The difference between "accept WHAT I cannot change" and "accept THAT I cannot change what’s happening" is huge. Thank you for that. There is so much that I simply can neither accept--or change. I once spent some time with a wise priest who said "Not even Jesus fixed everything, and he had the power. You. . . don't."
Nadia I want you to know I hear you and I feel you. Has anyone told you that you are an empath? That is why you feel all these things. It is okay to take a break from the craziness. If you need permission to do so I give you permission. Also I wanted you to know that I took a year off from the craziness that is Healthcare. This was before we new the seriousness of Covid. I take care of Women I am a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. I felt guilty but My talents are not where they needed people. Last Friday I got an email about a position to start vaccinating here in Jacksonville, Fl. That was something g I could do. Between my site and the other Jacksonville site we vaccinated over 7,000 65 and older people, healthcare workers a d first responders. In Israel 14 days after the vaccine transmission dropped by 50%. This is HOPE. The Capital incident is what happens when there is a person in the White House who is a bully and a toddler. I have faith and hope and LOVE for the people will win and the haters will hate but Love always wins. I believe that we are shifting into the fall of the patriarchy and the Matriarchy will come through. That doesn’t mean I do not like men. I do it is the blending of our feminine and out masculine blending and our feminine side will take over. Look at the women in power all over the world things are changing. New Zealand has no active cases and they are opening up. Their boarders are still closed but this also is HOPE. Thank you for your feelings and thoughts. I hope I have given you love and Hope
I don't usually come here and write anything, but knowing that there are people here who will pray, I ask your prayers for my son-in-law's father (B) and stepmother (S). B had a heart attack that would have been -- probably should have been; may well yet be? -- the widow maker, but fortunately he was at home and S was there to call 911. They've put in 2 stents, but he's on a breathing tube & they're going to use a cooling blanket to cool him to 33C & then warm him back up to jump start neurological functioning. I've never heard of that for a heart attack but I hope it works.
With the stress, S also started having heart palpitations and and they took her in her own ambulance. She was also admitted to the hospital; her overnight blood work showed signs of cardiac enzymes & they've done a work up on her too. And because of Covid, she is alone & so is B.
I'm terribly worried about both of them, especially B. So, I'm asking for prayers for B & S, and their children M & S; W & R and granddaughter A; N & T; and T.
Thank you to everybody who added him & the family to their prayer lists. Everything has worked out in the best way possible so far. No idea when he'll be coming home, but he WILL be coming home which we were uncertain about to begin with. TBTG.
“And there are people in my life who believe things I think are delusional”. So true - I pray for all deceived and the deceivers who are deceived. I pray for friends and family who believe to fellowship people must be in 100% agreement. I pray for my sibling who excommunicated me from family functions. I pray for friends who found it easier to end our friendship than face their own racism and fear as i began tutoring people of color.
I pray for the pastors who spread false teaching to people who are hurting and in need of truth. I ask God to break the holds that keep people working as prisoners in cult-like christianity where they believe one false move sends them to hell.
And I pray for my friend who suffers from real delusional psychosis and is in psych hospital trying to find medication that will stop the suffering.
Dear God in heaven - I am sorely in need of your mercy.
First, prayers for your cousin, and all who grieve. Then, thank you as always for your honesty and courage. A paraphrase from my favorite poet, T.S. Eliot, about "those who are only undefeated/ because they have gone on trying." And, from Richard Rohr's Friday meditation, quoting Beatrice Bruteau - "The deepest truth is our union with the Absolute, Infinite Being, with God. That’s the root of our reality. And it is from that root that my optimism is derived." I have to hold on to that, in the face of all this brutal insanity. We all have to be called back to this truth, remember that it resides even in the marauders in the Capital. To quote Dr. King, whom we'll remember tomorrow (and not just tomorrow, please God), "Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love drives out hate." Maybe it sounds laughably ineffective, but (a) the civil rights movement was one of the most effective in our history, and (b) what's the alternative? Do what you can. The next breath, the next step, the next batch of laundry. Keep praying; if it's honest, it's right, no matter how unserene.
"Courage to change the things I can". That means me. I can acknowledge that the message of Christ has been hijacked by white nationalism. I didn't cause that, but I haven't done anything to fight it. My church didn't cause that, but we haven't done anything to fight it. I have to own that.
I accept that the church in America has failed. We have allowed the media to use "evangelical" to refer to a political position, when it should refer to those who proclaim the message of Christ. We've stood by while "Christians" preached homophobia, racism and allegiance to Trump. I accept that I have been complicit. Being embarrassed, saying "Well, I'm not *that* kind of Christian", isn't good enough.
