The Quiet Chaplain

Some weeks, the news does not feel like information alone. It feels like weight. This has been one of those weeks. Across parts of the Midwest, severe storms, flooding, and tornado activity have left communities shaken. Families have faced damaged homes, road closures, power outages, and the long work of cleanup and recovery. Emergency declarations in parts of the region have reflected just how serious the impact has been. In moments like this, it is easy to rush toward explanation. We want answers. We want a resolution. We want life to return to normal as quickly as possible. But before the explanation, there is something else we need. Presence. One of the quiet lessons of chaplaincy is that not every hard moment needs immediate words. Not every loss can be neatly explained. Not every wound should be hurried past. Sometimes the most faithful response is simply to stay near what hurts. When the waters rise, presence matters. Behind every weather report is a person. Behind every flooded...

Photo by  Jerome Perelman  on  Unsplash If Week 1 was about  slowing down in the moment , Week 2 is about  looking back with God —not to critique yourself, but to notice grace. The Examen is one of the most sustainable spiritual practices I know because it meets you at the end of the day you actually lived. Not the day you planned. Not the day you wish you had. The real one—with interruptions, emotions, unfinished conversations, small joys, and heavy moments you didn’t expect. Paired with gratitude, the Examen becomes a gentle rhythm of awareness: Where was God near today? What did I carry today? What do I need to release? This is not a practice for perfectionists. It’s a practice for people who want to stay honest, steady, and close to Jesus. What Is the Examen? The Examen is a short daily prayer of reflection. It’s not Bible study, and it’s not a performance review. It’s a simple way of sitting with God and reviewing your day through His kindness. Think of it ...

Photo by  Brett Jordan  on  Unsplash Gentle Rhythms: A 4-Week Series on Sustainable Spiritual Practices There are seasons when our souls don’t need a spiritual restart—they need a gentler rhythm. Gentle Rhythms  is a four-week blog series built for real life: full calendars, tired bodies, distracted minds, and hearts that still want to stay close to God. This is not about building an impressive routine. It’s about learning sustainable practices that help you return to Jesus with steadiness and grace. Over the past few weeks, I stepped back from blogging to re-center my weekly rhythm. Not because I had nothing to say, but because I needed to come back to my own re-centering on what I’m writing about: a gentle, sustainable life with God. That pause reminded me of something simple and true—spiritual formation is usually shaped more by small, faithful returns than big, dramatic moments. Each week, we’ll explore practices that are accessible, repeatable, and rooted in Scr...

Photo by  Liana S  on  Unsplash Most of us want to help. We just don’t know what to say. Grief can make people feel fragile, and we’re afraid of making it worse—so we either overtalk, offer quick fixes, or quietly disappear. But if you’ve ever been the grieving one, you know what matters most isn’t perfect words. It’s presence. This month has been a reminder: grief is long faithfulness. And one of the greatest kindnesses we can offer a grieving friend is to stay steady long enough for their grief to be real. What Grieving People Actually Need 1) Someone who doesn’t rush them. Grief doesn’t move on a schedule. The best friends don’t try to speed it up. 2) Someone who can handle tears (and silence). You don’t have to fill the space. You just have to stay in it. 3) Someone who remembers. Names, dates, stories. Remembering is love. What to Say (Simple, Safe, True) Here are a few phrases that land gently: “I’m so sorry. This matters, and they mattered.” “I don’t have the right...

Photo by  SAJAD FI  on  Unsplash Some grief is clean and simple:  I loved them. I lost them. I miss them. But a lot of grief isn’t like that. Sometimes grief is tangled. You can feel deep sadness—and also anger. Relief—and also guilt. Love—and also regret. You can miss someone and still carry unresolved pain. You can grieve what happened and also grieve what never happened. That’s  complicated grief —not because you’re broken, but because the story had layers. And layered stories take time. A Personal Note This is part of what makes grief hard for many of us: we don’t just lose a person—we lose a chapter, a role, a future, a sense of normal, a version of ourselves. And when losses stack (or arrive close together), the emotions can feel confusing and even contradictory. If you’ve felt that—if your heart doesn’t feel “consistent”—you’re not failing. You’re human. Why Complicated Grief Can Feel So Heavy 1) It carries multiple emotions at once. Sadness, anger, numbn...

You can be doing “okay” for weeks—steady, functional, even hopeful—and then a date shows up, and your body remembers before your mind can explain it. Anniversaries have a way of reopening a door you didn’t plan to walk through. Not because you’re failing. Not because you’re going backward. But because grief isn’t linear— it’s relational . Love keeps time. A Personal Note  On a personal note, 2025 was a hard year for my family. We lost two family members, and it feels like grief “bookended” the months—one loss in February, and another in December. Some weeks don’t just feel busy; they feel heavy. The world keeps moving—emails, errands, responsibilities—while you’re carrying names, memories, and dates you’ll never forget. So if you are coming up on an anniversary, you’re not alone. These Dates Hit So Hard 1) Your body stores the story. Even when you’ve processed a lot, certain seasons, songs, weather, and routines can stir grief in your body—fatigue, tightness, tears that surprise yo...