the remind{h}er podcast

What are you celebrating?

Certainly it depends on the season, the chapter, the circumstance—there are days, weeks, months, even years when answering a question like that feels impossible. And that's okay. We don't have to bypass, rush through or gloss over what breaks our hearts. It's important to acknowledge that.

But most days, most weeks, most months, most years, heartbreak isn't all there is; reality is a mixed bag. The good is there, if and when we're ready to dig in and recognize it. And I'm learning that, at its core, celebration is simply a noticing. A marking. A remembering. A spiritual practice that reminds us of the goodness of God.

We're celebrating 100 episodes, and I hope you'll listen in!

Click HERE for random holidays we can celebrate each day.

Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver from Swan: Poems and Prose Poems

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Cover art by Gabriela Denton

Whether it's flipping a house or meeting a goal or living a life, it seems we do our best to avoid being "in-process." We prefer a quick fix, a finished product, a smooth arrival. We want life and circumstances to feel complete, whole, move-in ready. But the more life I live and the more stories I bear witness to, it seems we're fooling ourselves; our experiences are never quite as put-together as we'd like.

Instead, our actual lives often feel more like the middle. The so-close. The almost. The to-be-continued. So, what if we could rest in that and learn to let ourselves be unfinished? What if we could choose to move through the process without an agenda? What could that look like? Listen in.

When You're In The Ellipsis of Life by Emily P. Freeman

Patient Trust by Pierre Teilhard De Chardin

We're gearing up for remind{h}er 100! To keep in touch for now, make sure you're part of The Re{collection}! Sign up by CLICKING HERE.

See you in August :)

Sometimes, familiarity can be grounding. Steadying. Sometimes it's exactly what we need. That is true. And yet, in my experience, a life can become "overly-familiar," feeling stale, monotonous, mundane. The days all run together because the days all look the same. And sometimes, it might be the unfamiliar that helps us remember the life we hope to live.

So, what should we do when we start to feel stuck in our very own lives? Maybe it's time to get out of town. What might we notice? Who might we meet? And how might we return with a fresh and more full perspective? Listen in.

Target. The store. Need I say more?!

remind{h}er 72: Practice Getting Lost

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Often, I prefer a faith I can figure out. A God I can both know and fully understand. A theology that is set in stone, fitting nice and neat in a sturdy box, where, as author Mike Cosper puts it, "what you see is what you get."

But one thing I'm learning is that a sense of mystery and wonder can be an important part of our faith. Maybe the call is not to be a know-it-all. Maybe the invitation is more wonder-full than that. So what might it look like to lean into the "wow" rather than the "how?" To hold both the explanation and the experience? Listen in.

Unsolved Mysteries

Recapturing the Wonder by Mike Cosper

Soulful Spirituality by David Benner

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In her book, The Power of Writing it Down, Allison Fallon writes,

"What do you want to remember about your life? What we write down is what we remember. It's like a time capsule in a way, a lifeline back to the best parts of ourselves. A little popcorn trail of words we can follow so that we never lose sight of the path we're on. Words help us see ourselves more clearly. They help us remember who we are and what we're here for."

In today's episode, we're considering the spiritual practice of journaling. Even if you think it's not your thing, I hope you'll listen in.

A Burning in My Bones by Winn Collier

The Pastor by Eugene Peterson

Sue Pickering

Everything Happens with Kate Bowler + Maggie Smith {S10 Episode 7}

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When it comes to hope, I'd prefer if someone would hand me a metaphorical bouquet of hope-in-full-bloom, something I can point to and easily say, "There's the beauty. There's the color. There's the life." Like a bunch of hope-filled balloons, I want to grab hold and immediately float above the struggle, the disappointment, the heartache, the fear. I want hope in an instant, hope on-demand.

And yet, if you're like me, our experience of hope isn't always that easy or care-free. Hope doesn't always make a bright, grand entrance; hope often starts small, sneaks in the side door and, rather than flipping a switch to turn on the light, it quietly keeps us company in the dark.

And maybe that's a good thing. Because maybe that's exactly where hope is cultivated, where hope takes root, where hope begins to grow. Listen in.

remind{h}er 11: While We Wait

Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor

Jan Richardson

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If we're being honest, we all know the sharp sting of judgement in some way, shape, or form. The way it makes us feel small. And ridiculed. And misunderstood. And yet at the same time, we've all cast many a judging eye. But that doesn't mean passing judgement is what we're called to as followers of Jesus.

So what are we to do instead? While I don't have a straightforward "how-to" to share with you, and while this is an ongoing struggle in my own life, there are a few invitations I've found helpful and important to keep in mind as we seek to embody a non-judging presence. Listen in.

Ted Lasso clip

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"If your faith were a color, what would it be?"

When it comes to our faith, sometimes, we forget the color. The significance of a faith that is abundant and intricate and vibrant and vast and rich and layered and nuanced. It's not uncommon to experience a faith that, maybe, has faded a bit.

I wonder what it might look like to add a little color, both literally and figuratively.

I'm learning to welcome whatever the color might be—positive or negative—remembering that each color has its place, that God can create beauty out of any palette, and that I am loved, even in the murky gray. Listen in.

Pray In Color by Sybil Macbeth

Sacred Compass by Brent Bill

Jan Johnson

The Wizard of Oz

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Today, as we continue to settle into the season of Lent, I want to share a prayer based on Psalm 51.

Psalm 51 is the psalm with the familiar line, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." It's a psalm that confronts our sin, our shortcomings, and all that might keep us from loving God and others well. The truth is, we often avoid talking about these sorts of things. But by acknowledging our sin and the ways we fall short, we welcome God's forgiveness, healing, and unconditional love. In recognizing our need and removing what blocks, the Spirit of God is better able to flow through us into the world around us. Listen in.

Sometimes an Unknown Path—40 Psalms-Prayers in Contemporary Voice

The Center for Christian Spirituality

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Fasting is a spiritual practice that can often feel intimidating, unfamiliar, and even mysterious. But it can be practiced in many different forms, and today, as we approach the season of Lent, we're considering how fasting might aid us in focusing on the heart of God, deepening our awareness of God's presence and provision, and better attuning ourselves to God's guidance and will. Maybe when we choose to fast, we make room for the movement of God in our lives. I hope you'll listen in.

Judy Sorum Brown

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