For the past nine weeks, I have been thinking and talking about ripening—the ways our spiritual lives grow, deepen, mature, and become more fully what they are capable of becoming. But lately another word has been arising for me: Inhabiting. Not simply growing into something. Not striving toward some future version of ourselves. But learning to … Continue reading Inhabiting the Gift You Already Are
The spiritual life is often described as a journey. That image has been on my mind lately—the sense that we are walking a path that continues for as long as we draw breath, and perhaps beyond. Along that path there are stopping places. Sometimes we sit on a bench along the side of the road … Continue reading Ripening Along the Path
Most of us don’t reject rest outright. We postpone it. We tell ourselves we’ll rest after one more thing is done—after the list gets shorter, after life slows down, after we’ve earned it. Rest becomes conditional, something we imagine waiting patiently on the other side of our productivity. And yet, that “other side” never quite arrives. Busyness … Continue reading When You’re Too Busy to Rest
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about presence—what it really means to be present, and what it might mean when we find that we’re not. Over the past several weeks, life has been full. The end of the year, the beginning of a new one, gatherings, worship, conversations, responsibilities—good things, meaningful things. And yet, in … Continue reading When the Mind Wanders
The turning of the calendar invites reflection. We call it a “new year,” though nothing in the universe insists that January 1 marks a true beginning. The earth continues its steady journey around the sun, life unfolding in cycles far older and wiser than our calendars. And yet, this moment—this threshold—offers us a pause. A … Continue reading Becoming the Gift You Already Are
Each year, as the seasons turn and October gives way to November, we come upon a day in the Christian calendar that holds a special tenderness for me — All Saints Day. It’s a day of remembrance and gratitude, when we honor those who have come before us: the ones whose lives shaped our faith, our … Continue reading Remembering the Saints
Recently, life has brought a convergence of challenges into my world—perhaps it has in yours, too. In times like these, I’ve been thinking about an old saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” But I’ve come to realize that “toughness” isn’t always what gets us through. In fact, it can sometimes feel like a … Continue reading Welcoming the Storm: Practicing Presence in Challenging Times
Recently, I’ve been reflecting a lot on endings—those that we see coming and those that catch us by surprise. Both have shown up side by side in my life over the past six months, each carrying its own blend of beauty and challenge. When something we know ends, and we don’t yet know what’s coming … Continue reading Embracing Endings: Living Each Moment with Reverence
