Thursday, May 30, 2019

Dear God,

Tonight we rose to the level of heaven as we gathered together as one people to worship, praise and give you thanks for dozens of newly committed catechumens.  Prepared to give their lives afresh to your son, we laid our hands on them to pray for your blessing.  As one body we soared on the wings of your spirit.

It is true when your people come together, your spirit comes enlivening us for praise.  We sang songs in Spanish and English, remembering we are different and yet the same.  We listened to the word from Acts and Luke.  We reveled in the retelling of the stories of faith.  We knew once again why we have faith and live it in daily life.

But the one high holy moment was when my daughter Jennifer stepped out of her pew and into the arms of Jesus for her blessing.  I remember giving birth to her, listening to her first cry and whispering a prayer to her and for her in her first minutes of life.  This wonderful woman of 48 whispered her own prayer of faith as she bowed and waited for the blessing.  I felt my own faith rise higher and higher as I observed Jesus lay his hands on her head and pray.

Holy and Wondrous God,
thank you
for the gift
of faith,
for the beauty
of worship
and the joy
of Holy Communion.
Thank you
for my Jenni
and her ministry
of love.
Thank you
for touching us all tonight.

Love always, Andrea

 

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Dear God,

Every Wednesday we search for faith, meaning and purpose.  We seek you in the midst of our lives.  We look for signs of your presence and we present our lives to you for examination, wisdom and mercy.

For thirty years we have sought your face, your love and your grace.  We have wanted to advance our spiritual understanding so we may live lives that model your way in the world.  Our covenant group of four has had staying power because we invested in you and one another.  Faith is our way of life and more than anything we want you at the center of our group life as well as our individual lives.

How many times have we witnessed miracles and healing?  How many times have we felt your challenge and correction?  How many times have we experienced your grace, compassion and insight?  So many, many times, O Lord, all because you are with us, speaking to us, inspiring us, laughing with us and crying with us, revitalizing us, reconstructing us and renewing us.  All this is your work, the work of grace, of faith and most of all, of love.

We are grateful
for your presence
in our lives,
Holy One.
You are our
All in All.
We thank you
for your
constant love
and gracious mercy.
We give ourselves
to you again
with exceeding gratitude.

Love, Andrea

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Dear God,

How can it be that dead, brown grass can be green and luscious again?  How can barren trees boast life one more time?  How can flowers that were nowhere to be seen suddenly reappear?  It is you, O Lord, it is you who creates and recreates and makes new.

It is so with us, is it not, Great God?  We can become lifeless and nearly dead and yet, you can raise us up one more time.  We too need transformation, a rebirth in your spirit.  When we turn to sources that do not give living water or spiritual food, we wither.  We need you, O Lord; we need your power to revive us, to fill us with your life-giving food and drink.  We too want to live again!

Holy God,
source of
all power,
you are
the only God
who cares
for us.
We turn
to you
for help,
for renewal
and new life.
Only you
can give it.

Love, Andrea

Monday, May 27, 2019

Dearest God,

We had not seen them in almost 25 years.  When we did we literally fell into each other's arms.

Six months ago a few of us cousins joined together at my cousin's home in Tipton.  We talked and shared together family memories.  My cousin lamented the fact that she had not seen her two sisters for years because of some kind of conflict.  I told her I would pray and so I did every day.  Two weeks ago Annie called me and told me through her daughter-in-law and niece, a gathering was planned at her home.  "Your prayers are coming true, Andy, won't you come and join us?"  She said.  "Oh my gosh, absolutely I will be there."  I replied.

Just as we were getting ready to leave after a five-hour stay, one of the sister's told me how she had longed to be with her "missing" sisters but could never figure out why they didn't get together.  Four sisters with longing for each other at the right time in the right place came together because you drew them together after so long and what a reunion it was!  It was your work, Lord, your work.

Thank you,
Blessed God,
for the gift
of family.
Thank you
for bringing us together.
We are blessed...again.

Love, Andy

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Dear God,

We wanted to attend worship but we had to be on our way to Goshen, a three-hour drive away for our granddaughter's graduation.  So along the way we looked for a church who was having worship.  Finally, we drove into Main Street United Methodist Church in Peru because worship was to begin in five minutes.  It was strange to make our way into the pew with just eleven other people.  But, as we came to realize, it was the dwelling place where we were supposed to be.

