Archive for the ‘prayer’ Category

All Saints Day

November 1st, 2010

Today is All Saints Day, a day when we are called to remember all the saints, known and unknown, who have gone before us. Honestly All Saints Day has never meant much to me in the past. It was just the day after Halloween and I didn’t think much about it. But, this morning as I drank my tea and watched my son play, I started to meditate a bit on All Saints Day.

There is something very encouraging about remembering all of the many people who have followed God before me. They were in some ways normal people just like me, many of them had the same struggles that I have, and I imagine that some of them even had the same doubts that plague me. But, they pressed on and by faith obeyed and followed God. That is very encouraging to me. So, today I celebrate All Saints Day and thank God for the Saints who have walked before me to show me the way.

Prayer for All Saints Day:

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
you have called many by faith and they have followed.
May we lean into their example and follow you into the unknown.

God of Moses and all the Isrealites,
in your strength many have chosen to shun the pleasures of sin and the treasures of the world.
May their example encourage us to seek first your kingdom, the only kingdom that truly lasts.

God of the judges,
through your wisdom many have sought after and fought for justice.
May we fearlessly follow their example and do the same.

God of prophets and prostitutes,
you come to the powerful and the broken alike, once touched each speaks your truth bravely.
May we remember from their example that your presence levels the playing field and brings truth to all areas of darkness.

God of the disciples,
you stirred hearts and men left everything they had ever known before to be near you.
May we see their example and chase hard after you.

God of all the saints, both known and unknown,
in faith many have given up all they had, to gain what could never be taken away.
in faith many have left their homes, to seek their true home with you.
in faith many have praised you through trials, tribulations and heartache, because they know your love.
In faith many have loved when they could have hated, fought for justice when they could have walked away, and spoken up when they could have remained silent.
in faith many have accepted persecution, mistreatment, and even death.
May their example be for us a light in all our dark places causing us to cling to you in all things just as they have done before us.

God of All,
You have surrounded us by a great cloud of witnesses,
we are not alone and many have walked the paths we now walk.
We thank you for each of them and pray that you would be near to us just as you have been near to them.

Amen.

If you are interested in another prayer for All Saints Day here is a truly wonderful prayer for All Saints Day written by the wonderful Christine Sine.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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Love and Fear Dance Together

September 14th, 2010

Today I read this post on Christine Sine’s blog. It was a great post and a wonderful addition to the recent synchroblog on Christianity and Immigration. At the end she quoted this poem by Michael Leuniq:

“There are only two feelings
Love and fear
There are only two languages
Love and fear
There are only two activities
Love and fear
There are only two motives,
two procedures, two frameworks,
two results.
Love and fear
Love and fear.”

As soon as I read this I had this picture in my head of love and fear dancing together. I thought about the Christian life as being a journey from fear to love. There’s a long phase of the journey where love hasn’t totally conquered fear yet, and so they dance together for a while. Sometimes love leads, and sometimes fear leads, but hopefully over the course of the journey love leads more and more often until one day fear is completely transformed and Love is all there is. I’ve been sitting with this picture all day.

Here’s a little something I wrote in response to all these thoughts:

Lord, I reach out to you in my darkness and there is fear.

I speak to you in my pain and there is fear.

In me is fear, around me is fear, from me is fear.

I am fear.

But, Lord, you reach out to me in my darkness and there is love.

You speak to me in my pain and there is love.

In you is love, around you is love, from you is love.

You are love.

Perfect love drives out all fear.

You come

And your love begins to dance with my fear.

And slowly, ever so slowly

Fear is driven out by love’s dance.

And you begin to whisper,

“Come, and do likewise!

Reach out your hand in love towards those in darkness

Speak out in love towards those in pain

Drive out fear from all places where it has made its home.

Be love to the other, as I have been love to you.”

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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Yoga and Prayer: In the Beginning

May 20th, 2010

Almost two years ago I started leading a group of friends in yoga once a week or so. I casually called it Yoga and Prayer, and I often wrote about the routines on this blog. Soon after that I entered a yoga teacher training program. It was so stretching for me (in more ways than one). I had tentatively dreamed about teaching actual yoga classes once the training program was over. But, I found out I was pregnant just as the program was ending and in the whirl wind of that surprise my short-lived experience with leading yoga ended. I was overwhelmed by pregnancy and life and I stopped leading my friends in yoga. As my pregnancy developed my own yoga practice suffered more and more, until it completely stopped after my son was born.

