Over the past couple of weeks, I have had the privilege of spending time with our Honor Deacons here at Highland: Procter Eubank, Nancy Goodhue, Jim Hawkins, and Reece Little. I have been wrestling with a question lately, and I wondered what wisdom our Honor Deacons might have to offer related to it. The question is, “How do we stay spiritually grounded in difficult times?”
It’s a significant election year – and we can all feel the anxiety in the air as we get closer to November. In the midst of the atrocities in Gaza, the war in Ukraine, the increasing effects of climate change, the rise of gun violence, at a time when the Surgeon General is issuing advisories related to the mental health of not only our young people but also of their parents…when it feels like the world around us is falling apart, how do we stand strong?
Procter, Nancy, Jim, and Reece have each lived through significant challenging times – both in the world and in their personal lives. They have lived through the Cold War, bomb shelters, and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. They each named the rampant racism that came to the forefront of Louisville in the 1970’s when Jefferson County Schools were integrated through bussing children across town, including their own children. They shared stories with me from hopeful times in our world, like man landing on the moon in 1969, the Berlin Wall coming down in 1989, and Nelson Mandela being freed in 1990. They also shared stories from times of anxiety, fear, and unknown: like after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, the Vietnam War, and 9/11.
And yet, they are still standing strong. They are each like trees planted by streams of water (Psalm 1), and on Sunday, we bore witness to the fruits of their wisdom.
Procter, Reece, Nancy, and Jim, thank you for your vulnerability and courage in sharing your stories with us in worship. Thank you for the powerful reminders that God is present with us, holding and sustaining us through:
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The faces of friends and pastors who show up when we need them the most.
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Cards and letters in the mail (like one Highland member who has sent Reece and Sandy a card every month for the past 7 years).
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Our partners, friends, and loved ones whose faith keeps us grounded and gives us the courage to believe in Love and in our own belovedness.
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Signs in the doctor’s office, reminding us that “God won’t get you around it, but God will get you through it.”
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Ministry groups, Bible study classes, teachers, deacons, and all those who participate with us in the work of Love.
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Contributing to the common good: offering hospitality to our refugee neighbors, welcoming people to Highland, teaching and mentoring others, or painting pet portraits for the Humane Society.
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The promises of Scripture, like the reminder in Psalm 16, that “I will not be shaken, for the Lord is always right beside me.”
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The music of Carole King and James Taylor, “You’ve Got a Friend”, and the fierce and loyal love of our pets.
As we continue this topic on Sunday, I’d love to hear how you would respond to my question. What are you holding onto – or perhaps, what is holding you in those moments when it feels like the world is falling apart? How do you stay spiritually grounded in anxious times? Feel free to shoot me an email or respond to my question on social media. I’m curious to hear your stories, too, so that we might all learn from, give to, and receive from one another as we journey in faith together.
~ Mary Alice Birdwhistell