Two Special Announcements
Clean Monday Retreat & New Devotional Series
Dear Readers,
I hope you have been enjoying my recent posts from Writing from the Desert Places. It has truly been a joy (and a challenge, a good one) to compose longer reflections to share with you.
A friend of mine and someone I deeply admire, Fr. Stephen Freeman, told me once that having “been given the opportunity to write and to read in this context [the Faith] is simply beyond anything that I expected in my life.” I have thought countless times about that one comment he sent in my direction. That brief reflection - a moment of utter gratitude he expressed for this work - has been a guidepost to me. I thank him for his guidance, and I thank you for being on this journey.
I have two brief announcements:
First, I am honored to share I will be presenting a workshop on “Developing Devotion to the Theotokos, Our Companion to the Cross,” on Monday, March 18 at St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in Greenwood Village, Colorado. This workshop is part of their Clean Monday Retreat, designed to prepare our hearts and minds for the journey of Great Lent to Pascha.
Will you be in the vicinity that day? If so, please consider joining us.
The St. Anna Philoptochos Society at St. Catherine is generously hosting me, and there is much to experience and participate in. Below is a schedule of the day, and $20 (cash or check only) covers everything, including lunch. You can register by clicking here.
Second, I want to thank everyone who pledged support to me when I launched Writing from the Desert Places on Substack earlier this month. Your support means so much! I haven’t yet “turned on” pledges into paid subscriptions because I wanted to make sure I had something else to offer. That will change on March 1. I’m pleased (and a little terrified) to share I am launching a new devotional series for paid subscribers beginning March 1.
These short devotionals, which will be delivered twice a month, will include a brief meditation, Scripture references, questions for contemplation and journaling, and additional resources to explore. They are my response to the question I am always struggling with: How do I live out the Christian life in my skin, at this time, in my ordinary corner of the world?
Perhaps the answer is obvious to others, but for me, it comes day-by-day: sometimes in a geyser of grace and revelation, and sometimes in quietly waiting for God to answer in the desert. Mostly it comes by falling on my face. In other words, I am living out and working on these things, too, as I go. I hope these pieces - some written over several years and reworked for readers here, and some brand new - might offer something good.
If you’re interested in signing up for these, click the button below. (All pledges will be “turned on” to paid on March 1, so I wanted you to be aware for budgeting purposes, too!)
I will still be sending out longer essays to all my readers (paid and free subscribers), so thank you, everyone, for simply being here. And if you have a question or comment to share, just hit “reply.”
The sky is turning peach as I write this, and the doves are waking up. May you have a beautiful weekend.
In Christ,
Brandi
Know someone who might like a gift subscription to Writing from the Desert Places? Sign up here: