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Rewilding our Souls

the forest is calling

2/25/2021

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Prayer for the Second Sunday of Lent

Creator of All,
Tree of Life, 

Spirit among us:
as we wander deeper into the 
wilderness of this season,
searching for paths among the 
woods, be our companion 
along the way less traveled.

The forest is calling us: 
come. Come, stand among us.
Come where light and shadow dance
as branches sway with the wind.
Come in wonder and worship, you
powerful and powerless, 
come, children and elders,
come, from all directions,
come, learn the secrets of life:
dormancy and growth, 
interconnection and community,
rootedness and reaching upward.

We confess our devotion to independence,
our belief we can go it alone, and
our me-first mentality.
Heal us from our short sightedness
so we might see the forest for the trees,
recognize our dependance on you, 
and our interdependence with all life
from mycelia to majestic pines.

Shelter us, O God, in the safety
of your strong branches.
Nourish and strengthen us, but
keep us humble of heart.
Tune our ears to your timbered voice,
and tune our hearts to praise.

Amen.

- Wendy Janzen
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From the Depths

2/19/2021

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Prayer for the First Sunday of Lent

​From the depths 

of our souls we call out
to the Source of all being:
deep calls to Deep,
hear our cries.
We are born of water,
watery wombs hold us
then spill us out into
this world of light. 

At times - like now - it is easy 
to feel like life has us
in over our heads.
We are treading water and 
growing very weary. 
The vastness of the sea,
with no shore in sight,
waves and storms,
sea monsters, real or imagined,
all threaten us.

Buoy us, O Presence.
Preserve us from the storms,
have compassion on us,
embrace us with mercy.
Hold us, so that we might stop
our striving, at least for a bit,
catch our breath,
regain our strength,
find hope in our waiting.
Calm our weary souls
that we might find true rest.

And,
when the time is right
invite us to dive beneath
the surface,
down to the deep,
and discover the
treasure that awaits.

Amen 

- Wendy Janzen


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Ashes

2/17/2021

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Ash Wednesday Prayer

Wounded Christ,
On this day we remember
that we are stardust,
that we share death in common
with all that lives,
that from dust we came, 
and to dust we will return.

Walk with us on every step
of this sacred journey,
and help us not turn away
from heartache, pain, and loss.
In our vulnerability 
may we also find strength,
in our sorrow
may we know the depths of love,
in our living, 
may we learn to die. 

Keep us from grasping at that
which holds us back, and 
don’t guarantee life anyways.
Grant us peace of spirit
even as our flesh grows 
weary and worn.
In your mercy, 
hear our prayers.
Amen.
​

- Wendy Janzen

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Valentine Blessing

2/12/2021

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Blessed be red tailed hawk 
and clear blue sky.
Blessed be the glowing yellow branches
of weeping willow.
Blessed be brilliant white snow
and deep shadows.
Blessed be wind and sun,
flowing river, 
and frozen soil.
Blessed be the tilt of the globe,
the orbit of earth,
and the expansive cosmos.
Blessed be the life cycle,
seeds, decay,
birth, death, 
and all the moments in between.
Blessed be God, 
Mother of all,
Lover of all. 
Blessed be our love
for life and all that is alive, 
for our world, our watershed,
our particular place, 
and all those with whom we share it.

- Wendy Janzen
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Groundhog Day Prayer

2/2/2021

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God of all creatures,
​
today we praise you for groundhogs,
unassuming rodents who carry
the tradition and mystery 
of forecasting spring.

From their elaborate burrows they rise,
half dead: groggy from hibernation, 
hungry, alone, stressed; 
awakened by an inner clock
synchronized with the 
rhythms of the seasons
that tells them it is time
to explore and prepare
for the next generation.
 
We pray for all creatures who
count the days until the weather 
changes, until winter 
loosens its grip, until
they can reconnect with others.
We pray for all who are tired,
who are hungry or dissatisfied,
who are lonely or isolated.

In this time between solstice
and equinox reassure us that
sooner or later spring will come.
Grant us patience to see the gifts 
of this particular time, and to
savour the stillness.
In our exhaustion release us from stress
so that we might find rest. 
In moments of hunger or dissatisfaction
remind us that there is enough.
In our isolation 
be a comforting presence.

We pray that whether the sun shines
or the sky is grey, we will count
each day as a gift with 
moments of wonder.
Let hope rise up in us, as we
align our bodies and spirits
to your greater purposes 
beyond what we see this day.

Amen.

​- Wendy Janzen
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    Author

    Reflections, poetry, prayers, photos, and resources  written by Wendy Janzen unless otherwise noted.
    ​
    This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

    If you are an established church or institution, please consider making a donation when using these resources in addition to attribution. Thanks!

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