“Let me seek, then, the gift of silence … where the sky is my prayer, the birds are my prayer, the wind in the trees is my prayer, for God is in all.” — Thomas Merton, “Thoughts In Solitude.” This…
‘Give us this day our daily bread’: Lessons from the sourdough starter
By its sacred nature, bread is rich in symbolism. “I am the bread of life,” Jesus said. Made from the earth’s ingredients, this food represents bodily nourishment, hospitality and a spiritual relationship. “Breaking bread” originated when Jesus would break loaves…
How travel and food break through barriers that divide us
One hot topic — for the church and Americans — is that we as a nation continue to struggle with diversity. Increasingly, folks of all races are moving next door, entering families through marriage or adoption, and sitting next to…
Inspiration from voices of American diversity
Almost without noticing, thoughtful words of some of America’s greatest leaders — their sincerity, reassurance and reason — have been overthrown by unbelievable chaos and complicity. It’s time to reunite with past and future leaders and their commitment to our…
Look for some stained glass light for the new year
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind,” wrote C.S. Lewis, long before 2020. At a time of reflection, the world is desperately seeking hope for its crushed spirits, and longing for light to find new…
Simple, creative holiday activities you can do at home this year
Phawnda Moore is one of the four panelists for BNG’s free webinar on surviving pandemic holidays offered tonight at 7 p.m. Central time. Register here. Being home for the holidays can be a refuge from the ongoing, dramatic events of…
Gratitude and holy kisses in a pandemic
As we approach the season to count our blessings and celebrate earthly abundance, for many, gratitude will be hard to find in 2020. How is Thanksgiving going to work amid a seemingly endless pandemic with the loss of more than…
A walking guide to praying in your home
I was reminded of a prayer practice when I read our pastor’s plea for “purposeful prayer for a world that is very much in need of God’s healing.” As the California fires continue destroying homes and lives, 2020’s disastrous news…
In times like these, who wouldn’t love to receive a handwritten letter?
Handwriting is capable of traveling around the world, enduring the harrowing journey of postal automation, weather and human error to reach its destination. It’s known to survive many generations of readers. Just about everyone has saved a letter, recipe or…