Our global world fills our minds with challenging thoughts to complement and compete with our own worldviews. The song “New Religion” is about what can guide us as we travel our own paths. What inspires us to be our better selves? What calls us beyond our individual selves into friendship and community? We may be […]
Music and the Gospel: “New Religion,” The Heydaze Read More »
Grace VanderWaal challenges us to see more in ourselves and our lives than we recognize in our day to day actions. When we recognize and cultivate our talents, we can find ways to lead and work for good. In doing this, we follow John the Baptist, who “gave witness to the light.” When we share
Music and the Gospel: “So Much More Than This,” Grace VanderWaal, 3rd Sunday of Advent Read More »
Some decisions stay with us and even define us for the rest of lives. Some choices seem so clear that we forget we made them. Serious choices demand time to weigh the pros and cons of our actions, the positive or negative ways the choices affect other people. Occasionally, someone (a friend, a parent) will
Music and the Gospel: “Calm Down,” Skip Marley Read More »
This week’s Spirit discusses relationships, dating, and What it means to be in a healthy relationship? The high school years are prime time for making friends and dating. Most of us spend those years within a wide circle of friends and, as we get older, we start to pair off into more exclusive relationships. When
Music and the Gospel: “Love,” Lana Del Rey, 3rd Sunday of Lent Read More »
This week’s Spirit tackles our ideas of self-image and beauty. High school can be a difficult time. A lot of personal and social changes are taking place; we’re constantly trying to fit in and fit an image of who we think we should be and who people will accept. Trying to live up to these
Music and the Gospel: “Scars To Your Beautiful,” Alessia Cara, 2nd Sunday of Lent Read More »
School, work, extra curricular activities—all come with expectations: that we get good grades, do a good job, and perform at the top of our game. But what do we do when the pressure builds up and challenges the expectations we have of ourselves? Something Just Like This reminds us that we don’t have to be
In the day-to-day shuffle, we cyberbeings often forget to unplug and recognize the beauty in the world around us. Sometimes that beauty takes a little work to uncover, whether it’s cleaning up a road ditch or a deserted piece of land. This week’s Spirit reminds us that we live in communion with Earth and that
Music and the Gospel: “The Garden,” Kari Jobe Read More »
Turning the other cheek when someone hits you is an act of nonviolence, of stopping violence rather than taking it to another level. Whether a bully by choice or a child soldier by force, fighting leads to more fighting, violence feeds violence. Jesus challenges us to stop the payback cycles, “to love our enemies, pray
Music and the Gospel: “Rise,” Katy Perry Read More »
In high school, moments when we feel on the outside looking in happen a lot. Everyone wants to be popular; everyone wants to be included. Often we feel socially tested, judged about everything from the people we hang out with to the very clothes we wear. It’s also a time when we determine what and
Music and the Gospel: “I Am,” Jojo Read More »
This week’s SPIRIT talks about what influences us, especially how what and who we love influence our decisions. SPIRIT also invites us to look at the consequences of our decisions, whether they be small-scale or large scale, and how we can work to minimize any negative impacts our decisions may have. The song “Magic” extends
Music and the Gospel: “Magic,” Thomas Gold, ft. Jillian Edwards Read More »