Pray Without Ceasing...Audio Blog

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Lawd, Jesus, help me, a beg yuh!

That was my cry for many years – until I learned better.

Without getting into my theological evolution or my current spiritual understanding, I know that such a ‘prayer’ is useless. Calling to Jesus, God, Jehovah, Jah even Buddha or Allah in the middle of a situation is vain, arrogant and pretentious in my view.

I remember during my residency as an hospital Chaplain how mad I would get at family members who never darkened a church once since their childhood but would page the on call Chaplain to come to their family member’s bedside at 2:00 in the morning!

God on call is what some people believe they have and while I believe that a Higher Being is available to us at all times, It simply is not sitting around waiting to be ordered about!

The other thing that I know for sure about prayers – they are always answered, however, you might not like the answer! That is so amusing to me. I laugh at myself very often on this. We all have the tendency to think that we can bawl out to Jesus or whomever with a laundry list and “it shall be so!”

Hell no! What comes to us, we attract to ourselves. I can see some of you cringing from that statement but I stand by it. The trajectory of my life has proven that to me and whether you want to believe or buy into it hardly concerns me.  My DOS family will tell you that the song that I sing to them very frequently is to “accept, embrace and then change,” what comes if it no longer serves you. I also know the importance of being clear about my intentions – those things that I hold in my heart, the residence of Spirit/Source, as from it flows the issues of my life. Whether I label those issues good or bad, they are mine!

Some biblical verses flow easily from my lips. One of them is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

 

In other words, every thought, word and action is a prayer – so do take care what you are saying as that will be your life.

 

Is that you MO?

 

Share your thoughts with us.

Soul Food

There was a time in my life when all I wanted was to be in an intimate relationship and to have a throng of friends.

Chalk those desires up to not having a model of a working and caring intimate relationship in my childhood. As well, I quenched my thirst for romance through Mills and Boones' novels and all that taught me was love was an illusive thing.

Being an only child, I desperately wanted the camaderie of a big family, brothers and sisters to play with and learn from. There were other children in our house from time to time, boarders and such the like, however there was always an invisible barrier between us. My mother did not encourage my having friends, so the longing grew deeper.

It was not until 35 years later that I realized what that empty, piercing space meant. Lovers, marriages and friends (some really good ones and some that I could have done well without) had come and gone. Yet, the hole deepened almost reaching the soles of my feet.

During one of those moments, when standing was too painful and I laid on my tummy in the walk-in closet of my spacious bedroom, that awareness came.

Working as a hospital chaplain, it was my privilege to sit with people from all walks of life. Often, as we held hands (I am a touchy-feely kind of person), patients would let me into their most intimate space - their souls. Never did I hear one of these patients say, "I wish I had more friends, more money, more lovers." Most had lots of friends, close family and a spouse.

What these patients expressed, particularly the terminally ill and/or the ones who I was standing in the gap with as they made their transition, was a desire for God/Source/Light.

Different names were used to describe the love that their souls were reaching for in those moments. Some were not Christians or "believers" of any traditional 'way'. As a multifaith chaplain, I had to serve Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, and atheists among others. Lying on those hospital beds, surrounded or not by loved ones, the desire was the same - to connect with the Soul's Source.

Lying on my closet floor, seemingly alone, abandoned and lost, I too reached out for that connection. What was said is hardly important. It was the feeling, the urgent wordless cry to be reconnected, aligned and in lockstep with all that is, The One, that 'saved' me.

I do not know your beliefs, your path or your way. Actually, it does not matter. It is the care of your soul and mine that unites us and all that matters to me.

No lover, no friend, not even family can feed your inner being what it really needs. They may point a way but it will be theirs. Only you can find that Source of food that will feed you.

If there is any help that we may offer, a drink of water on your journey, please free to ask. You make connect with us through this blog, on Facebook or Twitter.

Be blessed and have a great Sunday! Namaste