An Unexpected Visitor at Well of Mercy

In early April, Well of Mercy had an unexpected treat! As we sat at lunch, a guest glanced out the window just in time to see a large bird land. It was an owl! A huge owl! Right there in our dogwood tree!
There were lots of ooohs and aaahs as we stood up to get a closer look at our winged visitor.
Although we often hear owls at night, none of us had ever seen one perched in daylight, right outside our window.

God Surprises Us in Familiar Places

That says something. Many of our staff have been here for years and had never seen an owl. I’ve been visiting Well since 2018, and thought I had seen it all—every trail, every house, every common room. Yet, right in the middle of a normal lunch, God surprised us.
Same creek dances by. Same trees stand guard. But God still had something new for us to see.
It made me wonder: how many times has that owl flown by unnoticed? How many ways does God’s creativity show up every day, and we miss it?
That owl reminded me: Even in the places that feel familiar, God surprises us with something new if we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.

Morning by Morning, New Mercies I See

Right now, spring is blooming at Well of Mercy. New life is popping up everywhere, and it’s a beautiful season of waking up.
God is in the business of resurrection. Of new beginnings. Of surprises.
We never run out of ways to experience God’s love. Even death couldn’t stop it.
This week, I encourage you:

• Ask God to open your eyes.

• Ask God to open your ears.

• Ask God to open your heart.

And then walk through your days confident that the God who creates owls and rolls away stones — swoops into your life too.
May we all have eyes to see and ears to hear. I hope to see YOU soon!

Lea Slaton
Executive Director