Author Archives: spmill

But, Easter’s Coming! But, Sunday’s Coming! 

I’ve heard that a lot today. And it’s true. 

And I’m not sure this would have brought comfort to Mary as she wept at the feet of the cross. I’m not sure this would have made up for the trauma she just experienced, watching the torture and brutal execution of Jesus by the state. I’m not sure that it would have felt true in that moment. 

I think our world would feel like it was literally ending; and we’d have more questions than answers, and we would be numb and in shock and terrified, and forsaken.

But, Easter’s Coming! But, Sunday’s Coming! 

I often wonder why we are so quick to use this phrase on Good Friday.

I think the proclamation that Easter is coming isn’t meant to be shouted as a platitude, or a bandaid, or a way to explain away sin and systemic injustices. It’s not meant as lip service to avoid the pain of today.

But, Easter’s Coming! But, Sunday’s Coming! 

Yet, there are no “buts” in our hope.

There are, however, lots of “ands.”

Our lives are filled with the juxtaposition of simultaneous moments of death, waiting, and resurrection. They don’t come in some storybook order or sequence, but live simultaneously in us and we live in that tension–that parts of ourselves are dying as others are waiting seemingly forever for a resurrection. Parts of the body of Christ are dying as others are experiencing resurrection and we are called to live into that reality. The hope of Jesus is radical and powerful yet it is not a day or a proclamation—but a call on our bodies to LIVE it. The hope of resurrection is good news that is meant to be lived out in our bodies: to weep, to laugh, to sit, to kneel, to hold hands, to embrace and to serve.

This means learning to be physically and emotionally uncomfortable. This means to make space for grief and celebration and something that feels like both. This means we awaken to the ways this world is breathtaking, in multiple senses of the word. This means we chose to honor the way the world affects our bodies and we listen to its needs. This means we cling to hope with the last strength in our fingers and toes when everything feels like it’s falling a part. This means honoring and acknowledging the complexities of ourselves and our world, owning up and taking responsibility for the ways we have failed to love one another—and to ask for the grace and strength to love so intentionally and recklessly that we might risk our egos, our pride, our comfort, and maybe even our lives to do so. This is how Jesus lived in his body and a model for how we might live and die and experience God in ours.

Sunday is coming; And, that means nothing if we don’t live it, and live all of it.

Welcome to the start of something scary and exciting! When beginning the journey of introducing myself and my gifts to the world, I found myself immersed in the world of “branding.” Not only is the concept of branding myself not on brand for me, it is also daunting. I read blog article after blog article about what colors to choose for a website and social media. That seemed relatively straight forward at first: wear favorite color, got it!

Except, that’s when I realized that branding myself as the woman who wears black and likes to talk about suffering, death, and grief is exactly on brand and exactly what I shouldn’t choose, unless I just wanted to scare everyone and their small children away. Don’t be the grim reaper–noted.

Yet, I’ve made a promise to myself to only show up in spaces that I can be my authentic self. It is exhausting to try to be something others wish you were or to live a life by their expectations. Instead, I choose to be my quirky, weird, but authentic self. That’s my brand: just to be me. The girl who loves to wear black and talk about suffering and grief, but also loves the color yellow, and donuts, and habitually says “you too” to the waiter after they tell me to enjoy my meal. If I haven’t scared you away yet, you can click to explore some examples of my work or even fill out a form to collaborate with me!

I look forward to connecting with you in this platform and sharing the ways God is still moving in the messiness of life.