“What songs have traveled to you recently?

The other day I woke up in the middle of the night and could not get back to sleep.  After tossing and turning for a while in bed, I knew that the only thing that could help, would be music and song.  So I got out of bed, a ritual that I have known now for many years, and I sat on my couch and got my headphones ready.  I felt in that moment that I needed some old school gospel, words and tunes that had soothed my heart and body aches in years past.  As I listened and as I sang, I began to weep.  I cried and sang for over an hour, releasing much sorrow and sadness.  There has been an overwhelm of sorrow in these past months, moving between personal losses and pain in my own family, to accompanying friends through betrayal, to walking with communities that are facing incredible oppression and challenges today.”

“The idea of heroism has taken on new meaning in today’s world. It’s no longer just about grand adventures or epic victories but the quiet, persistent acts of love, care, and presence that define true courage. From first responders risking their lives in wildfires to everyday people mentoring youth or listening deeply to a friend in need, heroism is being redefined in ways that are more human, grounded, and accessible.

As we reflect on the theme of heroes and saints, we are reminded that movements of change are rarely the work of a single individual. Instead, they are carried forward by communities of people answering the call in their own unique ways. Whether it’s through small, simple acts or collective efforts for justice, the true heroism of our time lies in the courage to respond to the needs around us with compassion and imagination."

“If it is not possible to disengage from the political affairs of our country, and I contend it is not because we make political decisions everyday, then what lies ahead for those who seek to embody the way of “doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God?” 

When I awoke on the morning following the election, and the results of it were confirmed, my spirit was spiked with a combination of grief and fear. The grief was for people I care about, the fear was for people I care about. However, it was not so much about a fear of what is to come for the marginalized, poor, and oppressed among us under a Trump presidency (although I fear that, too!). Instead, it was a grief and fear directed at the ways…”