“The Bible calls us to hope—to persevere and have faith in things not seen.”

When I heard this opening statement of President Obama’s eulogy for the Rev. Clementa Pickney I immediately thought of our circle of women in the jail. I share this understanding of the biblical witness, which is why I developed and lead Circle of the Word. It’s a witness strongly evident in the stories we are learning this summer about the promise of a son to an elderly couple and the promise of life for the son of a desperate slave girl.