Shemaiah Gonzalez

Shemaiah Gonzalez is a freelance writer who holds a B.A. in English Literature and a M.A. in Intercultural Ministry. She thrives on moments where storytelling, art, and faith collide. Published on Busted Halo and America Magazine among others, she is obsessed with being well-rounded as she jumps from Victorian lit to Kendrick Lamar, from the homeless shelter to the cocktail party. A Los Angeles native, she now lives in Seattle with her husband and their two sons.

Finding God in the Present Moment

I know a woman who used to watch the news religiously. She would get caught up in the latest mandate, scandal, or expose until it took over all her...

A Discipline of Noticing

There are lines from a poem by Ted Kooser to his mother that I think about often. In the poem, simply called “Mother,” Kooser grieves after his mother’s death....

Middle School

I have two middle-school age sons, and the word of the hour is awkward! They are tired all the time from their ever-morphing bodies. They fall asleep in odd...

A Gentle Saint: St. Peter Faber

Editor’s note: We commemorate the August 2 feast day of St. Peter Faber with Faber Fridays this month, inspired by Jon M. Sweeney’s book, Peter Faber: A Saint for...

Cannonball Moment: A Friend’s Death

Five hundred years ago, St. Ignatius was hit by a cannonball in battle. He sustained a horrendous fracture to his right leg and damage to his left. There are...

Strangers and the Funny Papers

I am thirsty. Not for water or coffee or tea but for conversation. And I’m not talking about the weather or the plague or politics. I’m talking about deep listening. The...