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Reflections on Matthew 4:1–11 Lent begins, not with certainty, but with wilderness. Before Jesus teaches, heals, or gathers disciples, Matthew tells us that he is “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted.” This detail matters. The wilderness is not an accident or a punishment. It is not a detour from God’s purposes. It is the place the Spirit leads him. Which raises an...

A Lenten Reflection on John 4:5–42 This week’s Lenten Gospel lesson found in John 4:5–42 in a stark reminder that scripture continues to speak to us in these modern times. Jesus, weary from travel, sits beside a well in Samaria and asks a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. It is a brief interaction, but it breaks through several deeply entrenched cultural barriers....

Today’s reflection arrives at a meaningful threshold. Today marks the 100th Chrysalis Constant Contact posting—a quiet milestone that mirrors the spirit of the upcoming Advent season itself. One hundred offerings of reflection, invitation, and presence. Not to impress. Not to accumulate. But to create space—again and again—for honesty, healing, and holy reflection. Like Lent, Chrysalis has...

Life is not always what we plan – this is a mantra and life wisdom which has proven to be true in my life again and again! In fact, more often than not, the carefully drawn maps we create for our lives are disrupted—by detours we didn’t anticipate, losses we didn’t choose, or invitations we never imagined accepting. From an early age, many of us are taught to equate success with control: set...

Most of us are planners—whether we admit it or not. We sketch out timelines, set intentions, imagine how the story will unfold. Even when we hold those plans lightly, they give us a sense of direction, control, and hope. Plans tell us who we think we are and where we believe we are headed. And then… plans change. Sometimes the shift is dramatic and sudden—a diagnosis, a loss, a call we...

In recent weeks and months, the steady stream of headlines has felt relentless and left us breathless. Communities fractured by violence, policies that disproportionately harm the most vulnerable, and the quiet and systematic erosion of dignity that seems to have embedded itself in our day-to-day. For many of us, the weight of it all is suffocating. We feel the pull to stay informed and the...

This past week, I had the privilege of spending time with a group of clergy from across the United States—TX, AZ, CA, NY, FL, NM, KS, MI, WI, OK, and MT. During our time together, we talked about alignment: the alignment of who we are, where we come from, the stories that shape us, and how we move toward a fuller, more integrated sense of self. We talked about value—how values guide us best...

There is a difference between leaving the metaphoric door wide open and keeping it ajar. An open door can feel exposed, vulnerable to every passing force. A closed door can provide a feeling of safety, but is sealed tight. Keeping the soul ajar, however, is an act of quiet courage—a deliberate choice to remain receptive without becoming overwhelmed. Life has a way of teaching us to shut...

Life is not always what we plan – this is a mantra and life wisdom which has proven to be true in my life again and again! In fact, more often than not, the carefully drawn maps we create for our lives are disrupted—by detours we didn’t anticipate, losses we didn’t choose, or invitations we never imagined accepting. From an early age, many of us are taught to equate success with control: set...

As 2025 comes to a close, we pause to reflect with deep gratitude on a year shaped by rest, renewal, and faithful presence. At Chrysalis Counseling for Clergy, our work is rooted in a simple but vital truth: those who care for others also deserve care. This year, that commitment continued to take shape in meaningful and measurable ways. Rest & Renewal Retreats remained a...