Another edition of the paper down in the books. Time to dive into the next issue. What stories will this one hold?
Lord, I’m not ready. I have barely had a chance to process what you’ve blessed me with in the last two weeks: making a spunky new friend with a tenacity for life, sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers-turned-friends at an historic interfaith gathering, brainstorming at the bishop’s request with some of the most dedicated faithful who are committed to their communities, and a rare and blessed heart-to-heart with a special woman of God. Just to name a few.
Lord, why have you chosen me for this work? Sometimes it is so so so hard. Sometimes the topics are uncomfortable. Sometimes I’m challenged about what I think I know or understand about you and about my faith. Sometimes it wreaks havoc on my emotions to try to capture the beauty of someone’s sacred story in just a few carefully chosen words – and then to put my whole heart into it and leave it open and raw for others to enter into and judge.
How could you choose me for this? I’m not smart enough. I’m not strong enough. I’m not holy enough. I’m so unworthy to enter under their roofs.
Lord, help me to know you chose me because you love me. You chose me because you love them. You chose me because in the broken places of my own story, your light shines through the cracks – and that’s a story to be thankful for.
Thank you, Lord, for choosing me to be your light in the broken places. Thank you for the gift of listening when I sometimes feel unheard myself. Thank you for the gift of each story and each person you place in my path. Thank you for the stories that are easy to tell and the stories that push me outside of myself. Thank you for allowing me to enter fully into each story and to seek and find your presence in every. single. one.
As we start the next edition, hear my prayers, Lord. Let each person know their story matters to you. Let it be your words that flow through my heart and into my fingers. Let each word glorify you. Let each story shine with your light. Amen.
Kristi Anderson is a multimedia reporter and blog coordinator for The Visitor. Read more about Kristi on the Meet Our Bloggers page.