There was a time when people said “God willing” much more often. They would say, “I’ll see you tomorrow, God willing.” “We’ll travel next summer, God willing.” “We’ll celebrate together next year, God willing.” Today, we do not hear those words as often. Maybe it is because we have become more confident in our plans. We have calendars, schedules, reminders, reservations, and long-term goals. We organize our days carefully and often speak about the future as though it is alrea

When I first came to the United States in 2015, my initial assignment was in St. Louis, Missouri. Before that, I had spent more than ten years serving Armenian communities in France, Switzerland, and Belgium. My daily life was in French. I knew the language, understood the culture, and felt comfortable in my ministry. Then God opened a completely new door. Usually, clergy arriving from overseas spend some time at St. Nersess Seminary. They improve their English, learn about A

In Armenia, people often use the expression «ցավդ տանեմ» — Tsavt tanem, which literally means, “Let me take your pain.” I heard it often growing up, especially when I was sick or hurting. My mother and father, and my grandparents, would say to me, «Tsavt tanem.» As a child, I simply received those words as love and comfort. I did not think much about their meaning. But the older I get, the more I understand how profound they are. Tsavt tanem is more than an expression of symp