I saw a bouquet
of flowers huddled like friends
sharing a secret.
I saw a bouquet
of flowers huddled like friends
sharing a secret.
In stillness I sit
like an open, empty cup –
waiting to be filled.
It’s February 1, 2021. I haven’t been sharing my poetry, prayers and prose here in my blog for awhile. It has been a difficult November, December and January for me because of my husband’s hospitalizations. But I haven’t stopped writing using pen and paper. The act of writing has become a prayer. In my lowest moments, it helped to keep me afloat. Today I decided to come back to this online space and share some of what I have written in the past few months and hope it will bring some joy to you, my dear Reader.
Someone once encouraged me to find my voice. By voice I think the person meant who I am and how do I sound that is distinctively me. I didn’t really think about voice in that way. Yes, I love to talk, sing and listen to myself talk (ask my husband!). But I haven’t really spent time in self-reflection and listen more intentionally to who I am, especially as a writer. Today I gained more clarity about my voice, especially as a writer. The way I came to this recognition was in the midst of listening to a presentation of an author in the Writing For Your Life Conference. This was an online conference in November 2020. I was seated in our dining room viewing the presentation on my laptop. I had an epiphany: God has given me a joyful, “don’t-take-yourself-so-seriously,” earthy, “dance-in-the-rain person” voice, who sounds like a “faith-seeking- understanding” kind of woman-pastor academic willing to learn how to speak the languages beyond the confines of academia, exploring the many worlds that brim with wisdom and resisting the urge to be stuck in stale, overused words swarming online.
Our Good and Gracious God,
In this season of waiting, I pray that you will wait with me…
…in hope
…in peace
…with joy
and love.
I humbly pray that your holy, comforting presence keep watch with me
and my beloved who lays broken, waiting to be made whole.
Like Zechariah, may I embrace the silence of not knowing, with faith.
With Elizabeth, help me to have the courage to live through this season of waiting.
With Mary, lead me to a place in my heart that dares to sing with joy
in the midst of unanswered
questions.
In all these longings and pleas, may your Holy Spirit empower me and all I love
to be bold in claiming your gift of salvation, who came to us first as a tiny, fragile
baby, cradled in the hay of our humanity.
In the precious name of Yeshua. Emmanuel. Amen.
I saw a bouquet
of flowers huddled like friends
sharing a secret.
Almighty and merciful God,
It is the day after the election in this country whose motto is “In God we Trust.”
Help me and every citizen in this country to step back and reflect what it means
to truly trust in You. Help us to rely on your wisdom and to depend on you for
strength and hope to get through this time of waiting. May your love conquer our fears
and draw us closer to you, the source of all goodness and grace, and to each other.
Forgive us of our pride, our selfishness and lack of compassion especially for the weak
and vulnerable among us. Restore and heal our land, O God and raise up leaders
who are humble and willing to serve with sincerity and empathy. Help us not to look out
for our own selfish interests, instead renew our minds and hearts that we may look
beyond ourselves and see those in need, and realize that in caring for them, we are caring for
You. In the name of Jesus, who came to serve and not to be served. Amen.
The will of rivers
is like a prayer of faith
seeking for answers.
Eternal God,
I humbly ask for your gift of peace.
Help us to receive it with humility and grace.
Let not the evil and greed that threaten harmony among your children,
prevail.
Draw us to yourself and your love, that we may live with compassion
towards everyone, even those who do not share our views about
how things ought to be done.
Help us to realize that we can live and thrive
even with our differences if we only try to see that deep in our hearts
we all desire to care for those we love.
Hear our prayer, O God.
Have mercy on us, I pray. Amen.
Dear God,
A new day has begun. Once more, I can begin anew and be a channel of your grace in the world. Let me not be too busy to stop and breathe deeply and feel you life-giving Spirit in me. Help me to care for myself so that I may care for others with more energy and joy. Renew me from within that I may live each moment of this day with a fresh and vibrant resolve to serve you and others with humility and compassion.
I pray this in the name of Jesus, who is alive forevermore. Amen.