Good morning... During my quiet weekend away, I experienced a unique communion. Instead of broken bread and poured out wine, I sipped light in my morning coffee. As we ponder this inviting picture, what insights are stirred? We have a fuller confirmation of the message of the prophets. You would do well to pay close attention to this [...]
Good morning... To begin our monthly phone call, I was drawn to share these words: "Now if God can take a tiny seed and, in the process of giving it his life, endow it with a knowledge of what is supposed to be; if he can give it the purpose and strength and fruitfulness to not only accomplish [...]
Good morning... "We are on the same wavelength!" she texted. "Sue, I ordered the Henri Nouwen book you will be studying and read it in one day! Shared it with my women's group this morning and also with a dear friend who is grieving the loss of her father." "I've always believed that true discipleship is listening," she [...]
Good morning... "We are coming off a whirlwind graduation weekend at UNC," texted a longtime friend earlier this week. "Bryan Stevenson was the keynote speaker, who was EXCELLENT! Given your recent experience with the museum in Montgomery, Alabama which he helped to start, I wanted to forward you his quote." Your hope is your superpower. Believe things you [...]
Good morning... "So keep this refuge in mind: the back roads of your self." This Marcus Aurelius quote visits me like an old friend. Traveling the highway is rush hour, heavy traffic, efficiently direct. Exploring the back roads is slow moments, uplifting alone-time, freedom to meander. On the back roads of ourselves, God whispers through our rolled down [...]
Good morning... Amid this time of year with graduations, weddings, and special days dedicated to mothers and fathers, depression can creep in for some of us who feel depleted and disconnected, with high hopes and deep dreams derailed. I just read the obituary for Libby Wood, with this challenging sentence: "Sadly, she lost her battle with depression on [...]
Good morning... There are separating lines between us. From all sides, opposing forces jockey for power. Good and evil. Left and right. For and against. Us and them. Seen and unseen. Opposing forces exist also within, as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn illuminates. “Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor [...]
Good morning... "Ba-ba. Ba-ba," repeated our two year old neighbor as she came to visit our herd of guest sheep. Hosting ten sheep for about two weeks will be a really fun adventure. So far, the most intriguing thing has been to watch the nurturing qualities the flock has drawn out of our two dogs. Tate and Gracie [...]
Good morning... "The sheep are coming! The sheep are coming!" read yesterday's family text from my husband Steve. The fencing has been erected and the sign for John the shepherd's business is ready to be placed in our front yard. Today is the day our flock of sheep with arrive to take care of our overgrowth, our pesky [...]
Good morning... The chaplain team writes a devotional message for The Lovett School community each week. This past Monday, my husband Steve wrote a fun piece about the wisdom gleaned from a shepherd named John. ****** Chaplain's Message for May 1st, 2023 by Rev. Steve Allen Acts 2:42-47 • Psalm 23 • 1 Peter 2:19-25 • John 10:1-10 [...]
