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Week 5 - Prayer of Tears

DAY  - PRAYER OF TEARS  Key Idea: Tears can become prayer when they are brought honestly into the presence of God. The Prayer of Tears as part of the inward movement because tears often reveal what is happening deep within us. They show us what we love, what we regret, what we fear, what we have lost, and what we still hope God will heal. Pray slowly: Lord, have mercy. Receive what I cannot fix. Receive what I cannot explain. Receive what I cannot carry alone. Amen. Day 1 Reflection What kinds of sadness do I usually bring to God ? The questions - the why, the what can I do, the despair, the doubt What kinds of sadness do I usually avoid ? the anger, the reproaches, the bitterness, the resentment, the depression, the unbelief Do I tend to see tears as weakness, honesty, or prayer ? He already knows the rebellion and the hurt He knows I feel the need for consolation and relief from anxiety  What might my tears be trying to tell me ? What strength I had or thought I had is ...
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the first #SilentSunday of October

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  The European Space Agency’s Juice mission captured this photo of Earth as the spacecraft flew by our planet on Monday, Sept. 28.
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Week 4 - Formation Prayer

 Formation Prayer asks not only, “ What do I want God to do ?” but “ Who is God forming me to become ?” DAY 1 - FIX OR CHANGE Formation Prayer is not self-improvement with religious language. It is not about becoming impressive. It is about becoming more open to the life of Christ in us. Read Foster’s prayer connected to Formation Prayer.  "O Lord, My God. Form me more fully  into your likeness. Use the circumstances and interactions of this day to form your will in me.     From the frustrations of this day form peace.    From the joys of this day form strength.    From the struggles of this day form courage.    From the beauties of this day form love. In the name of Jesus Christ who is all peace and strength and courage and love.  Amen  " What kind of person is this prayer asking God to form ?  What desires are being reshaped ?  What would it mean for me to pray something like this honestly ?  Right no...
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the last #SilentSunday of September 2026

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  Wooded path by a river A painting in oil, by the Danish painter Peder Mørk Mønsted in 1894
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Week 3 - the Prayer of Relinquishment

DAY 1 - OPEN HANDS  Sit with your hands clenched for a moment. Name silently what you are holding. Then slowly open your hands and pray: God, this is what I am holding: the worry about Gem and the kids I bring it to you. I do not know how to let go fully. Teach me to trust you. Amen. Reflection Questions What am I holding tightly right now ? problems with the family Gem struggling with finances Alex and Lorelei struggling to get on an even keel River still mourning Tommy excessively Kit not recovering from her heart attack and her daily needs Bonita's metastasized lung cancer that has reached her liver What outcome am I trying to control ? I just want their wellbeing What desire do I need to bring honestly before God ? Fix it, please, make their way smoother What makes surrender feel difficult or frightening ? He hasn't answered I don't know what the outcome will be I wonder how we all will cope with what happens next My friend went blind 10 years ago.  She has retinitis pi...
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The last #SilentSunday of summer 2026

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  Sunrise over Lake Superior
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week 2 Prayer of Examen

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 Day 1:  Prayerful Noticing We notice moments of gratitude, peace, joy, irritation, fear, sadness, resistance, compassion, and love.  We ask: Where was God present? Where was I open to God? Where did I resist God? What might God be inviting me to see? I find it hard to see the Lord moving in the mundane things - doing the laundry, cleaning up around the place, scrolling on social media, et al.   This prayer assumes that God is already present in our days. The question is whether we are learning to notice. Read Foster’s prayer connected to the Examen.  Spirit of the Living God, You have been with me today, and I thank you. There was sunrise and sunset, and I am grateful for both. Family and friends are gifts of your grace. The creativity to envision new possibilities and the strength to bring them into reality are signs of your action in my life. Thank you, Lord for being with me today. Amen.  (Foster, Prayers from the Heart) As you read, ask:  Wh...
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