Inhale the present, exhale the past.

Now let your breath guide you back to the present moment where peace and mindfulness reside.

Thank you for reading today’s edition of Grateful Gazette 😌

Here’s what to know for Tuesday:

• AI tells a congregation about the word of God

• An artist transforms his city with a few buckets of paint

• Joni Mitchell is a phoenix rising from the ashes

A PREACHER LET’S AI GIVE THE GOOD NEWS

You've heard of AI-driven cars and AI-written music, but how about an AI delivering a sermon? 

In a church in Bavaria, ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, dropped some biblical wisdom, AI-generated style.

ChatGPT, let's call him "Reverend AI" for kicks, preached to a packed house of over 300 people as an embodied avatar. Reverend AI held the congregation's attention for 40 minutes with prayers, music, and a sermon.

Jonas Simmerlein, the theologian behind this digital miracle, admitted that 98% of the service was all thanks to our Reverend AI. That's right, folks, divinity is going digital!

So what did the people think of this AI sermon?

Well, it was a split decision.

Some people missed the feeling of community in religious services, while others saw the potential for digital services to make religion more accessible and inclusive.

To be clear, no one's thinking of trading their pastor for a pile of circuits and code. Simmerlein envisions AI as a tool, a helping hand that can free up clergy for more personal tasks and even provides a dash of divine inspiration for their sermons.

So, as we tiptoe on the tightrope between faith and technology, remember, there's nothing like the human touch.

Reverend AI may be able to deliver a sermon, but he doesn't know you, your struggles or your triumphs like a human pastor would. Still, it’s great to see technology impacting our lives in new, fantastic ways.

🗞 More Good News

🏳️‍🌈 Check out this candle that smells like Gay Pride

🐶 This dog sniffs out endangered newts to help scientists find them

🪼 Watch this rare moment when a scientist sees a unique jellyfish for only the second time ever

👍 Americans are retiring earlier than you’d expect

🎨 This artist transforms a neighborhood and increases the streets value with just a few cans of paint

🏫 A 23-year-old founder is 3D printing schools in Madagascar to increase access to education.

☀️ The Bright Side

"Stardust, golden, and now, with a dash of cellular glow." 

That's how Joni Mitchell described the sea of cell phone lights illuminating her comeback performance at the Gorge Amphitheater.

In case you've been living under a rock, Joni Mitchell just returned to the stage after 20 years! It was an amazing experience for her, and she's so grateful to be back doing what she loves.

She wowed the crowd in a marathon set lasting almost three hours with her resonant voice and playful banter. Mitchell's voice was rich, smooth, and agile—like a rare songbird that you feel lucky to glimpse.

Even Brandi Carlile, the singer-songwriter who championed Mitchell's return, was left joking about how Mitchell was "always the last one up."

It’s never too late to try again on the path to recovery. Joni Mitchell’s journey back to the stage is a bright spot today and reminds us of the power of human resilience

👀 TRY THIS FOR YOUR TUESDAY

Rewatch an old show or movie this week.

Give your nostalgia a chance to kick in with something you remember adoring when you were younger.

I watched The Hunger Games for the first time since high school this weekend. It felt different but good.

Don’t get me wrong; you’ll find that some themes and characters don’t hold up in your old favorites. But it’s worth going through because the ritual conjures up memories you forgot you had.

In Ancient Greek, Nostalgia comes from Homer’s Odyssey and means “pain when looking homeward.”

We don’t need the pain, but sometimes it’s great to look back at the things we loved at different times and places.

- Thank you for reading Grateful Gazette. Remember to breathe deeply to bring your mind back to your body 💜