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Dr. Tom has been sharing refreshing, insightful essays on his Sunday Morning Cafe blog since 2009. Each Sunday, he brings his extensive experience from resilience research, counseling, and consulting to help you find more connection, meaning, and joy in life. We're so glad you're here to grow with this community!
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Out of Africa
A pilgrimage isn't measured in miles or expensive plane tickets to exotic locations—it’s measured in attention, openness, and the courage to let go. Join a journey through nature, Sacred Presence, and the practice of surrender.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Aug 317 min read
AI Relationships: Artificial or Intelligent?
AI chatbots promise connection on demand. This reflection asks whether convenience can ever replace real relationship.
Tim Bono
Aug 176 min read
Intentional Friendships: a Guest SMC Author!
The irony of friendship? We long for closeness, but sometimes resist the very vulnerability that creates it. This piece invites you to take the small, brave steps that lead to a lifetime of walking side by side.
Annalise Wagner
Aug 106 min read
Back Porch Wisdom from Our First SMC Event
Sometimes the Sacred moves through scripture. Sometimes, through a favorite song playing in the background while the bread bakes. This reflection explores how simple meals and real conversations can become holy ground.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Jul 274 min read
Rendezvous
Maybe the Sacred is already reaching for you, in the spaces only you recognize. Read on for a reflection on unexpected altars, inked stars, and the God who meets us there.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Jun 295 min read
Looking Into the Mirror on Juneteenth
You can read all the right books and still miss what’s in front of you. This Juneteenth reflection is about waking up—slowly, imperfectly, honestly.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Jun 226 min read
The Everyday Father
What if your greatest spiritual practice is simply showing up? This reflection reclaims the sacredness of time spent doing nothing together.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Jun 154 min read
Father Time…Again…
Sometimes healing the father wound means rediscovering the gifts tucked inside it. This reflection explores what we keep, and what we leave behind.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Jun 85 min read
Making Space for Awe
Research is showing that human beings are built for “awe.” Like other spiritual gifts, awe is not a thing you can grasp at. This article explores the ways you can slow down so that awe can graciously catch up with you.
Dr. Tom Wagner
May 185 min read
Seriously Funny: Uncovering the Sacred Roots of Humor
When a late-night comic and the Pope start saying the same thing, you listen. Read on to discover what their surprising agreement reveals about the connection between resilience and grace.
Dr. Tom Wagner
May 45 min read
As I Have Done, So You Also Should Do: Remembering Pope Francis (1936-2025)
Honoring the man whose life embodied mercy, humility, and hope.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Apr 274 min read
Hip to Be Humorous: How laughing got me through surgery and why it is what you need today, too.
What if laughter was the key to overcoming stress? See how humor turned a pre-surgery panic into a powerful lesson in resilience.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Apr 134 min read
Wake Up Your Lizzie the Lion
Facing fear head-on leads to resilience and growth. What roar are you running toward?
Dr. Tom Wagner
Apr 63 min read
Latte for Lent.
Some beauty exists for no other reason than to delight you—like a perfect heart in a latte, made just to make you smile.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Mar 24 min read
The Road: Intentional Defiant Love.
In a world that can feel as bleak as Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, what does it mean to love—intentionally, defiantly, and against all odds?
Dr. Tom Wagner
Feb 224 min read
The Still Point Below the Booming, Banging, Buzzing, Chaos.
In the noise of everyday life, where does your spirit go to rest? Grace-filled practices to help you return to your still point.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Feb 154 min read
Making Peace with Your Pet Monsters.
What do you do when the monsters show up—not under the bed, but inside your own mind? If you’ve ever tried to sit in silence and found yourself squirming, this one's for you. Read on to learn how facing your inner creatures might just lead you to unexpected grace.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Feb 24 min read
Hip to Be Holy.
In a world that once dismissed the spiritual as silly or suspect, what does it mean to live unapologetically aligned with your soul? Step into a story of secrecy, spirituality, and the surprising freedom of coming home to your inner life.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Jan 114 min read
Making Space for Awe.
Research is showing that human beings are built for “awe.” Like other spiritual gifts, awe is not a thing you can grasp at. This article explores the ways you can slow down so that awe can graciously catch up with you.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Dec 29, 20246 min read
Emmanuel in the Mirror.
When joy feels distant and connection elusive, the gift of “God with us” doesn’t disappear—it deepens. This week’s reflection explores why.
Dr. Tom Wagner
Dec 22, 20244 min read
Explore the full archive of Sunday Morning Cafe blogs from 2009 through 2024.
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