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Sabbath Devotional :: All are Needed
I have recently been studying the lives of significant women in the history of both the early Church and the restored Church. Regardless of the century in which they were born, these women tend to embody firm resolve, loyalty to truth, civic-mindedness, self-reliance, a hunger for knowledge, and an inborn sense of justice — the same qualities that drive us forward at MWEG. One favorite story: “When a teamster tried to steal Lucy Mack Smith’s horses as they were moving to Palmyra, she [confronted] him in front of all of the travelers present: ‘Gentlemen and ladies, please give your attention. As sure as there is a God in heaven, that…
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Sabbath Devotional :: You Are My Beloved
I returned home late tonight (Saturday) after spending the past week in Seattle helping my younger sister who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and had a bi-lateral mastectomy on Wednesday. (The surgery went well, and the good news is that it looks like the cancer hadn’t spread to the lymph nodes.) My feelings have been very tender as I’ve contemplated the fragility of life, the preciousness of our relationships, and God’s astonishing love for us. As I thought about what to share with you for this week’s Sabbath Devotional, this passage from Henri J.M. Nouwen’s book “Life of the Beloved” came to mind. Nouwen writes of the need for…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Voices
Like many of you I am a news junkie. I want to know what’s going on in the U.S., as well as around the world and understand the issues and respective implications. And also like most of you, I never seem to have enough time in any given day or week to read (and do) all of the things I would like to. So many responsibilities, worthy causes and interests vying for our time. So many sources of news competing for our attention, it feels like ‘information overload’ or at least ‘abundance’ is the order of the day. Throw in an obsession for good books and worthy ideas and it…
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Sabbath Devotional :: Emojis, Gandhi and God
It has been another busy week in our country. Town Halls convened — some raucous — some civil. Phones and faxes rang. Citizens wrote, stamped and sent post cards and letters. Grassroots organizations — many with goals overlapping MWEG’s — sprang up. Merriam-Webster reminded the country, despite sound bites to the contrary, that the definition of feminism is “the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.” Articles and actions collected likes, hearts, wows, as well as weepy and angry faces. I caught myself after clicking on the angry icon related to some new irksome development. What am I doing with the anger I just admitted to…
