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A Life Obscured

Living an inconspicuous life while also living fully known to God.

Christian Obscurity

Contemplative Photography

Spiritual Formation

Spiritual Formation

Finding Community in Silence: Fall 2023 Silent Prayer Groups

2023-08-28

When was the last time you put away your phone, found some solitude, and sat down for twenty minutes of uninterrupted silence and stillness? Maybe you’ve had the best of intentions to start a spiritual practice that looks like this, and you just haven’t been able to lock it in. As summer comes to a Read More

Spiritual Direction

The Conviction Crisis: Seeking Clarity in the Midst of Ministry Exhaustion

2023-08-24

“Pray for me,” I said. “I lack conviction for our work right now.” And I’m not sure how much longer I can keep doing this, I thought to myself. I was tired. Tired of pep talks. Tired of traumatizing my friends and family with stories from ministry. Tired of the work ahead of me as much as I was Read More

Spiritual Direction

The Unspoken Struggles of Ministry: Finding Solace in Spiritual Direction

2023-08-18

Have you ever been in a conversation and found yourself talking about the ministry or church where you lead and inadvertently turned the corner of “Too Much Information” and found yourself talking (and by talking, I mean venting) about the challenges (and by challenges, I mean problems) of ministry? Read More

Et Al

The Stone & the Stonecutter: A Reflection on Ephesians 2:19-22

2022-11-12

At the 2022 ICAP Global conference, I led a forum conversation on Belonging, our conference theme based on Ephesians 2:19-22. At the end of this forum, I invited attendees to use their imaginations to enter into these verses and imagine they are stones being built into God's temple. Many asked Read More

Contemplative Photography

13 Tips for Starting a Contemplative Photography Practice

2022-09-21

Contemplative photography is the practice of using a camera to slow down and notice the world around you. Some teachers use language like “seeing the world with fresh eyes,” “connecting with the visual richness of our ordinary daily experiences,” and “relearning how to see.” For me, contemplative Read More

Contemplative Photography

How Contemplative Photography Found Me

2022-09-07

This post is the second in a series about contemplative photography as a practice of Christian obscurity. I broke up with photography in 2005, and now I pick up the rest of the story.  In 2019, contemplative photography found me and said, “Hey, ma’am. Remember your old friend photography? Read More

Contemplative Photography

Why I Broke Up With Photography

2022-08-10

This post is the first in a series about contemplative photography as a practice of Christian obscurity. But before we get into the practice, let me tell you my photography story. In 2005, I broke up with photography.  My love for being behind a camera, composing images, developing Read More

Christian Obscurity

The Wonder of Noticing Obscurity

2022-07-20

Our Scottish terrier Zelda loves her daily walks, but the heat of Missouri summer days prevents us from going out before twilight. Once the sun starts its evening decent and the heat of the day starts to dissipate (though the humidity does not), we head out the door and wind our way through our Read More

Spiritual Formation

Walking with Jesus: Embracing the Role of a Gentle Leader in Our Spiritual Journey

2022-07-06

My Scottish terrier Zelda is an enthusiastic walker. She reminds me every day—especially on particularly good weather days—when it’s time for our walk. She reminds me where I keep my shoes and socks. And she reminds me where we keep her leash. To be clear, I am not that forgetful; she just likes Read More

Christian Obscurity

Living Fully Known: Exploring the Practice of Christian Obscurity

2022-06-29

Confession: I’m not the best at identifying my emotions. Turns out that most people don’t consider hungry or tired as actual human emotions even though those are often my answers to the question, “How are you feeling?” So in an effort to grow in identifying and experiencing my emotions, I once Read More

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About Me

Hello & Welcome!

A Life Obscured features my musings on Christian obscurity: the practice of living an inconspicuous life while also living fully known to God. Let's walk together on this journey into obscurity as we are formed into greater Christlikeness.

Let’s Connect

Categories

  • Christian Obscurity
  • Contemplative Photography
  • Et Al
  • Spiritual Direction
  • Spiritual Formation
Opened the garage door to this mess this morning!! Opened the garage door to this mess this morning!! The plywood behind this stone veneer has slowly been rotting since before we moved in, and we’ve been taking bets on when it was going to fall. Fortunately, we started working on the replacement plans this summer, so within a month or so, all the stone work will be gone and we will have an entirely fresh and updated house front!
Wednesday night happy place. 🎾 #tennislessons # Wednesday night happy place. 🎾 #tennislessons #coopertenniscomplex
Opened the Cambridge Terrace pool for the last tim Opened the Cambridge Terrace pool for the last time this morning. I have so enjoyed this weekly rhythm of unlocking padlocks, checking chemicals, and vacuuming the pool this summer. The calm of the pool and the park in the mornings let’s me breathe a little deeper, walk a little slower, and linger a little longer. See you next summer, friend. May you sleep this winter without any cracks in your pipes or leaks in your concrete!
🌟 Embrace the Gift of Silence and Stillness 🌟

When was the last time you disconnected, found solitude, and basked in uninterrupted silence? As summer fades into the New School Year, it's the perfect moment to embark on a journey of spiritual discovery and growth through the practice of silent prayer.

