The Lily Letters

With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years coming up, we are more likely to interact with family and friends; some who we might not have seen all year. The Holidays can become chaotic, with milestones being announced, unresolved conflicts being mentioned, the urge to watch our favorite football game, or to answer the golden but awkward question by our favorite aunt. This month’s focus is on the word “others” where we just take a second (or more) to focus not on ourselves, but on others. Philippians 2:3 (NIV) states “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves”. I used an acronym generator to create an acronym for the word “others” which the results said “Outreach through Humility, Empathy, Righteousness, and Service. We can bring in Outreach through the holidays by checking in with our family members and friends. The year could be overwhelming and with a simple “How are you?” could make the gathering less stressful. The one c...

“9000 Fireflies” Full Disclosure, despite all the bows and dresses that I love to wear, I am a wrestling fan. I love watching all of the characters that each of the wrestlers have and the stories that they tell by their videos, promos, and wrestling matches. One particular wrestler and the nicknames he gives the fans resonate with me. Whenever he was nearby, the whole arena darkened and everyone all of a sudden turned on their flashlights on their cellphones. However, at that moment, they weren’t just flashlights to him. They were fireflies that lit up the dark arena. I remember my own fireflies at Longwood University. It was a scary time coming in as a transfer student, not knowing most of the students, and the only organization that I had planned on joining was BCM . My first BCM experience, I saw a group of girls sitting together, laughing, and cheering each other on if they had to speak at our large group meeting. The next week, I saw one of the girls at the Bible Study in gre...

In this day and age, members of the Christian faith often face an internal struggle. It can feel difficult or even impossible to reconcile the idea that we are called to be in this world, but not of it. For many Christians, this can lead to an unintentional belief of moral superiority over those who do not subscribe to Christianity. However, at the end of the day, that feeling is not part of God’s plan for us as stewards of the faith, and can often limit our ability to draw others closer to Him, especially those who have been previously hurt by the Church. Today, I pose this question: Do we truly understand what it means to love like He loves? When Jesus died on the cross, He didn’t just die for the people that would come to know and accept Him. He didn’t just die for the “good Christian.” He didn’t just die for the churchgoer. He didn’t just die for the preacher or the Sunday school teacher. He also died for the liar. For the murderer. For the thief and the vandal and the teenage mo...

One of my class's favorite song that we like to sing at the end of the day is called "Stop and Go" by Yancy. The lyrics are "Stop and listen to what God says, Go and do what he tells you to do". But sometimes for us, it can be hard to do what he tells us to do when we feel like we don't have directions. We hear from Jesus to "Therefore go and nmake disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), but what happens when we have that fear? When we delight in the Lord, our steps are made firm by the Lord (Psalms 37:23). Also, we know that we can be strong and courageous and do not have to be afraid or discouraged because the Lord our God is with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9). In a prayer by Peter and John with the chief priests and elders, they asked God to make them bold to speak God's word (Acts 4:29-31). When it might be difficult to spread the gospel, be encouraged by Paul...

Devo #1: A Green Gables Summit "Dear old world, you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you” When Claire shared the Summit theme with me a few weeks ago, I quite literally squealed with glee because Anne of Green Gables was a cherished imaginary friend for me throughout my childhood. Lucy Maud Montgomery is a storyteller unlike any other. In her books you will not find chaotic twists and turns, nor will you discover psychological or historical stories with high stakes. No, instead you will be immersed into the loveliest, quaintest story about a little orphan girl who simply lives genuinely and propitiously. If Anne Shirley were to transform into an inanimate object - she would be rose-colored glasses. Anne continuously chooses to see the world as wonderful, and consistently works to find the good in whatever her circumstances are. I have a daughter, Cora, who (through no fault of her own, bless her) is the exact opposite of Anne Shirley. She is chemically wi...

Scripture: Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” A Season of Shifting Transition is often uncomfortable—not because we’re doing something wrong, but because we’re growing. As alumnae who once wore letters on our backs and now carry the mission forward through leadership and legacy, we live in the space between what was and what’s next. Whether we’re beginning a new board year, welcoming new voices into the conversation, or carrying out the dreams of the women who came before us, we are navigating holy ground. Change requires courage. It takes faith to step out when the future is not fully formed and strength to keep going when the path feels uncertain. But this truth remains: God is not overwhelmed by our unknowns. God’s Strength, Not Ours In Isaiah 41:10, God doesn’t suggest that we might get help. He promises it. He tells us not to fear, n...

I don’t know about you but I can tell you in the time that I’m writing this devotional, at the beginning of a new calendar year, I am STRESSED OUT. Whether you are someone who follows New Years’ Resolutions or are like me and try to just make a renewed effort to put your best foot forward again, I think the beginning of the year can feel like so much pressure to set out to accomplish something ‘impressive’ for the year to come. If you are someone reading this now and thinking to yourself ‘I gave up ____’ or ‘I started working out and now I work out every day’ I am so incredibly happy for you and I promise there will still be something here for you if you continue to read on! All of that to say, in the stress of life, we can settle and develop routines to make sure we don’t forget anything, meet our recurring deadlines, make it to God’s house every week to check back in, and roll out our trashcans every Tuesday morning so we don’t have to figure out where the trash bags will go when...