Published 31 Oct 2025
Turning the page
Moving into a new season with grace
A blog post Women Scholars and Professionals
We’ve arrived at the season that divides families, neighborhoods, and communities, each taking a side in the age-old question: “Candy corn — delicious or disgusting?” All kidding aside (although we must add that if you have never tried candy corn paired with salted peanuts you are missing out on a treat!), the turn of the calendar page into November ushers us into a new season — All Saint’s Day leads into Thanksgiving leads into Advent. Tish Harrison Warren writes of the saving grace of the liturgical calendar and the ways these ancient rhythms help us to keep perspective when life is tumultuous.
“And this is why the liturgical calendar helps keep me sane. Because it reminds us that there can be no celebration without preparation. It keeps us from cheaply proclaiming hope before we’ve adequately waited, mourned, and sat in the ache of longing. We aren’t ready to celebrate until we acknowledge over time through ritual and worship that we and this world are not yet right and whole.”
November also ushers in the final portion of the semester, when the days grow shorter and the mountain of grading grows larger by the minute. Anne Pharr articulates the burden of both paperwork and emotional investment that seems to ripen in these final weeks of the semester as we come to terms with the inherent challenges of a vocation that requires maximum fruit through minimal resources. The game is stacked against the earnest professor, taking its toll year in, year out on heart and soul. What can we do to nurture ourselves in these challenging times? Jesus invites each of us to share our burdens with him.
“Though I’ve been at this job for quite some time, the sheer exhaustion I feel during these weeks often takes me by surprise. All it takes, though, is one stroll down the hallway of my department and a few conversations with colleagues to recognize I’m not alone.”
A note. If you head to The Well, you might notice a few little things that are different about our website — including a new landing page for Women Scholars & Professionals!
While we’re in the middle of some behind-the-scenes construction, some website features might be on the blink — so let us know if you have trouble finding anything. In the meantime, any new content will be posted here on our Substack page. Thanks for your patience with us!
You’re Invited!
“How to Keep Up with the News while Drowning” — A Discussion. Are you overwhelmed by the news these day? Join us for a conversation on finding sustainable practices with Felicia Wu Song, author of Restless Devices and of the recent article “How to Keep Up with the News while Drowning.” All are welcome to join us on Monday, November 17 at 9:00 pm (Eastern). Click through to register!
A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Kate Coleman. Chat with the author of this season’s book club selection! Join Women Scholars and Professionals on Friday, November 14 at 1 pm (eastern) for an interview with Rev. Dr. Kate Coleman, author of 7 Deadly Sins of Women in Leadership. We hope you register today!
FROM OUR FRIENDS AT INTERVARSITY PRESS
IVP Faculty exam copies. Professors can request a free exam or desk copy. Register for a professional account to access this benefit!
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OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS TODAY!
Join us at Urbana 2025 and connect with Graduate & Faculty Ministries. Explore God’s work in the world and embrace your role as a Global Christian. Urbana 2025 Associate Director Andy Kim invites you in these brief videos to explore why grad students and faculty should consider joining us in Phoenix, Arizona on December 28-31. Click through to register!
Last call for Florida Faculty! Join InterVarsity Faculty Ministry TOMORROW as WSAP Director Karen Guzmán leads the conversation: “Cultivating a Non-Anxious Presence Amid All the Worry In and Around Us.” Click through to register!
Save the Date: Believers in Business. Join MBA students and professionals from across the country in New York City, February 27–28, 2026. Stay tuned—more details will be available soon at BiBconference.org.
Four More Things We Loved This Week
How To Stay Human As Technology Speeds Up by Anne Therese Gennari, Climate Optimist
There’s No Shame in Talking About Pregnancy Loss (Christianity Today, unlocked)
How the Brain Moves From Waking Life to Sleep (and Back Again)
How to Actually Sleep on an Airplane (NY Times, unlocked)