🙏 Join us for my Fall 2023 Silent Prayer Groups 🙏

🌿 Experience the transformative power of silence and reflection.
🌿 Choose between in-person sessions or join us online.
🌿 Connect with a supportive community eager to explore together.
🌿 Discover the beauty of being present in God's mystery.

Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to silent prayer, these sessions provide a nurturing space for you to delve into the depths of contemplation. Let's walk this path together!

Ready to start? Click the link in my bio to learn more and sign up for our Steadfast Center News & Events email list. 📩 Let's cultivate stillness and connection as we welcome the new season ahead. See you there! 🍂✨ #ContemplativePrayer #ContemplativeSpirituality #SilentPrayerJourney #SpiritualGrowth #EmbraceStillness
And so it begins!! Seminary, year two!! This semes And so it begins!! Seminary, year two!! This semester’s classes are contemplative practices, sacramental journey, becoming a spiritual director 101, and New Testament!! It’s gonna be a great semester!! #seminarylife #pdxseminary #eggsofjesus #contemplativespirituality #spiritualdirection
First day of seventh grade!! First day of seventh grade!!
Peace out, y’all! I am taking a 40 day social me Peace out, y’all! I am taking a 40 day social media break until my birthday on August 20. I will still be available for messages through Messenger, but won’t see any DMs here on Insta. So if you must send me a meaningful, hilarious, or mildly inappropriate piece of content, take a screen shot and send it to me directly. 😜
Guess who took her first tennis lesson in 23 years Guess who took her first tennis lesson in 23 years and immediately got upgraded to the intermediate class. This girl!!
I know, I know. I said I was trying to come up for I know, I know. I said I was trying to come up for air during a summer course load that is pretty heavy. But “Something’s Not Right” was recommended to me this week, and it is helping me decode some past events in my life. And this is also why I keep going to therapy, dang it.
My first @dwelldifferently package came today!! Wh My first @dwelldifferently package came today!! What a fun and genius way to keep scripture memory front of mind!! #takemymoney
Instagram post 18367745731008530 Instagram post 18367745731008530
These paragraphs from one of my summer textbooks r These paragraphs from one of my summer textbooks rang my bell today. Not rocking the boat is not peace; it’s contained violence. Oof. This resonates with me in so many facets of society and my own life these days. #restorativejustice #martinlutherkingjr
Today’s self care is brought to you by a Wild Tr Today’s self care is brought to you by a Wild Tribe Mocha from @mudhousecoffee and a personal writing project. I need to come up for air after reading textbooks on shame, grief, trauma, and mental health challenges, as well as watching two docuseries on spiritual trauma and abuse. 😳 You do not want to be in my brain this week. 😜
Objective: Improve/practice my sugar cookie icing Objective: Improve/practice my sugar cookie icing skills this summer so my Christmas cookies in December will be prettier. But now I’ve baked all the cookies and need to tidy up the kitchen before starting the icing phase. And what I really want now is a nap. This is why I only make these cookies once a year. 🤨
Oh, I wish I had this book when I worked at NightL Oh, I wish I had this book when I worked at NightLight! Swinton writes to provide thick descriptions of mental illnesses and their intersections in the lives of Christ-followers. If you are caring for people and encountering mental health challenges, this is a must read!! And if you’re a mental health provider who isn’t Christian, I think this book could shed some light on those clients who come from a faith background.
Happy anniversary, babe!! When you get married at Happy anniversary, babe!! When you get married at 22, you think you know it all, but I had no idea how hard marriage and adulting and parenting and grief and ministry and careers would actually be. But you have been by my side the whole way as my biggest cheerleader. I’d choose nobody else to do this life with!! And now we are real grownups who might be able to afford ring upgrades and sometimes see the value in going to bed before 11. 😘
Doing Nashville in style this weekend!! Doing Nashville in style this weekend!!
I bought a book of crossword puzzles (NYT Mondays- I bought a book of crossword puzzles (NYT Mondays-Fridays, to be exact) for my trip to France last month, so I could have a screen-free means of 1) dealing with jet lag and 2) not be on a screen for the entirety of my flights. And wouldn’t you know, I’m home and they are a great and relaxing way to stay off of screens at home too!! (Except when I am stuck with a super old pop culture or history reference that I have to look up!)
18 + 17 = 35 years married. We celebrated our June 18 + 17 = 35 years married. We celebrated our June 10 wedding anniversaries together tonight. This is the the sixth year (as best we can remember) that we’ve held up this tradition!! @deb.whittington @soar.pilot @hotel_vandivort @rooftop.vantage
And they were delicious. And they were delicious.
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