Congratulations on making it alllllll the way to Summer 2022!
What a year it has been, full of changes and growing, unexpected moments and the culmination of years of planning. We have experienced changes in our communities and homes, in our country and in God’s global world. Throughout it all, we see the movement of God’s presence and love. In the dark spaces, light somehow creeps in.
Tomorrow marks my 5-year anniversary here at Holmeswood. Little Miriam was born during the weekend of my call, so I gauge my time in this loving community as she grows. What a blessing to share in life for five years! So much has happened among our church community and neighborhood, changes and new life among our Holmeswood families.
Where do we go from here? How are we growing?
While it is essential to occasionally look back at a season (like a graduation or reaching a major milestone), it is also essential to look forward. What happens next? How do we prepare?
What energizes you?
When working alongside people, I usually ask, “What energizes you? What excites you? What keeps you up at night, dreaming?” If these is too difficult or too big to answer, I then ask, “What keeps you up at night, your biggest stressor?” Sometimes it is easier to say what is clouding our mind with worry rather than what makes our hearts sing, and this is okay. Saying it out loud can help us minimize its power, as a start to gaining perspective and helping us realize what we can do to live love- and justice-centered lives.
So, what energizes you? What do you look forward to this Summer?
Jot down a couple of things that are really giving you life right now. I am looking forward to
more time with our community this summer. We get to bond in unique ways during the weeks of Heartland Camp, the mission trip and the various summer activities we have planned. Summer offers a faster pace but a more relaxed feel, and bonding with our amazing people is easy breezy. It is such a blessing! In late June, I am going to Texas to see family and high school friends, and it will be great to reconnect over chips and queso, while also brushing up on Spanish. Throughout this season, my spouse and I will see as much baseball as possible and plan to visit 6+ ballparks.
Enjoy Your Summer. Make the hope happen.
Just as Pastor David is going on sabbatical, I see this season as a time for us to really flourish in Christ’s Light. We can stop to smell the roses and also enjoy these moments with each other. Sure, we are busy, yet this forces us to prioritize what (and who) is most important…God’s Creation. May Christ’s Light shine in new ways, with new possibilities you had not thought of or experienced before. There is opportunity for new growth, and this is the time to make the hope happen. It is up to each of us to be open to these new surprises, with open hearts and open minds. Thanks be to God!
~Laurel
Coming Up:
Heartland Camp – June 6-10, 2022
***spots still available!!***
We have some spots still available for next week’s camp. Please find details and register here:
Holmeswood Family Ministry 