But, recently old longings have once again stirred in my heart… and before I knew it I was inviting a group of women to come and practice yoga with me once again. I planned out a schedule for the next 6 weeks and we will be doing yoga and praying through various themes each time. Today was the first one, so our theme was “In the Beginning” and we focused on correct alignment and foundation work for a few of the most common yoga postures. Three women showed up and they were each so beautifully gracious to allow me to lead them in this.

So, here’s our routine from today. It’s a simple routine, and we took it very slowly – really working on each posture intentionally. The quotes are what I read during the time. We also played Sigur Ros () in the background.


Yoga and Prayer: In the Beginning

Easy Pose

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was [a] formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Creator God, we come to you this day recognizing our formlessness. Our emptiness, our darkness. We need you. Spirit, come anew and hover over the formlessness, emptiness, and darkness in our own hearts and souls.

Gentle neck stretches

Cat Pose/Cow Pose

Child’s pose

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Lord, you call out light into the darkness and light appears. You speak and it comes into being. Spirit, speak! Speak light into our lives.

Mountain pose

Forward Fold

Downward facing dog – knees bent and walk feet in place (i.e. “walk the dog”)

Sphinx

“Everything was created through him;
nothing – not one thing! -
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out…
The Life-Light was the real thing;
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.

Jesus, you are the true light and life. We choose this day to enter into your life – the abundant, real, resurrection life of your kingdom.

Downward facing dog

Locust

Downward facing dog – straighten knees if able

Mountain

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.

Creator God, you spoke ALL things into existence. All is yours. We recognize that the world we live in and the people we come in contact with are yours. Spirit, we recognize your authority over all living things.

Chair

Mountain

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [c]
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Warrior I (on the right side)

Mountain

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, [b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

Warrior I (on the left side)

Mountain

Lord, you are a good creator. You don’t make mistakes. You have shaped us from the clay into your image. Each of us bears the imprint of God. We are beautifully and wonderfully made! What an honor and a priviledge that you have created us so intimately.

Warrior II (on the right side)

Mountain

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[f] your evil behavior. 22But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

Warrior II (on the left side)

Mountain

Creator God, you have created us in your image, but we have blemished your name. You gave us great calling, but we have turned away from you. But, you don’t leave us! You never forsake us! Once we were alienated from God, but now you have called us friends again. This day we choose to align ourselves once again with you. Jesus, make us into new creations – filled with your Spirit and aligned with your kingdom.

Triangle (on the right side)

Mountain

Triangle (on the left side)

Mountain

Hero pose

Child’s pose

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Lord, we praise you and thank you for you have made us new and you continue to make us into new creations every day.

Twists (a few basic seated and reclining twists)

Savasana (corpse pose)

I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus… And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.

Easy Pose

Bee’s Breath

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

Amen.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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Fresh Eggs

April 27th, 2010

IMG_4719About a month ago we started ordering fresh free range eggs from a local farm. Well, actually we order them from The Pub at Sir Toby’s Hostel and they order them fresh from a farm. Anyway, I have loved getting these eggs. I even love that when I get them they are usually really dirty.

When I first get them I usually spend a good amount of time washing them – not with soap or anything, but I gently rub them with my fingers while running hot water over them. I’m not sure if this is something I really should or shouldn’t do, but I just don’t like the idea of putting them in my fridge that dirty. And each time that I’ve washed the eggs it feels somehow like a very sacred act.

There has been something very beautiful to me about gently rubbing the dirt away from these fragile little eggs. As I thought about this very basic and common activity today, I prayed this prayer:

Lord, there is so much in my life that feels fragile right now. There are IMG_4728so many dreams and desires and abilities that feel like fragile little eggs. There is so much potential there for life and for nourishment, but there is also dirt. There is much that is hidden in the bushes, covered by dirt. And there is much that is covered with the dirt of my own selfishness. Lord, would you reach down and find the hidden dreams, desires and abilities that need to flourish and clean them off? Would you find the eggs in my life that need to be nurtured so that they can grow to maturity, and the ones that need to be killed so that they can nourish other activities? I need your gentle hands, Lord. I need your help. Much in me feels fragile and easily broken. Be gentle, be kind. Wash me clean. Amen.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany

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Two Prayers for Two Very Different Days

March 30th, 2010

I have a confession… sometimes I hate being a mom. Sometimes I feel totally lost and like the worst mom ever. Sometimes I feel totally selfish and just want to “send him back”. Yesterday was one of those days. This is the prayer I wrote at the end of it…

Lord, forgive me for the ugliness of my own heart.

