This week, two stories of disruption and uncertainty - both of which, in their own way, challenge us to be faithful. They force us to face hard things: delayed promise, unfulfilled needs, a scary world, and everything we can't control. And then they call us to be open and courageous, patient and present for the meeting of our moment. These convulsive pains we're feeling - are they birth pangs or death throes? The answer, of course, is yes - both of these things are happening. Both are valid, and both need to be attended to as the work of ministry. These days, we are all chaplains and we are all midwives.