“If you hold a newborn in your arms,
All at once you will understand
The crook of your elbow
And the cup of your palm
As never before—
Ordinary curves of the body
Transformed into a resting space.
You were designed for love.”
— Excerpt from “Hold” by Rev. Sarah Are
From the Again & Again poetry collection by @sanctifiedart
“God of light, if I am walking, I want to walk toward the dawn. I want to walk into the sun. I want to walk closer to you. There are many long shadows that can distract and deter. Help guide my feet. Be my light. Gratefully I pray. Amen.”—Prayer by Rev. Sarah Are | @sanctifiedart
“Patient Jesus, when you walked this world so many people did not understand. They tried to pin you down with logic, throwing stones at their confusion, throwing stones at what they did not understand. I know I am guilty of the same. So today I pray: Stretch my mind. Open my heart. Give me the…
“Great teacher, you rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. It was a peaceful protest, but it was risky. You had to have known that this would end in violence, for who could stand against the state and survive? I imagine your bravery, and pray: Grant me a portion of that courage. I want to love…
“‘Courage’ derives from Latin word ‘cor,’ which means ‘heart.’ When we consider the full Palm Sunday picture, these are frightful times. So much is happening that is both hopeful and terrifying. Tensions and tears are plentiful. But the Word will remind us to ‘take heart.’ Again and again, we take heart amid the drama. The…
“Gracious God, you see me when I am down, and you invite me to tell you about it. You ask me, ‘What is your name?’ And in that moment, I can respond with the lies that cover me, or I can respond, ‘I am a child of God.’ No matter what I say, I know…
“Maybe by the time you’re reading this,The day will have comeFor all God’s people to be gathered at Table.Maybe by the time you’re reading this,We will be eating together.Maybe we’ll be hugging.Hopefully there will be dancingAnd laughing and kissingAnd leaning in to tell stories,And throwing our heads back to laugh.But until that day,I will wiggle…
