Mary is 90 years old. She has lived at the Deerfield Retirement Community in Urbandale, Iowa since 2018. She still plays the piano.
Over the eight years since she moved in, Mary has become the go-to accompanist for the community's church services.
"On Easter Sunday, she (a lifelong Protestant) played for four services, including the Catholic mass," writes Mary's granddaughter and CT's worship correspondent, Kelsey Kramer McGinnis. "Last summer, she accompanied and taught for an ecumenical service, leading favorite hymns interspersed with stories and thoughts about faith."
Throughout Scripture, God calls his people to be faithful and steadfast as we abide in him. Isaiah reminds us our faithfulness is fleeting "like the flowers of the field," yet our hope is secure when we place it in God, so our strength is renewed (Isa. 40:6, 31). In this issue, we consider stories of resilience. Historian Thomas S. Kidd shares missionary Adoniram Judson’s hardship and fortitude in Burma (now Myanmar). Emily Belz reports on Minnesota churches today that are supporting persecuted Karen Christians, also from Myanmar. Haleluya Hadero reports on groups who are determined to help Gary, Indiana, achieve a more resilient future. We also consider Tish Harrison Warren’s new book and feature an interview with her. Rooted in the person of Jesus Christ, Christian resilience is about more than having grit or bouncing back.
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