Godspace just came out with a new set of beautiful Prayer Cards with prayers by Christine Sine, watercolor succulent design and contemplative imagery. You can download your pdf copy today and or pre-order physical sets (10 cards in each) that we will mail you in the next month. 1 set is $9.99 and 3 sets of cards for $25.99. Shipping in US only. For international orders of physical cards, please e-mail us with your pre-order request at godspacelight@gmail.com.
September is about to close and as we finish our Spirituality of Imperfect theme, here is a beautiful poem by Ana Lisa de Jong —
NOT PERFECT
I am not perfect,
and neither are you.
I’m as not perfect
as the clouds,
in this setting sun,
shredded lengths edged by light.
I’m as not perfect
as a face that’s lived
and drawn itself
from a thousand daily impressions.
I’m as not perfect
as the Dogwood,
its blossoms scattered
by the spring winds.
I’m as not perfect
as the falling autumn leaves,
that shed themselves
to herald new birth.
Yes, I am not perfect,
and neither are you.
But we are to align ourselves with each
thing of beauty,
each quality of light,
each measure of good.
That the grace we behold
might be reflected in us.
By James Amadon —
Circlewood (a ministry of Mustard Seed Associates) recently brought together a group of 14 intrepid explorers for a 2-day vision and learning trip. We travelled from Kent, WA to Surrey, BC in search of people and places where Christian faith and care for the earth are brought together in powerful, creative ways. We were not disappointed…
Our first stop was at the Cloud Mountain Farm Center, a nonprofit teaching farm dedicated to building knowledge, experience, and community to expand dynamic local food systems. We had a tour from Danielle Humphries, an intern learning how to farm and working towards starting a farm of her own that can help Christians make connections between faith, food, and soil (you can read her story HERE).
“I often discover deep spiritual connections between being called to be a caretaker of the earth and my discipleship as a follower of Jesus.” – Danielle Humphries
From Cloud Mountain we crossed the border and arrived at the Brooksdale Environmental Center, one of the most dynamic Christian environmental centers in North America. Brooksdale’s 18-acre property is a living lab comprised of forests, a threatened river system, organic gardens, and heritage houses. We were given a tour by Leah Kostamo, one of the founders of Brooksdale and the author of Planted, a memoir about creation, calling, and community. Later that evening we heard from Rebecca Conner, who assisted with the trip and is an Environmental Studies major at North Park University.
Even the smallest actions for creation care have implications for the web that makes up our larger home.” – Leah Kostomo
On day two we drove down to Camano Island Coffee Roasters, a social enterprise that helps small farmers grow great coffee, become self-sustaining, and care for their land. We toured their roasting facility and heard from the founder, Jeff Ericson
“A good social enterprise is a system or a structure of different groups working together all while dedicated to solving the social, economic, and environmental problems that have long plagued humankind, like hunger, homelessness, disease and ignorance.” -Jeff Ericson
Circlewood is an affiliate partner of Camano Island Coffee Roasters. If you’d like to support their work (and ours), consider joining the Sustainable Coffee Club.
Our trip ended in Kent, WA at a joint project between Hillside Church of the Nazarene and World Relief Seattle. More than an acre of paved parking lot space has been transformed into a community garden where refugees, immigrants, and local community members gather to grow culturally appropriate foods that promote a healthier lifestyle, improve food access, foster economic independence, and build community. We had a tour from the project director, Tahmina Martelly, who impressed us with the complexity, creativity, and community that this project calls forth.
“It’s not just about food – it’s about being rooted in a place.” -Tahmina Martelly
Here are a few reflections from participants on the trip:
“I could feel God at the center of what they are doing and how it is touching people and showing His love.”
“I learned a lot and came away with a new appreciation for this movement.”
“It has really gotten my dreaming/vision juices flowing.”
Circlewood is developing programs and places like the ones described above to empower Christians to care for the earth. Learn more at www.circlewood.online. You can also email Circlewood’s Executive Director, James Amadon, at james.amadon@circlewood.online.
by Christine Sine
I love to read a psalm in the morning. I often find that a verse or a phrase resonates for me and stirs a prayer/poem within my spirit. Today’s prayer came out of reading Psalm 57. I will stir the sleepy dawn with praise, is the phrase that stood out for me inspiring my imagination and crafting the words for me. This is one of my favourite ways to meditate. Enjoy!
by Christine Sine
Last week I did a retreat with Springwater community in Portland. It was a great opportunity for me to preview some of the ideas I talk about in The Gift of Wonder. I experimented with new concepts and ideas, some of which worked and some of which didn’t. They were very direct with me, more what I expect from an Australian then an American audience. I loved it. I learned a lot from the experience and appreciate their willingness to help me shape what I do and how I present my material. Here three important lessons I learned.
Adapting to a Specific Audience Matters.
Awe and wonder in a sunset
I began the retreat by doing my own special awe and wonder walk around the property, capturing this beautiful sunset on the way.
The process itself began with sharing some of the childlike characteristics that I talk about in my book – playfulness, awe and wonder, curiosity, love of nature, acceptance of difference, and nostalgia to name a few. However it was only when I started to relate these to their specific community and how it interacts with the neighborhood that they really came alive.
Does your God laugh and play and have fun? How do you play together as a community and express that in your neighborhood? Where do you experience awe and wonder in your community and your neighborhood? were questions that particularly engaged their imaginations.
