Two Saturdays ago I drove my middle daughter to work. The roads were wet from the rain the night before, and the sky was low and gray. We spoke about her life and classes and sang along to the music. Our route skirted the city, and it was a quiet morning.
We are really compelled by the thoughts and perspective you share. I feel like you're walking in our future, in some way, and I'm really encouraged to hear how you're navigating the world.
Prayer has been this curious, unsatisfactory, anguishing, longing kind of thing -- Am I doing this right? Are you hearing me? It's also been a place of such angry hope -- you could do something, God, but will you? It's been groaning and triggering in turns with bubbling out as a reflex of joy and gratitude.
I'm confused by prayer. I'm also in detox from an upbringing of "doing it right." eg, be careful what you pray for, don't ask in the wrong way for for the wrong things, no mistakes, etc. I feel lost and freed without my prayer-molds. I feel heard and abandoned.
I think prayer is an infinite, relational mystery that we've tried to shape into comprehensible equations.
I really appreciated your words this morning Shawn. I was just talking to my daughter about some hard things she is going through. She talked about borrowing hope from others when she does not have hope herself. I think prayer is the same way. We can borrow others’ prayers or trust others to carry us when we can’t carry ourselves. Thanks for sharing.
Living in chaos, or chaos in living? Take your pick. Every day we’re presented with a “thing” and who we become is based on how we deal with the thing. I’m sorry it was your turn for a car accident yet I’m grateful that no one was seriously injured. Good luck dealing with the latest thing, and I hope it resolves well.
Goodness, I feel wordless again, but I'll try. :)
We are really compelled by the thoughts and perspective you share. I feel like you're walking in our future, in some way, and I'm really encouraged to hear how you're navigating the world.
Prayer has been this curious, unsatisfactory, anguishing, longing kind of thing -- Am I doing this right? Are you hearing me? It's also been a place of such angry hope -- you could do something, God, but will you? It's been groaning and triggering in turns with bubbling out as a reflex of joy and gratitude.
I'm confused by prayer. I'm also in detox from an upbringing of "doing it right." eg, be careful what you pray for, don't ask in the wrong way for for the wrong things, no mistakes, etc. I feel lost and freed without my prayer-molds. I feel heard and abandoned.
I think prayer is an infinite, relational mystery that we've tried to shape into comprehensible equations.
I really appreciated your words this morning Shawn. I was just talking to my daughter about some hard things she is going through. She talked about borrowing hope from others when she does not have hope herself. I think prayer is the same way. We can borrow others’ prayers or trust others to carry us when we can’t carry ourselves. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Shawn for always remembering and writing about Linda. I miss her!!
Living in chaos, or chaos in living? Take your pick. Every day we’re presented with a “thing” and who we become is based on how we deal with the thing. I’m sorry it was your turn for a car accident yet I’m grateful that no one was seriously injured. Good luck dealing with the latest thing, and I hope it resolves well.