Introduction by Connie Goodbread
A Blessing for Risk-Takers and Failures by Rev. Robin Tanner
One More Thing by Rev. Viola Abbitt
Wishes by Natalie Briscoe
From Pause, Rest, Be by Octavia F. Raheem
In a Dangerous Time by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
“Don’t Worry About It” (Said No Helpful Advice Ever) by Rev. Nathan Detering
The Minister (Who I Am) by Rev. Linda Hart
Sustainably Working Toward Collective Liberation by Diane Melvin
Beyond the Zero-Sum Game by Rev. Nathan C. Walker, from Exorcising Preaching
Unbreakable Connections by Rev. Daniel Lawlor
Naming Things Out Loud by Rev. Erika Hewitt
Litany of Oops and Ouch by Atena O. Danner, from Incantations for Rest
Holy Interruption by Rev. Julica Hermann de la Fuente
Steadfast in This Faith by Rev. Naftali King
Your Very Presence by Rev. Dr. Jane Ellen Mauldin, from Glory, Hallelujah
From Love at the Center by Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt
Watching My Friend Pretend Her Heart Isn’t Breaking by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, from All the Honey
Prayers for the Brave and Burdened by Rev. Derail Holcomb
Let Beauty In by Rev. Dr. Rebekah Savage
Anchored by Hope by Rev. Dr. Oscar Sinclair
Reflection During Frustrating Times by Pastor Joshua Berg
The Long Game by Rev. Shari Woodbury
Imperfect Human Beings by Rev. Deanna Vandiver
Puzzling Our Way Through by Rev. Emily Gage
Beautiful Chaos by Connie Goodbread
How to Do This by Rev. Victoria Safford
Broken-Open Heartedness by Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray
Life Beyond Struggle by Rebeka Ndosi
PTSD Recovery and Reconciliation by Rev. Jami Yandle and Natalie Briscoe
Prayer for Transformation by Rev. Daniel Lawlor
Prayer for Hope by Rev. Lindasusan V. Ulrich
Prayer for Living in Tension by Rev. Joseph M. Cherry, Voices from the Margins
Be Her Cheerleader by Evan McGinnes
Eight and a Half Minutes by Rev. Kelly Weisman Asprooth-Jackson
Meeting the Divine by Rev. Summer Albayati
Don’t Believe Your Own Press Release by Aisha Hauser
Next by Natalie Briscoe
Compassion by Linnea Nelson
Our Fear and Our Courage by Rev. Dr. Natalie Fenimore
Brave Enough for Goodness by Rev. Sean Parker Dennison
We Dream of Peace by Rev. Marta I. Valentín, from Voices from the Margins
Rest Is Crucial by Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray
Thanksgiving for a Successful Workday by Pastor Joshua Berg
The Church Where Everything Goes Wrong by Rev. Elea Kemler, from How We Are Called
Go Deeper by Rev. Jim Rigby
Paddling, No Water by Rev. Meg Barnhouse, from Did I Say That Out Loud?
Rest by Rev. Eileen Casey-Campbell
One Gregarious Reindeer by Cameron Young
God’s Work by Rev. Elizabeth Tarbox, Life Tides
From Radical Hospitality: Benedict’s Way of Love by Lonni Collins Pratt and Father Daniel Horman
There Are No Right Words by Rev. JeKaren Bell
You Are Not on Call by Liz James
Hope by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, from All the Honey
A Blessing for Those Who Bless by Linnea Nelson
One Love by Rev. Dr. Hope Johnson, from Voices from the Margins
A Prayer for Discernment by Rev. Tandi Rogers
After by Rev. Summer Albayati
Introduction
“The job of the church is not to build the church. The job of the church is to transform the world.”
—Natalie Briscoe
As I sit down to write this introduction in 2026, the world feels both tender and torn. So much is happening that could distract us, numb us, or convince us that transformation is impossible.
And yet the call to build the world we dream about remains unchanged: a world where every person is supported in becoming all that they can be; where we understand our deep interdependence and know that one person’s liberation is bound up with the liberation of all people; where compassion is more common than cruelty, generosity more common than greed.
That dream is still alive—even when it feels distant.
Every generation, I suspect, feels it is living in both the best of times and the worst of times. At this moment, some communities in the United States are experiencing state-sanctioned violence, intimidation, and deep social fracture. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by shock, grief, fear, and anger.
And yet, life continues. The laundry must be done. Children must be fed. The sun rises and sets, painting the sky and water in colors that take our breath away. People reach for one another’s hands and lock arms in solidarity. Love persists.
“And I’ll bring you hope when hope is hard to find.”
Many of us have sung that line in Unitarian Universalist congregations. It raises real questions: What does it mean to bring hope? What does hope look like in seasons of fear? What does it look like in seasons of abundance, when our spirits are steady and the path seems clear?
We are each carrying heavy burdens. We bring them into our relationships, our workplaces, our communities, and our congregations. And we are often searching for the people and spaces that will help us heal. Sometimes we know this; sometimes we do not. As bell hooks reminds us, “Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.”
This is true for all of us. It is also true for those who lead, those who serve, and those who hold responsibility—whether in religious communities, families, neighborhoods, or any place where people gather and grow.
Leadership of any kind—professional or volunteer, formal or informal—has never been simple. In calmer times, we still shoulder enormous responsibilities. Add to that natural disasters, global uncertainty, and the everyday challenges of being human, and it becomes clear that all this stress stretches the human spirit.
And yet the human spirit can also be fed—by living courageously, awakening to the wonders of the world, and striving for deeper understanding.
Taking care of ourselves is not indulgence; it is necessity. My friend and colleague Jessica York has often reminded me that we should serve others from the saucer of our overflowing teacup, not from the cup itself.
Yet how often is your cup even full? Depleted people cannot live well. Depleted leaders cannot lead well.
Feeding your spirit—resting, laughing, finding joy in ordinary moments—is holy work. Joy in the face of injustice is an act of resistance.
If we can remember who we are, whose we are, and what we value most, then we will come through the struggles of our time whole. We will come through with partners we know well and understand deeply. We will come through with integrity, knowing that we amplified and helped keep sacred our deepest values.
This book is meant to accompany you in remembering who you are, whose you are, and what you value most.
In these pages, you will find reflections that offer grounding when you feel unsteady, companionship when you feel alone, encouragement when your spirit is worn thin, and humor and joy when you need them most. These meditations exist to nourish you—to remind you to rest, to breathe, to reconnect with your purpose, and to trust that transformation happens one choice, one conversation, one act of courage at a time.
May you find hope here.
May these words feed your spirit.
May you find a little humor and a lot of joy.
And when you are restored—even a little—may you go out and, one small act at a time, change the world.
