A Blessing for a New Year: Letter from the Editor

I have some news to share — this is my last week as Editor of The Well. Next week I start in a new position in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois. I have loved my time here and am so grateful to have journeyed alongside you all these past years.In everything we do, Women Scholars and Professionals works to connect women to God and each other. I believe deeply in the power of words to connect us over time and space. By sharing our experiences we learn that we are not alone. By working through ideas in writing, our thinking becomes clearer.It has been such a gift to connect with you through and over words. I am grateful to hear the ways God has called you and met you in your various callings. I am grateful to hear the stories of the things that are tricky or really, truly difficult. I am grateful to celebrate your accomplishments and joys.Here are three things I want to make sure you know before I leave. Hopefully you have heard them at The Well before today, but just in case, I’m making sure.

You are so, so loved.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is good news for you, for your life, for the world. Beyond your achievements or failures, you are indeed precious in his sight.

You are doing a great job.

You are pursuing God’s calling in your life in all of the many ways God has made you. You are working toward academic and professional goals. You are a friend and neighbor, maybe a parent, or a sister. You are doing your best to be the person you are made to be and are becoming. It’s so amazing to see!

We’d love to walk alongside you. 

Sometimes pursuing your calling can be lonely, or confusing, or just plain hard for a while. I hope that in this space you see that other people are doing this, and that you can too — but you don’t have to figure it out on your own. And when you have something to celebrate, we’re here to clang the bells and throw the confetti!I recently learned about the tradition of Women’s Christmas. It’s a celebration that takes place on Epiphany (the last of the twelve days of Christmas) where women — who have presumably been making all the Christmas celebrations happen for all the people — take the day off to mark the end of the Christmas season. I love this as an official part of the celebrations. We do all the things, we celebrate, we cook, we live it up, and also we take a moment to pause and put our feet up before life goes back to normal. I wish this kind of marking of time for you as we move into a new season, and I'd like to share this blessing for the occasion by Jan Richardson that found its way to me this week.

The Shimmering Hours

for Women’s ChristmasThere is so muchI want to say,

as if the saying could prepare youfor this path,as if there were anythingI could offerthat would make your wayless circuitous,more smooth.Once you step out,you will see for yourselfhow nothing could havemade you ready for this roadthat will take youfrom what you knowto what you cannot perceiveexcept, perhaps,in your dreamingor as it gives a glimpsein prayer.

But I can tell youthis journey is not about miles.It is not about how faryou can walkor how fast.It is about what you will do with this moment, this starthat blazes in your skythough no one else might see.

So open your heartto these shimmering hoursby which your pathis made.

Open your eyesto the light that shineson what you will needto see.

Open your handsto those who go with you,those seenand those known onlyby their blessing,their benedictionof the road that isyour own.

“The Shimmering Hours” by Jan Richardson from Circle of Grace.