the remind{h}er podcast

Whether we recognize it or not, experiencing forms of emptiness is part of our reality as human beings. And the good news is, we can be honest about it. We can name our need. The even better news is that our honesty is never without hope. Our faith gives us reason to believe emptiness has potential. It reminds us that ours is a God of wild imagination, creativity, opportunity, and fresh possibilit...

It can be easy to feel anger toward certain people, toward systems, toward sin. But what about when we feel anger toward God? When prayers seemingly go unanswered, when illness isn't healed, when suffering lingers, when circumstances don't change? Are we even allowed to admit we sometimes feel that way? I'm learning that God can handle our anger and that God welcomes our honesty, and that is a bea...

As we begin the season of Lent this year, I need to remember why we observe it. Most of the time, I'd rather skip ahead to the celebration instead of understanding why we celebrate. I'd rather enjoy the garden  instead of digging in and tending to the dirt. I'd rather bask in the beauty instead of acknowledging the reality of the ashes. But Lent is an opportunity to be honest and intentionally not...

When life feels overwhelming, I find Centering Prayer to be a helpful practice/tool. While it can be awkward and difficult at the beginning, the more we engage in and practice Centering Prayer, the more we move toward our lives becoming centered prayers. We remember who God is and how God works, and we are mindful of who God is calling us to be. We live lives anchored in that truth, even when the...

I don't know if you can relate, but it seems we've forgotten the difference between pain and discomfort. That we've somehow confused staying rightly staying within our safety zone and rightly stepping outside our comfort zone.  I'm learning to pay attention to the difference between the warning of pain and the invitation of discomfort. As we come to know and trust the heart of God more fully, we d...

As we settle into the new year, I'm holding onto a small handful of personal unknowns, and the planner in me doesn't quite know how to be. Maybe you can relate? Whether we choose the uncertainty or not, we feel the ache that often accompanies the not knowing, the fear in the pits of our stomachs in the middle of the night, the disorientation of not knowing what's next.  As we navigate this thing c...

It's the last episode of 2021! Recently, I've been reminded that God is very much in the details. It's easy for me to think of God and search for God in broad strokes, thinking that God is present in generalities or big movements. But I'm learning that God is also intimately acquainted with the details of who we each uniquely are, and even in the details of our daily lives. May we remember that th...

Generally speaking, life for me often feels very scattered. Like a jar of marbles spilled and rolling every which way across hardwood floors, my focus, my attention, my thoughts often feel divided and all over the place. And in a world that seems to thrive on the frenzy of multi-tasking, I wonder if there could be another way. What might it look like to live a gathered life? To be a gathered perso...

I'm finding that each day, it seems we have a choice. There is an abundance of heartache, spiteful interaction, and mean-spirited rhetoric all around right now. And, while it doesn't get as much attention, there are also hints of goodness, compassion, and loving -kindness tucked away all throughout our days. We get to decide which we're going to be a part of, which we're going to contribute to. In...

I'd never watched someone die before, let alone someone I absolutely adored. I'll never forget how I felt in that one sacred moment - when "is" became "was." How literally one last breath had the power to change the tense we used. I hated that change with every ounce of my being. Because I wasn't ready yet. Because just a few moments earlier, he was part of my present. And just like that, he becam...

Ours is a culture that loves happily ever afters, neatly tied bows, clear direction, and definitive explanations. We like our mysteries solved, our problems fixed, and our questions answered. In my experience though, life tends to be filled with more questions than answers. And I'm learning and beginning to believe that's okay.  It can be easy to assume that being faithful means simply accepting,...

I can page through my journal and pinpoint some rendition of this sentence, especially in the Saturday entries: " I probably wasn't as productive as I should have been." Sound familiar? The truth is, whether we realize it or not, we often operate like machines, rather than live like human beings. We treat ourselves and others like a commodity or a means to end, rather than a living, breathing pers...

