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Who doesn’t remember being shaped by fairy tales like Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe? So many hours spent on our mother’s lap, or under the covers with a flashlight, stealing just a few more minutes of a story we felt shaping us deep inside. But then somewhere along the way we stopped reading these stories. Applying ourselves to more serious pursuits, we turned our attention to the classics, history, and personal development. For most adults, fantasy is a genre which we largely ignore. If we’re honest, it scares us. As Christians, we’ve absorbed messages that it’s dangerous and we should stay away from it. So, we do. And in the process, we miss out on the gifts God has waiting for us in imaginary kingdoms that remind us of a world more real than our own, deepen our understanding of truth, and shape our relationship with Him and others. Yes, discernment is needed. But if fairy tales are important for children, they’re even more so for adults. Join me for this fascinating conversation with my guest Kelsey Zahn Melton about the gifts God has waiting for us in fairy tales--and perhaps even return to them once again.   ---- Helpful Resources: The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of C.S. Lewis MovieThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. LewisThe Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonaldEp 65: The Stories That Shape Our Souls: The Gift of Fiction in Our Spiritual Formation with K.C. Ireton ⁠The Transformational Ten: Spiritual Giant Quiz⁠ --- Thank you so much for joining me today. For more information about the Sanctuary at Bear Creek, or resources to help you grow in your intimacy with God and one another, visit ⁠⁠lorigmelton.com⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠thesanctuaryatbearcreek,⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

In this productivity-oriented culture, it’s easy to think reading a story is a waste of time. We have commentaries to read and hundreds of theological classics we haven’t gotten to yet. Before we pick up a story, shouldn’t we read those instead? But consider this: when the crowds surrounded Jesus and asked him questions about the heavenly kingdom, the nature of God, or how to love their neighbor, he didn’t answer with a “Here are the five points …”; he answered with a story. And the Bible itself, from Genesis to Revelation, is one long story. Stories are how we make sense of the world. We encourage our children to read as many of them as possible. But then somewhere along the way, as we grow into adulthood, we begin to see them as frivolous and forget how valuable they are.   Helpful Resources: ·       This Shore of Light: A Novel by K.C. Ireton … A Small Town. A Big Secret. One Chance to Heal. In the small Pacific Northwest town of Port Lawrence, five people search for a way forward in the wake of broken trust and lost hope. ·     This Shore of Light: Prologue & First Chapter (free download) ·     12 Novels to Nourish Your Soul compiled by K.C. Ireton (free download) ·      The World of Wonders: A Spirituality of Reading by Jeff Crosby ·     The Transformational Ten: Spiritual Giant Quiz ---- Thank you so much for joining me today. For more information about the Sanctuary at Bear Creek, or resources to help you grow in your intimacy with God and one another, visit ⁠lorigmelton.com⁠ and ⁠thesanctuaryatbearcreek,⁠ or email me at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

In the swirling of life, the waters of our soul can get murky. Life in the 21stcentury moves fast, and it’s loud. We live day to day with our to-do lists … getting things done and reasonably happy.   But there’s also a longing inside to get off the treadmill, quiet all the other voices, find answers to the questions churning in our heads, and set our foundation again on the solid rock of our Heavenly Father’s love and our relationship with Him. Join me for this conversation with pastor, spiritual director, and podcast host Stacy Holmes as we discuss how you can receive all this and more through God’s gift of time alone with Him on retreat.  -- Helpful Resources: The One Whom Jesus Loves Silence & Solitude RetreatGlordinary Podcast with host Stacy HolmesWhen Doctrine Meets Devotion: Stacy Holmes Journey with John Calvin podcast episodeSpiritual Retreat for Tired Souls: A Quiet Guide for Time Alone with God by Linda AndersenThe Transformational Ten: Spiritual Giant Quiz ---- Thank you so much for joining me today. For more information about the Sanctuary at Bear Creek or resources to help you grow in your intimacy with God and one another, visit lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek, or you can email me at [email protected].

