Susan Miller, PhD, SD / Integrative Creative & Healing Arts

02/22/2026

Everything in our culture pushes us to divide. But the call of Christ pulls us toward unity rooted in dignity.

Christian witness has always been clearest when it crosses lines others refuse to cross. Where is God inviting you to cross a line of comfort in love?

02/22/2026

Save the date! Cary Gallery of Artists welcomes ceramic sculptor Anna Schroeder as our guest artist for the month of March. Come meet her this Final Friday!

Anna's work draws inspiration from forests, animals, and natural textures, combining detailed surfaces with sculptural forms that reward a closer look.

Her exhibit ‘Where Moss Grows’ conjures a forest made from clay. Each sculpture is a detailed tree form that holds a mini-ecosystem: a frog hunts a bug, a raccoon explores a hollow, snails make their way around mushrooms and moss. These sculptures invite viewers to slow down and look closely.

Along with Anna’s exhibit, ‘Anything Goes’ by CGA members is ongoing, refreshed with new work from each artist.

02/21/2026

Pause doesn’t mean weakness, it means wisdom. Before reacting, breathe. Before speaking, pray. God meets us in the stillness and gives direction one moment at a time. Today, practice the holy pause. Let your next step be guided, not rushed. 🙏
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

02/18/2026

In a time when so much is crumbling, is burning, I don’t want to romanticize the ashes that come with destruction and devastation. As we approach Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent, I do want to keep asking what the Holy One can do with dust, and to keep looking for how I can be part of that. So many blessings to you, beloved ones, as the new season arrives.

BLESSING THE DUST

All those days
you felt like dust,
like dirt,
as if all you had to do
was turn your face
toward the wind
and be scattered
to the four corners

or swept away
by the smallest breath
as insubstantial—

did you not know
what the Holy One
can do with dust?

This is the day
we freely say
we are scorched.

This is the hour
we are marked
by what has made it
through the burning.

This is the moment
we ask for the blessing
that lives within
the ancient ashes,
that makes its home
inside the soil of
this sacred earth.

So let us be marked
not for sorrow.
And let us be marked
not for shame.
Let us be marked
not for false humility
or for thinking
we are less
than we are

but for claiming
what God can do
within the dust,
within the dirt,
within the stuff
of which the world
is made
and the stars that blaze
in our bones
and the galaxies that spiral
inside the smudge
we bear.

—Jan Richardson
from Circle of Grace: A Book of Blessings for the Seasons
janrichardson.com/books

Image: “Ash Wednesday Cross”
© Jan Richardson
janrichardsonimages.com

02/17/2026

02/17/2026

Some days feel uncertain. Some nights feel long. But love is still holding you... steadier than your fear, stronger than your doubts. God’s peace is not fragile. It does not slip away when life feels heavy. It remains, quietly anchoring every moment, reminding your heart: all shall be well. 🙏

02/15/2026

Be blessed!

A Blessing to Breathe Today 🙌. Long before we had words for anxiety or exhaustion, the Church prayed blessings like this... slow, steady, and full of hope. A reminder that we are not held by fear… but by God Himself. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.” — Numbers 6:24–26

02/10/2026

Sometimes we wish God would only work through what feels whole, strong, and put together. But Scripture reminds us that He does some of His most beautiful work through what has been broken. If you’re feeling cracked, worn, or emptied today, don’t hide it from Him. God is not finished with what He is still shaping. He brings growth from dry ground, nourishment from crushed grain, and strength from surrendered hearts. ❤️
“ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18

02/10/2026

02/09/2026

It’s easy to judge from a distance. It takes grace to move closer. Jesus doesn’t ask us to rush to conclusions... He invites us to compassion, patience, and the humility to remember that God is still working in every heart. Judgment builds walls. Understanding builds growth. Today, may we choose grace. ❤️