A note from our team: Deadline approaching! We are looking forward to seeing you at our fall book club! Sign up soon to get ready for our first meetings on September 23 and September 24! We’re anticipating a great discussion on Miranda Zapor Cruz’s book Faithful Politics.

Now that you’ve signed up for our book club 😁 … let’s focus in on some typical, everyday concerns. We’re talking about the experience of racing between classes, finishing our grading, writing grant proposals, picking up the kids, attending department meetings, and wait … did I eat lunch today? In the midst of a demanding schedule, where does one find the time to invest in practices that nurture spiritual growth? Professor Anne Pharr wrestles with this tension and lands on some structured ideas that support her own deepening spiritual life. Her practical suggestions don’t take a lot of extra time, but offer a framework for integrating formational strategies into a thoughtful life.

This slow, simple, steady way of abiding moves me towards savoring. Rather than pushing and striving for the extraordinary — and in the process becoming numb to my life — I can watch for each gift and provision as it comes, notice it, and celebrate it. 

But for some of us, the stress we are feeling in our day-to-day might require closer examination. Is there a negative behavior or habit that needs to be addressed? Or is it time to cultivate those delegating skills and ask for help? Or is there something deeper going on that may require professional attention? Kathy Khang writes of her own journey in acknowledging and seeking treatment for depression, despite the cultural stigma she sensed around this topic. Let’s support one another in tending to our wellness on many levels, including mental health.

I prayed. Sometimes I would pray for the ability to endure the sadness and suffering. Other times I would pray that it would all just go away. But when prayers failed to act like a holy vending machine, I realized I couldn’t “Christian” my way out of what was going on emotionally and mentally.

You’re Invited!

Pray with us. Join us online for 30-minute guided prayer meetings on Fridays at 8 am, 9 am, and 12 pm (Eastern). Can’t come? Send your prayer requests anyway by emailing us at wsap@intervarsity.org.

Faithful Politics — Fall Book Club. Join the Women Scholars and Professionals Fall 2024 Book Club as we discuss Faithful Politics (IVP 2024). Miranda Zapor Cruz helps us to envision what faithful citizenship looks like in light of being citizens of God’s kingdom. Click through to register!

IVP Faculty exam copies. Professors can request a free exam or desk copy for InterVarsity Press titles adopted for classroom use up to three times a year. Your free exam or desk copy will be sent to you within four weeks. Register for a professional account to access this benefit!

Are you an InterVarsity alum? Use promo code IVCFALUMNI to get a 25% discount at ivpress.com.

Downloadable Pocket Prayer Card from Graduate Healthcare Ministries. Medical students at Brown asked for a small resource that would prompt them to pray throughout the day. Colleague Renee Nicholas created this card with psalms and short prayers to support them — and you’re invited to use it too! Thanks, Renee!

Save the Date: February 21-22, 2025 for Believers in Business. As the largest Christian MBA gathering in the country, the 2025 Believers in Business Conference is a key intersection of the Christian MBA and Christian professional communities. Mark your calendars to join them in New York this February!

Are you a new graduate student? We invite you to subscribe to a unique newsletter from InterVarsity’s Graduate and Faculty Ministries designed to support and encourage first-year grad students as they embark on the next step of their academic journey. If you’re a first-year graduate student, click here to subscribe.

Calling all scientists! The American Scientific Affiliation will host an online “Faith & Work Accelerator” event for students and those in the early stages of their career on September 21 at 1:00 p.m. (eastern). Hear from a panel of scientists and campus ministers on connecting faith & work in science-related fields, then split into Zoom rooms to meet colleagues and/or mentors in your field area. Click through for more details and registration information.

Four More Things We Loved This Week

1. How to talk politics at work without upsetting anyone. (Washington Post, unlocked)

2. “I’ve reached the part of my self-care journey where I need to be a disappointment...” Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes writes on letting people down and being okay with it.

3. 27 tips for packing, long flights, and other travel conundrums.

4. Peaches! They’re only in season for a limited time, and so perhaps now is the time to use them in this brown butter peach cake? (NY Times, unlocked)