A

Chapter 15 of Richard Foster's book titled "Prayer" focuses on the prayer of suffering. Foster looks at where suffering and prayer meet, as well as what it means to be a community that shares the sufferings of its people. The issue of suffering has been something that I have been dealing with personally as well as with various friends in my community who are going through difficult circumstances. One friend at seminary is in the midst of divorce, another friend is struggling through cancer. My wife and I have been dealing with the loss of our baby through miscarriage (as are a couple in our small group which happened two weeks after us). So many things happen all around us to both good and bad people and it always leads us to the same question, 'Why is there suffering in the world?'

Foster asks this question too, but decides that the question is incomplete. Even if we are ever able to answer this question about the existence of suffering, the outcome does not change. There will be suffering but Foster leads us into another question. That question is, "How do I enter into the suffering that is in the world in a way that is redemptive and healing?" How can I(we) as a christian take suffering by the horns and wrestle into something that I and others can build on? How do I allow God to work through the suffering to bring about healing and restoration within the body of believers? And even more importantly, how do I take this restorative power to those on the outside of Christianity and demonstrate the power and victory of God over these things?

B

For a class project I helped to create a place that the community of Delaware as well as the Terra Nova Community could interact with God through prayer and art. We called it the 40 Hour Journey through Art and Prayer. Starting on the Thursday before the Delaware County Arts Festival we set up a storefront that included an anteroom and an inner room that led people to engage God. For the anteroom, we created a space that anyone could come in from the street and engage their spiritual journey through the art on the walls created by artists within our church community. In the inner room we created a comfortable space the brought our community members into a place that they could engage God for an hour without any distractions.

The response to the event was amazing, both from our own congregation as well as from the community at large. In our own community people were dealing with struggles when they entered the room and truly felt that they met God in their experience within the room. Many came out wanting to take on another hour (but all spots were filled), or wanting to have the room on another week. In the area that anyone could walk many were hesitant to fully engage the spiritual journey, however, they were impressed by the fact a church was willing and able to create such a space. The Delaware Gazette did a little article on the space to make sure that the community realizes what was going on in the little store front.

B

Today's class was on unceasing prayer. We discussed what it means to pray without ceasing as looked at the historical methods for praying throughout the day. These liturgical and traditional methods are new to me because I have always been a part of a church that does not practice these sort of prayer times. I always thought that specific times to pray like discussed in class were so restrictive to the communication between myself and God, however, in class I saw that these are a good way to focus myself on God throughout the day. When these tools are used in a way that focuses the heart toward God, they are actually quite profoundly beautiful.

For the second part of the class we went to a local Methodist church where a prayer labyrinth was set up for us to walk and pray. Again this is one aspect of prayer that I do not typically engage in. I think I liked it...not really sure yet. While the walking and praying were nice, I continue to wonder if a walk through the woods might be better for me. I found myself worrying about staying on the labyrinth path, thinking that I need to hurry up because others were waiting, etc. A walk through the woods typically has different distractions, but I find it more calming. I think the thing that I brought out of the entire process is that I need to pray more. Pray when I awake. Pray when I get ready in the morning. Pray when I drive (eyes open). Pray when I work. Pray when I walk. Pray when I eat. Pray when I sleep...

C

JESU, MY STRENGTH, MY HOPE

I want a sober mind
A self-renouncing will
That tramples down and casts behind
the baits of pleasing ill;
a soul inured to pain,
To hardship grief, and loss,
Bold to take up, firm to sustain
The consecrated cross

A

"Action is not activism. An activist wants to heal, restore, redeem, and re-create, but those acting within the house of God point through their actions to the Healing, restoring, redeeming, and re-creating presence of God. "

-Henri Nouwen "The Only Necessary Thing" pg. 141

This quote struck me as a novel way at looking at the Kingdom of God. So many times Christians believe that we need to be activists in politics and social issues but Nouwen challenges this belief. God is already doing the action. The action has already begun and is happening as we speak, we simply need to act within the actions that God has already been apart of. My goal therefore is not to start a movement, my goal is to join in the movement that has been going on for two thousand years. To be a part of the amazing story that Christ comenced humanity on. Isn't that great!? I don;t have to be an amazing charismatic character, I can be me and simply take part in the movement that is already healing, restoring, redeeming, and re-creating all around me.