AUTHOR
If you were to imagine God as a character in a story, what would God be like? Like a human? More like some other kind of creature? What kind of personality would this character have? (Don’t go with your first thought. Keep brainstorming and try an idea that’s four or five ideas down the list.)... Continue Reading →
Are there memories whose goodness has surprised you? Though not a poet, I took a workshop earlier this year which involved writing a poem that explored the divine through joy. Inspired by the vividness of Li-Young Lee’s sense-awakening poem “From Blossoms”, I tried writing about a kind of remembering moment that has taken me by surprise,... Continue Reading →
How do you picture the face of God? Does She smile with you? Does He gaze down with a stern expression? Are Their eyes totally unreadable? When a writing workshop asked me to write something that approached God from an unexpected angle, I began thinking through the language of Psalm 139, which seems to suggest... Continue Reading →
What do you hold onto? Where do you land when you fall? I’ve noticed more and more how images of God’s presence that once spoke to me will empty out over time. New ways of thinking and feeling take their place. Even the most meaningful language can wear out with use, after all, and we... Continue Reading →
Do you enjoy trying new things? I do, and I don’t. I do enjoy the mix of experiences, personalities, and perspectives that new things can bring. I enjoy learning and surprises. I enjoy finding unexpected beauty and encountering the world in new ways. Sometimes, though, I don’t enjoy the vulnerability of immersing myself in things... Continue Reading →
I’ve been looking ahead, daydreaming about blossoms on trees, and fresh starts, and new things. They sound beautiful. Newness means change, though, and I’ve had a complicated relationship with change. Perhaps many of us have in recent years as the pace of it seems to have picked up. Change can bring about great good, but... Continue Reading →
Callie J. Smith 