Borrowing things...

It has been a rough season of late. I haven't had the energy nor the faculty to create much new. My fingers have rarely tickled the keyboard, save to send emails about meetings, schedules, and requests. Today is not much different. I have nothing of my own to give today. Instead, I borrow a quote and prayer from two giants of faith. Their words speak my heart today.

"The movement from illusion to prayer is hard to make since it leads us from false certainties to true uncertainties, from an easy support system to a risky surrender, and from the many 'safe' gods to the God whose love has no limits."
Henri Nouwen, Reaching Out

"O God, you are the foundation of all truth; we ask you to protect your church from all false teaching.
Protect the Church
From all teaching and preaching which would destroy men's faith;
From all that removes the old foundations
without putting anything in their place;
From all that confuses the simple,
that perplexes the seeker,
that bewilders the way-faring man.
And yet at the same time protect the Church
From the failure to face new truth;
From devotion to words and ideas
which the passing of the years has rendered unintelligible;
From all intellectual cowardice
and from all mental lethargy and sloth.
O God, send to your Church teachers,
Whose minds are wise with wisdom;
Whose hearts are warm with love;
Whose lips are eloquent with truth.
Send to your Church teachers
Whose desire is to build up and not to destroy;
Who are adventurous with the wise,
and yet gentle with the simple;
Who strenuously exercise the intellect,
and who yet remember that the heart has reasons of its own.
Give to your Church preachers and teachers who can make known the Lord Christ to others because they know him themselves; and give to your Church hearers, who, being freed from prejudice, will follow truth as blind men long for light. This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
William Barclay, Prayers for the Christian Year