Each episode, I mention that life often makes it easy to forget - to forget the truth about who God is and who we are called to be. We are prone to forget, and it's important to pay attention to what helps us remember. Because the truth is, we don't all connect with God in the same way. God connects with each of us differently. Uniquely. And the way we each feel connected to God matters. In today'...

Fred Rogers used to say, "The greatest gift you will ever give is your honest self." While it might sound cliche, there is something powerful about being yourself. And while it might seem simple, being ourselves can also be a challenge. But I'm learning that being who we are is an important call in the context of our faith. Listen in. remind{h}er 23: Our Place in the Puzzle Instagram: @remindherpo...

Fighting sleep might feel familiar, at least to some degree. I can remember that battle as a child, defying any suggestion that I take a nap or go to bed when I was supposed to. I look back now and don't understand what I was thinking. I long for the days when sleep was encouraged and prioritized. Because the truth is, for most of us grownups nowadays, it's not. One lesson I'm learning is that sle...

In our fast-paced world, sometimes I wonder what I'm missing. In my over-functioning, in my distracted frame of mind, when my eyes are locked on my scrolling screen, when I attempt to handle too much - what am I missing? What holy ground do I unintentionally ignore? And what does standing on holy ground even mean? Why does it matter? As we come out of summer and enter full-speed into fall, let's r...

Recent research shows that we are prone to add and accumulate. We don't hesitate to schedule one more meeting, pencil in one more task on the to-do list, or strive to add one more accolade to the resume. In a society that values productivity, we think that if we aren't adding, we aren't growing. And that could not be further from the truth. I've found that it's really hard for me to love well, ser...

We might not think of ourselves as traditional artists, but I've been reminded recently that God inspires us, fills us with God's Spirit, and calls us to create. God uses what we craft as reminders in the world around us. I wonder what your craft might be? What God might inspire in you?  God's creativity is on full display in all of us, uniquely in each of us. And we all have something to offer. L...

We were not created to be isolated. Instead, we were created for community, relationship, and connection. Our faith is enriched when we practice it together. Yes, in the presence of God, but also in the presence of others. Living in the midst of a pandemic has highlighted this for many of us. May we choose connection over convenience and community over comfort. Listen in.  Cast Away Lifelong Leade...

You've probably experienced it in some way, but music is deeply tied to memory. In fact, it has been used for years and years now to help patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The music helps them remember who they are, waking them up inside. It's a beautiful example of an even bigger truth that begs the question, what makes us feel alive? What connects us with the presence of God, remin...

A.W. Tozer once wrote, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." And what we believe comes into God's mind when God thinks about us is pretty important, too. It's easy to forget what God actually thinks of us and instead, start to believe that we are a disappointment, a burden, a chore. But when we remember that God delights in us, finds great joy in...

It is often easy to feel like we need to live our lives on full display. If we don't post about it on social media, did it even happen? If we don't receive a thank you or any sort of acknowledgement, was it even worth it?  Jesus reminds us that God sees and values what happens in secret. God is at work behind the scenes. Maybe our lives are meant to be cultivated in the hidden spaces -- lived out...

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by all the brokenness of our world. And when we do, it makes sense that we would want to turn away, disconnect from reality, remove ourselves from what makes us uncomfortable. But Jesus sets an example by dwelling with us. While many of us would rather keep our heads and hearts in the clouds, God meets us on the ground. God meets us where we are, not where we'd rather...

In today's episode, we are marking and celebrating ONE whole year of the podcast! I'm also sharing one unexpected lesson I'm learning through creating the podcast each week; how it's become a spiritual practice helping me discover what it means to be faithful in light of God's faithfulness. Listen in. God Has a Name by John Mark Comer Instagram: @remindherpodcast or @juleclayton Website: www.remin...

Communion. The Eucharist. The Lord's Supper. The name might vary depending on your tradition, but the sacrament we celebrate at the Table is meant to be a powerful reminder. We recall Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. And through this sacrament, we are enabled to live our lives in remembrance.  In this Holy Week episode, we are reflecting on the Last Supper and all it means for the lives we li...