Ferns – Butchart Gardens – April 2018

‘Thoughts and prayers’ is often the glib response to any sort of tragedy these days. Yet  intentionally turning  my mind and heart towards the horrible and beautiful things of the world connects, comforts and challenges me.

RevGals asks the question: What prayer practices anchor me?

I often fail at prayer… I have good intentions… take 15 minutes in the morning to keep silence and connect with God. Get outside on a regular basis to notice the world. Pray through my congregational list…

I do all of those things, but sporadically and when ministry and life get busy,  intentional prayer is often the first thing to disappear from my day.

However, I do return to prayer over and over again, these are the practices that sustain me:

1. Holding hands with my husband as we silently say grace when we have supper together.
2. Practicing Visio Divina, praying with images, especially with my camera; it is my favourite and most consistent  spiritual practice.
3. Praying with my pen… I have often started a journal entry with ‘Dear God.’
4. Lighting a candle and intentionally holding people and situations in the light of God.
5. Getting outside… the natural world helps me put things in perspective and allows me to simply be.

What prayer practices anchor you?