We all have a deep need for meaningfulrelationships—first and foremost, with God. What if, just as you intentionally set aside time to bewith your family at Christmas or get away with your spouse on your anniversary, you set aside time each year to get away alone with the Lover of Your Soul? Join us this week as we explore the beautiful practiceof silence and solitude retreats—stepping away from the noise, responsibilities, and distractions of everyday life to simply be alone with God. What exactly is a silent retreat? Is it even Christian? What do you do with all those quiet hours? And what might be waiting for us when we intentionally make room to be alone with Him?Answering that longing deep inside, once you taste it, you'll never want to be without it again.-----Helpful Resources: The One Who Jesus Loves Silence & Solitude RetreatThe Abide Prayer CabinSilent Retreating: Is that Even Christian? Article​Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God​ book by Ruth Haley Barton​First Love​ worship song by Chris Tomlin--- Thank you so much for joining me today. For more information about the Sanctuary at Bear Creek or resources to help you grow in your intimacy with God and one another, visit lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek, or you can email me at [email protected]

Welcome back to Episode 4 of our Sanctuary Stirrings Fall Series—and the final part of our Cheers to 40 Years conversation! This week, my husband Bryan Melton is back with me as we celebrate 40 years of marriage and  talk about one of thegifts we’ve come to treasure most: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9 This truth isn’t only for those bound together in marriage, but for all long-term relationships joined in faith and purpose. It’s incredible what God can do through two or more that they could never have done alone! For Bryan and me, for many years, that looked like the ordinary work of building a home, raising six children, welcoming people around our table, serving in small groups, and simply trying to be faithful to what God had placed in front of us. But eventually, God began weaving together Bryan’s giftsas a visionary and builder with my love for retreat, spiritual direction, and creating spaces for people to be alone with God—and The Sanctuary at Bear Creek was born. In this episode, we’re sharing that story—from Bryan playing in these woods as an 11-year-old boy, to losing the property we loved, to God unexpectedly bringing us back years later and calling us to create a space for others to come and grow in their intimacy with Him. And continuing with your story ... * Who has God placed in your life to link arms with--to fulfill His kingdom purposes? Email us at [email protected] ... We'd love to hear! --- Resources : Cheers to 40 Years, Pt. 1: The Gift of Marriage Cheers to 40 Years, Pt. 2: In It for the LongHaul 7 Years, 7 Days, & 7 Hours: How the Sanctuary at Bear Creek Was Born --- Thank you so much for joining us today. For more information about the Sanctuary at Bear Creek or resources to help you grow in your intimacy with God and one another, visit lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com.

Welcome back to Episode 3 of our Sanctuary Stirrings Fall Series! This week, we’re continuing our conversation about thegift of marriage with a man who, by the grace of God, has walked beside me for 40 years—my husband, the one-and-only Bryan Melton. And today, September 19, 2026, we’re celebratingour 40th anniversary! We’re picking up exactly where we left off—with myroommates giving me five minutes to call Bryan back … to our very un-Pinterest-worthy proposal (which may or may not have happened in a Burger King parking lot!) … to some of what we’ve learned about building a life together and being in it for the long haul. It’s a story formed less in the extraordinary and morein the beautiful, ordinary places where God has met us along the way. Then join us next week for the final part of our conversationas we talk about one of the most beautiful gifts we’ve discovered in lifelong marriage: walking out the Lord’s callings together … and the story of how The Sanctuary at Bear Creek was born. ---- Resources Connected to this Episode: Missed Part 1 of this conversation? Click here to Catch Up: Cheers to 40 Years, Pt 1: The Gift of Marriage​ ·       ​Becoming One: Do We Really Have To Pray Together?Article ​ ·       ​A Little More Room For Us: 100 Devotions for the EmptyNest Couple by Charlotte and Gordy Guest  ----- Thanks so much for joining me today! For more resources to help you grow in your relationship with God and one another, or information about the Prayer Cabin, visit lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com.

