Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 Prayer begins, not with our call to God, but with God’s call to us. “Come to me,” Jesus calls. “Come.” All our praying is in some way a response to God’s … [Read more...] about Releasing our Burdens as Prayer
Search Results for: shame
Waking Up: A Moment of Clarity
by Dale Ryan With a brief prayer of gratitude for Bill (which is not his real name,) who chose a doorknob as his Higher Power and got a thirty-day chip at the first AA meeting I attended in the winter of 1983 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1983, I was in seminary studying to become a pastor. Ministry was a second career for me. Prior to going to seminary, I had earned my PhD in biochemistry … [Read more...] about Waking Up: A Moment of Clarity
Spiritual Dis-ease
“I knew there was something about you that I liked.” This sentence saved Sister Molly Monahan from an overwhelming shame attack early in her recovery from alcohol addiction. Sister Monahan, fresh out of rehab, was serving as a consultant and visiting a college campus in Virginia. One evening she slipped away from her duties to attend an AA meeting and discovered to her utter dismay that a law … [Read more...] about Spiritual Dis-ease
Heroes of Faith
Once I grew up and took responsibility for studying the scriptures for myself, I discovered a wide world of opportunity to learn from a variety of scholars and theologians. This reading and studying has been a regular practice for me since Pete and I joined the church as young newlyweds. Here is one thing I know. I know this without a doubt. God uses messy people. Here are a few … [Read more...] about Heroes of Faith
Eventually we have to do something!
Over lunch during the holidays my adult children were discussing some philosopher’s perspective on options. I was too busy chasing around a 15-month-old to hear all the details but evidently there is a philosopher who has posited that limited choices are better for us than feeling like we can do anything we want just because we will it. Pros and cons were bantered about but I think the … [Read more...] about Eventually we have to do something!
What’s our part?
Everyone has heard that there is sexual immorality among you. This is a type of immorality that isn’t even heard of among the Gentiles - a man is having sex with his father’s wife! And you’re proud of yourselves instead of being so upset that the one who did this thing is expelled from your community. 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 After much rumination and no small amount of people whipping out their … [Read more...] about What’s our part?
Shrewsbury, PA Regional Conference
Recovery from Childhood Trauma: Healing Shame, Finding Hope WHEN October 5-6, 2018 PURPOSE: Childhood trauma and shame like to hang out together. Both are destructive spiritually, emotionally - even physically. At this weekend workshop Dale and Juanita Ryan along with Teresa McBean will talk about healing from both. WHERE:Grace Fellowship Church74 East Forrest Ave., Shrewsbury, PA … [Read more...] about Shrewsbury, PA Regional Conference
Richmond, VA Regional Conference
Thriving in a Wounded World: Seeking the Spiritual in Our Solutions WHEN September 28-29, 2018 PURPOSE: To offer a safe place for people to come to find not just compassion, but information, resources, peer support and recovery that addresses issues related to our emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. Topics that might be of interest to you include understanding shame, healing … [Read more...] about Richmond, VA Regional Conference
Receiving from Others as Prayer
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6: 24-26 Prayer includes actively receiving words and deeds of blessing. Strangely enough this is something we sometimes resist. When people thank us for something we did or said that touched their lives in some way we may dismiss the … [Read more...] about Receiving from Others as Prayer
Serving as Prayer
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'” Luke 4:8 When we pray, we open our hearts and minds to the God of love. Prayer allows us to experience God’s active love directly. And prayer draws us into serving this One who is love. Our service, then, becomes a form of prayer. Unfortunately, however, not all acts of service are acts of … [Read more...] about Serving as Prayer