139: Let the Light In
the remind{h}er podcast
I've been reminded recently that natural light makes a difference. Sunlight aids growth. It improves mental and physical health. It enhances overall well-being. Good, natural light helps us flourish. In a similar way, the light and presence of God offers hope, endurance, compassion, peace, joy, and love. It is bold without being flashy. It is soft, though not insignificant. It sees the overlooked and notices the unnoticed. It reminds us all that we matter; we belong; and we are never alone. In the middle of the dim and dreary, God’s light makes a difference. So what might it look...
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138: Bless the Lord {Psalm 103}
the remind{h}er podcast
One thing I’m discovering these days is how necessary it is for me to remember God’s goodness. When the turmoil and chaos and bad news swirl, the goodness of God holds me steady and keeps me sane. Not in a way that ignores the needs and hardships around me, but in a way that inspires me to be who I am and do what I can to help make it right. With that in mind, I’d like to offer a reading today of Psalm 103—a passage that recounts the goodness of God. After I read it through, I’ll also offer a few questions for reflection, as you consider the reminder God might have for you...
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137: Never Beyond Repair
the remind{h}er podcast
There is much in our world and in our lives that can feel like damaged goods—broken hearts, broken people, broken relationships, systems, and communities. And amid those broken realities, it can be easy to lose hope. That is our tendency. I’m learning, though, that our tendency is not always how God prefers to work. What if, in God's hands and through God's love, we are never beyond repair? If brokenness feels up close and personal right now, I hope you'll listen in. Sign up for The Re{collection}
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136: Love Never Ends {1 Corinthians 13}
the remind{h}er podcast
Today, I am offering a simple reading of a familiar passage. It’s a passage often read at weddings; but at its core, it’s really a reminder of what matters most, in the middle of it all. I find I need to be reminded of what matters most over and over again these days. Maybe you can relate? There is also some space toward the end for you to consider several reflection questions. Feel free to pause, rewind, replay—whatever you need to do as you engage this passage. As always, I hope it serves you well! Listen in :)
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135: Celebrating FIVE Years | Q+A!
the remind{h}er podcast
Alright, friends, today we are finally marking five years of the remind{h}er podcast. On April 1, 2020, the very first episode released into the world, and even though it’s a few weeks late, I’m excited to celebrate with you today. Several weeks ago, I began to collect some of your questions for this very episode and now, I’ll share my responses. I’m so grateful to those who contributed questions and to each of you who continue to listen in all these years later. What a gift. We have five questions to celebrate five years. Listen in! What is your favorite and least favorite part of...
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134: Matthew 26:36-46
the remind{h}er podcast
If you are listening in real time, next week is Holy Week, a week when we remember, observe, and follow Jesus’ journey to the cross before we celebrate the good news of Easter. With that in mind, today, I’d like to offer a simple reading from the gospel of Matthew, from one of the many passages that gives us a glimpse into Jesus’ experience in the last days of his pre-resurrection ministry. After reading it through, I’ll offer just a few questions for your consideration, as you explore how God’s Spirit might be speaking to you through these holy words today. Feel free to pause, to...
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133: Remember Who You've Been
the remind{h}er podcast
In her book, , author and poet Maggie Smith writes, “How I picture it: We are all nesting dolls, carrying the earlier iterations of ourselves inside. We carry the past inside us. We take ourselves—all of our selves—wherever we go.” That’s how I’m learning to picture it, too. From the tiniest, earliest version of me, all the way to the person I am today, and even beyond to the person still to come, I’m finding each iteration belongs. Each iteration is connected. And each iteration matters. So here’s how I see it: in order to be who we are, we need to remember...
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132: Reset
the remind{h}er podcast
A reset can be helpful in lots of different circumstances, and a reset can look lots of different ways. For some of us, it looks like tidying up a living space or cleaning out a closet. Sometimes it looks like returning to a familiar routine or a ritual we know well. Sometimes it looks like an apology or like offering forgiveness. Sometimes it looks like breathing in some fresh air or getting a good night’s sleep. Today, though, I want to extend an invitation to reset in a very simple, particular way, in a way that has been helpful and grounding in my own life recently. And in a...
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131: Steward Your Soul
the remind{h}er podcast
When there is work to do, ground to cover, progress to make, we tend to want to get moving as quickly and efficiently and significantly as possible. We are bound and determined to make it happen, whatever “it” might be. And while we might begin with good intentions, it usually doesn’t take long before we run ourselves ragged. We quickly grow exhausted, and end up leading with bitterness, cynicism, anxiety, and fear. It’s so easy to get ahead of ourselves. To get ahead of our souls. Could there be a more sustainable way? There is work to do. And as followers of Jesus, I'm learning the...
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130: A Spiritual Practice of Surprise
the remind{h}er podcast
So often, at least in my experience, we cling so tightly to our plans, agendas, timelines, strategies, and deadlines. We easily become hyper-focused on a desired outcome. Anxiety, pressure, and bitterness creep in. And we begin to forget and overlook the movement and presence of God in our midst. We clench our fists and white-knuckle through, totally unaware of how God might be leading or what God might be up to. It’s been my experience over and over and over again, all throughout my life. And it is exhausting. Maybe you can relate? One thing that has been helpful for me in this is what I...
info_outlineIt is true that taking a photo and trying to capture a moment often ends up distracting us from it. It’s a reality we need to recognize, because our screens do often keep us from truly experiencing and even deeply remembering. We say a picture will last longer, but some research shows a picture only skims the surface of all our memory can hold.
In recent years, in attempt to avoid this, I pretty much gave up taking photos altogether. Because if I forget to take a photo, it must mean I’m fully present to the moment, right? Well, not always. Often I find I’m just as distracted, with or without a camera in hand. Worry, a too-full or fast-paced schedule, insecurity, discontent, or familiarity {just to name a few} can keep me from fully experiencing and appreciating my actual, right-now life.
And so, in a turn of events, I've started taking pictures again. And it is making a difference. How so? Listen in.
Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
Boy Meets World Season 5 Episode 20 "Starry Night"
How to Inhabit Time by James K.A. Smith