**Welcome to my Glorygram and to my table! Pull up a chair and join me for a warm slice of Italian Easter Bread slathered with butter and a mug of tea. Each week I write this letter as an arrow pointing you back to God's glory and the ways He is working in our world. I use this space to get to know you better so please introduce yourself and share your stories in the comments too!
Last week I had the privilege of traveling to New York City with my partner teacher, and 16 students (including two of my daughters) from our newspaper team. We spent three days touring the city, meandering through museums, snapping photos, riding the subway and eating all things fabulous before heading to a journalism conference. The highlight NYC attraction for me was seeing the eight-time Tony-award-winning musical, Hadestown, on Broadway.
We sprinted our way to the theater after a full day of touring the city. Settling ourselves into the red velvet theater seats, the lights dimmed. We were all giddy with excitement as the show kicked off. I adore live musical theater, and this show did not disappoint.
My girls were aflutter, anticipating heartthrob Jordan Fisher as Orpheus and Lola Tung playing Eurydice. As for me, I was also jazzed to see Grammy-winner Ani DiFranco play Persephone. This was Greek mythology with a Bayou twist and soulful story to chew on.
Hadestown, where a song can change your fate, intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and Queen Persephone. The musical invites the audience on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back.
Eurydice, who is struck by poverty and hunger, goes to work in a hellish industrial version of the Greek underworld to escape the cold. Her poor singer-songwriter lover Orpheus finds out and makes the arduous journey to rescue her.
Hadestown challenges us to imagine how the world could be — and perhaps how it should be.
Tony and Grammy-winning composer Anaïs Mitchell released the first version of Hadestown as “a D.I.Y. theatre project,” combining blues, jazz and folk music that eventually morphed into a Broadway musical. It’s a Depression-era retelling of the Greek myth, but with a host of harmonies, twists and details that make it delightful and nuanced.
I will be thinking about this show for a long time.
Besides keeping our toes-tapping and our hearts swooning, Hadestown reveals a deeper message about poverty, prejudice, and privilege.
In her poverty, we see that Eurydice is tempted to sign her life away. She trades freedom for food, which eventually leads to her slavery and separation from her love Orpheus.
King Hades takes advantage of this young girl, offering her the promise of a bigger-better-brighter life. It turns out that better life is a life of servitude in the underworld, where she is destined to become a nameless laborer among others who have also fallen to temptation.
At Gethsemene, Jesus warns his disciples Peter, James and John: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38).
Jesus knew the powerful pull of temptation and the flesh. In fact, Jesus came to earth both fully human and fully God. That meant he, too, was tempted as humans are.
Not long after this warning to his disciples, Jesus is arrested and taken to trial.
The apostle Paul writes about temptation in his letter to the church in Corinth: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Jesus overcame temptation and sin by going to the cross as a substitute for us. Orpheus journeys to Hadestown to rescue his beloved Eurydice, but Jesus made the ultimate sacrificial voyage when He made a journey to the cross to rescue us. Orpheus makes it up to the end of the journey, but he is overcome by doubt and turns around, condemning Eurydice to return to Hadestown.
As we go into Holy Week, I can’t help but hold on to the lyrics that echo from the mouth of the narrator Hermes at the close of Hadestown:
It’s an old song
And we’re going to sing it again and again . . .
Cause, here’s the thing:
To know how it ends
And still begin to sing it again
As if it might turn out this time,
I learned that from a friend of mine [Orpheus].
See, Orpheus was a poor boy
But he had a gift to give:
He could make you see how the world could be
In spite of the way that it is.
Can you see it?
These lyrics describe the cyclical and tragic fate of the young lovers, while still holding on to hope.
The difference is we know our story turns out differently. The Son of God - not the mythical Orpheus - made the journey to rescue us. He sacrificed His body and life for us on the cross and resurrected on the third day so none of us has to live the reality of Hadestown.
We can sing the same song and watch it play out the same way or we can say yes to the true redemption story and eternal life.
My new children’s book, Kailani’s Gift, launches April 16, 2024. Last call: I’m looking for friends, educators, ministry leaders, who would be willing to help me get the word out about it. Sign up here for a free copy of the book and to join my launch team. Also, if any of you would be interested in featuring the book or a conversation on your podcast, blog, or Substack, I’d love to connect! This book is about using our God-given gifts and talents to bless others. If you are in Fresno, SAVE THE DATE and join me for this fun book launch party featuring a reading of the book and Filipino food!
Are you looking for something fun to wear for Easter or a fancy dress for a wedding or Spring formal? Our family with four girls to dress for events loves Nuuly. This is a clothes rental service. You pay a monthly fee and get to choose six items in any sizes. I love it because many of the items arrive brand new and have tags still on them. My daughters get to pick out designer dresses that are unique to their style while I rent items that are great for travel and speaking. Check out Nuuly here and get $30 off.
My new favorite podcast is Leaders Thrive Here: The Transformation Triad with Emily, Krista + Emily. These women are offer up coaching for life, business and leading teams. They are funny, insightful and inspiring. Loved this recent episode on “Belonging is the New Black” with strategies for being intentional with any team you are leading and the five pillars of belonging.
Every month I like to introduce you to a new book that I offer as a giveaway! The March giveaway book is actually my favorite book of all time - the Bible. I’m giving away a Bible in the CSB translation. This is a single-column, personal-sized Bible that’s easy to carry with a ribbon marker for quick referencing, concordance and full-color maps. CSB captures the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others. Comment below and let me know why you are interested in winning this one!
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