I simply watched–in real time–the rally Trump held in the morning in DC and everything that emerged from that. I watched in real time all day–switching from Fox to CNN and everything in between. Til 10:30 at night when the election was finally certified. There is more bipartisan agreement on what actually happened on Jan. 6 than anything we’ve seen in years.

Charity, Thank you for naming the fact that, yes, it would be easier to remain silent. And yet, God’s spirit continues to witness with my spirit about things that are true and must be spoken. I am so grateful the Transforming Center is a place where we can walk together across the generations to fully discover what it means to be in God for the world–even and especially in times like this. Thank you for your companionship, your encouragement and your challenge along the way. We will not shy away from the cost!

As a younger leader, I too am looking for those further in the journey to speak into what we are experiencing and show us what it looks like to be in God for the world. We are continually bearing witness to tragic events, which reveal deeper and darker realities, that can not continue to be ignored. The transformational journey requires self-knowledge, self-examination and confession and your words here are yet another invitation for us individually and communally.

Thank you for your heart, for your wisdom and for your spiritual leadership. To speak up during these times is not without cost but as I said to a friend just this morning, “if it doesn’t cost us anything, we aren’t doing it right.”

Thank you, Colleen. I have such a desire that what my generation says and does, and the choices we make, would provide a path for the next generation to walk on so you can go farther than we could ever dream of going. You are such a bright light and you have no idea what your encouragement means.

Hi Brenda!
I respectfully disagree. Our president rallied these people to himself, spoke to them and riled them up, then directed them to the Capitol. I would call that “inciting” at the very least. I receive his campaign’s e-mails, and they use the strongest possible terms to describe those who do not agree with them. After months of hearing these words used towards others, and feeling like they’ve been cheated, his leadership choices on Wednesday towards that crowd made him at least partially culpable in the riots that followed.

Dustin, I agree that, as leaders, if it happens on our watch it is our responsibility. Especially in this case, for all sort of reasons I choose not litigate any further here. Thanks for drawing attention to the tender human elements of what this display of violence has imprinted on our own and children’s psyches. Another moment that was significant to me was when Mitt Romney spoke of his 25 grandchildren glued to the TV wondering if their grandpa was ok. At that moment there were no Republicans and Democrats–just humans with families hoping they would make it home safely. Thank you for your heart.