Enjoy special guest teacher and CrossWalker, Rev. Dr. Angela Barker-Jackson, as she wraps up the Simplicity, Spirituality, and Service series dovetailing Bruce Epperly, James Cone, and lectionary texts.

Jesus had his mind blown during his baptism, which sent him into the wilderness to sort out who he was, who he wanted to be, and what he wanted to be about.  The temptations toward ego were strong, but he chose for God's shalom instead.  When he came out of his time away, he essentially invited any and all others to do the same.

While mysticism born from meditation, contemplation, and other spiritual disciplines always affects more than just the devotee, we need to be reminded that all of the great voices and leaders who advanced shalom in the world gave themselves to the service of others or causes greater than themselves. What they experienced of the divine compelled them to think bigger than themselves. Their view from the mountaintop above cast the vision for the valley below. What valley are you going through? What valley are we going through? How does the presence of God shape your vision? Read the full blogpost here.

How do we develop a faith that yields genuine compassion and not just inner peace? While daily practices surely help such development, perhaps it's the work we don't necessarily want to do that will transform us more into the form of Jesus.

Jesus didn't just grow older, he grew wiser. He didn't just gain any kind of stature he developed a stature of personhood that was favorable to God and all people. He invites us to do the same.

St. Francis, Clare, and Bonaventure fully devoted themselves to the Way of Christ. How did they do it? What can we learn from them?

God evolves with us, always calling us toward shalom with shalom. How will we respond?

Welcome to the first teaching in the new series, Simplicity, Spirituality, and Service, loosely based on Bruce Epperly's latest book by the same name. This week we are reminded of the essential component of Jesus' Gospel - the role of the Spirit - in forming our vision and steps to bring more and more shalom into our lives and world.

Enjoy these stories from CrossWalkers about their new beginnings! CrossWalkMoth is our play on NPR’s series that seeks to increase human connection through storytelling.

No matter what you're going through, Love is with you and for you.