Good morning... My spiritual director opens our phone conversation with a sacred reading each month. Through her surrendered spirit, God channels life-giving words. This month's poem woke up my wonder. ****** TRILLIUMS by Mary Oliver 'Every spring among the ambiguities of childhood the hillsides grew white with the wild trilliums. I believed in the world. Oh, I wanted [...]
Good morning... As I was sipping on coffee and writing our devotional message this morning, our twenty-six year old son came downstairs and climbed into our king-sized bed beside me and our dogs. With his acting up car still sitting at the mechanic's shop nearby, he unexpectedly spent the night at home. A few minutes later, coming upstairs [...]
Good morning... Day after day, we pour out to God the deepest desires of our heart. In response, I have heard it said, "God answers, 'Yes.' 'No.' or 'Wait.'" I have always thought God gives us a "Yes," and a pathway forward opens effortlessly before us. At other times God gives us a "No," and a door is [...]
Good morning... Sometimes we feel lost alone beneath our many layers. Even forming an honest prayer can feel really, really hard. For those moments of chaotic complexity, I just met a revealing poem. Over the phone, a friend read aloud these powerful words so that I could understand more clearly her personal struggle. I can relate to the [...]
Good morning... I was inspired by the nine minute talk shared in our blog post yesterday, Doing Hard And Holy Work. Encouraged by twenty-five year old Atlantan, Danielle Coke, I treasure-hunted for the poem she shared at the end of her vulnerable presentation. This young artist and activist offers a creative, colorful invitation into our humble, daily walk [...]
Good morning... "Today Danielle Coke posted a link on her Instagram account to a speech she gave at this weekend's Q Ideas Culture Summit in Nashville," she texted me yesterday. "9 minutes. So good." I trust this wise friend deeply, as together we seek to hold each other accountable to doing God's hard and holy work with our [...]
Good morning... Today I went out into the second year of our garden following the weekend's hard rains, and the big purple flowers on this climbing vine are wrecked. Their five-inch round beauty was so bold and life-giving, and now they are destroyed, ripped apart, ruined. I think to myself, "Why did I take their beauty for granted? [...]
Good morning... Yesterday, I read a tender devotional message written by a calm, compassion co-worker, a beautiful young woman with a loving and gentle soul. With her permission, I now share these life-giving words with you. ****** Northside Weekdays - April 22nd - Elisabeth Shabi I am now in the second year of watching my garden grow. When [...]
Good morning... I am up in the wee hours of the night pondering this quote shared by a friend: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." The Spirit now draws me to a prayer, a prayer to enhance the art of going far together. ****** "A Blessing Prayer" by [...]
Good morning... "Amazing post!" she emailed after yesterday's message, With A Heavy And Thankful Heart. "I needed it!" "I’ve been trudging through the valley these past weeks," she admitted. "Dark, sad, powerless. It’s surely part of the awakening process but so not me. I’ve started the spiral of control again in my helpless attempt to save the train [...]
