In her lifetime of dispensing wisdom, Maya Angelou was fond of saying: “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay.” What is at stake right now is our need to invite hope to occupy the space of imagination about who our...
We’ve been talking a lot the past few weeks about “what’s at stake.” As a reminder, here are some things not at stake. God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. That you are fearfully and wonderfully made. The long arc of God’s perfect justice. The soul’s longing for truth, goodness, and beauty. That...
In mid-December, the outdoor clothing company Patagonia announced that it would be closing all its stores, warehouses, and offices from Christmas through New Year’s Day. For a company that does over $220 million in annual sales, a week off is no small thing. So, why do...
Over the next several weeks, as a follow-up to our recent Roundtable Podcast (Check it out if you haven’t already: What’s at Stake?), we will be reflecting on the question, “What’s at Stake?” We are surveying our experiences over the last several years to unpack the significance...
Over the next several weeks, as a follow to our recent Roundtable Podcast (Check it out if you haven’t already: What's at Stake?), we will be reflecting on the question, “What’s at Stake?” We are surveying our experiences over the last several years in an attempt...
I subscribe to lots of church newsletters, emailed weekly. With these subscriptions often come daily advent devotionals. You know the drill: miscellaneous members and pastors and staff write a short devotional, usually on a Biblical text (that may be referenced in the devotional…or not) and...
It’s official the great resignation is upon us, but you don’t need me to tell you this. Newspapers, blogs, political pundits, and your own life experiences tell the story of the masses of employees who are collectively refusing the low-wages, absent benefits, and dangerous working...
What does it take to be resilient? Popular opinion has it that resilience is the result of mental toughness, tenacity, grit, discipline, strength, and/or thick skin. There’s some truth to this, but each of these answers assumes that resilience is primarily about enduring through a difficult...
“Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.” Yeah, right. There’s been no shortage of ink spilled, thoughts spent, and lectures given over the course of the pandemic on how we can all be more “resilient.” That’s all fine and good. I’ve needed those reminders...