Journal

God’s Presence in Our Pain

God’s Presence in Our Pain

by Lori Smith “Jesus is here and He is loving you,” Bill said to me as I began my retreat out at Corhaven several years back. It was a message I couldn’t fully embrace yet.  I knew God loved me, I’d known that for as long as I could remember.  BUT … there had...
The Bridge Between Reason and Desire

The Bridge Between Reason and Desire

It was a dark room with about 16 other people in it.  Unseasonably hot outside, the air conditioning was going full blast, and I shivered under a duct as I awaited Rose Cousins, Canadian singer/songwriter, at a small venue in suburbia.  Her 2017 release Natural...
A Coracle Fellow Reimagines Psalm 148

A Coracle Fellow Reimagines Psalm 148

Alice Findler, a 2018 graduate of the Coracle Fellowship, took the opportunity to draw her passion for photographing the natural world together with her love of Psalm 148.  Here is what she had to say about her endeavor: This project is an appreciation of the Lord’s...
A Day to Celebrate Juneteenth

A Day to Celebrate Juneteenth

An immense thank you to the twelve adults and nine children who gathered at Corhaven Graveyard— where two-dozen African Americans, enslaved in life / freed in death, are buried— to tangibly celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday. These community members listened to a...
A Decade of Corhaven!

A Decade of Corhaven!

On August 15, 2009, in response to that gentle and clear invitation from God, Tara and I moved from the inner-city of DC to what would come be called Corhaven, meaning ‘rest for the heart’ and ‘a safe place for the soul’.  Almost 10 years later, it’s been that thin...
Your Work is God’s Work

Your Work is God’s Work

Years ago, when I was speaking at a men’s retreat in Philadelphia, I got into a conversation with Jerry. Jerry owned and ran a car dealership. It sounded like a great work environment that was pastoral and love-filled. He said that the business had allowed him a lot...
Remembering Virginia Watson

Remembering Virginia Watson

In February of 2018, we held a retreat at Corhaven in which Virginia Watson, a then-94 year old woman sat with us for a day and shared some of her wisdom, gained through a lifetime of walking closely with Jesus.  On May 24, 2019, she joined Jesus in Heaven. For the...
Breathed On and Sent

Breathed On and Sent

by Kurt Bodling Near the end of John’s Gospel, on the evening of the very first Easter, Jesus said to His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And He breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John...
A Day in the Life of Jesus

A Day in the Life of Jesus

“It’s just one of those days.” How often do you hear that? How often do we say that ourselves. Let’s consider a day in the life of Jesus using Matthew 14. His day would begin the evening before, with sundown. Bedtime would typically be early. So, it’s not surprising...

The God Who Sees

By: Karen McNary Participant on our recent Slavery in Virginia Pilgrimage, April 13-14, 2019 I came into Coracle’s Slavery in Virginia Pilgrimage on Palm Sunday weekend feeling hurt but hopeful, exacerbated yet expectant. The weekend marked the end of the sixth...

Hope Comes from the Cave

I returned from the Holy Land just 10 days ago from Coracle’s most recent pilgrimage with the Telos Group.  What struck me this time particularly was how central caves are in the story of Christ and the hope of the world.  In Israel where stone is the dominant feature...