Faith

In just a few days, my bouncy, blond 5-year-old daughter will walk to the bus stop in her shimmery unicorn backpack and head off to kindergarten. She is my youngest, and I know she’s more than ready for a new school and new friendships, but I feel a tug in my throat and a weight in my chest when I think about closing a chapter of motherhood — the baby/toddler/preschooler chapter I have been immersed in for 18 years — and moving forward into a new, unknown one. Just a few mont

I know I’m not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but sometimes I judge a book by its title. That was why I picked up a book called “The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath” by Joseph Lieberman. It was a wonderful book describing the way Senator Lieberman, who was Jewish, observed the Sabbath. I’m still particularly drawn to the title: The Gift of Rest. Rest is a gift. It’s a gift to body, mind, and heart. Our Heavenly Parents knew this was a gift that w

Elizabeth Davis-Edwards joins Jen and Patrick to share inspiring stories of community-led refugee support and explore how welcoming strangers aligns with faith, history, and peacebuilding. This episode emphasizes that peace is cultivated through everyday acts of hospitality, community effort, and faith-based compassion. It encourages listeners to look around their neighborhoods for opportunities to serve, love, and welcome "one more."

In this hottest of summers I invite you to cool In the Jungle of Nool, on the banks of a pool. Where Horton the Elephant jumps off the page And comes truly alive as he takes to the stage. In the last decade, my son has appeared in three productions of Seussical the Musical. I grew up on Theodor Geisel's Dr. Seuss books, but my exposure to the musical was late in coming. I was leery at first, having been disappointed by other adaptations of beloved characters. But after seeing

Jen and Patrick are joined by James Patton to explore the multidimensional nature of peace, emphasizing its relational and movement-driven aspects. Drawing from his rich spiritual journey and extensive experience in peacebuilding across cultures and faiths, James offers nuanced perspectives on community, faith, truth, and conflict. They discuss the Old Testament idea of a chosen people, how that relates to diverse faith groups today, and how to avoid conflict when believing i

Scripture is inexhaustibly full of possibility. It's less like a cryptic code to be cracked and more like a story. And the best stories stay with us precisely because they resist single interpretations. So, I want to be very clear that I do not mean to suggest that what I offer below is a Correct or Definitive or Perfected reading of Revelations. What I do mean to suggest is a possibility. And the possibility is this: I think there's a way to read the book that isn't a story

The story of Ruth and Naomi is especially moving to me. After Naomi’s husband and two sons had died, she pleaded with her Moabite daughters-in-law to return to their own nation and families of origin to be taken care of. Orpah left, but Ruth, determined to remain by Naomi’s side, lovingly replied, “Whither thou goest, I will go and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (Ruth 1:16). They left Moab and returned to Bethlehem where,

Jen and Patrick are joined by Sarah Perkins to explore the profound ways stories shape our understanding of peace, justice, and reconciliation. They focus on the contrasting peacemaking styles of Old Testament prophets Elijah and Elisha. Sarah shares her journey as a writer, filmmaker, and peacemaker, emphasizing the power of faith, imagination, and human connection in transforming conflicts into moments of compassion.

Moroni teaches that “charity is the pure love of Christ” and invites us to “pray with all the energy of heart” that we might be filled with it. He then offers a remarkable promise: that when Christ appears, “we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (Moroni 7:47-48) Paul makes a similar claim. We may possess knowledge, wisdom, faith, power, and good works, but “if [we] have not charity, [we are] nothing.” He concludes his writings on charity with these words: “For

Marianne Viray joins Jen and Patrick to delve into the dynamics of conflict and peacemaking within leadership and society, drawing lessons from the biblical story of Jonathan, David, and Saul. They explore how leadership decisions can influence societal polarization and offer practical tools for engaging with leaders respectfully. The discussion emphasizes the importance of modeling civility and virtue in public discourse and provides strategies for individuals to break cycle

This is going to be an unusual devotional, but bear with me. Back in January, facing what I already knew was going to be a climb of a year, I decided that I was not going to burden myself further by attempting to make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I determined that the best thing I could do over the course of the next 365 days would be to purposefully try to insert some joy into my life. So, on the afternoon of January 1st, I sat down and did two things. First, I wrote dow

For several years, I co-ran a nature education outdoor school for kids and teens. Our school year program culminated in a week-long campout in the mountains with all kinds of challenges, nature crafts and campfire programs. One week-long craft campers of all knife-certified ages did was carve a spoon from a block of wood. Carving something very cylindrical, narrow and delicate from a chunky block of wood is not totally intuitive. I’ll explain it just as I taught it. First, dr

Jen and Patrick are joined for a profound conversation with conflict transformation pioneer John Paul Lederach, who shares deep insights on peace, reconciliation, and the power of moral imagination rooted in faith and human connection. They explore the story of Jacob and Esau, why reconciliation is a horizon more than an event, and the four ways to use moral imagination to achieve reconciliation.

As we discuss patriotism and the constitution in congregations across America today, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on what patriotism looked like for some of our foremothers in this church. Of course, the early church's relationship with the United States was fraught. Members had faced extermination, been driven from their homes and chased across the Rockies to a desert state where they largely bootstrapped their way into new cities, new gardens, new lives. Yet, when

The Mesa Easter Pageant, Jesus the Christ, has been a beloved tradition in Arizona for 88 years, beginning as an Easter sunrise service in 1938. Since then, it has grown into the largest annual outdoor Easter pageant in the world. Having grown up in Mesa, it has always been one of my favorite Easter traditions. Four years ago, the Church asked for the entire production to be rewritten and for a new soundtrack to be created. One song in particular (based off a poem by Frederic