As we stood and sang familiar hymns, participated in the prayers and then listened to the pastor's message, we both knew you had been waiting for us to arrive in this old downtown church.  "Sometimes we are guilty of making God in our own image instead of allowing God to make us in his."  The preacher said.  Both my husband and I felt that message speak to our inner souls.  You touched our hearts and inspired our faith in a very out-of-the way place.  But that is what you do, isn't it?

Holy God,
you never fail
to touch
and inspire us.
You get
our attention
in ways
we never expected.
Thank you,
Father,
thank you.

Love, Andrea

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Dear God,

As I flew above the clouds, I looked out over your wondrous creation.  Once again I was bowled over by the majesty of the cosmos.  The colors, the textures, the objects, the geography, the trees, mountains and hills, the contours of the land, the rivers, ocean and streams, all so beautiful all calling out your praise.  I was privileged to see it.

This amazing season challenges us to surrender the dead places in our lives.  It cries out to us to open ourselves to new birth and a flowering of your spirit.  It reminds us, like the scriptures, the old has passed away, the new has come.  Our souls, our spirits have opportunity for renewal, restoration and revitalization.  Like the beauty above, we can become reborn spirits and souls for you and the world.

Thank you,
Blessed God,
for the gifts
of your spirit.
Thank you
for constant reminders
of faith alive.
Thank you
for the
airplane ride
and the
gentle whispers.

Love, Andrea

Friday, May 24, 2019

Dearest God,

You are God; there is none like you.  Frequently I overdo.  I stretch my body as far as I can.  I work hard, very hard always trying to get as much done as possible.  Because of leaving for three weeks, I worked way too hard the last month.  Today I could feel the pain but I kept on going.  You let me know I had failed my body and you.

You constantly remind us our body is a temple for the Holy Spirit.  Would we really want to provide a shabby, worn-out, broken down temple for your spirit to dwell?  In theory no.  In desire no.  In practicality, maybe.  I have worn out my temple, really worn it out and I am sorry.

Lord, the
only reason
I can come
to you
is because
you are God
and there
is none
like you.
Your love
exists for
all time
not just
when all
is well.
Thank you
for receiving me
and coming
to me
even when
I fail you
and myself.
I am sorry.

Love, Andrea

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Dear God,

A bathroom floor left dirty for a month finally got washed and polished.  It made me think about the spiritual life.

Boy, do we need frequent cleaning and polishing!  At least I do.  Bad habits, negative thoughts, and frustration and impatience all need to be removed from my spiritual life.  When I get full up with these nasty things, I don't have much room for the goodness you want to provide.  I don't like how I look or smell but the truth is sometimes I go long periods between clean ups.

On the other hand when I allow you to do your Miracle Clean, I feel so much better.  I like how I look and smell.  I like how I sound and how I give to others.  All this is possible by your almighty hand.

Thank you,
Good and Gracious God,
for all
your work
to clean us up.
Thank you
for the blessing
that is ours.
Thank you
for life lessons.
Thank you even
for dirty floors
that have something
to say.
Thank you
for your mercy.

Love, Andrea

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Dear God,

"Correction," all day yesterday the word remained in the forefront of my mind.  I had no idea I had so many negative thoughts until I heard you whisper the word.

There is a person I can hardly bear (besides the U S president).  She is disrespectful, lazy and acts entitled.  I see her a lot while in Maine.  Yesterday as I weeded and cleared a large flower bed, she kept coming to mind because she frequently drove up in a borrowed car to use her mother's washer and dryer.  Each time a negative thought would rise up in me.  About the second or third time it happened, you asked me, "Well, are you just going to be negative?  Or are you going to pray for her?"  Properly corrected, I started praying.  I must have prayed 12 or 15 times.  Am I really that negative?  I thought.  I needed correction and perhaps she needed prayer.

Holy God,
you know
what we need
when we
need it.
I was wrong.
I needed chiding
and you
gave it
to me.
I am thankful.
It was
a lesson
in humility.
Clear my mind
and clean me up,
I pray.

Love, Andrea

Love, Andrea

Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Dearest God,

From the first day I heard your words, "There is the opening to the spiritual path," I have worked to dig, clear, cut, clean and open the woods to your magnificent spirit.  Along with special friends who see the vision with me, we have worked to make a dwelling place for you.

