July 26, 2026
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Recently, I had confirmation of something I have wondered about, even felt a bit of sureness about, but never quite knew all the way. Officially, I now know there is no mainline church in Ireland that can accept my ministry work because I am not ordained within their organization, and even the churches that would be most willing to have me serve in a lay capacity cannot use my help…because I am an ordained person. It is against the rules.
I’m not sure how I feel about all this yet, but a blessing I wrote three years ago (almost exactly) is the closest I can get to touching the feelings today. I know that I will find a way to appreciate this freedom to allow a new thing to happen next…I know that I will keep digging in the field to find the treasure that is surely there. But for today, I need to find a way to want to dig. I need to find a way to know this freedom is a blessing. I pray the blessing below offers you comfort in your perhaps strange unsettling and freedom as well. All the love…always.
Blessing Being Free
When the chains that fall away
call blessings on releasing,
We may find ourselves hard pressed
to walk without the weight.When the roads widen before us and
seek blessings on the goings,
it may be we are stymied
once unfettered by tight space.When the burdens leave our shoulders
inviting blessings on the easing,
We might yet still hesitate
to move once-frozen limbs.When eddies smooth to currents
bidding blessings on conversion,
it may be we stay stock-still…
too dubious to row.And so we implore:
May we find our freedom just a tiny bit less terrifying.
May we find strength to live in the right relationships it requires.
May we meet all the new choice with grace and with grit.
And may we bound toward the brinks that pray we
Submit to being free.
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