Thank you for being a prayer warrior-angel, Manon. – Pamela

May it be so, Carol. If you are looking for a contemplative spiritual director who also practices Centering Prayer, I keep of list of people I come across with these qualifications. You can email me at pamela@coutreach.org if this appeals to you.

Amen, Linda. Thank you for being such a dedicated participant, practitioner and willing warrior on the transformative path. Deep bow to you. – Pamela

“… when I am ready to face myself.” I love this honest and accepting description of your process. Thank you, Linda. – Pamela

Here is a song that inspires me and reminds me that God is REAL – no matter what.
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=N8wit0F4Ypw

Love and Light to all,
Pamela

Thank you, Tom, for taking the time to write. The Everything works in all ways and all times. And now Tanuja is in/with The Everything. God bless you, Tom. – Pamela

Dear Frank:  Thank you so much for taking the time to share your gratitude. I sent your note to all members of the WoW team; it is very inspiring and gratifying to hear how much this program means to your spiritual journey. Your participation inspires our commitment, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. – Pamela

Welcome to this “way of prayer,” Millie, where openings continue to happen like the one you describe above. And as Fr. Thomas said, “ordinary life becomes shot through with extraordinary love.” May it be so for you as your journey continues. – Pamela

Interesting! Thank you sharing this, Melanie. – Pamela

Recently I have realized and admitted that I am powerless over a situation with family members. Worry and concern think they are useful, but I’ve exposed the lie of this interiorly. Admitting I am powerless also includes admitting my stories about the situation have no truth and no effect. This has been my freedom walk this week. – Pamela

What a beautiful, heart-felt reflection, Noreen. Thank you for sharing.

I relate to what you write – feeling like an outsider heretic because I see things differently and experience God to be different that what the church teaches. Centering Prayer was so validating to me in this respect – developing a deeper relationship with God who is beyond words, beyond dogma and judgments of people and institutions. I began to experience a God who is Love and this feels truer than anything anyone could every tell me about God. And in this unconditional Love, I am transforming more and more each day. I feel more open and loving and it seems that’s what Jesus was modeling his whole life – how to be Love and serve Love.

 

Linda, your presence and practice also fertilizes the Contemplative Outreach community. Bless you in your chrysalis state while you literally acclimate to a new geographical state. – Pamela

Posting this on behalf of Noreen:

This message is hitting me powerfully today, right in the heart! I first read about Jesus being the good Shepherd who lays his life down for his sheep in one of the Anglican morning prayer readings. His own sheep know him. I asked myself, “Do I really know him? Do I have a shepherd? Is he my shepherd whom I trust? Do I recognize Jesus as one who lays down his life – for me?” Then I heard the Gospel reading for today in church. What struck me was Jesus’s question to Peter, three times, “Do you love me?” Do I know Jesus’s heart for me? Do I believe that he would lay down his life for ME? Do I really believe in my heart that he has done this? I have real difficulty telling Jesus I love him. This goes very deep. In my childhood and church upbringing, I felt I had to be good (obedient) in order to be loved, or even accepted by God. I was a good child, until late in my teens, when I rebelled against the entire religion, and I was no longer a good girl. I eventually came back, a believer, but reluctant to join a church which has disappointed me and hurt me so much. And it is very difficult for me to break out of this mindset. It’s hard for me to separate Jesus from church and pious believers who I feel so different from. I never feel like I quite fit in. I never quite belong. I always have a different take on things. Because I always seem to think and believe differently, I know (and fear) some might call me a heretic. I wonder if I am! But I have to be true to myself! The point is, this being different makes me wonder if I am disqualified from this inner group. Does Jesus embrace me? I doubt this love of Jesus, at least in my case. And so I have spent a lifetime being a bit of an outsider. And wondering if Jesus sees me as an outsider too, fearing that he is watching me skeptically. But as I do centering prayer, I look at my beliefs and fears and bring them to God. Something is breaking down. Today I find myself crying a lot. Peter must have also felt less than qualified to be in that inner circle! But Jesus reached out to him, handing him bread and fish he had grilled himself, also for Peter! Today I feel the pain of having shut myself out, and I cry. I can imagine Jesus making breakfast for me and handing it to me – to me! With love in his eyes, and maybe even a hug. I sit there, and allow him to embrace me, and the tears flow.

 

Bless you, your husband and y our brother in your new life transitions, Linda. – Pamela

This reflection was submitted via another means by George Marsh: “Reflecting on today’s word, loving my enemies. I tried that and was deceived out of a large amount of money over two years. When I admitted that the man I had trusted was dishonest, I recalled another of Jesus’s teachings, be gentle as lambs and cunning as serpents. I had not taken advice to be careful giving money to a stranger with a criminal record. To protect other gullible people, I told the police, the man’s parole officer, what he did to me; the police arrested him, put him on trial, and the court sentenced him to prison. My former trusted friend will have some time to amend his conscience and life. I pray that God will take special care for him and his family, and for the public and the system of law enforcement.”

 

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