Forgive me for the resentment I can harbor in my heart towards my precious child.

Forgive me for the anger that can well up so quickly from nowhere even towards one so young, helpless, and innocent.

Forgive me for the deep selfishness that so often lifts its head to threaten my intimacy with my beautiful baby.

Teach me to love my child even when his needs, demands, and fussing keeps me from those things which I both need and want.

Teach me to love my child when he cries all through the night and keeps me from much needed sleep.

Teach me to love my child even when his whining and crying keeps me from doing those things which I think I “have” to do – like the dishes, or keeping the house clean, or getting the laundry done, or responding to emails.

Teach me to love my child when he kicks me, pulls my hair, and aggressively pushes me away when I am holding him – it’s not personal.

Teach me to love my child even when his desire for my constant presence and attention keep me from pursuing my own hobbies and interests.

Teach me to love my child even when I can’t ever finish anything I start.

Teach me to love my child even when he won’t go down for naps and I have little to no break.

Give me new vision for this little person that has been entrusted to me.

Place a new passion on my heart for the gift of life that I hold in my arms.

Give me patience for those moments when I feel lost and confused.

Give me peace and encouragement for those times when I feel like the worst mother ever.

Give me endurance for the sleepless nights and the long days of endless chores and monotonous activity.

Teach me to find joy in reading simple board books over and over again.

Teach me to find joy in being constantly chewed and sucked on whether it’s my finger, breast, arm, elbow, shoulder or chin, or whatever.

Teach me to find joy in narrating my actions, singing silly songs like the itsy bitsy spider, dangling toys just out of reach, and generally entertaining my baby however I can.

Teach me to find joy in holding my child even when my arms ache and my back is sore.

Teach me to find joy in the constant noise and the loss of the silence which I used to enjoy.

Teach me to find joy in being my child’s own personal jungle gym.

And when I need it most bring me rest.

I can’t do it on my own. Change me, Lord. Teach me to find peace and joy and identity in my new role as mother. Bring new life and rejuvenation. Resurrect me.

Amen.

I have another confession to make… sometimes I really love being a mom. Sometimes I feel totally fulfilled by simply taking care of my child and my husband. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the amount of love and affection I can feel towards my baby. Sometimes I feel like I have it all figured out. Today was one of those sometimes. Here is my prayer today…

Thank you, Lord, for being present with me in the mundane details of my day today.

Thank you for bringing sleep to my sons heavy eyes so that I could rest and work.

Thank you for giving me motivation and creativity so that I could get things done while still being intimately with my child.

Thank you for giving me ways to entertain him at just the right moments when I felt like I was completely out of ideas.

Thank you for a productive and positive day – a day when my hands worked hard, and my back ached, but I can now look around and feel proud of what I accomplished.

Thank you for giving me this day my daily bread – for meeting my needs right where I was.

But, Lord, I know that today was a good day only because of your grace to me.

I thank you for it, yet I know that I still stand on fragile ground.

I still need you… desperately.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring. Who knows what tonight will bring.

Whatever you choose to send, I am choosing now to accept it from your hands.

I trust that you know what’s best for me.

I trust that you know what’s best for my son.

I trust that you know what’s best for my family.

And I trust that you will meet our needs, at exactly the moment we need you to.

Lord, I need you.

I need you to continually speak sweet encouragement to me as I struggle to figure out what it looks like to mother well.

I need you to continually make me less self centered and more selfless so that I can gladly meet the needs of my child without resentment.

I need you to continually bring me days of rest and nights when my baby will sleep, because when my body is fatigued my mind and soul are hard pressed to meet each days demands.

I need you to show me what is really required of me so that I don’t heap unneeded guilt upon my own shoulders or the shoulders of those around me.

Today I rejoice over a good day, and over how far you have brought me from the place I was in yesterday.

But, today I also recognize that I still have a long way to go and tomorrow is another day.

So, again I pray…

I can’t do it on my own. Change me, Lord. Teach me to find peace and joy and identity in my new role as mother. Bring new life and rejuvenation. Resurrect me.

Amen.
Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

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