The day after the Ascension, Mary of Magdala thought she glimpsed Jesus, in the market. Out of the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she saw the light tan of his robe, a flicker of movement that her heart recognized. When she turned to look more directly, all she saw were strangers all… Read More
Friday Prayer
I will enter your house with burnt offerings and will pay you my vows— those that I promised with my lips and spoke with my mouth when I was in trouble. – Psalm 66:13-14 To the Heavenly Accounting Department: I am checking in on the status of my account. I am have lost track of my number of… Read More
Friday Prayer
Holy God- Into your hands I commit the spirit of Ahmaud Arbery, that he may rest in peace and rise in power. Into your hands I commit the spirits of his family, his friends, his community, and all who knew him and loved him. Into your hands I commit the spirits of the people who… Read More
Friday Prayer
Look, Lord, I just don’t have it in me to put the words in order. I’ve got a prayer in me. If you could search it out and answer it, I would be grateful. Amen. The Reverend Julia Seymour serves Big Timber Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Big Timber, MT. She blogs at lutheranjulia.blogspot.com and readsallthethings.com. She contributed to There’s… Read More
Monday Prayer
Friends, today’s Monday Prayer is brought to you by mood swings! In the past few days my mood has swung back and forth. From excitement and energy to total lethargy and deep melancholy it feels like I have gone through a dictionary of emotions… Thus, my prayer today comes from this evening’s mood (it is… Read More
Friday Prayer
Out of the depths, I cry to you- The depths of my anxiety. The depths of my grief. The depths of my frustration. The depths of my pain. The depths of my fear. Out of the depths, I cry to you- For those who are exhausted. For those who are sick. For those who have… Read More
Friday Prayer: When We See the Lord
Oh, Lord, how do we see you and minister to you? When you do not hoard resources, but make sure the enough that exists is shared- you minister to me. When you spoke the truth about what is and remained calm about what could be- you minister to me. When you prepare food for those… Read More
Friday Prayer: Count Them As Righteous
God of all people- You counted Abram’s trust in you as righteous character. And you blessed him. Even when he acted like a fool- endangering Sarah, using and misusing Hagar, rejecting Ishmael, bargaining for Sodom and Gomorrah- you still saw his ultimate trust in you and you counted him as a righteous person. I know… Read More
Friday Prayer: Sustain me, please
Dear God- It feels like another day- one more list of things to do, one more attempt to be mindful, a few more meals, reminders of what I haven’t accomplished. I hate to let any time go by without recognizing the beauty of the world, the possibilities of hope, the grace of moments. Unfortunately, though,… Read More
Friday Prayer: The Small Hours of the Soul
3 a.m. is an unholy hour. Not because God is absent, but because in the exhaustion of the soul, Idols creep in, hauling their own plinths behind them. The petty gods of anxiety and frustration fight over the floorspace of your mind While slinky griefs and self-doubt drape themselves cunningly in the most conspicuous places.… Read More
