers emerges from the resilient hope of this message.

Instead of waiting to burn out in life, what if we lived with a holy expectation that the fire within us will only continue building?

I believe the poetry and essays in this issue reflect this tremendously well. I am also thrilled to share that we have two inaugural Spanish-infused poems featured in this issue, from poets Karen Guevara, and Grace Cultivar, representative of our new vision to showcase bilingual poetry.

There was always something hopeful about watching the glowing remains in a dying fire. Evidence of life under ash, even then. A reminder that faith is revivable, even now. My hope as the Editor-In-Chief of Vessels of Light Journal is that the poems and essays you read would inspire a surprising sense of awe in your lives in the Lord, to “find the burn that keeps everything awake,” as the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca once wrote.

The most sincere thank you to my loyal VOL team, assistant editors Courtney Moody, Rosa Lía Gilbert, and Emma McCoy, who selflessly poured their heart behind the scenes with me to prepare this issue for you. And of course, my excellent image visionaries, Gabrielle Johnson and Stephanie Hanno, who handpicked rich paintings and photography to accompany every work from our authors. And to the writers who shared their bold work, the world is already brighter because of it; may your work stoke the hearts of thousands.

Keep Burning Brightly,

Alexis Leigh Ragan