Although I have never taken a horticulture class, really don't know the names of flowers or am skilled in landscape design, I have listened for your voice to tell me the direction of the next stone on the path.  I have waited for your leading in flower placement, by now about 150 flowers or so.  I have sat in silence to know what to cut down and what to keep.  What do I know?  Very little.  But you, you, O Lord, know everything.  I have trusted in you.

At the end of the day yesterday, I stood at the edge of the woods, watching the water birds soar over the river and listening to their songs.  I looked over the black raspberry bushes as they danced in the wind.  Then I gazed down at the flowers reaching their tiny stems, blooms and blossoms to the sky and what I saw took my breath away.  For the first time in 12 years I recognized a major theme of this very special spiritual garden.  "Movement," you said, "movement."  The flowers are not in flower beds restricted to their boxes.  Rather, they are free to move.  I could see their movement in and around and over like the spiritual path.  It was then I realized the spiritual path is about movement, change, transformation, dancing, singing, soaring, and moving.  Tiny tears formed in my eyes as I took in a glimpse of your ultimate design for this work, a work of your grace.

Holy God,
thank you
for the gift
of your grace.
Thank you
for your spirit
that moves us
from where
we are
to where
you want us
to be.
Thank you
for opportunities
to be free,
to dance
and sing,
to soar
and to change
by the breath
of your spirit.
Bless you,
Holy God,
bless you.

Love, Andrea

Monday, May 20, 2019

Dearest God,

How sweet is holy communion with you!  After working for several hours just as the sun changed its trajectory, I sat down on a pile of tree grindings and looked out over the river.  The sun's rays on the water offered a marvelous, picturesque scene of reflection.  Spring colors of yellow, green and gray shone like any artist's watercolor painting.  Breathtaking!

As I sat gratitude filled my soul to overflowing.  Twelve years ago I had no idea the knotty, tangled woods would be cleared opening the way to the river.  As I gazed first up one end of the river and then the other, I felt a rush of great joy and I knew this was a dwelling place of the Lord.  I just listened in the silence and felt the gentle breeze of your spirit upon my skin.  In the quiet we dwelled...together.

Oh how
I love you,
Blessed God.
Thank you
for sweet communion.
Thank you
for our
dwelling place.
Thank you
for the
divine fountain
of love
that overflows.

Love always, Andrea

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Dear God,

Pruning, a vital, life-giving cutting that hurts but produces positive results.

This morning I rose early to get out into my black raspberry bushes.  Cutting them back is always difficult as I have to crawl into the heart of them to get at ground level.  I should have pruned them earlier but I had cleaning and clearing to do in order to plant a huge number of plants.  They grew way too fast and I could not get to them earlier.  But alas, today I was back at it.

My task is almost accomplished.  And the plants, well, they look great.  They almost look happy as they dance on the slightest breeze.  What a joy to stand back and watch.

Is it that way with us, Living God?  Personally pruned by your hand, can you see the difference?  Do we clean up well?  Do we dance by the wind of your Holy Spirit?

Holy God,
prune away,
take away
all that
which does not
give life.
Help us
rid ourselves
of overgrowth
and undergrowth,
of noxious weeds
and cluttering debris.
Clean, clear
and polish us
for praise,
I pray.

Love, Andrea

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Dearest God,

All things are possible with you.  We look for big things, imagining we can just look into the bright morning sky and we will see you.  Sometimes that happens but it is really in the small, sweet things where your loving presence is revealed.  This happened just this morning and the smile it created still stretches across my face.

As I read from my devotional books, a song lifted off the page of the bible from the book of Lamentations, "...Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see..." I began to sing aloud when I read of your faithfulness.  When I read from the writings of St. Teresa of Lisieux, she spoke of dew and at once I saw the morning dew and realized each dew drop reflects your face, Heavenly Father.  When I looked up from my reading, I saw the sun dancing on the couch and I saw the joy of our father's love.  Simple, yet profound sightings just this morning.

You are amazing,
God of My Faith.
Daily you bless
and then
bless again.
This morning
was a wowzer,
Loving God.
Thank you
for touching
and inspiring me.
Have I
told you lately
that I love you?

Yours forever, Andrea

Friday, May 17, 2019

Dearest God,

You draw us close together.  You make our hearts long for loved ones.  You give us the desire to reach out and to connect.  This is the work of your love.

