I’ve been job searching (and would appreciate everyone’s prayers) and cover letters are the bane of my exist (seriously in need of prayers) and yesterday I applied for a faith based job and got to write my cover blurb talking about Jesus and quoting scripture and it was such a fun twist from the other million cover letters!
That Jesus job sounds amazing, Monica. Praying for your heart and skills to shine through in the cover letters and for hiring managers to see you for the talent you are!
I have a job interview tomorrow! (Today! Monday!) and I am excited about it! It's not the "jesus job" but it's helping homeless folks access healthcare so like hello Jesus. I'd love prayers! Thank you!
If you become possessed I think someone should gently comfort you, but it also could be a SMIDGE your fault because of collecting cursed objects on sale
I have a client being sentenced today and my heart is very heavy as he is a good man who nominally broke the law to help feed his family and is likely to get absolutely slaughtered by our judge who is hard-hearted on the best day. I feel very helpless and have been praying all day but if anyone else wishes to remember my client in their prayers and pray that God is with him today in the courtroom I (and he) would appreciate it.
FaceBook just told me that it’s my “friendaversary” or whatever made up thing it has for when I friended my dearest Sarah, I guess twelve years ago or something. Yeah, whatever Facebook. I friended Sarah my first day of college. Eighteen years ago. And this earthly world lost her in January. And she was so much of my heart and I miss her so fucking much that I would just like to weep now. And this has nothing to do with Jesus (especially bc she was Jewish), I’m just putting it out there because I have to put it SOMEWHERE or I will burst. And I can’t burst - or weep - because I must go and parent my children.
We can hold your grief for you safely here until you get to a place where you feel like you can express it. I hope that's soon. My heart goes out to you; I'm so sorry.
Praying especially hard for the reader with a pastor father and a sick sister and a worn out mother -- as a pastor's kid myself, it's hard to describe the unique kind of feelings that spring up when your parent is insanely capable at taking care of people except for if those people are related to him. The shoemaker's daughter has no shoes, etc. May Jesus be a source of strength in body, courage in spirit, and relief in community.
In the first Jesus Wednesday post, someone shared a quiz in the thread to find which faith best aligns with your beliefs (I don't remember your username, but thank you!). I got Liberal Quaker in it and I just reached out to the community here in my city and will hopefully be going along on Sunday to join the group and see it it fits in person! (as well as sounding quite right from the research I've been doing)
If i go, I'll definitely share! It's possible that I'll chicken out. I think their gatherings here are very small and going alone to a small established group (in german, no less) feels very intimidating buuut I'm going to try
As a raised but currently quite lapsed Quaker I’m happy to answer any questions about what you might expect if that would help. Quakers are an exceptionally friendly group and there tends to be new people regularly at Meetings even if it’s just a visitor etc so I would worry too much about the established group part!
I'll definitely take you up on your kind offer. Right now I'm not sure where to start with questions but I might pop back to this thread in a day or two, if that's ok!
I'm leaving for a mission trip (work-based, not evangelism-- we're UCC) with my 32 high school-aged Sunday school dumplings on Saturday. There's a lot of excitement and stress; we just had one of our 6 adult leaders drop out and there can be tension among some of the leaders and while they all do beautiful things to support our youth... anyway we're all imperfect people, right? But, it should be a beautiful trip. We're doing hurricane repair work in the gulf coast with an organization that serves low income individuals and it's such a privilege to watch these youths get radicalized towards a life of social justice and also just being beautiful, weird humans. My first trip with this crew completely upended my life and I can't wait to see what God throws at me this time. I work now in an unpleasant, high-stress tech environment where my job is, effectively, to absorb the disappointment and projections of impotence from rich white men while I sell things to generate value for shareholders. That first mission trip made me realize this wasn't the life I was meant for and now I'm in school full time (I dropped out long ago, so finishing my undergrad in psychology while still working the Terrible Job TM more than full time) and I'm trying to figure out of I'm being pulled towards mental health counseling or ministry. I hope to leave this trip with some clarity there. It was entirely my teens that helped me realize that there was a level of satisfaction and meaning that can be created in my profession life available to me beyond corporate shill-ery. Well. Also Jesus. But the teens were that bright and shiny mirror. These last few days before the trip are intense with work and school and also my husband, who owns a used bookstore in Chicago, is in the middle of relocating and setting up his business in a new neighborhood so evenings are split between homework and reshelving 22,000 books and deciding where decidedly haunted portraits get hung. Have you ever seen those indoor beaches with the wave pools that are full of people just being moved by the waves and other people's bodies? That's how I feel. If anyone has any advice on how to perform enough self care to continue over-functioning or room for prayer for a safe trip and adults learning how to center the teens' needs first and fruitful work and hearts broken open to suffering and systematic injustice in the world and maybe our hands creating a small amount of healing or helpful tips on how to survive 400% humidity and flying cockroaches, it would be a real gift.
