Before I was...

Tonight I am writing from a place I have called “home” for many years. Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley WV. This is the place where I attended church camp and in later years counselled and directed those same camps. It is a Holy place for me even though it is not a “church” camp. This time I am here in a slightly different capacity. A daughter come home, not a wayward wanderer but a child of God who was given both roots and wings in the most sacred of ways in the most sacred of places. I am here in this place as the keynote speaker for the WV Disciples Women’s Spiritual Life Retreat. I am in awe, and I’m not sure why, at how the Spirit of God has been at work these past few days.

I should back up, before arriving here Friday afternoon I spent a whirlwind weekend in Kansas City celebrating the marriage of dear friends, I stayed up way to late with one of my oldest, closest, bestest friend talking about life even though we already know everything about each other’s lives, and I spent time (more time I should say) with the Sister’s of St Joseph in Wheeling. All the while preparing my heart and soul and mind and WORDS for this weekend’s festivities.

I had my powerpoint slides ready, so I thought. I had my script written, so I thought. I was ready for this weekend, so I thought.

I stand up in front of people weekly and pray or preach or speak the words of institution and never feel nervous. Until the last verse of the last song of the gathering songs, I didn’t feel nervous. Some of them are likely reading this now because I know they follow this blog and they are thinking “I didn’t think she was nervous”. I was, but it didn’t last long. Because as I started speaking to these women I remembered they love me and care about me and support no matter what I do-partly because I am “from them” they raised me and taught me and loved me before I knew what God was calling me to do and be. But I also remembered that and care for me and support me because before I was (part of them) I was a child of God.

As we have worked through the weekend together learning about deepening our prayer lives and in turn deepening our relationship with God I reminded them over and over our deepest connection was instilled in us at our birth, before we became daughters and mothers and sisters and aunties and friends and and and…we were child of God the most high.

I’ll just let you sit with that for a moment or two…before I was fill in your own blank. I was a child of God.

Week Seven (WV Women’s Retreat)

Hope for the week: I hope that I am able to live this week in such a way that my heart reflects the heart of God who made me. 

Is there an Answer (last week’s question): How will I allow God to change me this week?

I watched from a distance tragedy strike several places (families, friends, and a community) where I could physically do nothing to offer support. Because of my own boundaries I had to choose what to do and how to do it…I chose to sit in silent prayer for those I couldn’t sit beside at funeral services. I chose to light a candle for lives lost unexpectedly because I know what it feels like to not have the chance to say goodbye. I chose to do these things with no way to share them (until now). I don't know if God changed me but God reminded me many times that the same Spirit that is embracing me is also embracing those I can’t, even though I so desperately wish I could.

Question of the Week:    Will I practice what I “preached” to the women of WV? (see prayer below)

Thought for the week:  Is it possible to add 10 more days to the month of September? No…it can only have 30, ok if that’s how it has to be.

I invite you to join me daily in the Prayer for the week: This week’s prayer is a little different than the others. I encourage you to begin each day, as your feet are hitting the floor, by saying “I AM a Child of God and THIS is as good as it gets!” (There is nothing greater than reminding yourself who you are first thing in the morning- am I right??!!?)

Then I want you to take just a few minutes (before or after your coffee whatever suits you better) and P.R.A.Y

◦         Pause(take a moment to check in with God)

◦         Reflect(on the past few hours, days, weeks, years, or a particular situation in your life)

◦         Awareness(take a deep breath, close your eyes, come into the awareness of God’s presence)

◦         Yield(to the moment, let God in and see what happens)

Say Amen when you are ready and go out into the world reminded that before you were fill in your own job/role for the day you were a child of God.

                                                Blessings and grace, Andrea