Christmas In A Prison Cell
Good morning... Like light seeping into the chilly winter dark, God finds a way to find us where we are. "Sue," a friend wrote, "I too have been drawn to Bonhoeffer in the last week. His little book, God Is In the Manger, has some of his Christmas sermons." Then she shared a portion of Bonheoffer’s Christmas letter from the Tegel prison to his parents Karl and Paula Bonhoeffer on December 17, 1943. [...]
An Unexpected Arrival
Good morning... The notification of her Gratitude Gift unexpectedly arrived. "Thank you for all the wisdom you have shared all these years!" she added in her note. "Beautiful! Merry Christmas!" Her kind gift spurred me to remind you that, in order to bring to you our free daily blog, we depend on your financial support. If you feel nudged by the Spirit, please consider offering a Gratitude Gift to help offset the costs [...]
Audrey’s Strong Faith
Good morning... Yesterday my friend and I went to see the movie Bonhoeffer. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, a theologian, and an anti-Nazi dissident who was executed by the Nazis in 1945 just two weeks before the war ended. Chronicled in his many books and expressed in his heroic actions, Bonhoeffer's life of faith was extraordinary. On our car ride home, my friend asked, "In your lifetime, who is a person [...]
Head Injury Victim
Good morning... I'm not very good at big parties, since small talk is not my forte. So when my old friend's annual Christmas cookie party rolls around, I walk in through the familiar back door with internal questions swirling. "Who will I talk with?" "Will I anxiety-eat too much?" "Might I just drink sparkling water?" Last night began similarly and ended quite differently. After meandering through the rooms and catching up with people [...]
This Is Our Happy Place
Good morning... In the photo above, the words on the wall say it all. "This is our happy place." The generosity of people in our community astounds me. Bags of donated items for our annual Secret Santa shop for the PAWkids after-school program appeared at our doorstep all weekend long. I felt the holy privilege of touching each treasure, sorting and organizing all the items, and experiencing the love of God expressed freely [...]
When God Says “No.”
Good morning... When we met for our class Christmas lunch and our final discussion of Choose Joy by Kay Warren, one friend read aloud a thought-provoking poem. ***** I Asked God by Claudia Minden Weisz I asked God to take away my pride, And God said, “No.” He said it was not for Him to take it away, But for me to give it up. I asked God to make my handicapped child [...]
Choose To Be A Light
Good morning... Refocusing my scattered attention, a friend sent me his favorite Christmas poems. Here is one for us to enjoy today, accompanied by the wisdom of Scripture, amplified with an uplifting song. ****** I Will Light Candles from The Mood of Christmas by Howard Thurman I will light Candles this Christmas, Candles of joy despite all the sadness, Candles of hope where despair keeps watch, Candles of courage for fears ever present, Candles [...]
This Calming Photo
Good morning... A tender friend texted me this calming photo. I read the words aloud to myself. Slowly. Quietly. Twice. ...I relied on God’s Spirit to demonstrate God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4b, VOICE). ...Sue... Respond to Sue privately. Sue Browse our website. suetoyou.com Enjoy our free daily posts? Gratitude Gift Consider giving a Gratitude Gift. [...]
Stop. Look. Listen.
Good morning... Just before 6:00 o'clock in the middle of a busy week, the grocery store line was long, slow, ugh. After a full day of good work, I was ready to get home, ready to relax, ready to unwind, please. Finally walking out to my car, I noticed the setting sun sinking beneath the rising moon. "Stop. Look. Listen." I sensed a holy nudge. Disregarding the opinion of onlookers, I wheeled over [...]
Too much. Too fast. Too loud.
Good morning... As the December rush picks up, our good intentions break down. Overindulging everything, we underestimate the stress. Too much. Too fast. Too loud. Then, one of my old favorite songs meets us just where we are. "This one knocked me to the ground This one dropped me to my knees I should have seen it coming But it surprised me." Surprise, surprise, we are in need. In need of rest. In [...]
Generosity Grows Gifts
Good morning... In mid November, our Mission Circle gathered at Northside Church to donate items and assemble Thanksgiving boxes for twenty-three of the food-insecure families at Sutton Middle School. After loading up the truck and driving the Thanksgiving meals across the street to the school, I received a text from one of the group leaders. Her text read: "We were talking and wondering if [...]
Nothing Is Impossible
Good morning... A longtime friend texted our monthly book group, sharing with us a poem from her Advent readings -- a compilation, Sacred Journeys, by Jan L. Richardson. ****** "Annunciation” This was the minute no one speaks of, when she could still refuse. A breath unbreathed, Spirit, suspended, waiting. _________________________ She did not cry, “I cannot, I am not worthy,” nor, “I have not the strength.” She did not submit with gritted teeth, [...]