May I ask which bookstore your husband owns? I used to live in Chicago and I frequented a few bookstores and found many out of print gems among the shelves. I still recommend them to people who are visiting or moving to the city, so I hope your husband is among them!
I loved Uncharted! Glad to hear it's still carrying on, I worry so much about independent bookstores these days. I will have to try and stop by the new location next time I am in the neighborhood.
LOVING today's guest and taking note of their reading list! I'm a cradle evangelical who had to walk away from her childhood church and I'm mad at a lot of churchy stuff, but always extremely interested in reading/learning about different Christian perspectives. I would describe my relationship to Jesus as not estranged, exactly, but more like when a friend mentions a specific person and you're like "I don't know them, but I've heard wonderful things!" If that makes sense. But, I'm living for Jesus Wednesday and all of these prayer requests are so heartbreaking and important and you can bet I will pray for them in my tentative, "Are you there God?" style.
I’m trying to keep calm in the face of a big honking life change: I’m moving! To Bangladesh! On Sunday! It’s super exciting, because I get to do the job I’ve wanted since I was 17, but it also means moving away from nearly my entire support system (hard enough without my depression and anxiety), plus two years of long distance with my boyfriend, and all following the loss of my church community when our pastor decided to singlehandedly shut down the music ministry (I sang in the choir). Excited, grateful, grieving, scared—it’s a lot! So prayers and noodles are the way forward.
I have a Christian friend in Madison who has been pleading for help finding an appropriate church there so you are not alone in your quest. (When i lived there I went to one church that said depression was caused by not being a Christian and so I just didn’t go to church the rest of the time I lived there. It was... the upper room maybe?)
I’ve been job searching (and would appreciate everyone’s prayers) and cover letters are the bane of my exist (seriously in need of prayers) and yesterday I applied for a faith based job and got to write my cover blurb talking about Jesus and quoting scripture and it was such a fun twist from the other million cover letters!
That Jesus job sounds amazing, Monica. Praying for your heart and skills to shine through in the cover letters and for hiring managers to see you for the talent you are!
I have a job interview tomorrow! (Today! Monday!) and I am excited about it! It's not the "jesus job" but it's helping homeless folks access healthcare so like hello Jesus. I'd love prayers! Thank you!
Praying! And congratulations!
If you become possessed I think someone should gently comfort you, but it also could be a SMIDGE your fault because of collecting cursed objects on sale
oh, most definitely
Lololol
I have a client being sentenced today and my heart is very heavy as he is a good man who nominally broke the law to help feed his family and is likely to get absolutely slaughtered by our judge who is hard-hearted on the best day. I feel very helpless and have been praying all day but if anyone else wishes to remember my client in their prayers and pray that God is with him today in the courtroom I (and he) would appreciate it.
Prayers of hope, comfort, and lamentation. ❤️
Praying for him.
FaceBook just told me that it’s my “friendaversary” or whatever made up thing it has for when I friended my dearest Sarah, I guess twelve years ago or something. Yeah, whatever Facebook. I friended Sarah my first day of college. Eighteen years ago. And this earthly world lost her in January. And she was so much of my heart and I miss her so fucking much that I would just like to weep now. And this has nothing to do with Jesus (especially bc she was Jewish), I’m just putting it out there because I have to put it SOMEWHERE or I will burst. And I can’t burst - or weep - because I must go and parent my children.
We can hold your grief for you safely here until you get to a place where you feel like you can express it. I hope that's soon. My heart goes out to you; I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry. Those Facebook memory posts are real shits sometimes.
Praying especially hard for the reader with a pastor father and a sick sister and a worn out mother -- as a pastor's kid myself, it's hard to describe the unique kind of feelings that spring up when your parent is insanely capable at taking care of people except for if those people are related to him. The shoemaker's daughter has no shoes, etc. May Jesus be a source of strength in body, courage in spirit, and relief in community.
In the first Jesus Wednesday post, someone shared a quiz in the thread to find which faith best aligns with your beliefs (I don't remember your username, but thank you!). I got Liberal Quaker in it and I just reached out to the community here in my city and will hopefully be going along on Sunday to join the group and see it it fits in person! (as well as sounding quite right from the research I've been doing)
Ooh I'd be interested in hearing your experience. I have always been super interested in Quakerism (with no in-person experience).
If i go, I'll definitely share! It's possible that I'll chicken out. I think their gatherings here are very small and going alone to a small established group (in german, no less) feels very intimidating buuut I'm going to try
As a raised but currently quite lapsed Quaker I’m happy to answer any questions about what you might expect if that would help. Quakers are an exceptionally friendly group and there tends to be new people regularly at Meetings even if it’s just a visitor etc so I would worry too much about the established group part!