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Sanctuary Stirrings Fall Series! I’m especially excited about this episode because I’m joined by the MOST IMPORTANT guest I’ve ever had—or ever will have—on the podcast: my husband of 40 years, the one and only Bryan Melton! This is Part One of our “Cheers to 40 Years” conversation, as we look back over four decades together and reflect on the gift of marriage and what God has taught us along the way. In this episode, you’ll get to know Bryan a little better—my husband, former DJ, and the visionary behind the Sanctuary at Bear Creek. We talk about the very different families and ideas about marriage we grew up with, what we each brought into our relationship, and the miraculous—and slightly quirky!—story of how God brought us together. In a time when ideas about marriage, relationships, men and women, and what it means to build a life together continue to shift, we go back to the beginning and ask some bigger questions: Why did God create marriage? What makes it such a gift? What can happen when God brings two very different people together to journey through life side by side? Come along for this personal, fun, and faith-filledconversation as Bryan and I celebrate 40 years together and reflect on God’s beautiful gift of marriage. --- Resources Connected to This Episode: Alive! But God Was Already Rewriting the Story Becoming One: Do We Really Have to Pray Together? ----- Thanks so much for joining me today! For more resources to help you grow in your relationship with God and one another, information about the Prayer Cabin, and details about our upcoming fall retreat, visit lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com.

Before we rush into all that fall holds, what if we tooka few moments to look back? Join me for this opening episode of the Fall Series tohear what’s been happening at The Sanctuary at Bear Creek, get a sneak peek at the conversations coming to the podcast this fall, and receive a simple Labor Day Examen—a practice of looking back over the summer with God and remembering His goodness--using something you already have in your hand: your phone.   So good to be back with you again, and looking forward to all the blessings ahead! --- Resources You May Enjoy Connected to this Episode: Ep 58 When a Book Becomes a Mentor: Reading as Discipleship with Sue DonaldsonMaking Space For God: The Blessing of 24 Hour Retreats with Joel HoganGratefulness by George Herbert The One Who Jesus Loves Fall Silence & Solitude Retreat ​Journey with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God​ by Lori G Melton **** Thanks so much for joining me today. You can find more resources for growing in your relationship with God and one another, information about the Prayer Cabin, and details about our upcoming fall retreat at lorigmelton.com and thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

On this final episode of the Spring Series, join host Lori G. Melton to explore reading as a vital piece of our discipleshipthrough a conversation with speaker and author Sue Donaldson about Oswald Chambers’ devotional My Utmost for His Highest and its impact on Sue’s life withGod for over 50 years. Sue recounts receiving the book from her sister in 1972, keeping annotated copies through major life moments, and returning to read it daily in 2021 while journaling prayers. She highlights Chambers’ central call to complete surrender and being “abandoned to God,” along with themes likehumility, worry, and “trusting God and doing the next thing.” Sue shares Chambers’ biography, including his chaplaincyin Egypt during WWI and early death, and explains how his wife Biddy’s shorthand notes and hospitality enabled the devotional’s creation and enduring influence, connecting these lessons to Sue’s own ministry of hospitality andwriting. Reading as a vital part of our discipleship — the perfect topic to complete this series focused on the practices that form us over a lifetime!   Resources: Welcomeheart.com to learn more about Sue Donaldson Never Alone: Stories of Invitation & Connection by Sue DonaldsonMy Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers Abandoned to God by David McCasland The Woman Who Was Chesterton by Nancy Carpentier Brown Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti CalahanJourney with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God by Lori G. Melton. Take the next step in your spiritual formation and embark on a year-long journey alongside a giant of the faith, inspired by the author’s year learning from the life of Mister Fred Rogers, America’s Favorite Neighbor. Articles You May Enjoy: When a Book Becomes a Mentor: Reading as Discipleship For more encouragement and resources to grow in your relationship with God and others, visit ⁠lorigmelton.com⁠ or ⁠thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com⁠. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

