Goodness Weekly 4.28.25
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
— Mary Oliver
WHAT’S GOOD
This week Sunset Ridge Church Pastor of Sacred Storytelling, Scott Heare, is heading to Washington, DC to joinGallup, Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program, Baylor University, and global experts for a landmark gathering focused on the science and significance of human flourishing. Leaders across research, business, education, and philanthropy will explore groundbreaking insights, dynamic panel discussions, and findings from the Global Flourishing Study.
We have registered to attend virtually, we hope you can too.
Attention Sovereignty
Jess Lowry, Executive Director, Sunset Ridge Collective
This term was new to me when I heard Brené Brown share about it a couple of weeks ago during her Trinity lecture.
It means having the ability to choose what gets your attention. She used the metaphor of a flashlight, explaining that we each only have one, and whatever we point it at receives our focus. Our flashlight is powered by a set of batteries that we are responsible for maintaining, and we each have unique needs that keep our flashlight shining.
When my kids were little, I bought them these cute little flashlights that had filters on the end. The filters projected different animal shapes onto the wall, casting multiple images at once. Since hearing Brené’s lecture, I’ve been thinking about my own flashlight. It seems I sometimes operate mine like one of those filtered ones—a little light to my work, a little to my marriage, a little to my children, and so on.
We’re used to operating this way in the world, aren’t we? Trying to divide and multiply ourselves, to be everything we need to be for everyone. Throw in the constant noise of our culture, and suddenly our flashlight looks more like a kaleidoscope—it becomes hard to focus on any one thing at all.
In a world that runs on vying for our attention, how do we choose where to shine our light?
Maybe we zoom out for a minute. Who do you want to become? When you are down to your last days, how will you want to have lived? Maybe you don’t even have to zoom out that far. As I go on college visits with my oldest, who will be a senior next year, I find myself relishing the moments I have with him. My awareness of how fast this part of my mothering journey is passing has been heightened, and as a result, I am more focused on time with my children. This milestone is directing my attention.
Some other ways to choose what gets your attention:
Notice what your body is telling you—if you feel peace, gratitude, or joy, pay attention and do more of those things.
If anxiety, worry, or a sense of being consumed increases, take it as a good indicator of what not to do.
I know it sounds simple—and maybe even obvious—but so much of our lives run on autopilot that we assume that’s just the way things are. I’ve been off social media for about 45 days now. It started as a Lenten practice for me, and I’m not sure I’ll go back. Here’s what I’ve noticed:
Less anxiety
More focus
Increased creativity
Far fewer packages arriving at my house
Greater presence in the moment right in front of me
This week, I invite you to take inventory of what’s getting your attention. Next week, I’ll share a little more about our “batteries” and how we can focus on getting what we need to shine our lights well.
Breathe deep today.
Love, Jess
A LOOK AT APRIL
April 28th- May 2nd, Betty’s Co Mobile Health Clinic
May 2nd, Office Closed
May 3rd, Watercolor Wellness
May 10th, Second Saturday
May 16th, THNA Movie Night in Charis Park, Ferris Bueller’s Day Out
May 27th - May 30th, Betty’s Co Mobile Health Clinic
May 31st, Watercolor Wellness
Daily, NYX Yoga & Fitness
Wednesdays, Mission Compost Pick Up
Thursdays, Pedal Pals Bike Club
Thursdays-Sundays, Scott’s Pizza
Saturdays, Sunset Ridge Farmer’s Market
Sundays, Worship at Sunset Ridge Church
Event Rentals - Interested in hosting your event at Charis Park or in our facilities? We are currently booking for 2025–please email rentals@sunset-ridge.org
Community Partners: For updated schedules and events please follow One Another Coffee, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, NYX Wellness, Scott’s Pizza, Mission Compost, Sprouts School, Good Acres, Community First Food Pantry, and Betty’s Co.
Inhale: When everything around me competes for my attention
Exhale: I choose where I focus—on goodness, on peace, on joy
