For Black History Month, I celebrate the work of the Atlanta-born Georgia Douglas Johnson, hostess of the literary salon, Halfway House, in Washington, DC., and New Orleans-born Alice Dunbar Nelson, a diarist who maintained diaries from 1921 or earlier to 1931.

Johnny Ray Simon shares his contemplative photography with Heart Matters, monthly email newsletter. Here are some of the best pics for 2024.

Angela shares matters of the heart and experiences that shape and sharpen the heart's formation. How the heart thinks; what the heart desires, yearns, and takes; who the heart loves and worships; and why the heart sways and hardens. She writes about techniques for navigating challenges to develop a work-rest play rhythm flow.

A Gift for You

I have compiled the ten “Heart Prayer” offerings from 2024 Heart Matters as recycled prayers for the new year. Recycled prayers can be repeated with a fuller heart, clearer sight, fresher energy, intention, and attention. In the book of Psalms, the psalter reuses Psalm 57:7-11 in Psalm 108:1-5 and Psalm 60:5-12 in Psalm 108:6-13: same prayer, different situation, circumstance, even a different generation.

I offer you “Heart Prayers” to speak aloud, hold in silence, or pass on to others when you or someone else needs to welcome a new thing, quiet a restless heart, enjoy peace in God’s presence, remember not to think so much, or pray for deep listening.

One day, she receives an unexpected answer from the mirror that cannot lie: someone else is lovelier, more beautiful, and more attractive than she is. The magical mirror no longer validates and reassures the queen's obsession with her own beauty. The queen turns green with envy of the young girl's beauty. The spirit of jealousy overtakes her, and she focuses on destroying the truth. The queen's discontent and insecurity toward the young girl imprisons her into a fit of hatefulness. She believes the girl threatens her self-esteem. The queen's thoughts and actions turn murderous with intent to kill the young girl. The queen tries to establish a truth by going against the mirror's verdict.

As a kinesthetic player, a few rounds of air hockey with my husband at Dave and Buster's set his birthday weekend in Play. Pacman for two, Skee Ball, virtual bowling, race car driving, and shooting basketball hoops. The evening was silly, without taking ourselves so seriously when one of us outscored the other.

God paused from his labor and rested. God blessed day seven and made it special—an open time for pause and restoration, a sacred zone of Sabbath-keeping.

God’s gaze is a call to worship from the comfort of my porch. Listening beneath the noise, resting in strength under the shelter of Heaven’s wings as I sit on my porch soaking up the Holy Spirit’s presence.

"I wonder if slowing down will be useful."

"I can slow down today."

"Try slowing down for 30 days. Slowing down is a process. It takes time. It's not easy to slow down when you're accustomed to moving physically and mentally at a rapid pace."

"May I ask about your flow?"

After one year, Heartbeat Formation, LLC continues to offer spiritual direction and soul care. As the creator and spiritual director of the practice, I am not celebrating one year but giving thanks.