Sabbath … One of the most precious gifts that God gave to all of creation at the beginning of time. Yet, one that is misunderstood or completely missing in our lives today. It’s a gift that our world--with its incessant speed, exhaustion, search for meaning and connection, needs now more than ever. Yet, a topic surrounded by controversy and conflicting perspectives. Many of us have put it on the shelf. But something inside keeps saying, “There’s a gift here that we’re missing.” That’s why I’m so excited about this conversation with author and seminary professor, Travis West, about his new book The Sabbath Way: Making Room for Rest, Connection, and Delight.    Listen in and receive not just a day off … but a way of living that will shape your work, identity, community--and a vital key to the shalom you long to bring to the world. Resources: Travis-West.com to find more information about Travis, the sabbath, and slowing your life down to the speed of love.The Sabbath Way: Making Room for Rest, Connection, and Delight by Travis West. This book invites readers to rediscover Sabbath as a transformative rhythm meant to shape not just one day, but an entire way of life.Design Your First Sabbath Worksheet The Sabbath = Delight? No Way ... Or Is It? Accompanying Article to this week's conversation.The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel … A Sabbath classic and Travis’ top pick for Sabbath reading.Journey with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God by Lori G. Melton. Take the next step in your spiritual formation and embark on a year-long journey alongside a giant of the faith, inspired by the author’s year learning from the life of Mister Fred Rogers, America’s Favorite Neighbor. Other Articles You May Enjoy: Children of God or Slaves: Receive the Gift of the SabbathThe Mantle Top Seven For more encouragement and resources to grow in your relationship with God and others, visit ⁠lorigmelton.com⁠ or ⁠thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com⁠. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

Faith is not always expressed in the ways we might expect--like kneeling in the Church sanctuary, reciting holy prayers, or putting money in the offering plate. Often, it’s more evident through painful acts of obedience. Tune in to this week’s episode for a story you’ll likely resonate with—one that explores how we discover God’s will not through your own thoughts, emotions, or circumstances alone, but through the voices of others. Resources: The Little Flowers of St. Francis How to Hear God: A Simple Guide for Normal People by Pete Grieg, pg 202 From No to Know: What Am I Saying No To? Glordinary podcast with Stacy Homes Other articles you may enjoy: And Then, There Was Francis For more encouragement and resources to grow in your relationship with God and others, visit ⁠lorigmelton.com⁠ or ⁠thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com⁠. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

On this episode, Lori G. Melton welcomes artist, Anglican deacon, and author Ben Lansing to discuss his book, Our Church Speaks: An Illustrated Devotional of Saints from Every Era and Place, and how the lives of the saints point us to Jesus and strengthen us in the “messy” times we live. Burdened to offer what he could during the COVID pandemic, Ben began sharing portraits of the saints on Instagram—along with short histories and meaningful quotes. What began as a simple offering quickly revealed a deep hunger, as people found themselves longing for more. That faithful beginning grew into a powerful devotional featuring 52 saints from across centuries, continents, genders, and vocations—pairing biographies, prayers, and pastoral reflections, along with a companion podcast. Together, they reflect on how the saints laid a beautiful and powerful foundation for our faith—enriching the body of Christ and reminding us we are not alone in our journey. Resources Mentioned: You can find Ben Lansing, the Our Church Speaks Book, Podcast, and Art Series on his website: OurChurchSpeaks.comJourney with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God by Lori G. Melton. Take the next step in your spiritual formation and embark on a year-long journey alongside a giant of the faith, inspired by the author's year learning from the life of Mister Fred Rogers, America's favorite neighbor. Other articles you may enjoy: “All Saints Day” … What Are We Supposed to Do with the Saints Anyway? For more encouragement and resources to grow in your relationship with God and others, visit lorigmelton.com or thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

