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Rooted in God
While I was growing up in a small town in Southwest Minnesota, my most trusted confidant was… a tree. There must have been something about this young tree that drew me in. I remember a few notches at eye level that reminded me of eyes and a mouth, but, above all, I remember I was…
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Open Hands, Willing Hearts – Interact
Course Navigation: Learn – Interact – People – Resources Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 Praying for each other in whatever way feels right to you is the most important part of this community. You may journal in any way you wish: in a notebook, using art, or by adding a thought, comment, or journal entry with the…
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Vision 2025: Thoughts From Shalem’s Founder
When I read Shalem’s Vision 2025, I found it truly visionary, sophisticated, and valuable for Shalem’s way forward. I’m grateful for all that went into its articulation. 50 years ago, at the founding of Shalem, we envisioned a place for contemplative prayer, a place of awe and wonder. We knew that Shalem’s life was ultimately a…
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Unity in Diversity
You’ve probably heard the adage “There’s unity in diversity.” I’d like to share my perspective on this reality, and what better time than now! February, designated as the month to celebrate Black History, a history I celebrate 365 days a year — is a good time to talk about diversity and my affiliation with Shalem…
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Introducing Vision 2025: Our Ongoing Hope
And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.”— Habakkuk 2:2 Dear Beloveds, Our hearts leapt when we encountered Shalem – we were changed. For Margaret this happened in the 1980s, for Jackson in the 2010s. Both of us, like many of you, encountered…
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New Year, New Life, Renewed Call
Early one morning something was stirring outside. It was almost as if something was tapping on the window, beckoning me out. I pulled open the front door and immediately felt light gusts of wind as I stepped onto our sheltered patio. As I looked heavenward, the upper branches of the eighty-foot redwoods by the garage…