SOUL CrossTraining

Two years ago, I was asked to offer the invocation for the Economic Club sponsored by WFYI.  Of course I could do that and I'd be honored.  came floating out of my mouth when the request was made. Then I began the process of thinking through what to pray and how to pray. I am quite familiar with how my faith community prays but what about this group. This group of 700+ community leaders and business professional would represent  a diverse audience representing all kinds of different faith backgrounds.

Walking on the beach awhile back I began noticing the broken shells being washed up along the shoreline.  I looked closer, I began to notice the edges, colors, cracks, and holes. As I stood turning the shell over in the palm of my hand I began to think about what had caused this deep imprint, the scar, the broken edge. What had been attached to this shell? What had crashed up against it with enough strength to break off the outer edge? For how long had it been washing up against this same shoreline? It reminded me of an encounter with a beautiful woman in Colorado years ago.  We had enjoyed dinner together at a women's retreat in the mountains. Sharing parts of our stories and parts of our struggles.

So much to think about these days... I must admit I am agitated, sad, mad, hopeful, confused, confounded YET even more committed to see what I've not seen before. Since I visited the mass graves from the AIDS pandemic in South Africa in 2011, I've been praying that my eyes, ears and heart would be opened -- In fact, I penned this prayer nearly 6 years ago... "I pray for eyes to see and ears to hear -- I pray for HOPE to well up inside us. Help us remember who we bel ong to and that we each have something to offer our world." Fast forward to today and I'm still praying this prayer.  And I am seeing things I hadn't seen before.  Here's what I mean...