We take credit for all that happens within us.  But we need to take a deeper look.  Do we suddenly pray because prayer is the first thing in our mind or do we pray because you have nudged us to pray?  Do we love because love swirls within us all the time or do we love because you gently touch our hearts and suddenly love leaks out of us for someone else?  Do we hope because hope is part of our nature or do we hope because the promise of your presence comes to us and suddenly hope appears for us?

The thread that connects us to you and one another is thin and nearly invisible; however, still the thread pulls and possibility opens up.  We recognize our closeness to you as an every-moment event and suddenly we are stretched and anything can happen.  This is the way of your love.

Holy God,
thank you
for your
divine love
that exists
in all times
and all places.
Thank you
for blessing us
with spiritual awareness,
for faith
and deep connections.
You are God;
we are your children
and we
are blessed.

Love, Andrea

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Dear God,

You teach us life lessons every day.  You invite us to pay attention, to watch and to anticipate.  Today I watched the rain fall and I realized every drop of rain finds its roots to water.  They go down deep into the soil to give life to plants, trees and shrubs.  In response all living things stand taller as if to reach to heaven in thanksgiving.

The same is true for us, Living God; you feed us spiritual food and give us living water to reach the roots of our spirit.  As we eat and drink we find nourishment and life-giving refreshment.  We sit up as well acknowledging the source of our strength.  We want to give praise too.

O God,
creator of
all good gifts,
thank you
for the rain.
Thank you
for spiritual food
and drink.
We are blessed daily
by you.
Please forgive us
when we fail
to give thanks.
You are God,
our all in all.

Love, Andrea

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Dear God,

You were so very present in our covenant group this morning.  As I shared my utter trust in you along the spiritual path I have worked on for 12 or 13 years, trusting you to show me what to do and where, you sparked inspiration in us as we realized you were calling us to that same trust in all the areas of our lives.  As we listened to your spirit speak, we were all comforted and challenged to deepen our trust in you.

You never cease to amaze us with your spirit, O Lord.  We gather for one hour.  We pray, are silent, listen to the morning devotion, one of us shares and then we follow your lead.  All hour long you speak to us.  At times we are overwhelmed with your amazing grace and goodness.  Today was one of those days!

Thank you
for the gifts
of your spirit,
Holy God.
That you would
even be interested
in us
is mind-boggling.
But you
show us
the way,
guide our conversation
and bless us
beyond anything
we can
ever imagine.
Thank you,
Blessed Father,
thank you.

Love, Andrea

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

Dearest God,

We can enter the house of the Lord anytime we want because you have an open-door policy.  All are invited.

Every time our hearts swell in gratitude, we enter your house, O Lord.  When we step outside into the beautiful sunny spring morning and we raise our hands in praise, we enter your home.  Gratitude is the key, the ticket to entrance into your dwelling place.

Gratitude, an air of thanksgiving, an appreciation is all we need have to experience your glorious presence.  When we express our thanks, we are dwelling with you.  We can't help but feel your closeness; therefore, we must be in paradise.

Loving God,
thank you
for filling
our hearts
with gratitude
and a desire
to be
near you.
Thank you
for allowing us space
in your home.
Thank you
for giving us
the ability
to worship
and dwell
with you.

Love, Andrea

Monday, May 13, 2019

Dear God,

"Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever."  On spring days when I walk through the garden, I recognize once again your power, O God.  These words from the Lord's Prayer reiterate your power on earth.  We plant the seeds, water them and pull out their weeds, but only divine power makes them grow.  Every time a new bud appears, a leaf unfolds and a blossom rises up, I celebrate your power to make all things grow.

That is the power we go to when we pray, O Lord.  What is our prayer if not a request, sometimes even an urgent pleading for your help.  We trust you will help us, if not answering the prayer as we hope, at least we find comfort as we pray and following.

I think you made spring time so we can be reminded of your power.  I believe you painted your creation all colors and all textures so we could be directed to you.

Thank you,
Holy Father,
for all
the gifts
of springtime.
Thank you
for the call
of creation.
Thank you
for each
and every reminder!

Love, Andrea

Sunday, May 12, 2019

Dear God,

The sweetest flowers to grow in the spiritual garden are those that contain the blending of your will and our own.  When we merge together in the light of your love, amazing, unbelievable, exquisite flowers rise up.  And all who see them are blessed.

