Last Saturday, I had brunch with one of my friends from seminary. Her seminary job at a local church has become the job that she will be ordained into as a full time Associate Pastor. It's all very exciting. From the moment we met, she announced, "I have 1000 questions for you." I was reminded how few of our peers from seminary actually enter into parish ministry as we griped and rejoiced in our parish life that is foreign to our seminary peers.
One of the first questions she asked me was about how I maintain a prayer life. And, I admitted that I have never been very good at this. I need community to pray. And while leading Sunday morning worship, it rarely does anything for me. I don't find time to be still and find God. I'm too worried about the next prayer or reading or... You know.
So, while I was stuck in the airport (did I mention I was stuck there forever on Monday night?), I called this dear friend. I left a message asking her if she would want to be prayer partners. I don't know really what that would mean or how it would work. But, I posed the question. It's something I have always wanted to do but have never found the right person. And she would be the right person. But, I have no idea how it would work. Do you do this? How does it work for you?
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Rant, pray, bless, draw, lament and praise with me in the wonders and mysteries of trying to be who God has called me to be.
3 comments:
I have a friend who holds me accountable and I hold him accountable. We tell each other what spiritual practices we are trying and check in over e-mail or phone to see how it is going (usually every week or every other week). I find writing e-mails alone is helpful. It forces me to reflect on my prayer life and to admit where I need work. I also know that he is holding me before God and I am doing the same for him. That alone is powerful.
I think having companions on the journey is essential. Good for you for calling your friend!
more cows was my best prayer partner i have ever had in college. we prayed together every night. we just spoke what was on our heart in prayer. i want another prayer partner now...so maybe this is crossing a line (when haven't i) but it seems that praying alone can be like masturbation when praying with someone regularly can really be the real thing. to be able to be vulnerable, surprised at what comes out of you, trusting after time. i still value so much praying withpeople, and have to do it on the phone all the time, so i know that can work. my 2 cents.
reading this i got thinking about the prayers i shared with little mary (and then she wrote about that here! yay, glad we both feel this way!) and then with my prayer partner in seminary (a woman i have fallen WAY out of touch with). i haven't had such an explicitly spiritual relationship since becoming a pastor five years ago. how sad is that. i do have a colleague with whom i have connected minimally weekly for the past four and half years and that has had spiritual dimensions, but I agree with little mary, totally, my prayer life alone is NOTHING like the richness of my prayer life with another. my husband is an ideal prayer partner and i guess we do pray together every day... but we could be more intentional about this as spiritual discipline.
i hope this relationship will be rich and meaningful for you. sounds like it has all the right origins. i don't think phone prayers can match the power of sitting knee to knee on a bed holding hands, but... they can be DARN good.
Blessings.
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