Parched Places

August 23, 2026

August has brought unrelenting heat with no rain or relief. I think of the jazz number, “107 Degrees in the Shade” by Alex Bugnon. That is where we are, and counting the days until September. Meanwhile, I am trying to keep my desperate plants alive and reminding myself that this, too, shall pass. It is a season. Not my favorite. The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your needs in parched places and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail. -Isaiah 58:11 I love this scripture. As we move through parched places and navigate a hard season in our country and our community, we can find strength, guidance, nourishment, refreshment, and hope as we remember and connect with God - our Source, our Rock, our All in all. How to become like a spring of water for others? I have to find that spring within and allow it to flow through me. This takes daily practice with continued awareness. Lately things at work have been intense as we strive to meet the increasing needs in our community. More people are struggling with homelessness or on the verge of losing their homes. People are unable to pay their utility bills because everything has become so expensive - gas, groceries, and other necessities. They are having to choose what to pay because they can’t cover it all. We provide support with planning and financial assistance to help them get on their feet, but it is an uphill climb when the system is broken. 

In the midst of this challenging work, joy and hope are found in community collaboration and support. There are many generous and dedicated people and organizations working together to uplift the most vulnerable. This is energizing and inspiring. It is a powerful reminder that we can do more when we come together with a common purpose and a commitment to the greater good. We can all find ways to do this wherever we are. Simple acts of kindness and generosity are like stepping stones leading us through this hard season. We can carry light, joy, peace, and water to share with those along our path. Here we become like a watered garden, a spring of water, a source of refreshment in parched places. How amazing is this? Spirit fills us when we show up with open hearts and hands. Spirit is the water that never fails, that washes over us when we feel parched and weary, that fills our emptiness and renews us in body and soul. Our communities offer countless opportunities for connection and service. Find what brings you alive and gives you joy. My friend, Sue, volunteers at a free medical clinic. Catherine works with Alzheimer’s patients through a CarePartners program. Inga supports refugee families through her church, collecting and delivering clothing and other items. Connection and service strengthen our communities while also delivering numerous mental and emotional benefits. It is in giving that we receive, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over….. (Luke 6:38). Giving keeps the good flowing, like a spring of living water. This is what our communities need right now ~ springs of living water. This is what I need as well. My soul thirsts for God and longs for a world in which every person can live with dignity, respect, a safe place to live, and food on the table.

Day by day, keep walking, keep working, keep watering. Hold out your hand and know that you are held. Together we will get through this season and know the love that endures all things. Grace & Gratitude,

ej

Elisa J. Juarez