Search Results for: shame

The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. Love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 30: 14, 19 Many of us have only known prayer to be a one way conversation. We talk and God listens. But prayer is meant to be a two way conversation. Sometimes we talk. And sometimes we listen. It is true that the biblical text urges us … [Read more...] about Listening as Prayer

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Matthew 14: 22-23 Sometimes prayer is a kind of solitude. It is allowing ourselves to be alone with God. According to the Gospels, Jesus went out of his way to find solitude. Sometimes he got up … [Read more...] about Experiencing Solitude as Prayer

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. Psalm 20:1 Blessing others with our words and with our actions is a powerful form of prayer. When we express gratitude, we offer the prayer of blessing. When we affirm the gifts and the good we see in another person we offer the prayer of blessing. When we envision a hopeful future, we offer the prayer … [Read more...] about Blessing Others as Prayer

Give me the grace to care without neglecting my needs, the humility to assist without rescuing, the kindness to be clear without being cold, the mercy to be angry without rejecting, the prudence to disclose without disrespecting my privacy, the humor to admit human failings without experiencing shame, the compassion to give freely, fully, without selfish ambition or pride. —— In your … [Read more...] about Give Me the Grace

I sat holding myself as a child. Yet not a child at all, but a monster, unrecognizable as human. You came, Jesus, and stretched out your hand. “Ah,” I thought, “You will heal this child.” I looked at you, your hand reaching, your eyes twinkling. You were an artist at play. But your hand did not touch the monster child. Instead, you touched my adult eyes so I could see. So I could see this one on … [Read more...] about I Was Blind But Now I See

You gazed at me, inviting me to gaze back into the ocean of your love. It was unbearable. I could not sustain a gaze. Only glances. Your love fell in waves against my shame and fear and pride, carrying away small segments a little at a time. It felt like certain death. And so it was. Little by little I died. I thought there would be nothing left. But you knew the seed of life you had once formed … [Read more...] about Your Gaze

“I know things aren’t perfect,” she said as an aside, judging the imperfections she observed by harsh standards she holds herself and others to. The wonder, that I noticed with quiet celebration, Lord, was my ability to embrace this truth with gratitude. Not perfect. Yes. But no shame. Only quiet joy. Messy. Healing still. Not perfect. Yet perfectly loved by you. And resting in this, the deepest … [Read more...] about Perfectly Loved

“You gave it me!?” “You gave it me!? Tanks!” Two years old, opening gifts from under the Christmas tree. Throwing his arms around us, his whole weight into us. Responding to each gift in gratitude’s full joy. Receiving. Free of worry or shame or hesitation. Receiving fully, the gift, the giver, the love. Giving back in the same moment as he took it all in. Fully, spontaneously giving himself, his … [Read more...] about Receiving

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23 Throughout my experience with cancer I often prayed to be given the grace to be vulnerable. Sometimes I was granted this gift, but sometimes—I … [Read more...] about Make Amends

I am with you always. Matthew 28:20 There was a very real sense in which breast cancer was not something that was just happening to me. It was happening to everyone in my life. But there was also a very real sense in which it was only happening to me. No one else was going through exactly what I was going through. Our suffering is always uniquely ours. I was the one who was facing surgery. I was … [Read more...] about Know You Are Not Alone