We Are All Refugees

I am proud to share this beautiful essay by my beautiful daughter, Erin, who posted it yesterday on social media. It is well thought out, well articulated and well-crafted, which is no surprise given that Erin is a smart, loving and amazing human being.

Here is Erin’s essay.

My very existence was determined by multiple ancestry strains leaving their homelands, searching for safety and security. The blood that runs in my veins encompasses numerous nationalities, religions, and legacies of people who left all they knew. Of people whose hearts were never the same after their families, friends, and neighbors were murdered. Of people who didn’t speak the language of their new “home” and were never welcomed.

The blood that runs in my veins is also the blood of the people left behind, the ones who couldn’t escape. MY people. The ones who perished and whose last moments were filled with terror and sorrow. So you see, this “refugee crisis” is personal. I exist because of refugees. I exist in spite of persecution. “Those people,” the ones we see in the news that look different than me—what I see is how they look the same—their eyes pierce my eyes. Their noses smell the air the same as mine does. Their ears hear the same as mine do. Their mouths kiss their loved ones and their lips tremble as they remember the ones they’ve lost. Just like mine.

And their beliefs? They run the gamut. Just like the beliefs of my current friends and family. I cannot think of a single person I love whose beliefs line up succinctly with my own. In fact, I outright disagree with most of them. But it’s not up to me to judge their personal and sacred journey or offer my opinion on the belief system that gives them strength, comfort, and lets them sleep at night. I love them because they are human beings. The refugees in crisis are human beings. And they need our help, love, and compassion.

ABOUT PHIL BOLSTA

If you feel more stressed than blessed . . . if you have more confusion than clarity about how to live your beliefs . . . if you long to live a richer, happier, more meaningful life . . . you will find a wealth of insight and guidance in Through God’s Eyes: Finding Peace and Purpose in a Troubled World.

Through God’s Eyes is a road map for living a more peaceful, beautiful life. It’s the only book that explains how dozens of spiritual principles interact, how to weave them together into a cohesive worldview, and how to practically apply this spiritual wisdom to daily life.

Readers everywhere are discovering that when you challenge yourself to look through God’s eyes, the world around you changes, and so do you.

Who will benefit from reading Through God’s Eyes?
Anyone who is on a spiritual path, or wants to be.
Anyone who loves life, or wants to learn how to.
Anyone who is happy, or wants to be happier.

Click here to order your copy of Through God’s Eyes from GodsEyesAmazon.com.
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SEE EVERY MOMENT AS A GIFT

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Here is a two-minute video introduction to Through God’s Eyes.

Like to learn more about Through God’s Eyes? Here is a free 44-page PDF sampler from the book that includes:

• an overview of the book
• the complete table of contents
• the Foreword by Caroline Myss
• my Introduction
• chapter excerpts
• a sample end-of-chapter story
• endorsements from authors and thought leaders

Just click on the link below to download your free PDF sampler!
THROUGH GOD’S EYES PDF SAMPLER

Schedule a Mastery Mentoring phone session with Phil to learn how to apply principles of spiritual living more effortlessly and effectively. Priced affordably! Click here to e-mail Phil for details.

Phil’s eBook, The Logic of Living a Spiritual Life: Supporting a Life of Faith Through Logic and Reason, is now available for 99 cents.

Order it at GodIsLogical.com.

In this eBook, you’ll find answers to questions like:
• What is the cornerstone of a spiritual life, and why?
• What is the secret to liberating yourself from other people’s judgments and expectations?
• How do you reconcile the “free will vs. Divine Will” conundrum?
• Why is there an exception to “Everything happens for a reason”?


Those who worship logic instead of God are only half right. Not only is it logical to believe in God and to live a faith-based life, the existence of a loving, benevolent God that governs all creation is perhaps the only systematic worldview that explains every aspect of life.

Phil is also the author of Sixty Seconds: One Moment Changes Everything, a collection of 45 inspiring, life-changing stories from prominent authors and thought leaders he interviewed. The roster of storytellers includes Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Neale Donald Walsch, Caroline Myss, Larry Dossey, Rachel Naomi Remen, Bernie Siegel, Dean Ornish, and Christiane Northrup. Sixty Seconds has been translated into four languages: Italian, German, Spanish, and Portuguese. Reading this book is like spending a few minutes face to face with each of the contributors and listening to their personal stories.

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Here is a three-minute video introduction to Sixty Seconds.

Tags: ancestry, Freedom, heritage, homeland, refugee crisis, safety, security