It's a Wonderful Life

Creating an Altar of Remembrance

Hello Readers!

Michael and I are home from our camping adventure in the Catskills! It was perfect in every way, and I’m now spoiled for any other camping situation unless it also involves crisp October weather, the bright turning of autumn leaves, and a headlamp-wearing husband who cooks a hearty stew while I cozy up next to a fire.

On our trip, I thought a lot about the essence of beauty and how it is a conduit for soul rest. A lack of cell phone service also helped, but there was something about the sensory experience of nature that tapped into a deep need for rest in me.

If the connection between beauty and rest resonates with you, consider joining me this Friday at 1pm EST for a live chat with my friend Christie Purifoy in her online community—The Black Barn Online. The conversation is free to members and will be recorded for anyone unable to join us live. Click here if you’d like to check out the Black Barn Online for transformational conversations rooted in intentional community ( I think there’s a free trial available).

I also want to share with my writerly readers about a community for writers hosted by Katie Kibbe and Sue Fulmore—two writers I know and admire in real life. Their group, The Writer’s Refuge, meets weekly for co-writing sessions, and it’s entirely free!

Katie, Sue, and I sat down to chat about the writing life, specifically about having a compass to guide us (a Writer’s Rule of Life, if you will) as we create a sustainable, soul-nourishing rhythm for our writing life. If you’d like to listen in on our conversation, click here!