I accept the grace of God. I accept Christ's love. I accept that God has some part for me to perform, some task. When He tells me what to do, I'll do it to the best of my ability. Lord, have mercy.
I love your prayers. I love the way you say them, and the way they connect for me. I love you for sharing them in all their honesty and believability and rawness. Thank you for helping me form my own prayers the way I want to speak them.
I feel this so hard today. My adult kids are doing things that I can see will be tough to deal with over time. Today I am asking what is the most loving way I can keep showing up with them. Thanks for prayers--praying for everyone here, with love.
Sometimes there's just not enough vitamin D in the entire bottle... I always hope that struggling means I haven't quit trying... and the hope that the sun will prevail is what keeps me shoveling.
This is one of the most powerful Sunday prayers you have ever written!
It honestly speaks to the struggle of many of us who in trying to be faithful find ourselves any place other than at peace and accepting. I try each day to live within the verse that gives my life form, Micah 6:8, and that at times gets so hard.
You 'might not be getting the serenity prayer thing right', but you absolutely nailed the honesty, authenticity, and humility thing. And maybe that's what we all need a dose of right now. The peace will come. One day, unbidden and unexpected, you'll hear a whisper, feel a cooling, find the shade, and you will rest. Until then keep asking, keep telling. We are with you, we are for you. Peace.
Nadia, someone needs to point out the obvious about you and change. Your life has changed and is changing thousands of lives. These are changes you’ll never be able to measure (think butterfly effect), and most about which you’ll never become aware. I’m sorry to hear about your cousin being so ill. 😕 Impermanence is sadly beyond the human ability to change. It can make me feel powerless when confronted by it. Our lives have incredible power to change the world, even though current conditions may make it hard to feel that. I find the serenity prayer confusing. I like that it brings peace to so many, but I get too philosophical for it. The question of what we can and cannot change seems unanswerable. When I try too hard to find answers to the unanswerable, there is little peace, just anxiety. Peace...🙏🏻❤️
The difference between "accept WHAT I cannot change" and "accept THAT I cannot change what’s happening" is huge. Thank you for that. There is so much that I simply can neither accept--or change. I once spent some time with a wise priest who said "Not even Jesus fixed everything, and he had the power. You. . . don't."
Thank you for sharing the wisdom of your priest.
Agreed.
Trying to find serenity thinking about Jesus being a really good carpenter and not a politician.
Try some "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne
Nadia I want you to know I hear you and I feel you. Has anyone told you that you are an empath? That is why you feel all these things. It is okay to take a break from the craziness. If you need permission to do so I give you permission. Also I wanted you to know that I took a year off from the craziness that is Healthcare. This was before we new the seriousness of Covid. I take care of Women I am a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. I felt guilty but My talents are not where they needed people. Last Friday I got an email about a position to start vaccinating here in Jacksonville, Fl. That was something g I could do. Between my site and the other Jacksonville site we vaccinated over 7,000 65 and older people, healthcare workers a d first responders. In Israel 14 days after the vaccine transmission dropped by 50%. This is HOPE. The Capital incident is what happens when there is a person in the White House who is a bully and a toddler. I have faith and hope and LOVE for the people will win and the haters will hate but Love always wins. I believe that we are shifting into the fall of the patriarchy and the Matriarchy will come through. That doesn’t mean I do not like men. I do it is the blending of our feminine and out masculine blending and our feminine side will take over. Look at the women in power all over the world things are changing. New Zealand has no active cases and they are opening up. Their boarders are still closed but this also is HOPE. Thank you for your feelings and thoughts. I hope I have given you love and Hope
I don't usually come here and write anything, but knowing that there are people here who will pray, I ask your prayers for my son-in-law's father (B) and stepmother (S). B had a heart attack that would have been -- probably should have been; may well yet be? -- the widow maker, but fortunately he was at home and S was there to call 911. They've put in 2 stents, but he's on a breathing tube & they're going to use a cooling blanket to cool him to 33C & then warm him back up to jump start neurological functioning. I've never heard of that for a heart attack but I hope it works.
With the stress, S also started having heart palpitations and and they took her in her own ambulance. She was also admitted to the hospital; her overnight blood work showed signs of cardiac enzymes & they've done a work up on her too. And because of Covid, she is alone & so is B.
I'm terribly worried about both of them, especially B. So, I'm asking for prayers for B & S, and their children M & S; W & R and granddaughter A; N & T; and T.
Thank you.
