This work brings such a tapestry of humanity into my life.
Every week, I encounter people navigating grief, survival, transition, joy, and a deep yearning for meaning. Their stories are sacred. The need for spiritual care stretches far beyond the walls of our churches—and thanks to your support, we are there to meet it.
What follows is a composite of real lives I’ve encountered over the years. These stories are shared with care, shaped to protect confidentiality while illuminating the truth of what spiritual presence can mean in moments of vulnerability, beauty, and transformation.
- A retired man shares about being blown away by the unpredictable wind of the Spirit and how he found hope in a 12-step recovery room.
- A queer young adult wrestles with the faith of their upbringing and the fullness of their identity—living fully into themselves, even as their family back home remains unaware of the journey.
- A mid-career adult begins to ask if their work still reflects their values—or if something deeper is calling.
- A faith leader, after an arrest that upended their life, grapples with the loss of employment, community, housing, family, and certainty. They cling to a spiritual thread that now feels both fragile and vital.
- A trans person living with mental health challenges moves through each day with courage, knowing this world was not built for them to thrive—and facing the constant fear of what that means for their safety.
- Shelter staff, weary and radiant, show up every day for guests experiencing homelessness. They offer joy, dignity, and warmth in the face of narratives from the media and politicians that criminalize poverty and erase the humanity of those they serve.
- A widow, caught in the suddenness of loss, asks simply: “what do I do now?” She seeks a service not from a stranger, but from someone who is willing to enter into her life.
Each of these people reminds me that spiritual care, a listening ear, empathy, and compassion are not luxuries. They are presence, they are witness, they are love—offered without condition. Your generosity makes this possible. You are helping create a world where more Missoulians navigate life with caring companionship. Thank you for standing with me in this work, and in this vision.
By twopinesmissoula_pvx3nh
By Courtney Arntzen
No comment yet, add your voice below!