The Barn (06/14/2026)

Last night I was privileged to participate in a Barn Talk at a local family’s home. They open their barn to the public to come together for food and a talk but mostly for the community they form. The hosts provide much of the food, but the participants chip in with good will offerings to offset costs and with salads and desserts of their own. And as I walked about before the meal, I was amazed at how excited everyone was to be there. We so need connections in this modern world.

The evening reminded me of the old story of stone soup where everyone brought what they could because alone none had enough. And it was in that sharing that each was nourished and sustained. We need that in today’s world. We need those moments of coming together with others and not only joining our resources but joining our hearts and presence. We need those connections.

The LORD created us in relationship for relationship with Him and with one another. It’s not easy making those connections sometimes, so I was elated to participate in such an event last evening. The talk last evening was on how we discover the LORD and ourselves on this journey of life. God writes straight with crooked lines and so we must ponder to discover the LORD’s divine plan and to find our purpose along the way with twists and turns and blessings and woes. But within our prayer and within our community we can begin to decipher the LORD’s gifts in the midst of suffering and our purpose in the midst of chaos.

As we continue on our journeys of faith, hope and love, let us consider the importance of relationships in our journey. First let us consider the foundational and essential relationship with our LORD, our creator, our savior, our sanctifier. What purpose has He woven into our very being? What gifts has He given to us to use for His glory and in service to our sisters and brothers? Then let us consider our relationships with others and how they invite us to grow into the ones we are created to be and called to be. Let us cherish these relationships and strive to build them.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.