God stood me up on a wide-open field (a spacious place; God rescued me because he delighted in me.) I stood there saved—surprised to be loved. Psalm 18:19 MSG (NIV) There are two spacious places in the world where I have been transfixed in delight, awe and silent gratitude. They were wide-open spaces that had…
A Woman’s Voice. Stand Together
At a women retreat on the Atlantic coast of Florida, I walked every morning on the windswept beach while the rough waves of autumn and semi-darkness of cloudy sunrises invited me to listen and pray. There were prayers of gratitude, sorrow, and seeking for myself, family, and my community of women. My thoughts and prayers…
We Ride Off On Fast Horses
The Lord God: “In returning and rest you shall be saved. In quietness and in trust shall be your strength. But you were rebellious and unwilling to listen to me. You said: ‘No. We’ll ride off on fast horses.‘ Therefore your enemies will be fast and scatter you. There will be nothing left of you….
One who trusts will not panic.
One who trusts will not panic…worry, hurry, stress, or be anxious. As the Psalmist says, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” I am thankful and privileged that I have not been traumatized to the point of panic or sudden strong anxiety leading to fearful behavior. Yet, I feel an underlying sense…
50 Years After Vietnam War
The United States has been commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War since Memorial Day, May 28, 2012, continuing through Veterans Day, November 11, 2025. My father, brother, and brother-in-law all served in Vietnam between 1970-73 resulting in our family being deeply wounded with personal tragedy. I share this story written by my brother,…
The Road to Emmaus
Visual Meditation on the Post Resurrection Appearance of Jesus That very day two (disciples of Jesus) were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven mile from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes…
Good Friday
“I am now ready to be offered.” Lesson from the Dandelion. The dandelion has long ago surrendered its golden petals, and has reached its crowning stage of dying—the delicate seed-globe must break up now—it gives and gives till it has nothing left. The hour of this new dying is clearly defined to the dandelion globe: …
A Triumphal Entry
Blessed is the King Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Luke 19:38 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is righteous and just and having salvation, Humble and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal…
Leave It
Following the Way with Focused Attention We do not own a dog, unlike half the people in the neighborhood and world! Yet we seem to spend a lot of time with the four-legged kids of our children and grandchildren. Not surprisingly, most people, including our dear ones, turn to pets as family members and companions. …
Human Trafficking Awareness
https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/tacklingtrafficking January is a designated month to raise awareness for human trafficking, or modern-day slavery, which includes both forced labor and sex trafficking. January 11th is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, also known as #WearBlueDay. The international color of human trafficking awareness is blue. You can show your support by taking a photo wearing blue…
Your Kingdom Come
For the past year, several soul friends and I have been praying the Lord’s prayer daily. This universal practice started when a few friends (disciples) asked Jesus how to pray. And since that day, the scope and depth of the Lord’s Prayer has united believers in both community and individual prayer. The Lord’s Prayer “Father, hallowed…
Bent but not Broken
I am bent, but not broken. I am scarred, but not disfigured. I am sad, but not hopeless. I am tired, but not powerless. I am angry, but not bitter. I am depressed, but not giving up! Unknown My summer started off and ended quickly with a hard fall on concrete that resulted in a…
Good Things
One of my all-time favorite films is The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, an epic 1966 Italian spaghetti western starring Clint Eastwood as “the Good,” Lee Van Cleef as “the Bad,” and Eli Wallach as “the Ugly.” The three characters are forced to work together to find hidden treasure. The final scene is an…
Good Friday
The Servant Crushed Sacrificial Grace, by Makoto Fujimura. Fujimura uses a Japanese style of painting called Nihonga, in which semi-precious stone such as lapis lazuli is crushed into mineral pigments. It is the breaking and crushing of the stone which brings out the splendor of the colors shimmering in refracted light. This piece is a…
Ordinary Saints Wear Capes
Celebrating Cabrini The film Cabrini, 2024 from Angel Studios, starring Christiana Dell’Anna and directed by Alejandro Monteverde appropriately launched in theaters nationwide for International Women’s Day. Based on the true story of Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian missionary who came to New York in 1889 to serve Italian immigrants, Cabrini is alive with hope that the kingdom…
Celebrate Women
International Women’s Day 2024 Theme: Inspire Inclusion. When women are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. When women aren’t present, or equally valued, we must ask: “Why not?” When women are discriminated against, or abused in any way, we must call out injustice and take action. A student friend…
Ash Wednesday Meets Valentine’s Day
Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day intersect this year for an epic “opposites attract” mashup. A tattoo with a dagger through the heart symbolizes sacrifice and can be a sign of devotion to Christ. (This tattoo is Justin’s from Tampa, Florida). Celebrating these two days together is the musical equivalent of the Good Friday hymn “O Sacred Head…
Discerning People Hold Fast
Christian discernment is not the same as decision making. Reaching a decision can be straightforward: we consider our goals and options; maybe we list the pros and cons of each possible choice; and then we choose the action that meets our goal most effectively. Discernment, on the other hand, is about listening and responding to…
Ring in the New
Rule of Life O, Begin! Fix some part of every day for private exercises… Whether you like it or no, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way; else you will be a trifler all your days… Do justice to your own soul; give it time and means to…
Ring Out the Old
Year End Examen Resources Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night;Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go;Ring out the false, ring in the…
Pray as you Move
The water splashes around me with the rhythmic mermaid dance of my arms, legs, and torso, along with the not so graceful slapping of my yellow fins. This early morning, I have reluctantly entered the cool water of the swimming pool, grumpy and bored with the routine of the day and the restlessness of emotions…
Our Breath is a Prayer
Morgan Harper Nichols Art This past year I experienced some chronic chest pain. In these days of respiratory disease, I was really concerned something might be wrong with my lungs. My doctor ruled out anything serious with my heart and lungs. The pain seemed to be costochondritis, or cartilage inflammation, most likely due to age…
Robe of Righteousness
God’s Beauty on Display In every culture and people around the globe there is great celebration of joy at a wedding along with all the festivities. My favorite wedding scene took place in a small rural village in South Asia. The bridegroom arrived on the back of a horse wearing a dashing turban, escorted by…
Jesus Asks
What do you want me to do for you? And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son…
Hymn History: Turn your Eyes Upon Jesus
A Spirit Connection Between Two Artistic Women of Faith “The word of the Lord came to me this morning through a dandelion. It was early morning & I was sitting in a little wood near the Hotel. The sun was climbing behind a steep cliff to the east, & its light was flooding from a…
Pentecost Sunday: Peace
Year A Readings: Acts 2:1-21; John 20:19-23 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each…
Sun Tracking
A Look at the Healthy Rhythms of Sunflowers In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth….
Good Friday
“I am now ready to be offered.” Lesson from the Dandelion. The dandelion has long ago surrendered its golden petals, and has reached its crowning stage of dying—the delicate seed-globe must break up now—it gives and gives till it has nothing left. The hour of this new dying is clearly defined to the dandelion globe: …
Crowing Roosters and Betrayals
Holy Week Meditations Upper Room, Thursday at dinner, sometime before the betrayal and arrest of Jesus: Jesus to his disciples: You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter: Even…
Lazarus, Come Out
5th Sunday in Lent. John 11:1-45, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130 Jesus Raises Lazarus 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead…
Look at the Heart
4th Sunday of Lent. 1 Samuel 16:1-13 The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. I Samuel 16:7 NIV “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” These are the words of the Lord to the prophet Samuel about David, the youngest of eight sons…
Celebrate the Voices of Women
International Women’s Day Legacy of Lilias Trotter You can never tell to what untold glories any little humble path may lead, if you only follow far enough. Lilias Trotter, Diary and Painting, 1899 Celebration is central to all the spiritual practices because without joy and festivity in community our spiritual lives would become dull and…
Temptation to Triumph
First Sunday in Lent Take the very hardest thing in your life—the place of difficulty, outward or inward, and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot. Just there He can bring your soul into blossom. Lilias Trotter, Parables of the Cross. Gorse is a yellow-flowered dark green bush that grows in Europe and…
