The Whispered Life was created by Katherine Sturm in 2010. After much encouragement, hard work, and overcoming fear, she finally began designing and promoting her own website in August 2011.
Its copyright is currently under a Creative Commons License which asks that you credit me if you copy anything, and in particular that you don’t edit, change, or sell it without my permission.
All photographs are my own (unless clearly marked otherwise) and are held under the same copyright.
When I use a passage from the Christian Bible in Reveal, they are normally from the New Living Translation, although due to copyright restrictions (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation), I’ve recommended that you read the passages on their recommended websites.
Much of this is possible because of the support and guidance of our friend Tim Thompson, who heads up an amazing non-profit called The Church Works. His basic belief – and one of mine – is that when the Church is doing what it’s called to, it works. I’ve seen many people’s lives transformed by this ministry. I encourage you to support it if you believe in giving dreamers life and vision and practical success.
The logo design was done my my lovely friend Elizabeth Ryman at Cinnamon Toast Designs. She does all sorts of amazing designs, including homeware, stationery, and various other goodies.
You can also read more about the Purpose behind the Whispered Life or our Contributors. If you are interested in being part of this journey, I’m definitely keen to see your writing, hear your stories.
I’m all about working together towards a bigger and brighter dream!
Someday, we’ll hopefully be our very own non-profit business dedicated to inspiring, encouraging, and helping dreams come to life. But for now, any support you’d like to contribute is gratefully accepted – please select “Aaron & Katie Sturm” or “Empowering Peace (Sturms)”.
(All donations to the Church Works are 501(c)3 tax donations – and thusly are tax deductible!)
Oh… and if you’re interested in partnering together with me on a micro-publishing enterprise… that’s the next dream of mine coming to life!
from Forgettable to UnForgotten
I’ve been feeling forgettable recently. Like an afterthought. Disposable. Unremarkable. I know that it’s just the insecurity gremlins that have been jumping out to remind this extrovert that when she doesn’t connect she doesn’t have inherent value. Mind you, in my mind I know that this is ridiculous. It’s not true. Let’s be real. It’s bullshit. But knowing doesn’t change feelings. And we forget that feelings are actually some of our deepest wisdom. Because they bring to light those areas that...
read moreThe Return of Babel – a reflection on Genesis 11 for our Times
In my last post, I talked about the flood. The painful, messy, and beautiful termination of humanity by Mother God. But the story does not end there. After Noah lands the Ark, humanity begins again. And once they begin again, they begin to build things. Sacred monuments, towers of gathering, big walls. They begin to erect the Tower of Babel. In this text, we see God scatter people in order for them to fulfill the prophetic word that was spoken over them – to multiply, be fruitful, to steward and fill the earth. In our times, we are...
read moreThe Loss of a Mothering God: Exploring Noah
Most of our depictions of God are of the old, white guy with a beard in the sky, prepared for judgment. If we’re lucky, we’ve rediscovered the vibrant, multi-faceted and very non-white God who Fathers us with love and power and compassion. But if we’re honest, the concept of a Mother God disrupts us and makes us desperately uncomfortable. It’s no surprise that when The Shack revealed God as an older, loving black Mother that so many of us rooted in traditional Western Christianity lost our ever-loving minds. But some...
read moreMusic is for Losers
I remember the moment clearly. I was sitting in a pub on the north side of the Liffey after the world famous Musical Pub Crawl. It was the “open mic” portion where they allow people to share a song. My goto staple at that point was “At Last” but I didn’t want to sing after the slim, pristine blonde diva who had preceded me with her slightly nasally rendition of some pop classic. The evening had been spent in not only sacred musical listening, but also storytelling. That night, I heard a phrase that would shape me...
read moreHELP WANTED: A Village (or a Church?)
Those of you who know me personally, you know I’m a huge advocate of the Church. Especially the Big, Wide, Spacious, Generous, all over the place, hot mess Church. I’ve spent my life in some form of ministry and have even done reconciliation work on personal and broader levels in helping people, churches, faiths, and organizations reconcile. I believe in it. I think it’s amazing… when it’s done right. When it’s the “Household of God” like it’s supposed to be. And in Jewish tradition, that...
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