BY CHRISTY BOULWARE:Loneliness thrives when we don’t know who belongs where or when we keep everyone at a distance to stay “safe.” We were not meant to walk alone. Even Jesus had a Mary.

THOUGHTS FROM THE BIBLEPROJECT: Jesus has brought together a diverse and complicated group of people around his Kingdom of God announcement.

ART + REFLECTION BY SOFIA RECTOR: I’ve come to picture both the persistence of reaching out for community and the beauty and wonder that can result as these webs of connection catch hold and grow.

Here's what coping with my crazy little weenie dog's trauma is teaching me about healing from mine +PLUS+ some of the resources I am finding helpful in my journey!

Article by Scott Sauls: The transfer of grace is not only something that happens between God and people, but also between people and people. It’s a community affair, not a private affair.

BY JASON PORTERFIELD: What might a weekly rhythm look like that helps us regularly put into practice the biblical mandate to do justice?

The yearning for smaller, slower, sweeter has been growing in me for years, maybe even a decade. I don't just blame all the growth and progress in the area for this. I also blame Wendell Berry and Jesus.

Thank you for being such a valuable part of The Holy Shift Family. Your dreams, ideas, and opinions matter to us and WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

REFLECTION BY KATIE FOX: What can we say about art and beauty in the face of mass shootings, war, evil, and destruction? Why discuss poetry, when the world feels like it's on fire? What can beauty and the arts offer to us when we’ve lost everything we hold dear?

Instead of drawing lines in the sand, we make room at the table for anyone who wants to encounter Jesus and love others.

Jaws clenched, chests heaving, the world rages in a tug of war...

ART + REFLECTION BY SOFIA RECTOR: As the light gentles, we gather, arms laden with food, blankets, drink. We come to feed our souls as much as our bodies...

If surviving grief has taught me anything, it is that we all have one life to live and one God to glorify, and we are purposed to do that in community.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Imagine traveling across the globe to pursue a quality education. Your friends and family are far away and in addition to the strain of your studies, you are having to adjust to your new life in an entirely different country and culture. The transition has been tough and has left you with very little support or friendship. What if there was a welcoming community of both American and other international students that you could connect with to help you ease your transition? That would be pretty life-changing, wouldn't it?