In this episode, Lori G. Melton welcomes writer and Bibleteacher, Cara Ray, to discuss moving from a checklist “quiet time” to an unhurried, Spirit-directed, joyful way of knowing God she calls “holy leisure,” drawn from a phrase Cara discovered in Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline. Cara shares how lifelong pressure to be consistent in daily quiet time left her feeling like a failure and jealous of others’ insights, until pursuing holy leisure changed both the priority and quality of her time with God through practices like journaling Scripture, slowing down, silence, and savoring God’s goodness, truth, and beauty. They connect the concept to examples such as Psalm 27:4,Mary at Jesus’ feet, and saints like Corrie ten Boom. The perfect episode to walk with you toward Easter—inviting you to experience the living relationship made possible through the blood of Jesus, and to find your time with God gently renewed as you listen. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: The Pursuit of Holy Leisure: Enjoying God in Everyday Places by Cara RayPaths of the Righteous: Psalm 23 in the Lives of Faithful Missionaries & Witnesses for Christ by Cara Ray5 Easy Ways to Worship Jesus This Easter Week Article For more encouragement and resources to grow in your relationship with God and others, visit ⁠lorigmelton.com⁠ or ⁠thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com.⁠ You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

Welcome to Episode Three of the Sanctuary Stirrings Spring series, where we continue the conversation about the often-overlooked soul. Prompted by Jesus’ command in Matthew 22 to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, we'll unpack the surprising realization that most of us can't clearly define the soul — or how to love God with it. If you’ve ever wondered, What is the soul?What importance is it to God? How are we to love God with all of it? This episode is for you! ---Resources: ​Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity and Life withGod​ by Robin T. Jennings. A rich exploration of the soul, Christian Celtic faith practices, and spiritual giants, and how they can deepen our relationship with God. ​What is the Human Soul?​ GotQuestions.orgThe Sanctuary at Bear Creek Prayer Cabin A sacred space for time alone with the Good Shepherd. Come and let Him tend to your soul.​Journey with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God​ by Lori G. Melton. Take the next step in your spiritual formation and embark on a year-long journey alongside a “giant” of faith, inspired by the author’s year of studying the life of Mister Fred Rogers, America’s favorite neighbor.  For more encouragement and resources to grow in your relationship with God and others, visit lorigmelton.com or thesanctuaryatbearcreek.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

Join me today as we welcome retired Episcopal rectorand pilgrimage leader Robin T. Jennings for part one of our discussion about the soul, to talk about his book, Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity and Life with God. Robin shares how a chaplain’s question led him fromwork at a Chicago boys’ home to seminary, and how later travel and leading pilgrimages to Ireland, Scotland, and Iona sparked his interest in Celtic Christianity, monastic life, and the gifts of the Celtic spiritual giants, like St. Columba. We focus on recovering attention to the soul—oftenneglected part of who we are compared to the mind and heart—drawing on scriptures such as “He restores my soul” and Jesus’ command to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength. Robin describes the soul as the “conductor,” serving asa gateway to our mind, heart, and will to enter into a loving relationship with God and our neighbor, and highlights the presence of God we experience through the Celtic practices of worshipping God in nature, anam cara (soul friendship),community, and the gifts of the Celtic saints. I think you’ll love this conversation, divinely dropping on St. Patrick’s Day! ___ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Expressions of the Soul: Celtic Christianity and Our Life with God (Robin T. Jennings) explores Celtic Christianity as a way to recover attention to the soul as the center of personal encounter with God, including themes like nature as a place of God’s presence, pilgrimage, hospitality, and “soul friendship”(anam cara). How the Irish Saved Civilization (Thomas Cahill) describes the role of Irish/Celtic monastic communities in preserving scripture, manuscripts, learning, and elements of civilization during and after Rome’s decline. Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom (John O’Donohue) centers on the Celtic idea of anam cara (“soul friend”) and the importance of relationships that attend to the inner life. Saint Patrick: The Confession of Saint Patrick and Letter to Coroticus, translated by John SkinnerJourney with a Giant: Choose Your Guide, Pursue Your Purpose, and Grow in Your Walk with God by Lori G. Melton. Take the next step in your spiritual formation and embark on a year-long journey alongside a “giant” of faith, inspired by the author’s year of studying the life of Mister Fred Rogers, America’s favorite neighbor.