For most of us, awe and wonder conjures up images of spectacular mountain views and breathtaking waterfalls. I shared with them that Father Greg Boyle, in Barking to the Choir, suggests it isn’t just nature that gives us this sense of awe. We can embrace the marginalized with a sense of awe too. He comments beautifully: “Awe softens us for the thunder glance of God, then enables us to glance at others in just the same way.”
Seeing the awe and wonder of God revealed through the marginalized and the disadvantaged can be a breathtaking experience. It is something all of us need to reflect on.
I suggested to Springwater community that they do an awe and wonder walk around their neighborhood, which is one of the poorest areas of Portland, sharing what gives them a sense of awe in their neighbors. Perhaps you would like to do the same around your neighborhood. I think it will open your eyes to aspects of your community you have never noticed before. You might like to combine it with a prayer walk.
Interactive Presentations Work Well
Celtic cross – Shelby Selvidge
Lecture style presentations don’t work well these days. Audiences love interactive opportunities like the coloring templates Shelby Selvidge created for me a couple of years ago. Activities like these help people focus. Some colored, some drew creative designs, others used them as background material for contemplation. It de-stresses people, stirs imagination and opens all of us to new ideas and concepts. It provided an environment in which we could all learn from each other even when we disagreed.
Labyrinth with ants – template by Shelby Selvidge
All creative arts like this help us draw close to God and stir new revelations for us. When was the last time you engaged in a creative act that sharpened your focus and drew you into the divine presence? Perhaps you would like to try something like Lilly Lewin’s Paint Your Prayers this week to help move you in this direction.
Language Matters
Part of what this community helped me realize is that language matters. Not only do I need to adapt my Australianisms, but my ageisms for current audiences. Words that held traction in the 90s like “color-blindness” don’t necessarily communicate today. Being sensitive to my audience in this way is important. It can also be fun as it provoked us to joke back and forwards and brainstorm about appropriate language. I think we all learned something new.
When was the last time you stopped to consider the appropriateness of the language you use and how it impacts the people you talk to? Perhaps it is appropriate language for God that you need or for the people you are talking about.
We All Contribute to Community
The last exercise we participated in was drawing our hand prints on a large sheet of cardboard and writing on them what we felt each person contributed to community. We had the children participate too. Each member of the community was then invited to go around and write on someone else’s handprint what they thought this person contributed. It was a fun and inspiring exercise.
When was the last time you shared with your family, friends or community what you felt they contributed to your life? We all need affirmation and encouragement and this is a great way to offer it. Consider doing this exercise with those you love and live with.
What do you contribute to Your community?
I have had a rough few weeks dealing with depression and just not feeling like doing much of anything that I enjoy doing. I’ve been stewing on things and usually that means I shut down, tune out, and watch a lot of Netflix. But my Freerange Friday Post called “Wonder or Wondering?” inspired me to do a practice that helped me process my emotions.
I prayed with ART! Creating! Creating things brings me life. Sometimes when I”m down, I will make chocolate chip cookies, or a pie to give away to friends or neighbors, sometimes I journal, and sometimes I do art. Art brings me joy! Creating brings me peace. Two weeks ago, I had a large blank canvas waiting for my art class to restart. This large blank slate seemed to call me. I grabbed some bright crayola markers and wrote down all the questions that were spinning around in my mind. Just having these things written down helped. But having these things written down in a larger format that I could see daily, made an even bigger impact in my mood and attitude. After pondering the questions
What is being planted in your Garden of Wonder?
What needs Planting?
What is already being planted? What seeds are already there?
What signs of wonder can you already identify? What do you notice?
What needs Pruning? What Needs Cultivating? What needs more water?
What WONDER produce might need picking and sharing with others?
I decided to add to the canvas. I got out my Modge Podge, my gloss medium, tissue paper and some old sheet music and started covering the canvas. I also used my markers to write down things that I wanted to grow in my Garden of Wonder…..
Things like: Freedom, Peace, Justice, Joy, Hope, Love, Forgiveness.
As I covered the canvas with color, I began to ask Jesus to show me more of His love and grace. I used the process of messy gluing, and writing and painting as prayer. The collaging process was good therapy. I asked God to fill me with more wonder, more peace, more creativity, more awareness of the needs around me.
More of Jesus, less of me.
I let the newly layered prayers sit for several days. Allowing the colors and the covering of the words to cover me too.
Then this week I began adding paint to the canvas. Adding to the melody of words and paper. Allowing the Wonder Garden to really grow. Allowing the Wonder Gardener, God, to til the soil of my heart and heal my emotions.
How about you? What things heal your soul and bring you joy? What creative process brings you life? What if you allow this creativity to bring you closer to Jesus?
What could you learn through writing out, drawing out or collaging your prayers? I’d love to see and hear about it!
As we continue this months theme, Spirituality of Imperfection, enjoy this beautiful prayer by Talitha Fraser —
Hey God,
We’re not down, we’re not out, but we’re hurting.
This vulnerability sits like an open wound and
every new hit jars it.
We breathe through it, lean into it,
listen for what the pain has to tell us.
Lend us quiet that allows us to hear
the harmonies of the universe that let
us know, even in this, as we are, we have
a place in the order of things.
Lend us space that allows us freedom
for those things that are tight to loosen,
those thoughts and events moving quickly
time to slow so that we can look and
see them clearly.
Lend us peace that allows us grace
to tell the difference between our internal
and external insecurities – our own and
also of those around us.
There is much that is unknown,
but You are not.
We are grateful for that.
Lead us. Teach us. Send us.
Amen
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