Number 3 followed by Number 4 is the prayer I have been struggling with my entire life.
How we do what we can with the hope that we have, only to lift our eyes and wonder if we made even a drop of difference. It is beautiful to be a part of small change. And it is frustrating to see efforts of expanding those small changes into communal care dashed.
Knowing both are possible because of an environment that we have allowed ourselves to be a part of creating can be overwhelming.
Knowing that if we somehow created this environment, we can also have a hand in creating something better is what keeps my gaze lifted and my hopes high.
Laura, you have put to words my own experience with being lifted up by pure grace during treatment for a rare, aggressive lymphoma (twice because it returned within 6 months of being declared in remission). I was 49 when diagnosed in October 2020. While I have been a Christian for many years and a regular attendee at church and Bible study, I’ve always struggled with consistent prayer times and personal Bible study so I knew the incredible grace and closeness of the Lord had nothing to do with my own personal efforts. I mostly felt that I received these gifts because of the countless prayers of others lifting me up. I ended up feeling personally inadequate but incredibly thankful, which maybe is the point but I turned it into a manifesto to do better, work harder. I’m so grateful to read your words and have hope that indeed that grace and presence of our Lord is really available all the time for us all and that we are all woefully inadequate.
Your words brought my mother to mind - she died at 73 in February from metastatic squamous cell cancer. I was the 'religious' one between the two of us and used to be so bothered that she didn't go to Mass or seem to do any of the externals of a spiritual practice. She had Faith, yes, but I was worried that it wasn't 'enough'. While I had mostly left these concerns behind as I grew older, I was still absolutely stunned by the sheer outpouring of grace and generosity upon her during her last year of life. She spent it at a Hospice facility near me, and her year there was probably the greatest witness to I've yet experienced of God's sheer delight in us and unending generosity. I'll never forget it.
Yesterday, at the conclusion of "Faith Feeds", C21 Zoom meeting, we sent you graces and blessings. I want to write this message because your writing is blessing and grace-filled and the most direct and articulate writing about the movement of grace in my life. Yep, it is the environment, when my then 30-something son-in-law was disagnosed with testicular cancer. And for your cancer. And still you continue to write the most exquisite, beautiful and vibrant words. Thank you.
Number 3 followed by Number 4 is the prayer I have been struggling with my entire life.
How we do what we can with the hope that we have, only to lift our eyes and wonder if we made even a drop of difference. It is beautiful to be a part of small change. And it is frustrating to see efforts of expanding those small changes into communal care dashed.
Knowing both are possible because of an environment that we have allowed ourselves to be a part of creating can be overwhelming.
Knowing that if we somehow created this environment, we can also have a hand in creating something better is what keeps my gaze lifted and my hopes high.
Laura, you have put to words my own experience with being lifted up by pure grace during treatment for a rare, aggressive lymphoma (twice because it returned within 6 months of being declared in remission). I was 49 when diagnosed in October 2020. While I have been a Christian for many years and a regular attendee at church and Bible study, I’ve always struggled with consistent prayer times and personal Bible study so I knew the incredible grace and closeness of the Lord had nothing to do with my own personal efforts. I mostly felt that I received these gifts because of the countless prayers of others lifting me up. I ended up feeling personally inadequate but incredibly thankful, which maybe is the point but I turned it into a manifesto to do better, work harder. I’m so grateful to read your words and have hope that indeed that grace and presence of our Lord is really available all the time for us all and that we are all woefully inadequate.
Your words brought my mother to mind - she died at 73 in February from metastatic squamous cell cancer. I was the 'religious' one between the two of us and used to be so bothered that she didn't go to Mass or seem to do any of the externals of a spiritual practice. She had Faith, yes, but I was worried that it wasn't 'enough'. While I had mostly left these concerns behind as I grew older, I was still absolutely stunned by the sheer outpouring of grace and generosity upon her during her last year of life. She spent it at a Hospice facility near me, and her year there was probably the greatest witness to I've yet experienced of God's sheer delight in us and unending generosity. I'll never forget it.
Laura, this is incredible. And so costly. Prophecy is. Thank you.
Yesterday, at the conclusion of "Faith Feeds", C21 Zoom meeting, we sent you graces and blessings. I want to write this message because your writing is blessing and grace-filled and the most direct and articulate writing about the movement of grace in my life. Yep, it is the environment, when my then 30-something son-in-law was disagnosed with testicular cancer. And for your cancer. And still you continue to write the most exquisite, beautiful and vibrant words. Thank you.
Beautifully felt, soulfully written. I will share.
I’m speechless (a sorry state for someone writing a comment). Oh Laura, this is beautiful. These words feel alive.