Tag Archives: prayer

I didn’t ask to be healed.

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We’ve gotten a few reports of healing in our church on Sunday. I don’t know how else to say it than like that. We had an extended time of prayer during our service. And something happened.

Let me provide the context for that starting sentence: We are a contemporary UMC congregation that is growing rather quickly. We’re a t-shirt & jeans kind of church, with a praise band and practical teaching. Not so much “charismatic” but we do believe that God can do (and is doing) incredible things today. And we offer opportunities for our congregation to intersect with this God in a real way. As the staff person to oversee planning of the services, I knew a moment was coming Sunday. We’d allotted a good 15 minutes for people to respond to the sermon by praying–in whatever fashion they desired. And we invited those who wanted prayer for whatever reason, including healing, to come forward.

And when the moment came I thought: I’m a candidate for healing. My body is broken. Infertile. Mysteriously lacking. But I’ve already asked for this. Often. And Drew still prays for this. A lot of people do. And it hasn’t happened. And there’s been ample opportunity for something to happen. And I’m ok with the fact that it hasn’t happened. I’m ok. I’m in the “acceptance” phase of grief, I guess.

I left that thought in the seat and, instead, took my place behind my guitar… In coming to the place of acceptance, I think I’ve stopped wanting/wondering for things to be different. I don’t know if that’s right or wrong, but it’s where I am.

Then I heard about some of the healings that took place on Sunday…

Why not me? Ok. Fine. “Ye have not because ye ask not.” whatever. I asked I asked I asked I asked.

My only response is to continue to accept.

A year to forget…

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I know a lot of you have faced tough situations this year; so have a lot of my friends, family members, and church family. The phone calls, faces, hospital visits, letters, and questions are rolling through my mind as I type this. You know who you are and you’re on my mind.

This year, for many, has been a nightmare and a lot of us are ready for this round to be over. So, this post is for you: For those of you who don’t think you can take one more blow this year. For those of you who have been to hell and back and live to tell about it. Who have dealt with loss. With confusion. With anger. With disappointment. For those of you who see 2010 as a year to forget. For those of you who know 2011 has got to be better than 2010.

This is your time to think about it. To hope about it. To maybe even offer up a typed prayer to the heavens for a better year ahead. For some of you, it wouldn’t take much. It wouldn’t take much at all to spark a tiny flame of hope in your heart… What could light that flame? What’s something you can hold on to–some tiny piece of hope–that would assure you that 2011 is better than 2010?

Type it out here. And I promise you that this little blog community will be praying that our God of Grace reaches down to give exactly what you’re asking for.

If I were to pray right now…

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Someone recently asked me if my songs were prayers. My answer? “Some of them are, I guess.”

I’m tired of the silence, so I wrote this one:

My heart shook
til I thought it’d lose it’s beat
My body ached
I couldn’t stand on my feet
I looked up to heaven
to clouds all around
I rattled & battled the wind
and hail falling down
Now in the end,
I don’t know where to begin

where were you
when my world fell through?

when nothing’s important
and everything was lost
don’t wanna point a finger
so you tell me who’s at fault
to curse the innocent
when no one’s to blame
the face of injustice
will always go unnamed
Now in the end,
I don’t know where to begin

where were you
when my world fell through

Now in the end,
I don’t take your hand.
and now in the end,
I don’t know where to begin
where were you
when my world fell through