My Mentor for Such a Time As This

Apr 30, 2025

Greetings lovely one,

You may be familiar with the language “for such a time as this” if you are a longtime reader. I used it in an older blog post, when I experienced a liminal space and tried to process my emotions during the start of COVID. In that blog, I’m referencing a book I was reading at that time called The Inward Journey by mystic Dr. Howard Thurman. He was, in turn, referencing the book of Esther, and I find myself once again reading Thurman’s words and rediscovering that he still speaks to my condition.

This month, another SFCC and I decided to read Thurman’s Meditations of the Heart for our devotional reading. Every time I read his writing, I learn something new about life, about faith, about myself in relationship to the mystery of the All. I think about the context in which he wrote. Born at the tail end of the 19th century, Thurman was the grandson of a formerly enslaved woman who grew up during segregation, and was active in ministry during the Civil Rights Movement. It wasn’t the easiest of times, to say the least. He’d go on to be the spiritual advisor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, and many others — and, needless to say, is a spiritual mentor to readers today like me, and perhaps you too. So, — and this is the case when I read anything written long before I was even a mote in my mother’s mundane daydreams — I find myself both disappointed and comforted when I resonate with the writing of those days as a contemporary reader of today.

My disappointment is typically felt first … as a Sci-fi-loving blerd, I can’t help but question why we as a human race are still so very immature and literally making the same mistakes of yesteryears past. War is still a plague we spread, hierarchy still creates issues such as classism, marginalization, and poverty, and we’re still sick and tired of being sick and tired. Why haven’t we learned? (Redundant question … I can rant on because I’m sure some ancient ancestor down the line was probably rolling her eyes at everything too.) Despite the times and circumstances, writers of old found some moment in their lives to leave a message of hope, some small gesture to humanity to remind us that we could be better.

That we could wake up to who we could be.

If we really wanted, we could be kind, generous, at peace with one another, we could become … I don’t know, something more empathetic … actually love one another … maybe not give AI a reason to determine we’re too self-destructive for our own good and decide to turn reality into the Matrix. (I did say I’m a Blerd, right?)

I found comfort in Thurman’s writing during anxious times as some of us lose jobs in the social services, education, and public health, and in the care of creation - as social entrepreneurial pursuits slow down and small businesses lose clientele…“God is present with me in the midst of my anxieties,” Thurman writes. “My anxieties are real; they are the result of a wide variety of experiences, some of which I understand, some of which I do not understand. One thing I know concerning my anxieties: they are real to me.” I love this line, because … because we can’t seem to get it together in the empathy department … it’s so easy to deny, and belittle someone’s lived experiences.

As a woman of faith, as a contemplative, Howard Thurman reminds me that it’s OK to be human. He reminds me that outside validation for his emotions about his experiences is not warranted or needed. He said what he said. I’m sure he probably dealt with a lot of nonsense stemming from the ball of confusion of those times amid various protests and boycotts.

He also reminds readers that you can be a God-loving, Bible-reading, gospel-singing, Sabbath-keeping, church-going person and still have anxieties. Faith and mental health were not in a healthy conversation with each other when I was growing up. Pray it all better was the go-to response for people struggling with mental health concerns. We’ve come a long way since then — but without a doubt still have work to do. As a person of faith who believes in the “works” of going to therapy, I find no conflict in reaching out for professional help to allow God’s Presence to be felt through interaction with a therapist, or pastoral counselor or social worker … who can also be called by God to their profession.

When it comes to being able to find that peace within, that calm in God’s presence in the midst of it all, faith community support can look like prayer, a quick phone call to check on a “strong friend”, peer groups, meal trains, job leads, and therapy — and it is all invaluable for such a time as this.

Peace, Love, and Wellness,

Your Sister Friend Lynette

(More formally, Sister Lynette Davis, SFCC, but feel free to call me Lyn)

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SHOW SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH: I’ll be at NAMIWalks VT on May 17th.

Help me fundraise for mental health and suicide prevention during 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 be sure to visit the Author’s tent and support any of us local writers by purchasing an autographed copy of our books.

SAVE THE DATE: The Transformative Love Retreat is a soul care retreat that infuses contemplative spirituality, expressive arts, and joyous play.

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Life is too short and nuanced to deny ourselves the opportunity for healing, growth, joy, and rejuvenation. Can’t pour from an empty cup, after all.

Create space for the care and nurturance of your soul.

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: https://barclaypress.corecommerce.com/ILLUMINATE/Illuminate-Christ-in-the-Weak-and-Wounded.html

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.

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