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Finally... Summer. You made it. The question is... will anything change for you? Or will this "lighter season" be just another over scheduled season with less structure? In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." How are you experiencing weariness in your life? Where are you bone tired? Where do you need to rest? Or perhaps you're in a space of rest, with plans in place, or with no plans in place - just ready for

In 1981, Queen and David Bowie released "Under Pressure." In his article "The True Story Behind Queen with David Bowie, 'Under Pressure,'"Jim Beviglia writes that the song almost didn't happen, "yet the song somehow married the best traits of these wildly disparate artists to create a huge success." Beviglia goes on to argue, "You can hear the song as a kind of battle of wills between the two men [David Bowie and Freddie Mercury], or at least the characters that they were pla

Whew - May. This month is for many the most intense month of the year. I've often heard May is the new December; April is the new May. School is getting out. Everything is getting crammed into just a few weeks. Traffic patterns change. Work schedules fluctuate. Vacations are scheduled. It's HOT. If you are feeling under pressure, this month's theme speaks to just that. Psalm 119:143 tells us, "Trouble & pressure have come upon me, but your commandments are my delights." While

Here in Atlanta we are in the full swirls of pollen - and yet - everything is beautiful. If you can handle your allergies long enough to get outside, there are the most gorgeous blossoms everywhere. And yet, the process of blossoming is a challenging one, and it is true for people as well. Over the last month, I have been working backstage trying to make some new technical things work better for our groups. It has taken longer, and been way more frustrating than I could have

Life has been busy at Sanctuary Groups - and for all our friends as well. March begins the downhill slide through April to the end of school in May, and whether you have kids in school or not it affects us all - from traffic to travel - hold on everyone! And this has been no normal spring [points wildly around to ALL THE THINGS]. Believe me, our group members know first hand how complicated life can be. We see the heartache in our community and our world. As we walk through t

Both my kids grew up participating in Scouts, and the motto for both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts is to "be prepared." Being prepared for anything from a campout to a board meeting is supposed to be covered. But for someone who struggles with being hyper-vigilant [here I am, raising my hand and waving it around], being prepared can sometimes feel like it can never be fully prepared. How can we be prepared for ALL the possible scenarios? The Bible has a plethora of verses on bei

When I was in high school, my boyfriend's mom gave me a gift. It was a wooden plaque that explained what my name meant and attached a Bible verse to it. I have no idea where this "knowledge" came from, but nevertheless, the gift was purchased. It still sits on my library shelf. "Brandi" it surprisingly says, means "one of authority," and it associates the name with Proverbs 29:2 - "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the

*That means everybody... Turns out there is no definition on "who" neighbor is - it means everybody. That might sound like really good news - or it may sound like the world's greatest challenge. When I was in seminary, one of our professors talked about how hard it can be to speak at a funeral when the person who has passed has been unkind. He spoke to the fact that being dishonest at a funeral isn't the right thing to do; but speaking to those present with care of their expe

So often I hear stories of exclusion in the church for a variety of reasons. Sadly, I've experienced this as well. Other times it sounds like the church has lost the thread of its most important and most compelling message. It's not about exclusion or hate - despite what people say about faith stories. What gets repeated so much in the Bible is LOVE. Ultimately - it's a love story. 1 John 4:7-21 sums it up really well - take a moment and read this passage with care. Let it si

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Over 260,000 attended the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The US honors King on the third Monday each January, but today, January 15, is his actual birthday. As we head into this long weekend, may we be reminded of the power of his words. Sixty three years later, we still have so much to learn and accomplish from King's dream. There are

Today marks a new year - it's time for 2026. I am not much of one for resolutions - they are too easily broken. And, I'm not so much into finding a "new me" - I'm more interested in discovering the me I already am and taking care of her. But I do love to dream and plan - and I find January to be a good time to take stock of what a new season of life might hold. Maybe you feel similarly. What are you dreaming about for the year ahead? When I think about dreams, I also think ab

I was honored to be the guest speaker at a recent Christmas event, and I couldn't help but think of how hard it is to sit still these days. We find our feet in one spot - but our minds in another. It is true for all of us. Here's an excerpt of a practice I shared with the guests of the event. I hope it will be helpful for you too. *** We can find ourselves longing for December 26… when maybe, maybe, maybe we can slow down and take a deep breath. I’m here to invite you today -

I was commenting to a friend the other day that 2025 has been both the slowest and fastest year of my life. There are moments I think, "How is it already December?" - and there are moments I think, "Is it only December?" As I reflect back on the last twelve months, there have been some big highs and some low lows. I think it's far to say I believe I share these feelings with many of you. The season of Advent always reminds me of pregnancy - not just because of the nativity st

If you aren't looking, you might miss it. If you keep listening to the voices of others, you might be mislead. For all the Bible says and doesn't say - for all its stories and its complications It tells of humans seeking answers It doesn't smooth down the rough edges It doesn't pinpoint the path It guides us to wrestle and struggle and want If only we have safe spaces to do so - Safe spaces to ask the unsafe questions To walk the path of these ancient tales in contemporary ti

It is hard to believe it is already November! In this month when we often think about gratitude and giving, many of us also think about conflict and chaos. As you approach different tables this month, whether over coffee or around the Thanksgiving spread, we want to remind you how vital it is right now to be a Door Opener. Many of us feel absolutely stuck when it comes to having open and meaningful dialogue. Since Covid, it seems a lot of people have lost some social skills,

Perhaps you've heard this phrase - "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." Meaning? It is better to have what you have than to...

My favorite week is blowing in... It is time to welcome Fall! My favorite season! Pumpkin spice and all things nice Candy and monsters...

When my kids were small, one day John and I took them for a big bike ride on the Silver Comet trail. It was more than a bit ambitious. We...

Want to cultivate great ideas? Get unstuck? Solve a problem? I know the way. Ready for the answer? Get still. Be quiet. Listen. I...

The beginning of August is hot, humid, and hectic in Atlanta. As I write this, I realize most of my friends with littles or that are...