A Liturgy for Honoring the AND
Opening our hands to all life holds
I’m trying a new rhythm this year and that looks like moving slower and being more intentional with my time. As I looked ahead to this summer, I continually felt the nudges to “take a Sabbath” for the month of July. Being a mom of a handful of children, running a ministry, and being in a season of transition—that is easier said than done. So, I’m stepping back where I can, and Substack is one of those places. I am intentionally filling my soul in this season, so that I can continue to have the capacity to continue sharing with you here. I’ve invited some dear friends, some I’ve known for years, and some I’ve just recently met, to share with you for the month of July and I’m so excited for it. I pray you are blessed by their words and presence here!
It was over eight years ago that I showed up at
’s door—a complete stranger, ready to help her unpack boxes after just moving to the Nashville area. You could say the rest is history when it comes to our friendship journey, and I could not be more grateful to have her kind and compassionate voice in my life. When she recently joined the Substack world at The Contemplative Counselor , I was overjoyed that Substack will now get the honor of bearing witness to her beautiful, poetically-whimsical, and inviting words. I pray you are blessed by her beautiful offering today.A Liturgy for Honoring the AND
This moment, this breath, this life
is abundant with invitations to honor the AND
Grief AND hope
Lament AND laughter
Loss AND repair
What is life but holding the tension of suffering and redemption
God, Jesus, and tender Spirit
Help us see beyond and into
the path of mystery
where You dwell and work
This middle space of right here and not yet
The AND
Teach us to hold these experiences with attunement to your voice
Compassion for the parts that are broken, sad, and hurt
while grabbing hold of your hands that are
ever reaching
always holding
and securely steadying us to your unconditional presence
As we honor the AND
we give glory to You
for, You, triune God
connect light and dark with a whisper
Befriend this grief, dear one
For it’s in the honoring of being out of control
Where I am making all things new.
Amen.
Many thanks to
for sharing her heart on experiencing God today. As always, I’m grateful for your presence here, with us today.
Substack always offers their writers the option to open up for paid subscriptions. I know many writers on this platform offer this to their subscribers, but for me, I hope to always keep what I offer here in this space free of charge. My husband and I serve in support-based missions work in diaspora ministry, specifically in immigrant and refugee care. If you want to support my writing—you could give a one-time or recurring donation to our ministry and that would be a huge blessing.