So often we want our own will.  We do not take into account your will for us.  We don't even come to you with our thoughts, requests, questions, doubts or concerns.  When we move forward and plant our own will into your holy ground, flowers may or may not come up but their beauty is compromised, pale in comparison to all that is divine and sacred.

Each day you show us the way to the light, to your love and to your will.  You invite us to travel
lightly with you.  You gently take our hand and move us along the spiritual journey.  When we travel the pilgrim way, we plant flowers all along the way...together.

Holy are you,
Most Gracious God.
Thank you
for your kindness.
Thank you
for loving us.
Thank you
for inviting us
to plant
divine flowers together.

Love, Andrea

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Dearest God,

Who but you knew they were under there?  As we cut back, raked and cleared, there appeared the most beautiful moss, a variety of ferns, sedum, and unidentifiable wildflowers that had been hidden for decades by invasive plants gone wild.  Although they had been closed over by old Autumn leaves, sticks and nasty plants, they persevered to live.  Tears gathered as I sat and touched them.

Your surprises are always welcome, O Lord.  They teach us to trust you, to anticipate and to make ready for your will to unfold.  Today was full of them.

Blessed are you,
Most Holy God,
thank you
for all
you provide.
Thank you
for all
your gifts.
Thank you
for beautiful,
tenacious plants
that long
to live,
thrive and
be beautiful.
Thank you
for the
great reveal.

Love, Andrea

Friday, May 10, 2019

Dear God,

Rest, there is nothing like rest to refresh.  Today, I spent all day in bed resting and reading.  Periodically I looked out upon the rainy day watching as the ground took a rest too, soaking in the life-giving water.

I usually work too hard.  I give it my all.  I blame it on you because you gave me more energy than most.  I can labor for hours in the woods, in my home, creating gifts, picking and preserving foods and cleaning so I don't always take good care of this dwelling place you have given me.  Sometimes I overwork certain muscles and I injure them like knees and shoulders.  I fail to care for all you have given me.

But today, O Lord, you blessed me with rest, blessed rest and I am so very grateful.

Thank you,
O God,
for all
your gift,
especially the gift
of rest.
You bless us
so much.
You are God;
there is none
like you.

Love, Andrea

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Dear God,

Fifteen years ago the only view one could see was a gnarly, tangled, ominous woods.  It was not altogether ugly; after all, there were trees, skies and clouds.  However, all I could really see was all the invasive stuff that had long ago taken over the woods.  I didn't really want to go out there.  My children forbade my grandchildren to go back there at all.  But that all changed when I heard your voice say, "There is the opening to the spiritual path."

Since then, a couple of my friends have annually helped me clear, clean, dig, rip, tear, pull, cut, remove, and prune the nasty stuff.  Today I looked out from the hill and saw the beautiful river to the north and to the south.  Yesterday my friend Cindy and I watched a black water bird soar from one end to the other.  What astounding beauty!

That made me realize how much gnarly, tangled stuff is in the way of a purely beautiful spiritual life.  When I think of my own meager spirituality, I recognize a lot of yucky stuff that is in my way, stuff that hinders me from fully seeing the beauty of creation even inside me and others.  Yet, with a little work (and sometimes a whole lot of work) we can make our way to you, to the You in the world and in ourselves.  And what beauty, what incredible beauty awaits us.  For we too can soar like on the wings of eagles.  We can soar in joy, peace, love, faith and hope.

Show us
the way
to you,
Holy One,
show us
the way.
Help us clear
and rid ourselves
of all
that stands
in the way
of our
fullest experience
and expression
of living faith.
Then fill us
with every praise
for you.

Love, Andrea

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Dear God,

We don't always know the end result of your divine will when we obediently follow.  We simply trust, follow and walk with you on the journey called life.  Rarely are we disappointed.

It was 12 or 13 years ago I heard your call to create a spiritual path.  I had no idea where it would lead; I simply started digging.  All along the way I listened and followed.  As I looked to where the next part of the path would go, always the land and your voice pointed the way.  When I began to clear and clean, the way became clear.  Now, after all these years I am seeing the beautiful fruits of our labor together.  Who could have known?  Only you, O Lord, only you.

Thank you,
Blessed God,
for the gifts
of your spirit.
Thank you
for showing
the way
to your will.
Thank you
for love
made manifest
in so
many glorious ways.

