By Rev. Cassandra Nagle (she/her), Bishop’s Associate in TLGC Synod 

In the fall of 2025, I participated in LEAD’s 16-day study pilgrimage to Türkiye and Greece, in which my colleagues and I were “In Search of Paul.” Led by the Rev. Dr. Don Carlson, our cohort consisted of both rostered and lay leaders of the church from across the US. Over the summer, we read books, watched videos, and attended three Zoom meetings to learn about the apostle Paul and the context in which he lived. Our preparations equipped us for our visits to many of Paul’s missionary journey destinations. In each location, we took time to read and discuss Paul’s letters to those early Christian communities.

Of all the ancient and modern sites that we visited, what stood out the most to me was our visit to the Baptistery of St. Lydia. The church itself is magnificent — with an intricate mosaic floor in the narthex, a series of detailed gold icons around the altar, a circular sanctuary made completely of marble, with a baptismal font in the center, and a colorful dome towering overhead. Yet it was not the beautiful church that lingered in my mind, but rather the moments we experienced together on the banks of the Gangites River nearby, where many believe Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, was baptized by Paul.

We gathered along the riverside for a Bible study on Lydia’s story (Acts 16:11-15), and our tour guide, Voula Kalapoda, shared this powerful insight with us: In many English translations of the Bible, verse 14b is written as, “The Lord opened [Lydia’s] heart to respond to Paul’s message.” In Greek, however, the verb for “opened” would be translated as “pierced.” So, a more literal translation of this verse would be, “The Lord pierced through [Lydia’s] heart to respond to Paul’s message.” This perhaps more graphic translation of the text carries with it a strong image of the power, strength, and impact of the Holy Spirit.

As the group began to leave, I took a moment alone, took off my shoes and walked through the cross-shaped walkway built into the river. I deeply appreciated this moment of solitude, putting my feet in the same (cold!) water as Lydia and Paul and recalling the promise that each of us has a heart that has been pierced through by a God who loves, forgives, and redeems us.

We are like Lydia. In the waters of baptism, our hearts have been pierced through — not by our own choosing, but by the powerful, grace-filled majesty of the Holy Spirit.

Questions to ponder:

• How has the Holy Spirit pierced through your heart?
• How might God be calling you, like Lydia, to respond to that good news?