A reflection from Nikki Strope:

As part of my morning ritual, each day I begin by opening the blinds on my two east- facing windows.  I usually catch the sun rising, sometimes flooding the misty valley with glorious color, sometimes shyly peeking out with nuanced pastels. This never fails to take my breath away! Such a holy, faithful testament:  everyday, God treasuring His creation! I know Jim and Ginny Beck share my view, as do some of the rest of you, and I feel an awed communion of thankfulness.

A reflection from Kelby Ryan:

I've been acolyting for well over a year now, and I've learned a lot. It has helped me grow closer to God. When I acolyte it makes me feel that I'm growing the Kingdom of God. It helps me feel like I'm really helping my community and giving back. Since I've been an acolyte, I tend to focus more on the true meaning of the scripture. Overall acolyting has helped me learn, grow, and spread the kingdom of God.

A reflection from Kell Ruhnow:

I feel the most connected to God when I'm out in nature. I grew up in Colorado, so I feel especially connected to the mountains and forests there. There was one time my family went to tour a cave system called Cave of the Winds, up in the mountains; and while we were waiting for our tour to begin, I was looking out at the mountain view from the parking lot. In that moment it struck me that the mountains looked like they could be the ridges of God's fingerprints, as if God had just finished molding the earth out of clay and this was one of the places His finger pressed. It gave me such a deep awe for the beauty of creation, and the depth of care with which God created and loves everything.

A reflection from Sari Hedinger:

I joined Daughters of the King in 2012. At that time there were two teams of us that alternated Tuesdays and went out and visited folks who were confined in local resident facilities. When COVID hit, it was hard not to see our friends. I would call and ask a nurse to take a phone to residents so I could talk with them. It’s so nice now to visit once again and give them hugs. Nancy Walker and Corolie Boatman still do visits, and Nancy leaves me Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter cards to deliver to our friends. I was especially inspired by a homily given by Pope Francis on 7/8/20: “In our effort to seek the Lord’s face, we can recognize him in the face of the poor, the sick, the abandoned and the foreigners whom God places on our way. This encounter becomes a time of grace and salvation and summons us to the same mission entrusted to the Apostles.”

A reflection from Kate Moore:

In 1982 my husband and I made our first move in fifteen years from the Manhattan area to Tulsa. Though my military friends were not impressed by my concern, it was kind of tough on us. Shortly after the move, I became involved in a church discussion group where we were asked an off-the-cuff question: “Where and when do you pray the most? What situation or context lends itself best to you for prayer and reflection?” After a few moments of thought, I had one of those “aha! Moments,” I stuck my hand up, and I related that the most helpful prayer was while I was driving from one place to another, and in the Tulsa area it was entirely possible that I was actually praying more because I spent so much time in the car! We all had a good laugh, and it led to a very friendly, welcoming feeling. When I thought more about it, I realized that praying in the car had become a natural part of my routine rather than something that was somehow set aside and apart from everything else in my daily life. The truth of that moment has stayed with me even now, though I don't drive so much anymore.

A reflection from Carol Francis:

Recently my daughter was involved in a near-fatal car accident. She suffered four breaks in her pelvis and fractures in her sacrum. We have since experienced God working miracle upon miracle, and our faith has been renewed many times over! Early the morning after the accident, before leaving for KU Med, Whitney's church family were at our house prepared to care for our home and three dogs for as long as needed. Financial help from the church members poured in along with calls and flowers to her hospital room both at KU and later here at Ascension/Via Christi, and their help continues yet today in the form of transportation, visits, food brought to the house, medical equipment supplied, different shower head installed...on and on…whatever we have needed. Most importantly we have been covered under a veil of prayers. We thank God that she is alive. We have experienced a "renewal of faith" in God, faith in his love, and faith in what he does through his people.

A reflection from Ellie Lamb:

I was sitting by the blanket on the floor where my youngest great grandchild lay. He was stretching his body when he caught sight of his hand. The fingers were fascinating, and he experimented with watching them move. The next stretch was almost a roll over. The following stretch was a roll over. He looked up at me with the biggest smile. Such an accomplishment!! Such satisfaction. Thank you, God, for all this wonder.

A reflection from Marian Fuller:

I love it that we all have an opportunity to share how life at St. Paul's has so enhanced our spiritual growth. One of many such experiences I have had is through Happy Kitchen. When I worked downtown, I was able to stop by the Happy Kitchen breakfast to sit with the folks who came to eat. I can't begin to tell you how heartwarming and rewarding that experience is. The guests who come are just the most wonderful people, coping with financial difficulties in life with admirable, absolutely admirable, skill. Most of us couldn't begin to handle what they are dealing with. Being there with them has deepened my appreciation of my neighbor and my gratitude to our church for providing a delicious meal in a restaurant-like setting, with fellowship and welcome. God Bless Happy Kitchen, and God Bless those wonderful folks who prepare that outstanding meal!

A reflection from David Littrell:

I studied French in Paris the summer after my freshman year, only to return to K-State for a miserable and lonely sophomore year. Fitting the definition of a callow youth, I thought I didn’t need religion of any sort. Someone invited me to a Christian campus group where I proudly told the adult leader that I was an atheist. With the utmost kindness and a no-nonsense reply he said, “No, you’re not.” It was the proverbial 2x4 hit between the eyes. He saw through me and understood where I was in my spiritual life. I had grown up in St. Paul’s and was always fascinated by Bible stories, but thereafter I began to develop an adult understanding of Christianity. Since then, though I bottomed out a few more times, I have been growing in my love of Christ and what he did on the cross for penitent sinners. I can’t imagine life now if I weren’t serving God through Christ.

A reflection from Jim and Ginny Beck:

When we first saw that our RenewalWorks team recommended that we make sure every church activity contains prayer and scripture, we realized we have been missing the boat during our Encore Shop shifts. Volunteers at the store work hard. Sometimes we even get a little grumpy when shoppers leave behind a mess or when they quibble about our very low prices. So we decided that we really did need to start our shifts with prayer. We asked God to grant us patience and a spirit of helpfulness. After all, we represent St. Paul’s, and more importantly we also represent Jesus to our customers.

What have we learned? That God hears our prayers and does grant us extra understanding as we go through our tasks each shift. Thank you to the RenewalWorks team for reminding us just how important prayer is in our outreach to our neighbors and friends here in Manhattan.

A note from Nikki Strope:

I'm excited to begin soliciting short testimonies of your spiritual journey, as per the recommendation from our RenewalWorks team. Please help me in this ministry by sharing a short story of something meaningful that contributed to your own spiritual growth. It doesn’t need to be earth shaking; it could just be a brief moment of awe.

In about one hundred words, please tell me what happened and how it contributed to your love of God or love of your neighbor. I will help you edit your testimony, and we'll aim to publish it in this weekly newsletter. I think we can grow together if we share these important moments..

I will begin this process with a testimony of my own:

When I was very stressed while caring for my husband and my son, I depended upon a regular practice of meditation, which I recognized became a deep prayer practice for me. In time, though, my regularity lapsed. As a sort of New Year’s resolution, this year I began this practice anew. Though it has only been a month, I am once more spending quiet, still, regular time with God. As mundane as it may seem, practice, simply regular practice is facilitating my spiritual growth. As with any skill, good relationships need time and practice.