Good Evening Dear Family!
Happy #WisdomWednesday! Lots of things to ponder these days. Yesterday was National Coming Out Day. I came out as a Lesbian on June 27, 2016 so that was my day to tell the world who I truly am and live my truth authentically with courage and grace. This week we have been reading the many heartfelt stories of coming out but this week some of those stories aren't about coming out of closets but having the courage to tell stories of domestic abuse, violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, bullying, verbal terrorism and abuse. Many of us have had triggers that have taken us back to feeling ashamed, guilt ridden, and just plain old icky again. We see people in the news who should know better and PTSD episodes are kindled afresh by any victim and not just the victim who was victimized by said person. Telling our stories requires courage and the risk of not being believed and many times quashed by people who don't want to or choose to believe us. So dear family we need to prayerfully love our family members through their times of telling. Let us remember that when some one says.the following ( This is a partial list) :
Mama/Papa/Trusted adult that man (person) makes me feel uncomfortable ----Don't shush them, honor and respect their telling.
Mr/s. Big harassed me at work- Tell them to document the incident and go to their supervisor. If the supervisor is Mr. Big. Go higher up.
I was raped/ beaten up/ bullied/ in (a school bathroom ,online, playground, bus, etc ) by a bully! Go with your child to the principal's office and work together as a team. Love your child no matter what.
I am Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, etc..... Tell your friend .family member that you love them and nothing is going to change.
When someone says.......! Believe them!
When someone says I have been.....! Believe them and offer to listen!
When someone says .......I need help because someone has made me feel icky(no matter what age) Go with them to the ER, Police Department, Domestic abuse shelter!
We who are in places of leadership and ministry must create boundaries of sacred trust and security. If your church, office, social organization don't have these places, work to create them. We also need to take the sexual abuse, harassment, misconduct - prevention courses and become mandated reporters. This is so important now more than ever. Check with your clergy and ask them to allow you to take the coursework. The more people who do this the better. If you represent organizations that help children I would take the classes even if you aren't required to do so. The more we learn the more we can protect our family members and ourselves from harm.
Tonight let us offer or prayers and light candles to show the world that with God's help we can tell our stories with courage and have the courage live our truths openly without fear, hatred, and retribution.
God we come before you this night with troubled hearts, minds, and spirits seeking unity not division, not to hate but to love, to be together as we accept our differences without fear, anxiety, and suspicion. We light one candle tonight in unity, compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy. We light one candle tonight for the family member and others who represent the latest deaths of our brothers and sisters in the Abrahamic Faiths and LGBTQUIA communities due to hate groups and those who have decided that living is too much to bear and commit suicide. We pray that we all may be one and live authentically without shame as we open ourselves up to tell our stories. We pray for loving hearts and listening ears so that we may absorb the many stories of coming out and the struggles that continue to plague and give rise to insecurity. We pray that we all may be one and that we may seek only to be we not we/they or them and us. We pray this night that we all may be one as Jesus and you are one. We pray that we may respect the dignity of every human being without fear but with light, love, justice, kindness, and a willingness to help stop the shaming and hate filled speech. We hold this candle out to one another and say and pray these words "The Light of Christ in Me, Recognizes the Light of Christ in you! Let us all be one in love, prayer, and peace this night as we are united with you God. Amen.
Respond to these petitions with: May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort be with us this night as we pray for peace in this world and that we may live into our baptismal covenant with you and each other.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may we seek as one family with you to find solutions that will stem the tide of all violence and terror.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may we seek with you to find our true calling and life path.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort give us strength to speak out firmly and lovingly for those who haven't any voice.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort give us all a return to common sense. Take away from us all temptation to fall into a mob and hate mentality.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort we pray for all who are ill and in need of healing of their bodies, minds, and spirits.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may we be sources of comfort one to another and listen to you with our heart homes for those who are in need of help and may not be able to name their needs.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may we ever be mindful of our family members who are grieving losses and pre- grieving.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort we pray for all who have been senselessly murdered for who they are. Grant to them eternal rest.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort may all of us who struggle to live authentically without fear be able to speak and live our truth valiantly and with courage.
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
God of all comfort we pray and give thanks for_________________________
May we all be one and comfort one another with love, kindness and gentleness God hear our prayers!
We lift up these our prayers in the Holy name of Jesus! Amen.
God we pray that we may tell our stories from the heart and see them as our stories of resiliency, hope, and promise. The promise from you that you'll never leave us or forsake us and that we trust in your plans for us even when we are at the lowest of the low, too young to see the big picture, and yes God even when we live with self-doubt, uncertainty, and feeling invisible. Help us always to live in an Advent time of joyful expectation, peace and stillness in our hearts, loving You, ourselves and our family members, and be bearers of hope and light to your fragile and broken world.
God we pray this night for all the people who are being held hostage in Sydney and for their safety.
God we pray that peace may prevail and that we may become and be your peacemakers.
God we pray for all who are ill in body, mind, and spirit. May we offer our help and lovingly respond to their needs.
God we pray for all who are out in the cold tonight. We pray for their safety and that they may find shelter away from the cold. We remember all of our family members who are the least of these.
God we pray that we all may have forgiving hearts this season and become united with our estranged family members.
God we pray for all the war torn and disease prone areas of the world that there may be peace, healing, and unity.
God we pray for an end to torture, violence, abuse, and terror. We remember this day the Victims who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary, Columbine, Paducah, Virginia Tech, Isla Vista, The Many universities, Schools, shopping malls, movie theaters, and play grounds and many other places that haven't been named. We pray for those who continue to mourn. Let there not be one more and that there will be ways of assessing the many mentally ill family members who are led to do these terrible acts.
God we pray for our vulnerable family members who are in need of love, comfort, and compassion.
God we pray for refugees, prisoners, captives, victims of violence, human trafficking, and most especially our indigenous family members who keep having their lands and livelihoods taken away.
God we pray that we may be good at practicing conservation in Your Cathedral of life.
God we offer our prayers for ourselves and on behalf of our Family Members of Love remembering_________
God we pray that we may speak truth to power, let justice roll down, do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you O God as we become the voices of the voiceless.
We lift up these our prayers in the Name of Your Son Jesus the Christ, our redeemer, healer, reconciler, brother, and friend. Amen.
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Good night dear ones ! Let us take time to tell our stories, listen to the stories, and believe the stories, Let us show our family members Compassion, Acceptance, Love, and Mercy at all times. I love you and give thanks to God for you always.
With Love and a Heart Home wide open with welcome.
Sara
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