Love, Andrea

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Dearest God,

Will I ever learn?  Will I ever learn to pay attention, to care for what is yours and to do your will?  I think I may be hopeless.

All day today I did the same thing...cut roots.  From 7:30 to nearly 4:00 I cut roots.  By the time I walked up to the house, shrugged off my filthy work clothes and took my shower my shoulder hurt so bad.  Seven hours of doing the same thing killed my fragile, arthritic shoulder.  But then I knew that would be the case.  I so wanted to get as many flowers planted as I could.  Well, my friend and I did; however, I paid the price of overuse.

Why am I so dumb, so resistant and so stubborn?  Why do I do what I know will hurt me?  Am I a lost cause, O Lord?

Heavenly Father,
you know me
like no one else.
You know
my deep faults.
You know me
because you
made me.
Help change me,
Father, please.

Love, Andrea

Monday, May 6, 2019

Dear God,

Sometimes we just have to dig deep to find that which needs to be removed from our lives.  We don't always realize there is something hidden deep within ourselves.  But we will seemingly react to things the same way without knowing the cause.  Then one day a thought, a picture or rotten scent will peak our interest leading us to our cause and our solution.  All this is your work.

Today as I was clearing the spiritual path outdoors, I saw this blue something sticking up out of the ground.  My friend and I started digging.  It seemed an hour later we found the whole object.  It must have been a big gunny sack of sand left laying on the ground for years.  We finally got it up and out filling the hole with rich soil and compost.  Tomorrow we will plant flowers that will bless the land and the neighbors for a long, long time.

You know us inside and out.  You know our deepest longings and our greatest hurts.  You know what needs clearing and what needs filling.  You know how to reach us.  We just need to lean into you allowing you to do your holy work and what beautiful work you do!

Loving God,
you amaze
and wow us.
You nudge us
toward knowledge
and wisdom.
You want
to clear
the most
unwanted things
in our lives
and fill us
with your goodness.
How blessed
we are
to be
so loved
by you.

Love always, Andrea

Sunday, May 5, 2019

Dear God,

We gather for worship to hear your word for us.  While it may be a word of hope, comfort, peace, joy or love, it is always a word of challenge, an invitation to change something inside.  Perhaps it is a thought, a resentment or an untruth.  Whatever it is, you call us to action.

Maybe you made the church so you could continue to recreate us and make us new.  Maybe your desire was to help us in the process of growth and transformation.  Maybe you just wanted us to be part of a living faith that would always require work so we could rise to higher levels of goodness and service in the world.

All you do is the work of love.  Every day.  Every way.

Generous God,
we are
so unworthy
of all
your gifts;
however, you
give them
to us anyway.
We are grateful
for no one
loves us
the way
you do.
Thank you.

Love always, Andrea

Saturday, May 4, 2019

Dear God,

You have taught me part of the reason to work on a spiritual path is to learn the lessons of faith.  When digging up old roots, I find nasty, gnarly emotional and psychological roots that need removed in my own life.  When clearing Autumn leaves, tossed debris and invasive vines, I discover yucky debris like surface judgement, long-standing bitterness and bad habits.  When picking up stones revealed in the dirt, I think of stones I have tossed at others and have been tossed at me.  Every day there is spiritual as well as physical work to do in the spiritual garden.

Daily I learn more loving challenges to grow, clear out and rid myself of everything I have allowed to take root, junk up and make ugly my own personal and spiritual life.  I realize your love is deep and wide and you use all things to speak to us.

Holy Father,
who could
possibly love us more?
Every day
you tend
to the
many gardens
called human.
You bless us
and challenge us
at the
same time.
You want more
for us
than we
want for ourselves.
Thank you.

Love, Andrea

Friday, May 3, 2019

Dear God,

I have two wonderful friends that are willing to labor in the mud in order to further the vision of completing the spiritual path in my woods.  One works all summer long, digging, cutting and digging some more.  She loves to rip and tear.  The other flies out for a week to do the same thing.  This year she is digging and planting.  Why in the world would they do it and get so much dirt under their nails?  I think it is because they feel their own sort of call to work with you.

As I work out there now for my 12th or 13th year, I still hear your gentle call to clear, to dig, to learn, to love, to renew and to make beautiful.  I don't know how it will end; I just know you called me to action.  I have no master plan, no timeline, just a desire to please you.

