Last year I was invited to serve as a spiritual formation mentor for a student entering a Doctor of Ministry program. What?? My husband had been a mentor as part of our congregation’s mentoring program that paired youth with adults. Business and other organizations sometimes have formal mentoring programs to support and nurture new employees. But the expression spiritual … [Read more...] about Are you ready to be a spiritual formation mentor?
April Yamasaki
April Yamasaki is a pastor, editor, and author of Sacred Pauses, Four Gifts, and other books on living every day with faith and hope. She currently serves as resident author with Valley CrossWay Church, editor of the devotional magazine Rejoice!, continues to write online and in print, and often speaks in churches and other settings.
Don’t worry, be thankful
On the weekend before Thanksgiving, I hosted fourteen people for supper. It all started the previous year, when I said, “I don’t see why our church couldn’t have a team in the Ride for Refuge to raise funds for Inner Hope Youth Ministries.” Then after last year’s team of four walkers, this year I said, “I don’t see why we couldn’t do the walk/run off-site and have a chili … [Read more...] about Don’t worry, be thankful
Are You Feeling Writerly?
Last spring I received word that the Fraser Valley Christian Writers group would be officially closing. The coronavirus pandemic had put an end to their monthly gatherings, and the group had never regained its footing. Although I live in the Fraser Valley, am a Christian, and a writer, I’d never been a regular part of the group. But I knew some of the writers who regularly … [Read more...] about Are You Feeling Writerly?
Simplify
Last night I made Thai basil ground pork and rice for supper. Only the kitchen counter was still cluttered with dishes from breakfast and lunch, and instead of clearing a spot for my cutting board, measuring cups, and other assorted utensils and ingredients, I worked around and among everything that was already there. For some reason, I thought that was simpler and … [Read more...] about Simplify
While it was still dark
A couple of weeks ago, my laptop suddenly turned itself off and wouldn’t turn back on. I’m not sure what happened since I had stepped away for a moment. But I had noticed the fan seemed to be running more than usual, and when I returned to my desk, I found my laptop had failed. It wasn’t just sleeping, since it wouldn’t wake up. It wasn’t out of power, since it was plugged … [Read more...] about While it was still dark