Any time I get to talk with Drew Jackson, it is a complete joy for me! And, as you may have guessed from that opening statement, Drew is no stranger to the podcast (I highly encourage you to catch our other conversations about his books of poetry on the coming of Christ and the Gospel of Luke). This time, he’s here talking about his study in the Made for Pax series, Let Peace Reign: Love, Justice, and Dignity in God’s Kingdom--A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study with Video Access by Drew Edward Jackson, and it is a good one! There are lots of conversations about peace and unity right now in our Christian communities, but what does that really mean? What does peace look like when there seems to be so much strife and injustice all around us? How can we follow the example of Jesus, especially as he announces his ministry in Luke, in our current contexts today? This conversation and study are incredible places to start diving deeply into those questions and more.

Mentioned in this episode:

Let Peace Reign: Love, Justice, and Dignity in God’s Kingdom--A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study with Video Access by Drew Edward Jackson

Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr.

When I say this conversation was fun and meaningful, that is truly an understatement! Dorcas Cheng-Tozun, co-author of Migration: Experiencing God’s Care for Immigrants joined me for this episode and we shared from our hearts what our hopes are for the study and how working on it impacted us. Each of us come from families with our own migration journeys, though they are very different. We each also live in big cities where we are grateful our children are growing up surrounded by immigrant neighbors and friends. And while diversity is part of God’s plan, we are aware that many Christians are divided in what that looks like and how immigration should contribute. That’s why this study is so pertinent! Through essays, scripture, stories, and questions, it explores God’s heart for the migrant and how God’s care and compassion never fail, even when others’ might. This conversation, and study, are timely and relevant and I am so excited to share them both with you!

Mentioned in this episode:

Migration: Experiencing God’s Care for Immigrants - A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study by Alexis Busetti and Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

It was so great to have Dorcas Cheng-Tozun back on the podcast! For this series, Dorcas will join me twice - once as author of Mental Health: Experiencing God’s Care for Our Mind, Body, and Spirit - A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study and another time as co-author of the study we worked on together on the topic of migration. Up first, the vital topic of mental health. As we discuss in the episode, one of the things that sets this study on mental health is that the study was specifically designed by and for BIPOC Christians (though all will benefit). If you’re part of either, or both, of these communities, you might have experienced a veil around the topic of mental health. Sometimes that looks like shame, other times fear, other times ignorance. What Dorcas and the other contributors to the study share, is that not only does mental health not have to be viewed from those perspectives, but also that it is a topic not hidden in our sacred texts. The scriptures actually have a lot to say about mental health, if we will just lean in and listen. I am so excited to share this conversation with you!

Mentioned in this episode:

Mental Health: Experiencing God’s Care for Our Mind, Body, and Spirit - A 6-Week Interactive Bible Study by Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

Nat Maxey - artist