Summer

I’ve been reflecting on summer so far, and I’m realizing how full it has been — not just full of travel or activity, but full of sacred connection.

Over the past month or so, I’ve found myself noticing God in all kinds of places: public baths and crowded markets in Budapest, ancient ruins and stray cats in Athens, Greek Orthodox chanting drifting out of tiny churches, sunsets over Santorini, free buses in Luxembourg, old WWII papers from my grandpa’s Navy days, time with my nearly 97-year-old grandmother, World Cup soccer, maybe my final softball game coaching my kids, and afternoons golfing with my eldest.

It’s a little dizzying to look back on.

But what stays with me most is not the packed itinerary, busy schedule, and far-flung flights. It’s the people. The stories. The nearness. The reminders that God keeps showing up in the space between us.

So I’d love to ask you:

Where have you noticed sacred connection this summer?

I was talking to my friend Pastor Dani recently, and she reminded me of this passage from Genesis when Jacob says, “Surely God is in this place.”

Where have you noticed God so far this summer? 

Maybe in travel. Maybe at home. Maybe in grief, rest, friendship, family, nature, prayer, or some ordinary moment you almost missed.

And… maybe you haven’t been able to experience a nearness with the divine yet this summer. Maybe that idea of God has felt distant or even absent. I want to know about that too. 

You’re in my prayers this weekend. As America’s night skies brighten with fireworks… and neighbors are a little friendlier than they are most of the year. 

You’re in my prayers as the heat of the summer sun warms your cheeks and the cool shade of a big nearby tree invites you into God’s calm rest. 

You’re in my prayers as your summer calendar fills and you try to pack in every joy and every smile. 

You’re in my prayers this summer day. 

P.S. Would you do me a favor? If you haven’t yet filled out your BETWEEN Profile, would you mind doing that really quick? It’s so helpful for us as we prepare our ministry for the next half of this year.