Good morning... "Scanning now." Last Wednesday at 9:22 am, our Fab Five friends received this photo and this two-word text from Jennifer, Audrey's mom. (You may remember that Audrey, a beloved Northside Church member, is a freshman at Notre Dame who has been journeying with neuroblastoma since she was five and a half years old.) We all lifted [...]
Good morning... Feeling drawn to expand the words, I reworked the final paragraph of yesterday's blog post. "Enveloped in the symphony of the Spirit – before, during, and after this election – we surrender into the expansive grace of God," I wrote. "As we continue to gaze at him in trust, we become a part of the art [...]
Good morning... On this day when three of our four kids will vote early with my husband and me over lunchtime, I prepare my heart by savoring this powerful music video. With my whole self kneeling before the God of creation, I will cast my personal ballot of votes. Collectively, I trust the God of salvation to guide [...]
Good morning... "I love a blog called the Marginalian," a friend wrote me this week. "Here's an excerpt of poetry for today to share." So few grains of happiness measured against all the dark and still the scales balance. There is so much darkness in this wounding world. How [...]
Good morning... Another beautiful gift coming from Ignatius House Retreat Center this week is the following story about compassion, kindness, and the face of Christ in the checkout line. What a wonderful reminder as we wake on day 25 of the KIND30 movement! ****** The Face of Christ in the Checkout Line by Michael Leach When I was [...]
Good morning... Hurricane hell. Deep depression. Open heart surgery. Harsh cancer treatment. War and terror. Division, divorce, and death. Darkness seems to seep into every crevice of our wounding world. "The power of God's promise stunned me so much that I actually gasped out loud," writes Kay Warren on page 105 of Choose Joy. I will give you [...]
Good morning... Audrey DeShetler has been living with neuroblastoma since she was five and a half years old. Now she is a freshman at Notre Dame, loving her new friends and her college experience. "She is doing so well at ND," her mom wrote yesterday. "She has a group of friends who include her in everything. They have [...]
Good morning... During class yesterday, we read aloud Kay Warren's words on page 107 in Choose Joy. "But the reality is, this is earth, not heaven. Sin, pain, illness, loss, separation, grief, mental illness, financial ruin, death, and a whole host of other terrible circumstances happen on a daily basis, and each of us needs to prepare for [...]
Good morning... For many people, today is a day off. In local school districts, it is fall break. For others, it is the Canadian Thanksgiving. For still others, today is called "Indigenous Peoples' Day." "Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures," explains [...]
Good morning... "Hi Sue," a longtime friend wrote to me this week. "Your blog about The Coffee Cup Analogy reminds me of something I heard on the radio years ago. The doctor (a psychologist, I believe) said your brain is like a bathtub, and genetics plays a role in the size of bathtub you have. When we encounter [...]
