Friday Prayer, June 2, 2017

susanne-photo-7
Photo by Susanne Moorman Rowe

Summer blessings, my friends. I hope and pray the earth’s greening and pending shifts in life routine are creating some breathing space in your soul.

I am now 36 weeks pregnant.  I feel it. Eden arrived at 37 1/2 weeks, and so there’s a chance this will be my temporary “signing-off” prayer for a period of time.

In the third trimester of my pregnancy with Eden, I developed severe Sacroiliac Joint pain. It completely stopped me in my tracks. And almost like clockwork, the pain descended again during this pregnancy journey at the exact same week and point. While trips to the chiropractor, yoga and “spinning babies” techniques are helping ease the pain, there was a stretch of time where I couldn’t even do the daily essentials.

I know so many of you, my friends, struggle with the burden of chronic pain. Maybe you have for years. My own pain in this last month has deepened my prayerfulness for you. How you inspire me with the brave and trusting way you walk the path everyday.

I’ve been reflecting on limitations and how I struggle within and against them. On how we can channel our breath toward the places in our bodies (or thoughts, or lives!) that pain us the most, and how that can be healing. And on how the more I can relax and breathe into my pain, rather than tense up and fight, the more centered I am in how I really want to live.

Feel my love and prayers with you in the weeks to come. How excited I am to share updates of new life soon.

 

***

 

Tender Holder

of my hurting body

and tired heart,

 

I still and settle my soul

in your hands, giving to you

the places of pain,

asking that you channel your breath through mine,

bringing balm and comfort –

even for a moment.

 

You softly tend with a

soothing Spirit to the

sharp spikes of pain, spearing their way with suddenness

and stealing my breath for a second.

 

You don’t leave me alone

to face my limitations.

You are teaching me to lean into them,

and find there a whole new depth of

sustaining grace.

 

With you, I can be whole even as I don’t feel healed.

I can rest in the cradling of your love while together we wait

for a mending of the muscles

and renewed strength in my heart.

 

This, too, will pass….

you promise.

 

And that is enough hope

to get me through today.

 

Amen.

4 Comments

  1. Arianne
    The Lord has you in the palm of his hand. Continue following his lead. You are about to experience another miracle and the pain will evaporate.
    You are so loved and appreciated. I love your writings. They keep me whole.
    Blessings
    Marianne

  2. I’m so sorry to hear about your sudden spikes of pain, Arianne! It is, however, typical of you to use them to feel empathy for the suffering of others and to feel more deeply whole if not yet healed. It is lovely to have a whole new reason to enjoy our Fridays, and we can only pray that when it rolls around again next week, this too will have passed.
    With increased love, admiration and prayers for healing,
    Gerri

  3. Dear Arianne,

    Thank you for sharing your struggle with pain and what you are doing for it. I have probably learned from chiropractors longer than most and they can be helpful. Our grandson is a chiropractor and it has helped me through the years. I have also learned a great deal about zone therapy and reflexology which I have connected to Psalm 139:13-14 in relation to the fact that if God knit us together in our mother’s womb He must have a knitting plan that is very complex and is known very well these days, although the older translations talk about soul knowledge which is also a neat concept. I’ve found that for your sacroiliac joint pain you can learn to help yourself from your feet and hands by deeply triggering the reflex points that also correspond to some other treatments. I suggest that you go to Barnes & Noble and check out some of the reflexology books that are available and helpful. I will pray that what you are doing and working at will give you relief—I also find that 5 Psalms and 1 Proverb a day have a neat bit of wisdom and prayer help. Blessings, Gene DeHoogh

    On Fri, Jun 2, 2017 at 5:35 AM, Ash and Starlight wrote:

    > ariannelehn posted: ” Summer blessings, my friends. I hope and pray the > earth’s greening and pending shifts in life routine are creating some > breathing space in your soul. I am now 36 weeks pregnant. I feel it. Eden > arrived at 37 1/2 weeks, and so there’s a chance this wil” >

  4. I have been thinking of you these days with the final weeks approachinng. This is a beautiful prayer, thank you. I am glad to here of your status but sorry for your struggle with the pain. I remember myself saying “this too shall pass” and it has, and your pain will as well. So many way of working through it and never only one answer. Please know you are loved and thought of daily. From both of us peace and love to all of you as the journey continues.

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