Beautiful. Thank you. I am crying right now and so thankful for the permission. Also, this is so lovely—"Maybe we should stop and recognize that tending a garden, writing in a journal, slowly sipping coffee, laughing with our friends, marveling at a spider’s web, are all embodiments of prayer, all portals to the divine."
Thanks for this! I love this version of the Sara Groves song. The words are beautiful, and the musicians are top-notch. I listened to another version by her that did not appeal to me. Maybe it was too sounding? Not sure.
What wonderful words, insights and wisdom you offer, Kaitlin. Welcome back from Ireland and for bringing some of its spirit with you. Like so very often, your words inspire, lighten and comfort me. Thank you!
Kaitlin, I am just now sitting down to read and reflect on your words. I was brought up first Missionary Baptist and then Southern Baptist (and they we thought were liberal after being ABA and BMA Missionary Baptist). But anyway, my relationship with religion and prayer was very much fear based; very much wanting to say the right thing ("sinner's prayer", anyone? cover the major points; I got saved a LOT), and my intrusive thinking, obsessive compulsive rituals, and so much more can be traced back to those early years in the church. But I digress. I am still actively deconstructing but searching and wanting to believe. I may come back to the prompt in a bit because I would like to explore it further! Thank you for this series!
Thank you for this grounding practice amidst the chaos of our times. Grateful to have found your writing this morning ❤️.
Beautiful. Thank you. I am crying right now and so thankful for the permission. Also, this is so lovely—"Maybe we should stop and recognize that tending a garden, writing in a journal, slowly sipping coffee, laughing with our friends, marveling at a spider’s web, are all embodiments of prayer, all portals to the divine."
Kaitlin, your beautiful words are making me tear up on a Thursday afternoon. Thank you for this.
And Happy Book Birthday!!!
Thanks for this! I love this version of the Sara Groves song. The words are beautiful, and the musicians are top-notch. I listened to another version by her that did not appeal to me. Maybe it was too sounding? Not sure.
What wonderful words, insights and wisdom you offer, Kaitlin. Welcome back from Ireland and for bringing some of its spirit with you. Like so very often, your words inspire, lighten and comfort me. Thank you!
I choose to reflect on the praying I did as a child an a teenager and how it affected me.
Prayer started out so simply,
God bless and please forgive,
And always ended with “in Jesus’s name.”
In time it was more scripted,
The classic “sinner’s prayer,”
The sure fire one way ticket out of hell.
Then came intrusive thinking,
What if I said things wrong,
Or offered prayers to other deities?
Far from blessed assurance,
Anxiety and fear,
Joined to guide the prayers of my youth.
Kaitlin, I am just now sitting down to read and reflect on your words. I was brought up first Missionary Baptist and then Southern Baptist (and they we thought were liberal after being ABA and BMA Missionary Baptist). But anyway, my relationship with religion and prayer was very much fear based; very much wanting to say the right thing ("sinner's prayer", anyone? cover the major points; I got saved a LOT), and my intrusive thinking, obsessive compulsive rituals, and so much more can be traced back to those early years in the church. But I digress. I am still actively deconstructing but searching and wanting to believe. I may come back to the prompt in a bit because I would like to explore it further! Thank you for this series!