Looking Within - A Contemplative Podcast

How do we experience God’s love at Christmas in a Covid world? Join us this week, as we consider the story behind a well known hymn, “It is Well with My Soul.” This hymn, though comforting to us, was written by a man deep in grief, yet somehow, he found God’s love in his suffering. His story speaks to us today in our Covid world.

How do we find peace this Christmas in a Covid world? Today, we conclude our conversations about finding peace in times of uncertainty and unrest. On Monday, we talked about the Christmas truce during World War I. Wednesday we talked about Joseph in the Christmas story. Today, Julie and Charles tell us their stories of peace.

How do we find peace this Christmas in a Covid world? On Monday, we introduced the theme of peace as we heard the story of the Christmas truce in World War I. Today we continue our theme as we consider Joseph in the nativity story. He was a man of inner peace and outer gentleness.

How do we find peace this Christmas in a Covid world? Join us this week, as we look at a Christmas miracle, soldiers on Christmas Eve stopped fighting and together celebrated Christ’s birth. Their story is a message for us on how to navigate through distressful externals of life and still maintain a peaceful inner life.

How do we find joy this Christmas in a Covid world? Today, we continue the theme we heard on Monday, God’s last tender word to us, “And all will be well.” As we watch our own lives unfold, we can be anxious about life’s uncertainties or we trust God’s tender and caring words to us: “all will be well.”

How do we find joy this Christmas in a Covid world? Today, we continue the theme we heard on Monday, God’s last tender word to us, “And all will be well.” In the story of Jesus’ birth, we see the shepherds experience a deep joy that is not influenced by any externals of life, but this joy holds firm in all circumstances.

How do we find joy this Christmas in a Covid world? Join us this week, as we consider the advice of a wonderful woman from the middle ages. She counseled many who struggled with suffering just like us. She always had the last word: “And all will be well.” What joy can her message bring to us today?

How do we celebrate Christmas in a Covid world? How do we live with both the hopelessness of Covid-19 and the hope of Christmas? Today we’ll hear how Julie and Charles practice holding this contradiction of hopelessness and hope. We invite you to share this practice in your own Christmas preparations.

How do we celebrate Christmas in a Covid world? How do we live with both the hopelessness of Covid-19 and the hope of Christmas? Today we’ll hear from Mary in the story of Jesus’ birth. She held on to this contradiction of hopelessness and hope. She has much to tell us.

How do we celebrate Christmas in a Covid world? How do we live with both the hopelessness of Covid-19 and the hope of Christmas? Listen to the wisdom of a young woman who experienced great suffering and great beauty. She held them both. She has much to tell us.