Nicole’s e-Pistle

April 9, 2025

Greetings, Friends!

I have been working diligently on getting ready for Holy Week over the past few weeks. Yesterday and today, I have been selecting the liturgy and music for Easter Sunday, when we proclaim the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection. However, I am bombarded on a daily basis from mainstream and independent news sources that share anything but good news. Regardless of how each source may lean politically, including the “independent” and “non-biased” sources, the vast majority of stories are grim representations of the state of the globe. (Be prepared for this Sunday’s message – “Even the Rocks Will Cry Out.”)

Therefore, this morning, I typed a question into my browser: “Is there any good news in the world today?”

I was amazed at the list of news sources, with which I was completely unfamiliar, who only report positive and uplifting stories from around the globe. Now, I know that we cannot ignore the suffering in the world, and I preach often of our responsibility to meet the needs of our neighbors near and far, but there’s only so much a person can take. I repeated Jesus’ words last week that the poor will always be with us. It is one thing to do what we can as often as we can to help others less fortunate than ourselves, but it is another thing entirely to become so overwhelmed by the situation in the world that we lose all sight of Jesus in our midst.

Here are a few snippets of good news in this world, while we continue our journey toward Jerusalem, Jesus’ final days, and his death on the cross. (If you’re like me, you could use a reprieve!) Feel free to search for these and other stories that are going on in the world today. May they fill you with a little more hope for humanity, for creation, and for the goodness that still exists in the world in which we live and move and have our being…

  • A group of entrepreneurial women in Africa have created solar-powered tricycles.
  • A new antiviral chewing gum could reduce the spread of the flu virus.
  • A young girl in England convinced a department store to offer girls’ school uniform trousers with real pockets that go wrist-deep (as opposed to the fake pocket liners). The company even added little grey bows sewn onto the front two belt loops!
  • A 100-year-old Galapagos tortoise at the Philadelphia Zoo hatched 4 babies!
  • Northwestern University released the tiniest ever pacemaker designed for infants with congenital heart defects. It does not even require surgery – just a non-invasive injection!
  • An Australian town is diverting 500 million gallons of treated wastewater into irrigation for thousands of acres of farmland (rather than it being dumped into rivers and oceans).
  • Trained rats are preventing deadly infections in East Africa with their sense of smell.
  • Hummingbird chicks were recorded as pretending to be caterpillars to avoid being eaten.

As you go through the rest of your week, may you find your own hints of good news in the world, and may you find joy and hope in all circumstances!

Blessings and Peace,