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Growing up, my extended family would gather in a New Mexico ski resort town every year forthe 4 th of July holiday. This sleepy mountain town where we gathered for our annual familyreunion existed purely on tourism and during the winter months, this was a busy village filledwith skiers and snowboarders alike. To the villages credit, they had managed to provide asmattering of summer activities...

A month or so ago, my spring travels found me in Pittsburgh, PA. I was attending the Festival ofHomiletics as both an attendee and a host of a Chrysalis Counseling For Clergy booth. I haveattended this event for several years and I have developed a fondness for this gathering for manyreasons: 1) For the ecumenical gathering aspect and 2) For the physical annual shift in locationthat...

When my daughter was in 3 rd -5 th grades, she participated in our local Junior Derby League on ateam called the Marionettes. Just image a group of young girls ages 8-12 expressing themselvesin colorful dress and makeup, and playing a full-contact roller-skating sport. Everything aboutthis was fun for me. I enjoyed watching the practices and bouts, listening to the 80s and 90smusic blasting...

This is my absolute favorite photo of my ordination. The photo itself is from the local townnewspaper where I was ordained. The photo is a little grainy and the details are difficult to makeout, which is one of the many reasons this is the photo I have framed in my office.When I look at this photo, I am reminded of not only the day I was ordained, but I am remindedof the somewhat grainy and...

I remember the morning well…It was mid-February and to say I had a lot going on in my life both personally and professionallywould be the understatement of the year. I was feeling both exhilarated and emotionallyexhausted. I was not eating or sleeping well, and I was feeling as if my emotional state waschanging by the minute, if not by the second. Some significant shifts were about to...

I was once told that memories sit in a variety of ways – some sit softy, some violently, and somein a much more neutral way. In the 24-years since graduating with my MA in Counseling andreceiving my first licensure, I have had the privilege of sharing space with people who areworking through complex times, and I have come to fully appreciate this sentiment regardingmemories.Over the weekend,...

My first trip abroad took place in 1997. I was in my fourth year at the University of New Mexicoand my dear friend Alison was studying Psychology at Oxford University outside of London.She invited me to visit her in-between semesters. It was on this trip that I discovered that I do notmind long plane rides, the hustle and bustle of unfamiliar places, observing people as youmomentarily become...

It was May 19 th , 2020 when I found myself putting on my robe with my newly earned stripes(three on each sleeve to be exact), my father’s Ph.D. graduation hood (an homage to my latefather’s profound respect for education), and my tam (something I had been waiting to wear for avery long time!). My Zoom-inspired Doctor of Ministry graduation from Claremont School ofTheology would soon begin...

Navigating Clergy Mental Health: Insights for Mental Health Awareness MonthAs we delve into Mental Health Awareness Month this May, it’s imperative to shine a light onthe often-overlooked aspect of clergy mental health. Beyond the serene facade, we as clergymembers often grapple with a myriad of mental health challenges, ranging from anxiety anddepression to struggles with personal...

For the past week, I have found myself serving the United Methodist Church’s GeneralConference as a Page. A Page, in this setting, is akin to a legislative runner as the work primarilytakes place up close and personal on the floor of each conference session, ensuring the votingdelegates have what they need, and that information flows with little disruption to those whoneed it for the work of...