A Spiritual Journey Through Creativity
I was about 75% done with a blog post on the topic failing when my computer crashed. The irony isn’t lost on me. I might try to rewrite it later. I might not. I don’t understand why out of the blue with no warning whatsoever my computer just turns off. I don’t understand why programs… Continue reading Crash
I don’t know how many times I’ve started and restarted my computer in the last two days. Sometimes it restarted on it’s own. Sometimes I get the chance to make the choice. There is something wrong, but it works just enough to give me hope that maybe this time it’s fixed. Since I have everything… Continue reading Patience
Here I am again, in the dark. I thought I’d been through this already. I thought I made it out of the dark. I thought I learned this lesson. But, there’s more to learn. The darkness has returned. In Jan Richardson’s book Circle of Grace, I’m reading and rereading her blessings for Lent. This selection… Continue reading Again
I’m struggling to focus my thinking enough to write something coherent today. I could ignore my goal of writing every day during Lent. I did say I wouldn’t write if I had nothing to say. And, I’ve already missed one day, so what will it hurt to miss another? I don’t want to write today… Continue reading Unfocused
My sabbatical forced me to create some very definite boundaries between work and personal life. Because I wanted full separation between the people I work with and myself to have the most meaningful sabbatical possible, I had to put some things in place. It was mostly around social media. Everyone from the church got put… Continue reading Boundaries
When I started in my position at North as youth minister almost 9 years ago, I kept some of the traditions but also added my own touches. One of the “sacred cows” of their youth ministry is the Lenten retreat. Every year in early March all of the youth – 6th-12th grade – go on… Continue reading Anointed
Remember. You were built for this, the ancient path inscribed upon your bones, the persistent pattern echoing in your heartbeat. ~Jan Richardson I’m leading a retreat this weekend I’ve titled Crossing Paths with Jesus. I’ve been thinking a lot about paths lately. What path am I on? What paths have I been on? What… Continue reading Paths
I imagine that for many people, when they hear the word “retreat” they think of relaxing in a quiet space for reflection. I think of that too. But the reality of “retreat” for me is work – very little relaxing, even less quiet space and, if I’m lucky, some reflection. Why? Because when I go… Continue reading Retreat
Thanks to my sabbatical last fall, I have a better understanding of what rest looks like. Previously I thought it was a nap or sitting quietly or meditating. Rest can be those, but it’s also much more. For me rest is slowing down – so instead of running, I walk; instead of reading a whole… Continue reading Rest
…did you not know what the Holy One can do with dust? So let us be marked not for sorrow. And let us be marked not for shame. Let us be marked not for false humility or for thinking we are less than we are but for claiming what God can do within the dust,… Continue reading Marked
Anne Brock 