Welcome to this new series, “Something Psalmic,” in which I invite my guests to share what’s lifting their spirits and offering them healing and hope right now.

In this moving episode of Psalms for the Spirit, I sit down with SueAnn Shiah ~ a Taiwanese American musician, filmmaker, ethnomusicologist, community organizer, and Queer Christian pastor. Through her creative and pastoral work, SueAnn weaves together questions of faith, identity, belonging, and justice, always grounded in her deep conviction that every vocation can be an act of ministry.

Together, we talk about what is psalmic in her life these days: the courage to tell the truth even when it has consequences, the importance of naming despair as faithfully as we seek joy, and the hope that even the darkest Psalms ~ like Psalm 88 ~ can hold us when no easy answers exist. SueAnn’s story reminds us that faith is not about pretending everything is fine but daring to bring our full selves, our doubts and griefs included, before God.

“The hope is not that things will suddenly be fixed, but that even our darkest truths are not too much for God.”

This episode is an invitation to honesty, courage, and the deep hope that healing begins where truth is spoken.

Featured Song:

Psalm 88: God of My Salvation

Set to the Irish traditional tune Bean Dubh a Ghleanna, this psalm gives voice to deep lament and longing. It is a cry from the depths, expressing sorrow, isolation, and the search for God’s presence in darkness—yet still holding fast to the prayer, “O God of my salvation.”

Find out more about “Summer for the Spirit” at www.kiranyoungwimberly.com/summer

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