Prayers
Thank you to everybody who added him & the family to their prayer lists. Everything has worked out in the best way possible so far. No idea when he'll be coming home, but he WILL be coming home which we were uncertain about to begin with. TBTG.
“And there are people in my life who believe things I think are delusional”. So true - I pray for all deceived and the deceivers who are deceived. I pray for friends and family who believe to fellowship people must be in 100% agreement. I pray for my sibling who excommunicated me from family functions. I pray for friends who found it easier to end our friendship than face their own racism and fear as i began tutoring people of color.
I pray for the pastors who spread false teaching to people who are hurting and in need of truth. I ask God to break the holds that keep people working as prisoners in cult-like christianity where they believe one false move sends them to hell.
And I pray for my friend who suffers from real delusional psychosis and is in psych hospital trying to find medication that will stop the suffering.
Dear God in heaven - I am sorely in need of your mercy.
First, prayers for your cousin, and all who grieve. Then, thank you as always for your honesty and courage. A paraphrase from my favorite poet, T.S. Eliot, about "those who are only undefeated/ because they have gone on trying." And, from Richard Rohr's Friday meditation, quoting Beatrice Bruteau - "The deepest truth is our union with the Absolute, Infinite Being, with God. That’s the root of our reality. And it is from that root that my optimism is derived." I have to hold on to that, in the face of all this brutal insanity. We all have to be called back to this truth, remember that it resides even in the marauders in the Capital. To quote Dr. King, whom we'll remember tomorrow (and not just tomorrow, please God), "Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love drives out hate." Maybe it sounds laughably ineffective, but (a) the civil rights movement was one of the most effective in our history, and (b) what's the alternative? Do what you can. The next breath, the next step, the next batch of laundry. Keep praying; if it's honest, it's right, no matter how unserene.
"Courage to change the things I can". That means me. I can acknowledge that the message of Christ has been hijacked by white nationalism. I didn't cause that, but I haven't done anything to fight it. My church didn't cause that, but we haven't done anything to fight it. I have to own that.
I accept that the church in America has failed. We have allowed the media to use "evangelical" to refer to a political position, when it should refer to those who proclaim the message of Christ. We've stood by while "Christians" preached homophobia, racism and allegiance to Trump. I accept that I have been complicit. Being embarrassed, saying "Well, I'm not *that* kind of Christian", isn't good enough.
I accept the grace of God. I accept Christ's love. I accept that God has some part for me to perform, some task. When He tells me what to do, I'll do it to the best of my ability. Lord, have mercy.
sorry, beating a dead horse, but how 'bout replacing that word "accept" with the words "cope with" ?
Once again, your prayers have said what's in our hearts. I cold especially identify with your words about donating and not helping Jeff Bezos. 😊
I love your prayers. I love the way you say them, and the way they connect for me. I love you for sharing them in all their honesty and believability and rawness. Thank you for helping me form my own prayers the way I want to speak them.
I feel this so hard today. My adult kids are doing things that I can see will be tough to deal with over time. Today I am asking what is the most loving way I can keep showing up with them. Thanks for prayers--praying for everyone here, with love.
Sometimes there's just not enough vitamin D in the entire bottle... I always hope that struggling means I haven't quit trying... and the hope that the sun will prevail is what keeps me shoveling.
Will keep your cousin in my prayers.
Nadia
This is one of the most powerful Sunday prayers you have ever written!
It honestly speaks to the struggle of many of us who in trying to be faithful find ourselves any place other than at peace and accepting. I try each day to live within the verse that gives my life form, Micah 6:8, and that at times gets so hard.
Thank you
You 'might not be getting the serenity prayer thing right', but you absolutely nailed the honesty, authenticity, and humility thing. And maybe that's what we all need a dose of right now. The peace will come. One day, unbidden and unexpected, you'll hear a whisper, feel a cooling, find the shade, and you will rest. Until then keep asking, keep telling. We are with you, we are for you. Peace.
Nadia, someone needs to point out the obvious about you and change. Your life has changed and is changing thousands of lives. These are changes you’ll never be able to measure (think butterfly effect), and most about which you’ll never become aware. I’m sorry to hear about your cousin being so ill. 😕 Impermanence is sadly beyond the human ability to change. It can make me feel powerless when confronted by it. Our lives have incredible power to change the world, even though current conditions may make it hard to feel that. I find the serenity prayer confusing. I like that it brings peace to so many, but I get too philosophical for it. The question of what we can and cannot change seems unanswerable. When I try too hard to find answers to the unanswerable, there is little peace, just anxiety. Peace...🙏🏻❤️
This just spoke to exactly how I feel about the world right now and what I CAN do to make it better for myself.