Ever get overwhelmed? I bet I am not the only one to experience this suffocating feeling where even the smallest tasks loom so large your body abruptly stops in paralysis. I know when I am faced with too much on my to-do list, my breath becomes shallow, I feel out of control and ready to quit, and I find it difficult to focus on anything. Brene Brown writes, “The definition of overwhelm that I could FEEL the moment I read it is from Jon Kabat-Zinn: Overwhelm is the all-too-common feeling that ‘our lives are somehow unfolding faster than the human nervous system and psyche are able to manage well.’ Our bodies and minds are experiencing that quicksand feeling.” Last week too much stuff cried out to be done all at once. Overwhelm engulfed me. I stared at the big projects not sure what next step to take while the tiny ones scream for just as much attention. Urgent outshouted the important. Brain-dumping all I had to work on helped me to name what had to be done, but the waves of so … [Read more...]
Wayfinding
I have lost my way in exploring WAY. What I mean is this: WAY is my word of the year, yet I have been neglecting it. Not noticing it lurking around me. Ignoring its rich meanings and life lessons for this point in my journey. The word of the year practice for me has in the past been rewarding and insightful and a connecting point with the Lord. I value this practice yet… “Way” sits on the shelf, waiting patiently for me to wake up and hear its call. How do we restart a spiritual practice what has laid dormant? Prayerfully thinking about this question, I decided to start small. WAY still resonated with me and seemed to have more lessons for me, so I decided to stay with this word. Since I enjoy playing with words maybe having some fun with WAY would be the first step. What phrases contain the word WAY? WAY PHRASES Too many to list all of them. Here are a few that stood out for me: • The Way, the Truth and the Life• And that's the way it is (A catchphrase … [Read more...]
Lessons from Icon Painting
True story about me: I flunked scissors in kindergarten. Yep, that is me. “Jean Anne needs more work with scissors and fine motor skills to pass this year.” I did pass but I never forgot – I couldn’t cut. Fine motor talent wasn’t in my DNA. Not ability in finger agility. This is the narrative, the story, I heard as a child, and those words carved deeply into my heart as a true identity of who I was. Adult experiences confirmed this supposed truth. I was never good at painting or drawing. I tried cutting material for quilt classes and my accuracy messed up the patterns. I did learn as an adult my best artistic medium was words – I love playing, painting, proclaiming, and penning with words. Music also provided a creative outlet. But here I was a few weeks ago – like a fish out of water, attending a 5-day Icon Painting workshop at a retreat center. Eight of the other attendees were not just repeat students at this art but had been painting this technique for multiple … [Read more...]
Art, Healing, and Friendship
One my biggest pleasures writing online is the friendships God has given me over the years. Several of you I have met in person and most of you the online community is where we connect. Across the country and even the world (Hello South Africa!) we have bonded through sharing, conversations, and listening to another’s story. Friendship heals. I have also noticed lately the powerful healing found in art. Art is defined broadly – painting, sketching, doodling, stained glass, dance, music, writing and so on. I recently learned of one person who is using pencil art as she journeys through grief. Another sings with his guitar at nursing homes and finds life-giving purpose. Art heals. I want to introduce to you a new friend I met online from England. Holly Moeller founded her art studio - Kettle & Quill in 2024 and today she is sharing here her story, her faith and her art. I hope it blesses you as her voice, words and paintings have blessed me. Following the Wild Call … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Gift of Imagination
I played in a spaceship when I was seven years old. I spent hours exploring new worlds found in my imagination while never really leaving my backyard. My spaceship? A stocky tree with great climbing branches planted next on the southeast corner of our house. Different limbs warped into sections of my spacecraft: the galley, the lookout, the bridge for guiding my rocket into the mysterious universe. Sigh. I loved that tree. One of my favorite books is The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen. Henri imagines himself as the prodigal, as the older brother, even as the father and spiritual lessons sprout and flourish in the fertile ground of imagination. Imagination is the ability to form a mental image of something not present to the senses. It is our capacity we have for innovative thinking and creative expression. St. Ignatius Loyola was born in 1491 and is the founder of the Jesuits. His writing is a deep well for spiritual directors, those seeking … [Read more...]
What is Saving My Life Right Now? – Spring 2026
What’s saving my life right now? Ever ask yourself this thought-provoking question? I find sitting with this question to be life-giving, uplifting, refreshing and provides a moment of rest for my spirit. One of my mentors, Emily Freeman, asks this question frequently too. She discovered this question in a book by Barbara Brown Taylor (another mentor of mine!) in her book, Leaving Church. Taylor shares the story of being a guest speaker at an event. When she asked for her topic, this was her host’s request: “Tell us what is saving your life right now.” These words invite us to pause, reflect, and savor what is giving us life at this moment. What a great spiritual practice to pause, take a deep breath and listen to your life and ask: what is giving/saving your life right now? What is bringing you joy? What grounds you and helps you get out of bed each day? What helps you get your mind off this crazy messed up world and helps you remember beauty, meaning, and love? … [Read more...]
World Book Day
Did you know April 23 is World Book Day? The national celebration of reading and of books is run by The Reading Agency, a national charity that inspires people to become confident and enthusiastic readers. April 23, 1564, is the day English poet, playwright William Shakespeare was born. Fifty-three short years later, also on April 23, 1616, the playwright died. For this reason, among others, it was a natural choice for UNESCO to create World Book Day to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this day. So what books have you been reading lately? Here are a few I have completed and one on order that I hear great things about and can’t wait to read. Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary was a wonderful read. I usually don’t read fiction, but this one was inspiring, funny, and a delight to read. I now want to see the movie too. The Book of Longings by Susan Monk Kidd. What if Jesus had a wife? This book explores a possibly story about this. This gave me new … [Read more...]
Inspiration from a Favorite Movie and the Artemis II Space Launch
On our flight to Norway, I rewatched one of my favorite movies – Contact starting Jodi Foster. This movie has such a deep spirituality side that many people miss. Not just in the obvious story but often hidden in some of the lines spoken by the characters. Here are a few of the inspirational ones that I have pondered and held deeply within my soul: The following movie quote seemed appropriate for Easter season and when I heard it again caused me to look up and capture these bits of wisdom from this movie. We will find life when we seek the One who gave his life for us. I heard the essence of that quote above repeated this past week when the Artemis II spaceship launched. As we waited nervously through the countdown, I keep thinking about the Columbia disaster and those lost lives. I watched an interview of one of the current astronauts who said in my paraphrase: “Yes, this flight is risky. It takes courage and curiosity to go into space. But we are all part of … [Read more...]