Poem: Origami

PART 1 Sometimes circumstances surpass me. The experience sets me wincing and flinching. And I sense my composure unfolding, —Torn open by the wind.   . And my shoulders draw in.  And my chest tightens up. And my breathing shrinks back. And I’m suddenly standing . In the middle of a flapping flock of seagulls. They…

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Poem: All Commands are Promises

(Rotate your phone to landscape) . Don’t fear. Don’t judge. Don’t lust. Don’t rush.    Be good. Believe. Beseech. Belong.  Don’t lag. Don’t hate. Don’t hoard. Don’t strut. Be still. Behold. Become. Becalm. . How can I obey the command to be still              When my chest rages on like the sea?                 When the…

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Prayer Guides: Inner Healing

I co-wrote these guides for the Fayetteville Prayer Room with my friend, Lana, who guides contemplative prayer gatherings here. For I am afflicted and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.    Psalm 109:22 Most of us carry wounds, shame and disappointment from events in our lives. These experiences often shape how we see…

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Prayer Guides: Imaginative Prayer

I co-wrote these guides for the Fayetteville Prayer Room with my friend, Lana, who guides contemplative prayer gatherings here. Contemplative prayer engages both the mind and heart. As we pray, God guides our thoughts, gently stirs our emotions, and deepens our awareness of His presence.  Five hundred years ago, St. Ignatius of Loyola developed a…

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Prayer Guide: The Examen

I co-wrote these guides for the Fayetteville Prayer Room with my friend, Lana, who guides contemplative prayer gatherings here. The Ignatian Examen  “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.”  Psalm 63:6 For centuries, Christians have ended their day with prayers of reflection and submission. Nightfall offers…

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Different Ways to Worship through Song

A resource of the Fayetteville Prayer Room. The Psalmists wrote songs of praise, thanksgiving, remembrance, kingship, confidence, wisdom and lament. Modern songwriters write different kinds of worship songs too. Here are a few:  Praise. Most often, worship is pure praise– when we exalt the Lord, expecting nothing in return. We can join the angels singing,…

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Different Kinds of Prayer

A resource at the Fayetteville Prayer Room: There are many ways to pray. Some are like stepping into the throne room or marching onto a battlefield, sword in hand; others are more like climbing into God’s lap or holding a candle. In every form, you can minister to God—and in each, He is waiting to…

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April 30, 2025

The great oaks fell. They were nestled too close, Their roots intertwined. The soil too wet from so much spring rain. . The wind flipped them over like a tossed rug And broke them like a lamp on the other side, A tangled splintered mess. . Nature is reckless. I love her and hate her….

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Loosed Flock of Dreams

The lichen glows neon on rain-darkened tree trunks A breeze rustles droplets from each budding branch Then bursts out the sun making everything shimmer and the slow peace perks up like a mirthy song, That’s when childhood dreams loose like a flock overhead And I’m seized by nostalgia for things I’ve never done: . For…

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Daybreak and Midmorning Prayers

Through the centuries, many Christians have paused seven times a day to sing, read Scripture, and pray in a tradition known as praying the hours. Below are liturgies for morning prayers. Find liturgies and descriptions for other hours here. These scripture-based liturgies were created for the Fayetteville Prayer Room in Northwest Arkansas. All are welcome…

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Noon and Midafternoon Prayers

Through the centuries, many Christians have paused seven times a day to sing, read Scripture, and pray in a tradition known as praying the hours. Below are liturgies for morning prayers. Find liturgies and descriptions for other hours here. These scripture-based liturgies were created for the Fayetteville Prayer Room in Northwest Arkansas. All are welcome to…

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The Nightwatch

Through the centuries, many Christians have paused seven times a day to sing, read Scripture, and pray in a tradition known as praying the hours. Below are liturgies for morning prayers. Find liturgies and descriptions for other hours here. These scripture-based liturgies were created for the Fayetteville Prayer Room in Northwest Arkansas. All are welcome to…

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