The Beauty and Value in Messiness

Life is messy. Luckily, there is holiness in the mess. In her essay titled “This Holy Mess,” Sharlee Glenn shared an experience she had while in Italy. Glenn’s tour guide said something that struck her as they were rushing to make it to mass: “Hurry!… We can’t be late for… Continue reading

Struggling Through Life Together

Sunrise over a field

We all go through hard things in life, but when we make time to help other people, we can better overcome difficulty. Someone who has never struggled through hard times has never lived. We all face challenges, and many of them are not easily fixed. Trials and challenges are part… Continue reading

Inclusive Language: The Key to Promoting Belonging at Church

Promoting belonging at church requires examining why certain people feel isolated and implementing more inclusive language. Differences in ethnicity, heritage, profession, age, and many other characteristics are what make each community member unique, and this diversity has tremendous potential to cultivate meaningful connections between church members specifically. However, these differences… Continue reading

Finding God in Our Storms

In our storms, God is with us. Though he doesn’t always calm the storm, he can calm us to be able to bear the storm. Have you ever felt like a sailor lost at sea in the middle of a storm, like your life is chaotic and frightening and lonely?… Continue reading

God Knows. Why Pray?

God knows our needs, but we still need to pray for them. It’s through our efforts and our Savior that he answers our prayers.  Imagine a child trying to lift a heavy box on his or her own. The child may strain and struggle, small arms not able to reach… Continue reading

Healing Mentally with God in Mind

When we struggle with mental health, God is an option. One day a friend of mine visited me. He told me that God knew what I was going through, that God could help me, and that God loved me. This message reminded me that there was hope for me, not… Continue reading

Where Do Lonely Hearts Go?

girl looking at ocean

Belonging is an individual feeling. But paradoxically, belonging is also a group activity. Although human beings are vastly different, one thing links us all in a shared human experience: our emotions. At one point or another, we’ve all felt the breath of peaceful relief, the smile of giddy joy, the… Continue reading

The Healing Power of Grief

In abandoning public expressions of grief, we lose opportunities to heal and grow as a community. I remember the first time I stepped up to a door that had a white slip of paper posted to it. The characters were incomprehensible to me, but my Japanese companion quickly explained that… Continue reading

“A Savior With Scars”

Jesus Christ kept His scars to remind us that He can heal ours.  Every person we interact with has challenges we cannot see. Some people may face small challenges like not getting a job they applied for or living with mild anxiety. Others might be dealing with deep scars from… Continue reading