Good morning... This week we have discovered the beautiful art of murmuration. Allowing space in our togetherness, God empowers us as we flock together. I was reminded of this concept as I read the introductory page of a study being offered at our church this semester, Breathe: Making Room for Sabbath by Priscilla Shirer. Priscilla writes a dedication [...]
Good morning... When heading into a brand new year, we face a plethora of possibilities. Developing the art of discernment, 92 year old Betty Skinner recommends, "Be inspired, not impulsive." Impulsive is rash, quick, emotionally reactive. Inspired is walking "in-sync with the Spirit," calmly seeking and sensing, "Does this opportunity deserve my yes or my no?" Flipping back to [...]
Good morning... December hosts a plethora of pop-up possibilities. On top of our regular commitments, we add gift buying, Christmas cards, and holiday visits. We pile on parties, special foods, and annual traditions. We struggle with people-pleasing, perfectionist tendencies, and performing our priorities with the greatest of ease. But December is not easy, December can be hard. Yet [...]
Good morning... My feelings were hurt. After I had prayed diligently for the months leading up to our second "Awake To Wellness Retreat," after I had left my family behind to travel from Atlanta to Orlando, after we had passionately provided a day of music and teaching, poems and prayers, videos and stories about the life of Christian [...]
Good morning... God woke me from sleep with an anxious image. I sensed, somewhere not far away, terrorists had attacked and destroyed a billboard bearing six big letters: ALWAYS. There seemed healing for the nations in this ALWAYS. The salvation of our world was dependent upon this ALWAYS. And this tangible reminder of ALWAYS was ripped up and [...]
Good morning... "Lining up at the poles today, pondering political races, how do we discern where to cast our votes?" This sentence began the message I scheduled for 3:00 am this morning. When I woke from sleep, I chuckled as I re-read the words, picking up my typo. Did you catch it also? For months as a country we [...]
Good morning... I woke with a weird vision filling my mind, a vision of one handwritten note bearing two sentences. "No one likes to be judged. Call LeeAnn." Strange. Out of the blue. Really, really odd. First I unpacked, "No one likes to be judged." Judgement is a two-sided issue God is inviting me to face. On one [...]
Good morning... Sensing the hardened pea of every emotion, I feel like the sensitive-skinned Princess who found her Prince one wet, stormy night. Will you remember with me the childhood story? ******* THE PRINCESS ON THE PEA a translation of hans christian andersen's "prindsessen paa ærten" by jean hersholt Once there was a Prince who wanted to marry a [...]
Good morning... Sometimes we forget what God said first to us-humans: "You are free to eat of any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat it you will surely die" (Genesis 2:17, NIV). What is the one deadly thing we are told not [...]
Good morning... After our first monthly Spiritual Growth Group she emailed me, giving me permission to share her words: "Sue, what an inspiring 'session' we had yesterday. I was 'high' on our talk and I finally feel READY to begin a spiritual walk toward peace and change. The Serenity Prayer, my symbol of what God is inviting me [...]
