A Message from Our President, Diane McGeoch

INVITATIONS

“Get yourself a nice leather journal, a cheap composition notebook, or a pad of Post-It notes to act as a depository for your bits of astonishment - your little seeds of goodness. Hone in on three things during the last 24 hours that were remarkable and write them down. Write down three things for which you are grateful.” Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown, Coming Back to Life Gabriola Island, New Society Publishers, 2014

I’ve never been good at keeping a regular journal. My efforts have been sporadic at best, but I am good at the practice of writing things down. I often save a thought or idea on my phone, put a note to myself on my desk, or use a scrap of paper to remember something. During the pandemic, I redesigned my office and purchased a new desk and bookshelves. This meant I had to clean out and organize the old desk, and I found piles of these notes to myself and scraps of paper. They are now in my new desk.

Every scrap of paper or note represents an invitation; a moment to be grateful, an idea I wanted to turn into a project, a book or quote I wanted to record. All these invitations together create a movement of sorts in one’s life. I treat these scraps of paper with great value because they help me see the world in a new way or give me a new perspective. The Holy Spirit is acting through each piece of paper to invite me into a new way of being

Join us on August 24th for this important and informative webinar!

It is Well with My Soul

Journaling Resources

This article from the University of Rochester Medical Center outlines journaling as a tool to manage anxiety, reduce stress, and cope with depression. It includes some basic steps for starting a journal and describes how writing can be personal relaxation. The article is suitable for teens and adults.



The resource section of the Women of the ELCA has this article on journaling by Kathryn Haueisen. Guidance on how to get started is included, with guidelines on how to reflect on the world around and the world within us. The article can be used for individuals getting started, or in journaling groups who need tips, inspiration, and guidance. 

Worth Repeating:

Suicide Prevention Resources

• AFSP has multiple resources for those who are thinking of suicide, suicide survivors, their families, schools, communities and journalists.
• Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988
• NEW! Crisis Text Line: Text “Talk” to 741-741
• Talkheart2heart.org has many resources for parents and families, including suicide prevention, risky behaviors and alcohol/drugs

• Many people’s introduction to AFSP comes through the Out of the Darkness Walks, taking place in cities nationwide. In our Community, Campus and Overnight Walks, those affected by suicide – and those who support them – raise awareness and much-needed funds, strongly sending the message that suicide can be preventable, and that no one is alone.