Hello everyone, 
 
I know that next weekend is a holiday weekend, which may mean that many of you will be out of town. But I sure hope you come out on Sunday because I'm super excited to preach on the lectionary reading for that day, Jeremiah17:5-10. It's one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It speaks of the people of God being like trees, planted near the water, whose leaves remain evergreen and do not fear when heat comes. These trees do not become anxious during droughts and they never cease to bear fruit. 
 
I have always loved the constant references to trees in the Bible because they symbolize something I crave to be--grounded, rooted, strong. I crave to be so grounded that when my external circumstances run amok, I am not shaken. 
 
All religious traditions throughout history have taught about the importance of spiritual maturity, growing up, that is. Spiritual traditions' aim is to introduce us to the divine but never to just leave us in the early stages of our faith. Their objectives are to mature us into grounded and rooted people of faith whose trust in God never wavers. 
 
I heard Elizabeth Gilbert share a funny story about a friend who once googled, "Should I get a divorce?" That's when her friend discovered that there was something deeply wrong--that she was asking a machine instead of consulting with her own soul. She didn't trust herself! She hadn't developed the ability to trust the wisdom of God within her. 
 
Come out on Sunday to hear more about this idea and how we too can become like trees planted near the water, whose leaves never wither. 
 
In this together,
Lydia