A Defining Moment
Stories
LECTIONARY TALES FOR THE PULPIT
Series III, Cycle A
Sue went with her three most trusted friends on a retreat. "Pray for me as I will pray for each of you," she said. "Pray that I will make the right decision for my future."
Rachel, who wanted to go to spend time reflecting on the Psalms, had invited Sue to the priory. Rachel had also invited Amy, who was dealing with destructive family issues. Amy wanted Debbie to come because her faith had been renewed, and they wanted to share in her exuberance. The foursome made plans.
Sue, Debbie, Rachel, and Amy regularly prayed together and alone at Bible study, during coffee time, and at church. They prayed for each other and with each other: they were very close friends. They made a commitment to be with each other for a weekend so that they could be closer to God in an environment with minimal distraction: a priory. They knew in their everyday lives they could draw close to God at any time in prayer or meditation, but they were intentional about their efforts to be free from interruption and responsibility for just these 72 hours.
Seventy--two hours. Time to breathe deeply, walk in the woods, sit on the dock, or lie in a hammock. Seventy--two hours to focus on one area of their lives and ask God to guide them. They would spend the time in silence to listen to God's words, to listen to the sounds around them, and to listen to what their hearts were needing.
Sue came to the priory with an agenda. She had a deadline. She had had a secret wish to become a pastor for over twenty years, but she had four children, and had taken care of them at home and focused all her attention on them until they were young adults. As they grew, so did her yearning for ministry. She and her husband helped out at the church whenever and wherever they could, even stepping in while the pastor was on vacation. Sue loved church life, but - at the age of 46 - what could she do about it?
There was an urgency now: Sam, her friend, was the chaplain at a seminary and he invited Sue and her husband over. Sam told them he wanted Sue to come for Seminary Days, and he would be with her at all the events. Sam knew Sue loved the church and enjoyed helping out, but Sue wondered if he knew more than he let on. Sue had told her husband of her dream only a few years ago, when their youngest graduated from high school. But Sam was persistent, promising them afternoon trips to the nearby ocean if they would come. Sue promised Sam she would let him know. Next week she had to make up her mind.
What should she do? Her husband, Carl, was so well suited at his job as manager at a manufacturing plant. He enjoyed being with the workers. He had a reputation of being tough yet very fair in his dealings with other companies. He worked hard but was able to be home on weekends. They knew his generous income had afforded them the luxury that allowed Sue to stay home with the children. To leave that life would be a great risk. To reestablish somewhere else in a new profession would be an even greater risk. Was it worth it?
Their lifestyle allowed them time to donate money and give many hours to charities. They liked their freedom to travel and wanted to help the children become independent. But now it was Sue's turn. What would she do? What should she do? What did God want her to do? She hoped to find some direction on her long weekend.
At the priory, the four hugged and smiled often, but they were not allowed to speak to one another. It added another dimension to their friendship. The usual conversations, debates, joking and supporting of one another was absent in the silence. Yet they knew they were holding each other up in prayer. And prayer is what gave Sue strength.
Praying for guidance and a heart that would be still, ready to listen, Sue asked God to come close to her. She wanted to listen; she wanted guidance. She just wanted to know what God wanted her to do for the future. She was sitting quietly at the end of the dock, kicking her feet in the water, when suddenly she was overcome with emotion. It began as a small cry, then a few tears followed by a steady flow of tears. Sue wasn't sure what she was crying about, but she knew she wasn't sad. Her tears were a sort of cleansing. She prayed that God would help interpret her tears, her emotions, her thoughts. She continued to cry quietly at the end of the dock as the leaves rustled in the trees nearby.
The water was very calm. Sue looked into the water and saw the face of her dear Carl, who was very supportive of her. He had told her he would give up his job and find something else if she wanted to pursue ministry. It would be her choice.
She saw the face of her children, now well on their way to becoming established adults, secure in their careers. She saw the faces of Debbie, Rachel, and Amy, who were there through thick and thin. They had sat with her when her mother was dying of cancer; they waited with her through soccer tryouts and recital rehearsals. She felt so fortunate, so grateful for them.
A comforting presence was all around her, and Sue felt very peaceful as she sat on that dock. It was as if she were reliving important moments of her life as she remembered her childhood, her marriage, events with her husband, and times with her children. Things that happened at church, at her children's schools, and at her husband's work came racing across her mind, in short spurts. Flashes of memories flooded her mind and she felt an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.
Sue started saying a prayer of thanks for the many, many blessings she had. She was so grateful for her life, for her husband, for her children. Her friends, her church and her community fitted her well.
The tears stopped and Sue felt both drained but hopeful. She felt exactly as she did after a five--mile run: tired yet somehow very energized. She splashed the water with her feet as she leaned against the dock post. She didn't have an answer yet, but she knew she was somehow changed. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sun shining on her face. She had confidence she would know what to do very soon. God was with her; she could feel it. And God would guide her.
