All of Us Here Together

Sometimes, when we stand by the ocean, or stare out at the mountains, or look up into a sky full of stars, we are immediately "right-sized." Like the Psalmist – we find ourselves gazing into the dark abyss and asking, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them?” But, sometimes, those wonder filled moments happen in our own yard.

For instance, lizards. I remember one day when I was feeling a little grumpy for no reason. I walked down the stairs behind the Well house and a lizard scurried out onto the railing. He paused right in front of me, looked around, did a couple of those little pushups to show me that in the world of lizards, he was somebody, and then he scurried off again.

I’ve seen plenty of lizards, but there was just something about how confident and complete this one was—this tiny, self-contained green being, who knew nothing about anything that was going on in my grumpy little life, but who had its own life—its own issues and existence, joys and sorrows—a whole lizard world right outside our doorway. Indeed, what are human beings that you are mindful of us?  

That gives a new perspective. God’s creation scurries about on our patio in all different sizes and species. Lizards. Butterflies. Hummingbirds. Owls. Trees. Bees. When I step outside, I am just one creature among many. And, I have my place in the world, and the lizard has her place in the world, and God created all of us—put us all here together—to live in peace and to learn from each other and to care about each other.

When we are at our best, we do care and we take care. That’s what God did—for God so loved the WORLD. The world includes everything and everybody. In fact, Mark 16:15 says to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every living creature.” Or in the NIV version: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

That gives us options. If humans are troublesome for you, then preach the gospel to another creature. For instance, in 2018, National Geographic reported that straws are at the top of the list when it comes to litter, and straws are deadly to sea turtles—they eat them and it kills them. So, if you don’t know how to preach the gospel to your neighbor, start with the sea turtle—refuse the straw and take a walk on the wild side and drink directly from the cup. Whales have been known to wash up on the beach with bellies full of plastic. Why not preach the gospel to whales and stop using single use plastic bottles?  

Each time we make a choice to be better stewards of our planet, we preach the gospel. Each time we consider our impact on our beautiful planet, we praise God. Each time we recycle, we offer a prayer of thanks to God. Each time we do our part to prevent suffering, or ease pain, we preach the gospel. It may seem like a small thing to refuse a straw or to recycle, but small things, like seeds, can grow into something magnificent. And, we never know what our efforts will bring to life. That’s why, at Well of Mercy, you will find us recycling, encouraging reusable water bottles, and honoring the land. We never know when the spirit will latch on to our labors, so we must try. We can’t expect the lizards to do everything. 

Lea Slaton

Executive Director



Well of Mercy is excited to receive a grant from the Mercy Fund for Ministry Grant Program

This funding will allow us to provide services for five local non-profits. As you know, many non-profit organizations, particularly those serving vulnerable and underserved populations, face significant challenges in sustaining the well-being of their leadership and staff. Executive Directors and their teams are often overworked, under-resourced, and at risk of burnout. This can negatively impact their ability to effectively carry out their missions, serve their communities, and provide critical support to the populations they serve.

Additionally, the individuals these organizations support often come from marginalized or vulnerable backgrounds and face multiple layers of hardship. Many are in urgent need of a safe space for rest, healing, and renewal. Well of Mercy is uniquely positioned to meet these needs by offering retreats that provide physical, emotional, and spiritual respite. Through this grant, we aim to address both the burnout experienced by nonprofit leaders and staff, as well as the lack of access to therapeutic, healing experiences for the underserved women they serve. The non-profits that will be participating in our grant are My Sister’s House in Iredell County, the Iredell County Council on Aging, World Relief in Winston-Salem, Pivot Ministry in Winston-Salem, and The Shalom Project in Winston-Salem. 

We are looking forward to making new friends and sharing the mission of Well of Mercy. Thank you, Mercy Fund!

~ October ~

~ November ~

~ December ~

One of the Core Values of Well of Mercy is Inclusiveness

Inclusion is the active creation of welcoming, respectful, and supportive environments where all individuals, regardless of their backgrounds or differences, feel a sense of belonging, are valued, and have equitable opportunities to participate and contribute. As we think about some of God’s creatures we may have different opinions about some of them. The lizard that Lea talked about might be a little daunting for some people as it darts under their feet. Yet lizards are quite clever. Some people even have lizards for pets. The deer may elicit a sense of wonder as we gaze at their beautiful eyes. Snakes, spiders and mice, “oh, my,” can be scary for some of us. Some animals such as bears and tigers can really get our motors running, and if we saw one in the wild, get our feet running too! Some creatures are not very attractive and a bit repulsive. The possum is one that comes to mind. We may shrink away from the good ole’ skunk especially if it crosses our path. As we think about inclusiveness there may also be people in our lives from whom we shrink away, or tend to avoid, or who simply give us pause.

As we consider how to be more inclusive, may we ponder the importance of honoring the dignity, the fullness of humanity and the inherent worth of all. At Well of Mercy, we believe that making room in our hearts to include all parts of God's creation can be a transformative step in our efforts to bring about a more peace-filled and just world.

Connie Hoffner

Programming Director

Well of Mercy's Core Values



Well of Mercy, a retreat ministry sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, grounded in the spirit of hospitality, provides quiet sanctuary and time in nature for reflection, rest and renewal for those choosing sacred time apart, enriching their spiritual and emotional wellbeing.