3/22 ((from Jessica)) I am an impulsive, go-getting soul who doesn’t struggle with fast decisions and quick actions. I know what I like and what I don’t like; I know what I want and what I don’t want; and I (a majority of the time) take action promptly based on those feelings and preferences. I…

3/21 ((from Megan)) As we soar from the ten-thousand foot view of Esther, zooming in on chapters 3 and 4 today, we see God’s chosen people, the Israelites, dispersed throughout the Near East. Some have returned to their destroyed city of Jerusalem and some, like Esther and Mordecai, still live under enemy rule; Babylon had…

3/19 ((from Natalie)) Yesterday, Kate got us started in our study for this week on the book of Esther. Today, let’s dive in to Esther chapter 2. The book takes place about 3 years after the events detailed in Chapter 1. The Lavish party the King threw in Chapter 1 is a long past memory, the King was disobeyed…

3/19 ((from Kate)) We are witnessing a powerful moment in American history as women stand up for themselves. Between the honest accounts coming to light that have long been hidden in shadowy corners of fear and intimidation, the #MeToo movement, and the promised inclusion of our voices – the times, they are a changin’. But…

3/18 ((from Bridget)) I vividly remember shadowing my attending as he worked through the afternoon’s patient list in his private Obstetrical/Gynecology clinic that dreary and cold March afternoon in the suburbs of Chicago.  I was nearing the end of my third year of medical school and I was all set. I just had a few…

3/17 ((from Eve)) In a culture where divisiveness reigns and individual preferences are elevated above any sort of community objective, talking about true diversity is countercultural at almost every level. Because this week, as we talk about how diversity affects various aspects of life (or how it should affect various aspects of life), we’re not…

3/16 ((from Bri)) When I was in college, I served as the Student Relations Director for our Student Government Association. I was the face of diversity for the student body. After graduating, I was hired on staff as a Resident Director and the Director of Diversity Student Programming. These roles allowed me to keep the…

3/15 ((from Jessica)) No, God. Not doin’ it. I am not studying the Word with a complete stranger. Genuinely, I had only talked with this woman two times prior to the Spirit’s nudging on that Sunday morning and the first time I had introduced myself, I was absolutely and utterly SHOCKED when she turned around….

3/14 ((from Megan)) “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,” Philippians 1:27 Friendships in scripture: hopeful from the…

3/13 ((from Natalie)) I have cousins who stand passionately opposed to my personal views on gun control; and yet, we really enjoy one another. We are family. My baby brother recently converted to the Jewish faith and invited me to celebrate with him; I admire his faith and I think he admires mine too. We…

3/12 ((from Kate)) I walked into a large church, uneasy and tugging at the cuffs of my ecru J.crew denim jacket. Even as an extrovert, no one loves being “the new kid” and here I was, again, walking into a crowd of strangers. A smiling woman with an iPad caught my eye and asked me…

3/11 ((from Bridget)) “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a…