Goodness Weekly 5.5.25

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”
-Anne Lamott

WHAT’S GOOD

We’re Hiring!
As our community continues to grow, so does the need for kind, dependable team members. We’re currently hiring Event Attendants and Nursery Caretakers to help us create welcoming spaces for all who gather here.

If you are interested in these opportunities or know someone who might be a good fit, please contact us at hello@sunset-ridge.org to express your interest or send a resume.

Warning Light

Jess Lowry, Executive Director, Sunset Ridge Collective

Last Sunday I walked on to the stage in the Sanctuary to preach in our worship service as pastor Scott Heare was traveling. Preaching always makes me incredibly nervous–a combination of feeling the magnitude of proclaiming any understanding of a mysterious God, and the human fear of messing something up. We’ve recently overhauled the sound system in that space to bring up to date and accommodate the new worship service. The handheld microphone was in its place and as I began to speak there was no sound.

We have a professional sound technician there to ensure that we work out any kinks with the new system and when I looked at him he wasn’t sure what was going on.

We quickly shifted gears and the band members offered one of their wired mics for me to use. After the service we found out that there was no major technical issue with this new system, rather the batteries had simply died. This particular microphone doesn’t have a clear warning light when the battery is running low so no one caught it.

Our bodies don’t have a warning light either, do they?

Well, I guess we sort of do–the foggy brain, the short fuse, the physical exhaustion. Feeling like it’s hard to get out of bed. Lacking the resilience for a direct conversation or the ability to tolerate, well, anything from anyone.

But there’s nuance to listening to those warning signs. A literal light would be much easier. We could go about our days, then stop momentarily to plug in and recharge—so we could return to whatever it was we were doing.

But we are not machines.
We are human beings (not human doings, as it turns out).

*Nancy, Caroline, and Mae at Brené Brown’s talk at Trinity University.*

As I mentioned last week, I heard Brené Brown speak at Trinity, and she referenced the idea of a flashlight that guides our attention. To power that flashlight, we each have a set of batteries. Some of the things that fuel those batteries are universal—true for every human being (despite my best efforts to believe otherwise!). We all need food, sleep, and water. But beyond those, the things that recharge us are unique, shaped by our particular wiring, life season, and personality.

According to my rest coach, Kerry, there are six types of rest we all need: social, emotional, mental, physical, sensory, and spiritual. These categories can help us identify what actually fuels us—and what keeps us, as the Conscious Leadership folks describe, living above the line.

Living above the line means operating from a place of curiosity, responsibility, and presence, rather than reacting with blame, defensiveness, or a need to be right.

If we think of each of these six areas as batteries, we can begin to notice which ones need recharging. For example, if your mental battery is depleted, lying down for a nap might not help—your mind may just keep spinning. But doing something physical that gives your brain a break will help. If you're emotionally drained, quality time with a close friend might be the best medicine. Many of us are increasingly feeling sensory overload, so a plan for sensory rest might look like a quiet place in our backyard with our feet in the grass or a spot where we can lower the lights and allow our senses to settle.

As you begin to notice these rhythms in yourself, you start to develop a toolkit—a set of practices that help you refuel. Unsurprisingly, in all six types of rest, spending time in nature shows up as something that restores us.

So this week, I invite you to consider your batteries. What small toolkit can you create to help keep you going—so you can live your one beautiful life well?

Here are a few things of mine: being around the table with my family, good music, meditation, prayer, connection, and time in nature.

I can’t wait to see what you learn.

Love,
Jess

This Week

May 10th, Second Saturday, Charis Park

8 AM - 1 PM, One Another Coffee
9 AM - 1 PM, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market
10:15 AM, Storytime with Miss Anastasia

Coming Up…

May 16th, THNA Movie Night in Charis Park, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
May 24th, One Another Coffee Birthday Celebration
May 31st, Watercolor Wellness Workshop

Every Saturday, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, Charis Park
Every Sunday, Worship at 9 AM and 11 AM

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.