Let the Light Shine

For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;” — 2 Corinthians 4:5-9 NRSV

Have you ever shared a memory with a family member and discovered that their recollection of the same event is completely different than yours? I found myself experiencing a moment like this last week when I saw on the news that the governor of New Mexico had declared a state of emergency in Española and surrounding areas. The press release stated: “Today, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency in Rio Arriba County, the city of Española, and area Pueblos at the request of those governments in response to a significant surge in violent crime, drug trafficking, and public safety threats that have overwhelmed local resources.”

I think anyone who has spent even a small amount of time on the McCurdy Ministries campus will agree that there is something special, some say ‘sacred,’ about this place and the people. I felt it the first time I drove on campus a few years ago. Each time I turn onto McCurdy Road and drive down the narrow street surrounded by adobe homes, I feel the Spirit of God in a way that still gives me chills. This place and the people who inhabit it are special.

Are there major issues in this area? Absolutely! But how incredible is it that over 110 years ago, God put a calling into the life of a young woman, named Mellie Perkins, to leave all she knew to come to northern New Mexico? And that this calling did not end with Mellie but has continued to draw us here to this community even now in 2025. Simply stop and reflect on the work, sacrifices, and lives that have led us to this point in time in McCurdy’s history. Consider that we are perfectly ready to open our doors to this community as a Family Resource Campus, and that numerous other partners and non-profits have been gathering here in our campus for years to be perfectly situated just for this time. I know it takes my breath away!

We are in a remarkable time here at McCurdy Ministries. Our campus is alive with activity, whether it is kids at Camp Stars, volunteers beautifying our campus, or families pouring into the new Family Resource Center—McCurdy is busy with living. It is beautiful and humble, and quite frankly at times a little scary, because those of us who are on the ground in the midst of what I would call a ‘revival of renewal’ are acutely aware that we simply cannot do this important work on our own. There are days in which the flow of families through our doors, the calls or emails, and the donations pouring in can be overwhelming. I simply cannot field all the calls and emails from people who want to give and to share the love of Christ with this community.

God has stirred something incredible, for just this time, because I also struggle to find words to describe the pain, grief, loss, and hopelessness that I see in the families who are trusting us with their lives. They are not shocked by a declaration of an emergency in this community because they are living it. Yet, incredibly, they also have not lost all hope. It is this heart and spirit that I hear expressed in Paul’s words that is the light of Christ that resides in our fragile bodies that simply cannot be crushed or destroyed by the darkness around us.

This is our calling here at McCurdy Ministries – to shine the light of Christ in the valley. This means that it should come as no surprise to us that in the midst of the valley, there is sorrow, death, loss, and pain that at times can seem overwhelming. But here is where I believe that McCurdy can and is renewing and restoring because it is at these very moments that I find the Lord is reminding each of us that we must not lose heart. It is no coincidence that McCurdy Ministries is located at the epicenter of this crisis. It is no secret that God is and always has been at work in this community.

We must see this emergency declaration, then, as confirmation that we are exactly where we are supposed to be, at precisely the right time. Light shines greatest in the darkness, and what I am humbled to experience each and every day is that God is equipping and strengthening McCurdy Ministries to be a place of light. It is true that this extraordinary power is not from us – it is from God. We are simply vessels – jars of clay, or should I say ‘adobe’?! Allowing the light to shine through our cracks is what we were meant to do.

Lord of Light, We thank you for your light that shines in our lives and through our work. Oh Lord, fill us with your light, your love, and your strength in all that we do to such a degree that it becomes clear to everyone that this light is from you. Not from us. Let us never lose heart or become overwhelmed with the enormity of need, but rather, be filled with your Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Tiffany Hollums, Executive Director of McCurdy Ministries