'ONE HANDY PACKAGE'

I am so grateful for the timeliness and immediacy that the Sentinel expresses. It meets the concerns of today's society and also is applicable to my own recent experiences with work and family. The April 25 issue on "Your God-driven purpose" is a perfect example. It illuminated with helpful spiritual perspectives the current media events of the Terri Schiavo case and the Ashley Smith experience in both its articles and editorials.

In relation to my own personal experiences, Lyle Young's book review of When Jesus came to Harvard: Making Moral Choices Today by Harvey Cox complemented ideas shared in a recent, lengthy conversation with a family member who has claimed to be an agnostic and practices a high degree of ethical values. That conversation had been an unexpected, enjoyable experience for the both of us. Cox's view of Jesus as being a "compelling person across the board" provided more evidence of how religious and noreligious people can meet on common ground.

Then Marilyn Jones's article on Instant Messaging and responding to people in need supported my experiences in getting to know a similar community in my new hometown.

Thank you for gathering all these uplifiting thoughts into one handy package.

LYNN MEYERSON
POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK

A KEEPER!

I simply cannot keep silent! The May 2 issue of the Sentinel ("How God speaks to you") was so full of healing messages for me that I couldn't put it down. Each and every article contained ideas that I was waiting for ... answers to how I could more effectively listen for and hear God's plan for me. I've been praying for a long time about this, and I know that issue was the answer to my prayers.

For instance, I realized that I didn't need to "hear" a specific answer to a request for guidance from God, but could rather trust that inspiration and intuition often serve as God's answers, as well.

I've known for a long time that human outlining is not useful, and can't always be trusted to guide us rightly. The helpful articles in that issue gave me some new ways to look at how God speaks to us, and how I can listen more effectively for His answers.

I usually donate my read copies of the Sentinel to my church so that they may be shared with the community. I'm afraid this issue will have to stay with me!

VICTORIA COLE
SPRINGFIELD, OREGON

IN PRAISE OF NEW YORK

I felt that I should thank you for the article about, and the photo of, New York, in the May 16 issue ["Dealing with change"]. We visited "The Big Apple" in 2003 and were very impressed, although I'm also living in a very big city, Sao Paulo. Danis Mutchler's article, "To New York, with love," reminded me of our trips on the subway. I can feel the mood of the mother who was anxious about her daughter, even when trusting fully in our heavenly Father.

Jeffrey Hildner's photo ("Arrangement in red and gray") is great! I remembered the fall of eventide, when lights are turning on and the whole landscape is changing. Light reflects divine Life, and as a matter of fact is another expression of Life. We feel it sometimes here in our megacity in the same way.

GERO DIEPENBRUCK
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

'A SNAPPY LOOK'

Just got my May 23 Sentinel. What a great focus topic: "Release from time pressure." I especially liked Colleen Douglass's article, "Shattering the time myth." The metaphysics were strong and sound. But what I really liked was the practical way that Colleen expressed how to apply the spiritual truths to our everyday life. It made me realize that I really could get rid of pressure and hurry in my experience.

Thanks for wonderful inspiring magazines. I wait breathlessly each week for my Sentinel to arrive, and then immediately sit down and feast on it as soon as I get it out of the mailbox. My son hadn't seen a copy for a while. He saw one on my coffee table recently and said, "Wow, the Sentinel really has a snappy look these days." Keep up the good work!

BARBI JOHNS
FREDERICK, MARYLAND

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