Holding Space for the Both/And
Greetings lovely one,
I suppose a Happy New Year is in order, even though it’s April.
I do feel like it’s a start of a new year for me as I prepare to celebrate my third year of vows by the end of this month. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do much commemorating on my actual vow anniversary day, so I was delighted when some funds came in to support my heading to Cape Ann for a silent retreat at the Jesuits’ (Society of Jesus) Gonzaga Eastern Point Retreat House.
To be honest, after my entire nonprofit org lost its funding and therefore our jobs, I really needed the time away to do some discernment and confirmation. But I kept telling myself there was too much to do.
“There is always something to do. There are hungry people to feed, naked people to clothe, sick people to comfort and make well…” Nikki Giovanni reminds us.
But for a small breath of a moment, I had to decide that the work — the ministry of doing what I can to alleviate suffering or prevent it (in my case, as a mental health awareness and suicide prevention advocate) — is enough.
In the midst of empire, I too, in following Jesus’ instructions, needed to go away by myself to a deserted place and rest for a bit (Mark 6:31) so I could hear what Love required of me for this time (2026 in general and right then and there).
Although I was one of many retreatants interested in Ignatian spiritual practices for discernment, the inner postures of silence and solitude were ever-present as I remembered how to center down, be still, and deeply listen. What surprised me was how much I could hold multiple truths at once. I recognized that I was likely the only Quaker (Religious Society of Friends) among mostly Catholics, and that the same is true of the community to which I am a vowed member. I understood the challenge and the gift of being such a bridge, as one of the Jesuit priests pointed out.
I found great value in Ignatian’s spiritual exercises, just as I do in Quaker clearness committees. I reveled in Ignatian contemplative silence, accompanied by tender moments of liturgical worship and spiritual guidance. And I was happy to return to my silent waiting worship, where I’d quietly listen for the still small voice to arise in vocal ministry by Friends gathered together in communal expectation of the Divine’s Presence.
But what stood out to me the most was that the beautiful oceanfront property that the Jesuits purchased in the 1950s had once belonged to a wealthy family. This wealthy man and his wife would travel up the coast to their summer mansion and entertain guests at their leisure, while their servants toiled away maintaining it.
As I looked around on the drive up, I couldn’t help but notice the closed-off beaches. It was in stark contrast to my life in Hawaii, where beaches were free. I just knew that those “privacy gates” and “do not trespass” signs were owned and operated by the privileged few, as they had been since perhaps the 1800s.
I also knew that the land carried more history: one of the Pawtucket people, one of colonization, one of fishermen, one of art havens, and one of rest, renewal, and retreat. So, I prayed. I paused to honor the peoples who cared for this land long before it was named what it is today, and I honored the land before it had a name at all.
I prayed for the people who helped me get to this land, for all of us who made the trek for spiritual enlivenment, and our gracious hosting team. As I finished my prayer, I was reminded of a song that one of my Sisters shared during community prayer one evening: “I am here.” The lyrics go, “I am here longing for You. I am here waiting for You. I am here listening for You.”
As the song played on repeat in my head and heart, I found myself prayerfully dancing on the rocky shoreline, and the ocean playfully responded in kind. I’m not quite sure how to articulate the special relationship I have with water.
It may be because I am, and always will be, a Jersey girl at heart. It may be that I am reminded of the feeling of rebirth at my believer’s baptism all those years ago in the church of my upbringing. It may be that I simply love the sound and the smells of the rain to grass, shrubs, and flowers. Maybe all of the above? Maybe something more?
When I danced my praise, my gratitude, my grief, and joy — my letting go and letting be — I knew the ocean danced with me. Two seagulls showed up right as I finished, a symbol of our dance, our partnership, our communion — my Beloved and I. And that was my Asé and Amen.
Peace, Love, and Wellness,
Your Sister Friend Lyn
(More formally, Sister Lynette Davis, SFCC)
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What’s the Buzz? Here’s what’s happening
SHOW SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC MINISTRY (for such a time as this). I’ve been invited to contribute to a book project called Constellation of Witness: Quaker Stories in Public Ministry…but here’s the catch, it’s an “us” and “we” kinda project if it’s gonna see the Light. Learn more about it here. As shared on the website, this book will include first-hand accounts from public ministers sharing reflections shaped by grief, sacrifice, joy, risk, endurance, and daily labor. These are not abstract theological essays but lived testimonies about what it costs to follow a call, what sustains a minister over time, and what it means to be accompanied or to stand alone. If this resonates with you, I invite you to consider contributing to the project.
SHOW SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH: I’ll be at NAMIWalks VT on May 16th. Help me fundraise for mental health and suicide prevention this upcoming Mental Health Awareness Month by donating to my NAMIWalks page. If you don’t know, NAMI was there for me during some of the hardest times in my life, offering training, peer support, and really helpful resources at no cost.
So, if you’re in the area, come out and say hi!
AVAILABLE NOW: I’m a contributing writer to the latest edition of “Illuminate” — the only Bible study curriculum written by Friends (Quakers). Faith groups and communities all over the U.S. and some in other countries will be using this study guide in March, April, and May. So can you! Purchase a print or digital copy of Illuminate here.
AVAILABLE NOW: A while back, I was deeply honored to be invited to include my essay “All In” in an anthology of writings from the Quaker journal What Canst Thou Say. The book, titled “God’s Grace: Comforting, Guiding, Supporting,” is a collection of essays about mysticism and mystical experiences, and I’m sure you’ll find many wonderful pieces to enjoy. Grab your copy today.
COMMUNITY MEMBER KUDOS:
Congrats to F/friends Lola Georg and Viv Hawkins, who have launched Mystical Friend, a website dedicated to cultivating the conditions that make mystical experience more probable. On the site, you can explore mystical experiences by learning about mysticism through your own experience, by meeting contemporary mystics, or by learning about mystical ancestors.
GW4W is celebrating its 10th anniversary and hosting its annual Unsummit Summit and Think Tank. This time is dedicated to exploring how women can lift each other up across generations and create lasting impact in the workplace. Learn more about how to register here.
Do you have something coming up that you’d like me to share next month (a new creative work, a new service or program, a new position to hire for, etc.)? Email me so I can give you Kudos. First come, first featured. (This opportunity is for email and irl community members only.)
Tales from the blog keepers
April is National Poetry Month…so I’d like to remind myself and other sister writing ministers that Women’s writing reveals truth and touches the divinity within. (Thanks, Sr. Maggie!)
Muse of the month
Blerd’s the word
I have awesome friends :) LLAP! 🖖🏾
