The Meadow

A monthly newsletter for nuanced Latter-day Saints where we share inspiration and tips, and rejuvenate your spirit.

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Telling your orthodox family that you aren't

Whether it was a slow creep or sudden flash, at some point you realized that you’re not as orthodox as a) you used to be b) other people think you are c) other people think you should bed) all of the above But how on earth do you say that to your mother? When church is the family identity, how d...

May 21, 2026

Parting

You are standing at the water’s edge, waves gently lapping on the sandy shore. They push and pull in a steady rhythm. In. Out. In. Out. Like the sea itself is breathing. It inhales, and the water recedes from the shore. Only this time it doesn’t return. It begins to climb, building to a wall on y...

Apr 20, 2026 faith miracles

Thou shalt read poems

Every so often, my mom will describe someone in the family as "Hurst-y", and I've gathered over the years that our Hurst line can be thanked for the artistic, nosy, pedantic, and slightly eccentric tendencies that run through our veins. While my great-grandmother may have traded in her Hurst name...

Mar 15, 2026 depression discouragement poetry symbolism

Embracing the wild

A piece of my heart is planted in Washington. I was born and raised in the Upper Left, and despite living as far away from it as the continental U.S. allows, I still feel the pull of the Columbia River, the Cascade Mountains, and the smell of a cherry blossom spring. The land up there is special....

Feb 24, 2026 hope testimony wilderness

Lessons from a dried up garden

Winter has fully settled into my garden. The stalks are brown, and the ones that aren’t crisp are slowly turning into leaf mold on the ground. Each time I pass up my front steps I can feel the crinkled marigolds looking at me, reminding me that despite its drab appearance, the garden is far from ...

by Carly — Dec 23, 2025 healing hope transformation winter

Am I "nuanced?" Well, it's nuanced...

You'll hear me use the term "nuanced" Latter-day Saint a lot around here. It's a term I started seeing in online circles and the more I learned about it, the more it resonated with me. But many people are probably wondering...what is it? As with all questions, you'll get different answers from di...

by Carly — Dec 08, 2025 nuance

Imperfection: the ultimate tool for peace

I didn't eat my own wedding cake. I had a food fight with it in the street the night before my wedding. The cake was horrendous...I had made it myself and gotten a little too zealous with the rose water, so my friends and I had one last hurrah to celebrate. What else is a Mormon girl going to do ...

by Carly — Nov 23, 2025 empathy imperfection

Who are you today?

You are a different person today than you were yesterday. Do you know this version of you? Or is she a stranger that you're afraid to meet? What would it be like to open your arms to her and love her just as she is? Faith is no stranger to evolution, even when we want it to be. It's comforting to...

Oct 15, 2025

The Meadow

A monthly newsletter for nuanced Latter-day Saints where we share inspiration and tips, and rejuvenate your spirit.

The Meadow

A monthly newsletter for nuanced Latter-day Saints where we share inspiration and tips, and rejuvenate your spirit.

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