Rachel, who wanted to go to spend time reflecting on the Psalms, had invited Sue to the priory. Rachel had also invited Amy, who was dealing with destructive family issues. Amy wanted Debbie to come because her faith had been renewed, and they wanted to share in her exuberance. The foursome made plans.
Sue, Debbie, Rachel, and Amy regularly prayed together and alone at Bible study, during coffee time, and at church. They prayed for each other and with each other: they were very close friends. They made a commitment to be with each other for a weekend so that they could be closer to God in an environment with minimal distraction: a priory. They knew in their everyday lives they could draw close to God at any time in prayer or meditation, but they were intentional about their efforts to be free from interruption and responsibility for just these 72 hours.
Seventy--two hours. Time to breathe deeply, walk in the woods, sit on the dock, or lie in a hammock. Seventy--two hours to focus on one area of their lives and ask God to guide them. They would spend the time in silence to listen to God's words, to listen to the sounds around them, and to listen to what their hearts were needing.
Sue came to the priory with an agenda. She had a deadline. She had had a secret wish to become a pastor for over twenty years, but she had four children, and had taken care of them at home and focused all her attention on them until they were young adults. As they grew, so did her yearning for ministry. She and her husband helped out at the church whenever and wherever they could, even stepping in while the pastor was on vacation. Sue loved church life, but - at the age of 46 - what could she do about it?
There was an urgency now: Sam, her friend, was the chaplain at a seminary and he invited Sue and her husband over. Sam told them he wanted Sue to come for Seminary Days, and he would be with her at all the events. Sam knew Sue loved the church and enjoyed helping out, but Sue wondered if he knew more than he let on. Sue had told her husband of her dream only a few years ago, when their youngest graduated from high school. But Sam was persistent, promising them afternoon trips to the nearby ocean if they would come. Sue promised Sam she would let him know. Next week she had to make up her mind.
What should she do? Her husband, Carl, was so well suited at his job as manager at a manufacturing plant. He enjoyed being with the workers. He had a reputation of being tough yet very fair in his dealings with other companies. He worked hard but was able to be home on weekends. They knew his generous income had afforded them the luxury that allowed Sue to stay home with the children. To leave that life would be a great risk. To reestablish somewhere else in a new profession would be an even greater risk. Was it worth it?
Their lifestyle allowed them time to donate money and give many hours to charities. They liked their freedom to travel and wanted to help the children become independent. But now it was Sue's turn. What would she do? What should she do? What did God want her to do? She hoped to find some direction on her long weekend.
At the priory, the four hugged and smiled often, but they were not allowed to speak to one another. It added another dimension to their friendship. The usual conversations, debates, joking and supporting of one another was absent in the silence. Yet they knew they were holding each other up in prayer. And prayer is what gave Sue strength.
Praying for guidance and a heart that would be still, ready to listen, Sue asked God to come close to her. She wanted to listen; she wanted guidance. She just wanted to know what God wanted her to do for the future. She was sitting quietly at the end of the dock, kicking her feet in the water, when suddenly she was overcome with emotion. It began as a small cry, then a few tears followed by a steady flow of tears. Sue wasn't sure what she was crying about, but she knew she wasn't sad. Her tears were a sort of cleansing. She prayed that God would help interpret her tears, her emotions, her thoughts. She continued to cry quietly at the end of the dock as the leaves rustled in the trees nearby.
The water was very calm. Sue looked into the water and saw the face of her dear Carl, who was very supportive of her. He had told her he would give up his job and find something else if she wanted to pursue ministry. It would be her choice.
She saw the face of her children, now well on their way to becoming established adults, secure in their careers. She saw the faces of Debbie, Rachel, and Amy, who were there through thick and thin. They had sat with her when her mother was dying of cancer; they waited with her through soccer tryouts and recital rehearsals. She felt so fortunate, so grateful for them.
A comforting presence was all around her, and Sue felt very peaceful as she sat on that dock. It was as if she were reliving important moments of her life as she remembered her childhood, her marriage, events with her husband, and times with her children. Things that happened at church, at her children's schools, and at her husband's work came racing across her mind, in short spurts. Flashes of memories flooded her mind and she felt an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.
Sue started saying a prayer of thanks for the many, many blessings she had. She was so grateful for her life, for her husband, for her children. Her friends, her church and her community fitted her well.
The tears stopped and Sue felt both drained but hopeful. She felt exactly as she did after a five--mile run: tired yet somehow very energized. She splashed the water with her feet as she leaned against the dock post. She didn't have an answer yet, but she knew she was somehow changed. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sun shining on her face. She had confidence she would know what to do very soon. God was with her; she could feel it. And God would guide her.