Exceptionally *friendly* PUN!
Ahaha it was intentional. (For those who don’t know Quakers are officially called the Religious Society of Friends)
Haha! I love puns :D
I'll definitely take you up on your kind offer. Right now I'm not sure where to start with questions but I might pop back to this thread in a day or two, if that's ok!
I'm leaving for a mission trip (work-based, not evangelism-- we're UCC) with my 32 high school-aged Sunday school dumplings on Saturday. There's a lot of excitement and stress; we just had one of our 6 adult leaders drop out and there can be tension among some of the leaders and while they all do beautiful things to support our youth... anyway we're all imperfect people, right? But, it should be a beautiful trip. We're doing hurricane repair work in the gulf coast with an organization that serves low income individuals and it's such a privilege to watch these youths get radicalized towards a life of social justice and also just being beautiful, weird humans. My first trip with this crew completely upended my life and I can't wait to see what God throws at me this time. I work now in an unpleasant, high-stress tech environment where my job is, effectively, to absorb the disappointment and projections of impotence from rich white men while I sell things to generate value for shareholders. That first mission trip made me realize this wasn't the life I was meant for and now I'm in school full time (I dropped out long ago, so finishing my undergrad in psychology while still working the Terrible Job TM more than full time) and I'm trying to figure out of I'm being pulled towards mental health counseling or ministry. I hope to leave this trip with some clarity there. It was entirely my teens that helped me realize that there was a level of satisfaction and meaning that can be created in my profession life available to me beyond corporate shill-ery. Well. Also Jesus. But the teens were that bright and shiny mirror. These last few days before the trip are intense with work and school and also my husband, who owns a used bookstore in Chicago, is in the middle of relocating and setting up his business in a new neighborhood so evenings are split between homework and reshelving 22,000 books and deciding where decidedly haunted portraits get hung. Have you ever seen those indoor beaches with the wave pools that are full of people just being moved by the waves and other people's bodies? That's how I feel. If anyone has any advice on how to perform enough self care to continue over-functioning or room for prayer for a safe trip and adults learning how to center the teens' needs first and fruitful work and hearts broken open to suffering and systematic injustice in the world and maybe our hands creating a small amount of healing or helpful tips on how to survive 400% humidity and flying cockroaches, it would be a real gift.
May I ask which bookstore your husband owns? I used to live in Chicago and I frequented a few bookstores and found many out of print gems among the shelves. I still recommend them to people who are visiting or moving to the city, so I hope your husband is among them!
Uncharted Books! Was in Logan Square, reopening in Andersonville July 1st
I loved Uncharted! Glad to hear it's still carrying on, I worry so much about independent bookstores these days. I will have to try and stop by the new location next time I am in the neighborhood.
That's amazing! It's right next to Hopleaf! We'd love to have you, and Ramona (our dog who works there) would love the belly rubs!
Fun! Do y’all live in Chicago? I live in Roger’s Park and will definitely check out the store!
Oh cool! Yes! We're in East Garfield Park. You should absolutely stop in!
LOVING today's guest and taking note of their reading list! I'm a cradle evangelical who had to walk away from her childhood church and I'm mad at a lot of churchy stuff, but always extremely interested in reading/learning about different Christian perspectives. I would describe my relationship to Jesus as not estranged, exactly, but more like when a friend mentions a specific person and you're like "I don't know them, but I've heard wonderful things!" If that makes sense. But, I'm living for Jesus Wednesday and all of these prayer requests are so heartbreaking and important and you can bet I will pray for them in my tentative, "Are you there God?" style.
Well, you maybe didn’t cry but I did. :) Happy tears. Thanks for this today. Praying for all our friends.
I’m trying to keep calm in the face of a big honking life change: I’m moving! To Bangladesh! On Sunday! It’s super exciting, because I get to do the job I’ve wanted since I was 17, but it also means moving away from nearly my entire support system (hard enough without my depression and anxiety), plus two years of long distance with my boyfriend, and all following the loss of my church community when our pastor decided to singlehandedly shut down the music ministry (I sang in the choir). Excited, grateful, grieving, scared—it’s a lot! So prayers and noodles are the way forward.
Of interest - the Gospel of Fleabag: https://imagejournal.org/2019/06/13/the-gospel-according-to-fleabag/
As someone who feels like saying "be with me" that day on the couch created a crack for Jesus to fight his way in, I identify so much with this.
I have a Christian friend in Madison who has been pleading for help finding an appropriate church there so you are not alone in your quest. (When i lived there I went to one church that said depression was caused by not being a Christian and so I just didn’t go to church the rest of the time I lived there. It was... the upper room maybe?)
Totally!