Pause+Pray

Sometimes it can feel difficult to feel accepted and loved for who we are. For our LGBTQIIA+ friends, colleagues, and family members, there often is much hurt and pain for them.

Given the amount of stressful situations in the world today and probably in our own personal lives, it’s no wonder we’re all in need of a good, deep breath.

Loving God of heaven and earth, I can conceal nothing from you. I beg you to disarm me of my harsh judgments, my sense of entitlement, my short fuse.

I had intended to briefly excuse myself from my desk. More than time out, I was rescued from the malaise that had overtaken me when I happened upon an a cappella choir rehearsing gospel hymns.

We're impatient with the pandemic and the limits it has placed on our lives. We cannot do as many face-to-face volunteer and justice-seeking activities as we would like. But we can pray.

There are many verses in Scripture that speak of God as a shield, a protector, a guard against stumbling. They are words of comfort and assurance–a reminder of God’s providence.