Ash Wednesday
Preparing for Lent “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12 “I am crucified with Christ” — I myself in the very essence of my being, I let myself go to that death, and by the mysterious power with which God meets faith, I find that He has made it true:…
Half-Eared Listening
Answering before listening is both stupid and rude. Proverbs 18:13 MSG Half-eared listening is the kind that “presumes already to know what the other person has to say. It is an impatient, inattentive listening…and is only waiting for a chance to speak and thus get rid of the other person.” This kind of poor listening diminishes…
Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A
O Come O Come Emmanuel A Reflection on Isaiah 7:10-16 and Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph: A Just Man of Honor 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just…
Third Sunday of Advent, Year A
Make Your Way Home Isaiah 35:1-10 There will be a highway called the Holy Road.No one rude or rebellious is permitted on this road.It’s for God’s people exclusively— impossible to get lost on this road. Not even fools can get lost on it.No lions on this road, no dangerous wild animals—Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening. Only the redeemed will walk…
Second Sunday of Advent, Year A
Rest on Me A Reflection on Isaiah 11:1-10 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.5 Righteousness will be…
First Sunday of Advent, Year A
The Mountain of the Lord A Reflection on Isaiah 2:1-5 The word that Isaiah the (prophet) saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lordshall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills;and all the nations shall flow…
Healthy Practices: Climb a Tree
Zaccheaus in the Sycamore Tree I am drawn to the story of Zacchaeus, a well-loved children’s Bible Story, because he climbed a tree to get a better view of Jesus above the crowds. When I was a kid, my brother Bruce and I played outside all day and climbed many trees. Bruce was small…
Healthy Practices: Light a Candle
And Look into Your Heart When we look into the heart,May our eyes have the kindnessAnd reverence of candlelight. For Light, John O’Donohue Lighting candles has been a wonderful morning practice to intentionally open my day and spirit to the sacred place of connection with God. I love candles, so I thought, why not try…
Fall Practices: Life in the Presence
Rhythms, Resources and other Holy Habits, Part 2 In my sorrows, Lord, walk with meIn my sorrows, Lord, walk with meWhen the shades of life are falling LordI want Jesus to walk with meAll along my pilgrim journeyI want Jesus to walk with me African American Spiritual There are days that all of us wake…
Fall Practices: Put your Boots On
Rhythms, Resources and other Holy Habits, Part 1 Autumn has caught us in our summer wear.–Philip Larkin, Poet Fall is here with mostly welcome changes in daylight time, weather, foliage, schedules, holidays, and rhythms of life. If we pay attention to the migrating birds, the color of leaves on the trees, and the arrival of…
Summer Practices
Slow Down and Sploot It’s splooting season in the squirrel world, and it’s not just laziness, but nature’s way of cooling down since squirrels don’t sweat or pant. I found “my” backyard squirrel splooting on my concrete bird bath. Turns out that splaying on a cool surface acts as “heat dump” as the heat moves…
Driver Attention Low
REFOCUS, REST, and ENGAGE your SPIRIT My car of choice has always been a Honda Accord, except that time I came back from living in Asia and could only afford a Honda Civic. I mean the Bible even says we all need to be in one Accord! Now we drive a Honda CRV, a sensible…
Two ARE Better than One
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? … Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Early one morning, I interrupted my bike ride…
I Remember You, Dad
1949. Walgreens Drug Store on 8th and Congress AvE, Austin, TX. An 18-year-old tall, skinny, Air Force corporal named Charlie, comes in to his night job as soda jerk. At the cash register is Marian, a beautiful, blue-eyed, dark haired, high school senior. The first chance he gets to speak to this goddess, his opening…
Pentecost Sunday: Come Holy Spirit
Year A Readings: Acts 2:1-21; John 20:19-23 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each…
Love is Patient
Poisonous Irritants Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13 As a volunteer at…
A Walk on the Shore
A Reflection on John 21:1-19 Our family often escapes to the Texas coast. Even though it is not a European riviera or a Caribbean island, it is just a half day’s drive for fresh seafood and “ocean” waves. Long walks in the surf as the sun rises or sets offer beauty, release, and cleansing. As…
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