11 Comments
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Randall O. Watkins's avatar

Love your article as always! Many of us out here are struggling in a fallen world. Maintain your focus on the I AM who transcends it all - JESUS! Life often hurts but is also a beautiful adventure…….

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Taylor Epperson's avatar

This post resonates so much, especially the part about creating something to leave in the world that was created just by me. I've been journaling more, but I love the idea of printing photos to put in a journal!

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Jessica M. White's avatar

I'm with you on the AI generated writing :-(

Happy Belated Birthday!

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Bailey Gillespie's avatar

I have PMDD as well. Such a hellish thing to live through - I’m sorry! My anxiety/panic always spikes at two key times in my cycle, and the apps Clue and Stardust have been very helpful with tracking and anticipating this. Always love your writing… happy 36! 💛

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Emily's avatar

I love your honesty and passion and brokenness. I agree AI is a problem on so many levels. You articulated the creative aspect of it well.

Re the hands and feet of Jesus, I am on a social media fast for the summer. I’m occasionally reading boring news. Otherwise I hear from friends and family.

I have found I have more capacity to pray for our nation and our at risk people when I’m not overwhelmed by the fresh new horror they are experiencing.

I am present to my neighbors and am trying to be alert to how I can make my community better instead of fruitlessly worrying. I have more capacity to do something now that m not endlessly scrolling

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Cortney Breeden's avatar

I soooo understand the instinct to want to bury our heads and wait for the storm to pass, it’s so difficult to keep leading and looking for ways to help. We have to try to balance giving ourselves grace and continuing to lead through Christ.

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Jason T's avatar

I really like this post. Thanks for sharing! I always appreciate hearing about creators’ personal lives. I’ve been reading, and subscribing, to Many Meetings, but some non-Tolkien is always welcome!

I’m with you about needing to help each other out, but also with the caveat of protecting your own sanity first. Sometimes it’s helpful (and, admittedly, privileged) to disengage with the news. I do love the Mordecai and Esther reference! I’m Jewish, and didn’t realize y’all reference that story :) I don’t think it’s in the Old Testament, but you might know better than I! Haha.

I’m totally with you on AI. I abhor it. For all the reasons you mentioned, plus the insane energy consumption required to compute, just like blockchain technology. I’m sure I’m howling at the moon, but I think the whole technology of AI is mostly trash.

Separately, I also admire your gatekeeping of your Tolkien talks and walks, in a good way. It’s yours, and I appreciate you keeping the trolls away. Keep up the great work!

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Flora Alisha's avatar

Thanks for sharing your struggles and feeling of wobbly-ness. I’ve been feeling increasingly wobbly with the state of things and I’m struggling with what do to with that energy. But I think what you said about showing up and continuing to create is inspiring. Thank you for that ❤️

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Nina M Wong's avatar

*glances at bingo card* ahh I see we’re in the same match. Humor aside none of this is a game. But waking up to a “what now” kind of morning after experiencing a bout of my own internal wobbliness, I just extend my full compassion, a word which can be broken down in translation as “love together with”, and the root word “love” in this sense also meaning suffer. But far from meaningless suffering. I decided to skip the Silmarillion read through, but i will be back for more in the fall, as you so choose to present and walk through it again. Im asking a lot of questions about mental health and feel curious and compelled to believe there isn't anything insane about feeling this way in a world like this, such as it is as we wait for more breakthrough of the Kingdom of Heaven. Im puzzled also and trying to laugh and anchor. Blessings to you, not as a platitude or with any emptiness- deeply and truly I pray them for you ❤️

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Kylie M.'s avatar

This resonates with me so much! I've felt this same desire - to make something that's entirely from my soul. I admire how well you capture your thoughts and struggles. I appreciate your honesty and your posts are gems. ❤️

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Breanne Rodgers's avatar

Thanks for reading and leaving this supportive comment, Kylie. The desire to create something of our own is something we're born with, I think. And keeping hold of that is a fight worth engaging in. ❤️

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