I am
so grateful
to you,
my Lord.
Thank you
for making me
a partner
in your creation.
Thank you
for beauty
that still
keeps coming.
I am blessed
and I
am delighted
to be
a blessing
to my neighbors
and all those
who will
come for
a blessing.
It will
be yours,
O Lord.
You will
bless others.

Love, Andrea

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Dear God,

On this day very long ago when I was a child, I used to gather wild flowers and sometimes pretty flowers from the neighbor's garden to take to elderly people.  I would lay them on their front porch, ring the door bell and then run away.  The gesture was to be an anonymous surprise.  I loved doing it.  I hope all the lonely women liked it.

On this May Day, I think of how compassion can be played out, how you stretch our ability to love and be merciful and how you draw us to people where we can offer love and kindness.  But then this is also a day when I think of all the mercies I have received from teachers, neighbors, family members, friends and even strangers.  You have poured out your mercies and I am so very grateful.

You are
a loving God;
there is none
like you.
On this day
I remember you
most of all,
all your compassion
poured out
on me.
You are
the God
of my faith,
the God
of my life
and the God
of my love.
Thank you,
Blessed One,
thank you.

Love, Andrea

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Dear God,

Every day you look to our conversion, conversion of the heart, mind or soul.  You wish a conversion of our mercy, love and faith.  You came that we might "become" from what we are to what we can be.  You are the source of our power to do so.

If I take a really hard, honest look at myself, it is so very clear how much transformation I need.  I confess I am weak, stubborn and resistant.  I am what I am because I have made myself this way.  But you offer me a way out, a way toward and a way in.  You open the door to faith, to change, to hope, to blessing and to wisdom.  We can because you are.

Thank you,
Gracious God,
for giving us opportunity
to be remade.
Forgive us
for hanging on
to old ways.
Make us new,
I pray.

Love, Andrea

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Dear God,

Although we are each shaped by our childhood experiences, you still have the power to reshape, recreate and reconstruct us.  We are not lost souls but rather beloved clay in the master's hand.  We can rest in your hands and know you will remake us as we need remaking.

Why is it always easier to give suggestions to others about changing their lives instead of considering what areas need transformation in our own?  Perhaps the answer lay in Brother Lawrence's words when he talked about never being far away from your holy presence; therefore, we never have to be far away from your holy will.  Your will and power to change us is all we need to become new people.

Make it so,
O Lord,
make it so.
Let your will
and your power
be the purpose
and power
in my
own life.
I can make
a mess
of me
but you,
you, O Lord,
can take
the mess
and bring value
and meaning
to it.
Make me clay
in your hands,
I pray.

Love, Andrea

Monday, April 29, 2019

Dear God,

More and more the flower stems are protruding through the ground.  Although I know it is spring and this is expected, it always seems a miracle to me.  How can it be they know the time, the place and the way they are to rise up?

I wish for a spring-time soul.  I wish I lived a holy life allowing myself to follow the creator's lead.  I wish I could bless others watching my faith grow like I am blessed by watching the flowers grow.  I have so much to learn.

Bless you,
Great Creator.
Thank you
for the blessing
of spring.
Thank you
for every tree,
bush, shrub,
bulb and plant
that follows
your lead
Make me
like them,
I pray.

Love, Andrea

Sunday, April 28, 2019

Dear God,

"What if we are the goats instead of the sheep?"  The question rose up in my prayer time.  What if?  I asked myself.  You talked about the goats and sheep and it occurred to me that we always consider ourselves the sheep and others the goats.

"The sheep know the shepherd," you said.  Do I really know the shepherd well and am I able to discern my standing as a sheep?  Or have I missed the whole point and am just kidding myself about being a sheep.  A goat is an outsider, one who doesn't know the shepherd intimately, one who is lost, selfish and unworthy.  Yes, there is part of me particularly at special times when I am so goat-like.  I refuse to follow the shepherd when I fall into old habits and fail to keep my eye focused on the shepherd and his care.  I don't always follow your will, stay in your loving presence and listen to your wise words.  Perhaps I am better described as a goat instead of a sheep.

Holy God,
cleanse me
from within.
I want
to be one
of your own.
I want
to follow you.
Please forgive me.
Thank you
for the challenge.

Love, Andrea