Leigh Ann Eck invited us to consider the idea of strength for Spiritual Journey Thursday. This month, as I’ve been thinking about strength, I’m more aware of what it is not than what others make it out to be.

I’m late with a response.

This photo stopped me in my scrolling through Instagram, and I am sad for our world, especially the children who will grow up to clean up the current mess.

1 Kings 19:11-13 comes to mind.

“The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

My OLW for 2026 is child. I’m heartbroken at what they are being given to deal with right now. We, they, are not seeing strength from us grown-ups…but a lack of strength of character, restraint, diplomacy, dignity….so many aspects of what strength really is.

Peace,