World Day of Prayer

The World Day of Prayer takes place every year on the first Friday in March. Women in the United States and Canada first formed this event after the devastation of World War I, when they were convinced that world peace was tied to world mission. Each year, Christian women from all over the world join together to plan and organize events, and suggest a theme and focus.

This year the theme was set by the women of Nigeria:

I Will Give You Rest: Come

Matthew 11:28-30

At a time when people worldwide are carrying heavy burdens, our Nigerian sisters offer profound insights into finding rest in God. Through their exploration of different kinds of burdens - shame, systemic oppression, religious persecution, poverty and despair - the writers help us understand both the weight of human suffering and the depths of divine rest. Their work shows us that true rest isn't just about physical relief, but about transformation through God's grace and community support.

Agenda:

1. Devotions
2. Beingness 

3. Earth Action

4. Read Matthew 11:28-30

5. Prayer for the Poor

6. Prayerful Action

7. Read "Perspective"

8. New narrative for building trust

9. Writing themes and passion flow plan

1. Devotions: 

I'm reading from two lovely books: Living Earth Devotional, by Clea Dana (2013), and Earth Medicine, by Jamie Sams (1994).

Living Earth Devotional today is about awareness of the unseen tree roots, and your body's own unseen river system of flowing energy; Earth Medicine is about the elements of Earth that give us life - air, water, minerals - "How did we stray so far from the basic wisdom of the Earth Mother and the Great Mystery?"

2. Beingness:

For Lent I am finding creative ways to make space for Being in Nature.Today: Check in with all the ferns in my yard and give them some loving attention.

3. Earth Action:

Each day I am taking an action for the Earth - Today it is spreading the word about the Clean Water Discussion.

4. Read Matthew 11:28-30:

"Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."​

Despite facing questions and doubts from various groups, Jesus continues to invite people to understand God's kingdom in a new way. His call to "come" and find rest is not just a momentary relief but an invitation to a new way of living in relationship with God. The concept of a 'yoke' might seem strange to us today, but it was a common image in Jewish teachings. Often, it symbolized the law or religious obligations. However, Jesus offers a different kind of yoke - one that brings rest rather than burden. 

 

5. Prayer for the Poor:

God of the poor, we cry out to you to help families who are struggling to meet their basic needs. We give thanks and praise for all those who keep moving forward despite even the most difficult circumstances.

God, giver of life, continue to strengthen and comfort all who are weary from the burdens of life and direct the hearts of those who can help.

We lift up those who live with poor mental health, often made worse by poverty, stress and daily life. Walk with them and show them that their lives have immeasurable value. Help us to create societies that respect and care for all.

Loving Jesus, you called us to come with all the burdens that weigh us down. Here we are! Help us to cast our cares on you and lighten these loads.

Holy Spirit, be our comforter in times of distress. Grant us the faith to keep moving forward even when the path seems impossible. When we cannot see a way forward, be our guide.

Help us to be a light to others, sharing hope and extending a helping hand where we can. We trust in your promise that you will never leave us or forsake us. Amen.

6. Prayerful Action: 

I love the motto of the World Day of Prayer: "Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action." I searched for any suggestions for action in all the WDP websites, and found this:

Leader:           What should we do when those around us are weary and heavy-laden? 

All:                  Bear one another's burdens, as Christ bears ours.  

Leader:           As we go forth, what is our call to action? 

All:                  To live out our informed prayers through prayerful action.

 

7. Read "Perspective':

I'm reading this book by Meridith Elliot Powell, subtitled Reignite, Reinvent, Reframe (2025). This is the work I am dedicating myself to this year.

I'm on Chapter five, Reframing Resistance. Resistance feels bad in my body when I have it and when someone directs it towards me, but really it is only a "human response to uncertainty, change, or perceived loss". Resistance is self-protection - it's not rejection or opposition - it signals a need for more information.

The needed shift is from defending your plan and commanding buy-in, to evolving the plan and cultivating buy-in. You ask better questions and invite collaboration.

I really have a hard time being vulnerable enough to listen well, and because of my history of resistance, some of my family doesn't trust that I can really hear them and change. I need to build a new narrative for following through, and winning trust.

8. New narrative for winning trust:

One of my weekly Creative Perspective tasks is to define a new narrative to re-frame a mind-set and expand my thinking. Today I'm working on a plan for winning trust:

"I will turn resistance into presence, effort, and follow-through. I will build new trust with acts of integrity."

 

9. Writing themes and passion flow plan:

The next few days are the best block of time I have for healthy obsession for my writing project. Today I will set themes and topics for writing, research, and also some garden, advocacy, and community tasks to support that Nature-Culture flow through the next week.

My Nature-Culture theme this month is early spring renewal:

• Today: Natural Living: Move all reference to rituals and crafts to this section; add Cleansing ritual.
• Update Interfaith Earthkeepers calendar. Add my event; Send a reminder to the email list to send events and share their Light with others.
• Order more worms
• Sat: Write Sanctuary: Shrink your lawn, planting natives, phenological correlations, 
• My phenology journal
• Print flyer for a discussion of the Clean Water bill.
• Plant lettuce.
• Sun: Write Awareness: Bird song, Nesting
• Test my cleansing ritual
• Next steps for the Little Plant Library: Write about my plants to share, the cultivation, and how they serve our native pollinators. Make signage and web info. 
• Mon: Natural Living: Waste free eating, zero waste shopping
• Plan a watercolor of our watershed.
• Write plant library blurb for website.
• T: Write Hopeful shifts
• Nature Being poetry
• Wed: Write Reciprocity: Lobby Day and legislative calendar; sharing plants with neighbors; 
• Th: Potting Day lesson on regenerative gardening
• Plan watershed watercolor class
• Send out the EC action news, with some information about the Clean Water bill discussion and regenerative gardening information.