Seeking and Finding: the tale of grief and resurrection

Seeking and Finding: the tale of grief and resurrection

Jessica Kiesling
Grief, DivineDialogues

I love that our Savior is someone who sees our broken heart and COMES TO US. He doesn’t watch us weeping and walk away – to follow up with his buddies. No, he comes to Mary. He heals her. She encounters the Living God, the Resurrection – and her heart is healed. She is transformed powerfully through the encounter with the God who loves us – again. This time, she is sent out. Her first transformation led her to follow Jesus and never leave his side. Now, He sends her out – fully transformed, fully equipped with a message.

Resistance

Resistance

Jessica Kiesling
DivineDialogues, Grief

That’s what I felt in my heart as it sank…realizing this week is prep for the Passion.

I didn’t want to go through all that again, Lord. Please. Not now. I’m barely keeping it all together —I have so much to do — not this, too. …not this, too.

Dan's Advice for living in unprecedented times

Dan's Advice for living in unprecedented times

Jessica Kiesling
DivineDialogues, Strengths, Grief

For me, I sensed that God wants me to think about this related to how I work and how I interact with my students. They don’t need me to recede into myself. They don’t need me to disappear. They don’t need me to come up with a thousand new ways of doing things. They also don’t need me to KNOW ALL THE THINGS - which sometimes I think they do, and that is my greatest source of insecurity as an advisor or teacher when I feel like I’m letting them down because I’m not ‘all the things’ for them…. However, they do need ME.

The real Lenten fast

The real Lenten fast

Jessica Kiesling
DivineDialogues, Strengths

The point of Lenten fasts is to move us beyond ourselves. While “none of us expected to give up this much for Lent,” if we only focus on what we’ve given up - we have missed the point. If I only focus on doing better for me, then I have missed God in this lesson.

CoVID19 Response: What It Feels Like

CoVID19 Response: What It Feels Like

Jessica Kiesling

I was fine while I was talking with students, advising others. Two hours later as I was eating lunch, I experienced a feeling of panic. I suddenly felt unmoored. Drifting. Scared. I felt actual waves of anxiety distancing me farther and farther away from what I knew, what was safe…what was secure.

I hadn’t felt that in 18.5 years. I recognized that this was the exact way I felt on 9/11 and those days after. …and my heart goes out to my students even more.

Reeds & Wicks

Reeds & Wicks

Jessica Kiesling
DivineDialogues

I love these two examples because they show how gentle God is with His people and those He calls into service (which is all of us). He does not quench the wick smoldering - barely putting forth a flame. He sends his minister to tend it - to call forth life and usefulness.

A Sabbath Summer

A Sabbath Summer

Jessica Kiesling

My past summer was … fine. It was fine. It wasn’t spectacular. It wasn’t life changing. …to be honest, I’d almost call it boring. …and you know what? It was exactly what I needed. I needed a summer of rest - and that’s what I enjoyed. A Sabbath Summer

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