She didn鈥檛 plan to build, there was the hope that maybe she could inherit the family home, the one that鈥檚 been passed down through generations.

But the thing is…the home is older and wearier and rotting out. There are deep cracks in the foundation, the kind that make the house lean into the dusty earth a little more each day. Really, it鈥檚 not even a house anymore, just some hollowed out and ancient ruins on a lonely ground.

There鈥檚 sorrow here. Hope feels it burning through her hands as she runs them along the battered stones. , too. Maybe you feel it. I do.

As we move into this new year and decade, your anger is welcome. These ruins are here but we can see them, glory to God. It鈥檚 okay to weep with Hope as we tear down something that might have been beautiful in its time. This is dangerous work, it鈥檚 gonna make our hands bleed and our feet ache. But it鈥檚 good work, the kind of work for the courageous and desperate ones. It鈥檚 work for those of us who are done with putting up with, those of us who are cold and wet from living in old homes where the rain gets in the cracks and the foundations tremble when the thunder comes. It鈥檚 for those of us who have a fire burning in our bones that no longer lets us remain silent or cry peace when there is none to be found. It鈥檚 for those of us who long to dance on the ancient ruins and play in the broken places because really, we鈥檙e just little ones looking for home.

Hope can remind us that within the grains of these old walls, there is the possibility for something new.

If within the broken places, then here is where we can make a home. We can plant a garden. We can root our bare toes into this soil, and tend to baby trees. We can join together with the friends of Hope to build communities where our children can play in the streets. We鈥檒l sit on our doorsteps with our lovers and wine and say this is home, this is home, this is home.

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In February, 天美视频, , and gathered in Montgomery, Alabama to engage the realities and impacts of racism and trauma. The event centered around the belief in the power of the Gospel to bear witness to our cultural history, transform our stories, and sustain our hope. Race, Trauma, and the Gospel invited leaders to move beyond familiar solutions to engage in-depth discussions about the fragmented conversations about race in America and the needs of individuals and communities served by our organizations.

Resilient Leaders Project released its first research report, a 25-page document outlining resilience in practice. The purpose of the report is to begin a discussion on its theological and practical applications for Christian leaders while also reinforcing the need for these practical strategies. You can read more here.

Exciting news of the new MA in Counseling Psychology Concentration in Trauma & Abuse was announced in April, which is designed to train counselors and therapists for whole-person engagement of complex trauma. The first group of students to enroll in this concentration began taking classes in Fall 2019, featuring teaching from 天美视频鈥檚 faculty as well as immersive learning from The Allender Center.

May saw the launch of text.soul.culture Season Three which featured compelling conversations with alumni, faculty, and other thought leaders from both within and outside of our community. One of the featured episodes of the season was 鈥淩esilience, Trauma, and the Hope of the Church,鈥� featuring Kate Davis (MDiv 鈥�15) and Laura Wade Shirley as they led a conversation about how they learned to recognize the need for resilience in their own lives and what they鈥檙e learning as they come up with new ways to help other leaders foster resilience. You can give the episode a listen here.

We said farewell to Dr. Angela Parker at commencement in June where she left students with a compelling charge to a different voice and relationship. You can watch her commencement address here.

The fall welcomed a host of learning opportunities, both from outside voices including Dr. Usha Tummala-Narra on 鈥淲hy the Hate?: Psychoanalytic Perspectives on Immigrants, Race, and Caste in Contemporary U.S.鈥� as our featured Relational Perspectives Series speaker, numerous alumni at the fifth annual Symposia, and our own Dr. Chelle Stears as keynote speaker engaging 鈥淢y Heart Flows on in Endless Song: Lament and Hope Through a Trauma-Informed Theology鈥� for our annual Stanley Grenz Lecture Series.

Finally, we would be remiss to not revisit the appointment of Dr. J. Derek McNeil as President of 天美视频. Our community is privileged to have Dr. McNeil step into a role he has been faithfully stewarding and we continue to look forward to his leadership in the years to come.

Top Blog Posts of 2019

Throughout the year we feature essays, stories, art, and more from students, faculty, and guest contributors. Take a look through a few of our most-read posts from the past year:

So You鈥檙e Moving to Seattle

鈥淢any of you are uprooting lives in other states, and even other countries, to plant yourselves in Seattle and seek roots at 天美视频. Part of Seattle鈥檚 charm is that it is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character. It鈥檚 helpful to have a sense of which neighborhood might be a good fit for you.鈥� Continue Reading

8 Theologians and Women of Color You Should Be Reading

鈥淭his [November], we want to highlight eight prominent theologians who are women of color. Women who are at the forefront of conversations about womanist theology, gender, feminism, and race in the church. We encourage you to take a moment to pause, find a quiet place to read and discover the depth and wisdom these theologians have to offer.鈥� Continue Reading

10 Women Theologians You Should Be Reading

鈥淭his is no ordinary list of 鈥渕ust-reads.鈥� Through recommendations from faculty and staff, we鈥檝e compiled a list of women theologians who are shaping and challenging discussions around womanist theology, race, feminism, and women and gender in scripture.鈥� Continue Reading

Unconventional Thoughts on Addiction from a Psychotherapist

鈥淗ere, Joy Hilliker (MA in Counseling Psychology, 2016), a psychotherapist practicing in Seattle, writes about our perceptions of and responses to that cycle of addiction. Pulling from her research and therapeutic work, Joy argues that criminalization and stigmatization will not disrupt addictive patterns, but rather a caring, affirming gaze that does not turn away in disgust.鈥� Continue Reading

Why Counselors Make Poor Lovers

鈥淒r. Doug Shirley writes about the tendency of many therapists to treat loved ones (including their partners) as clients, wielding clinical distance and professional jargon as a shield against the risks and conflicts of intimacy.” Continue Reading

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