🕊️Onward: Strength in Sorrow

How love meets us, consoles us, and invites us into restoration.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, lost, or even desolate as we witness injustice, violence, and suffering. Many of us carry the added burden of reckoning with the world the children we love are growing up in.

But what if, when we’re in these moments of wondering, of sorrow and grief, we might be in the exact space where God meets us with love and compassion?

This summer, I stumbled upon a dusty copy of Finding God in All Things by William A. Barry, SJ. It was released in 1991—the same year my younger brother was born—but as I flipped through it today, I was stopped in my tracks by his reflections on how God responds to the horrors of the world. Barry writes that even in moments of deep sorrow or anger, God’s love is breaking through. His words feel as timely as ever¹.

“Grief, tears of sorrow, and anger—strong anger at social injustice and at prejudice—may not seem like consolation, but in the technical sense of Ignatian spirituality they are,” he writes. Insert brain-explode-emoji here.

In the words of St. Ignatius, consolation is an interior movement of the soul that draws us closer to God. It stirs love and hope, even when it emerges through grief or anger.

Barry explains that only God can break through our defenses to reveal the truth about sin—whether personal, communal, or systemic. When we feel burdened by this brokenness, our emotions don’t mean God has turned away from us. They might just be an invitation to join God in the work of renewal and restoration. As Barry writes, “When God reveals sin to us, it is always with the purpose of moving us to amendment of life and of giving us the power to change.”

Creation groans. Sin abounds. But in it all, we are wholly loved. And that love gives us the courage to see the truth of our lives and the world's brokenness without despair.

When the Spirit of God is grieved within us, we aren’t called to post a pithy little statement on social media and move on. As Barry says, “Condemnations, whether for personal or public sins, have little or no good effect unless accompanied with the message of God’s abiding love.”

Through the lens of God’s love, we’re set forth to act—whether confronting injustice in the world’s systems or within our own hearts.

This doesn’t mean we have to fix everything—that’s impossible (obvs) and will lead us directly to burnout. But what is possible is that even in the face of the world’s worst, we hold onto a hope that sustains us. Our compassion reflects Christ, and in Christ, we’re invited to do the good that is ours to do.

Consolation empowers us to hope and to work for change because we trust that God has not abandoned us.

Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash

Even in the face of horror, Barry reminds us, “The human spirit is not crushed and defeated. The powers of darkness have not prevailed.”

Does this offer a sense of hope to you? How might this be an invitation to engage differently?

I admit that lately, I’ve felt the pull to retreat into despair (or at least shield myself from pain). But instead, I wonder what it might be like to name the ache in my heart and then bring it to God.

When we name our lament of the sin that surrounds us, we may be surprised not by the enormity of the problems but by the enormity of God’s love. This love can free us from the futile depths of desolation and draw us into the hope of consolation.

Jesus shows us what this looks like. He weeps over Jerusalem, lamenting the city’s refusal to embrace peace (Luke 19:41-44). He overturns tables in the temple, consumed with righteous anger at systems of exploitation (Luke 19:45-46).

The grief and anger of Jesus are always rooted in love—love that leads to healing, to hope, and to restoration.

We can embody this love in our homes. We can teach our children to see the world as it is—broken and beautiful, bruised and beloved. We can be awake to the suffering, bringing our grief, anger, and hope to God. Even in the darkest moments, we can trust that God’s love is stronger than despair.

When the news feels heavy, when the tears come, or anger rises, pause and ask, “Where is God in this?”

Maybe in that moment, God is closer than you think.

Closer, even, than your next breath.

There, meeting you in the sorrow, encasing your heart with love, and whispering,

“I am with you. Let’s make this right, together.”

Photo by Art Institute of Chicago on Unsplash

Where Do We Go From Here?

If you’re looking around and thinking that the Jesus you know is not being represented well by many who claim to be Christians, I want you to know that I wrote Every Season Sacred: Reflections, Prayers, and Invitations to Nourish Your Soul and Nurture Your Family throughout the Year FOR YOU.

FOR US.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. You’re not just navigating the barrage of heartbreaking headlines for yourself…you’re raising children in an unpredictable and fractured world.

You want your family to live out values of compassion, justice, and love, but you’re also exhausted, worried, and wondering how to guide your kids in faith without falling into dogma or despair.

Every Season Sacred is for folks who:

• Want to raise thoughtful, empathetic children who care deeply about their neighbors and the world.

• Feel stretched thin by the demands of parenting, work, and trying to make a difference.

• Long for a deeper connection to God but struggle to find time for spiritual practices.

• Wonder how to talk about big topics like justice, grief, and hope with their kids in a meaningful way.

• Value mercy, peace, and compassion and want to pass those values on to their children.

  Each week, Every Season Sacred provides:

• Family prayers for the moments that matter—both the beautiful and the hard.

• Breath prayers to help you center yourself in God’s presence when the world feels overwhelming.

• Reflection questions to spark thoughtful conversations with your kids.

• Practical, real-world ways to bring faith into your home without feeling forced or contrived.

Many of us are having renewed conversations around justice, equity, and how to shape the world our kids will inherit. Every Season Sacred gives you tools to engage these issues faithfully and thoughtfully, creating space for hope and action while staying grounded in God’s love.

You don’t have to choose between between justice and faith. This book offers a way forward for your family that is both rooted in God’s love and responsive to the world’s needs.

If you read through it in a small group, I’m happy to Zoom with you! It’s something I love to do. Just reach out here.

This Week

Looking for deeper rhythms of renewal and restoration? The paid version of Year of Breath is your companion for cultivating a faith that feels grounded and real in the midst of your busy, beautiful, messy life. Each week, you’ll receive:

• Exclusive breath prayers

• Guided reflection prompts

• Spiritual practices

• Curated playlists

• Scripture readings

• Breath prayer phone wallpaper

• Benedictions and blessings

Think of it as a toolkit for your soul—not a to-do list, but a palette where you can pick what resonates, creating rhythms that nourish you and those you love.

Join the paid Year of Breath to move beyond the noise, embrace God’s presence, and breathe a little easier. When you join, you get access to our private community as well as every previous weekly edition (more than 50!). If finances are an issue, please reply to this email and we’ll figure it out.

Breath Prayer

Breath Prayer for the Week