Piloting Faith: The Five Finger Prayer...

A Word for the Day...
A friend of mine was facing a "make or break" moment at work. She needed to nail a presentation in front of her boss, her boss's boss, and his boss. She was prepared but still a nervous basket case.
"What if I stand up to speak, and my mind goes completely blank?" she asked me.
"What if I forget one of their names. Or what if I forget MY name???" she fretted.
"What if they hate everything I have to say and fire me on the spot?" she moaned.
We have all been there. We know this terrible feeling of facing into a challenging opportunity and our minds running amuck with everything that could possibly go wrong. Of course, it rarely does.
"Have you heard of the Five Finger Prayer?" I asked her. "Let's create a version for you. Hold out your hand," I said.
"When you go into that meeting, I want you to think about the five people in your life who believe in you, support you NO MATTER WHAT, and you can call on to help you through this presentation. Your thumb is closest to your heart, so who do you love more than anyone and you know loves you?" "My husband," she said.
"Your pointer finger points out to the world and directs attention. Who believes in you and your biggest dreams?" "My mom," she said.
"Your middle finger is the tallest finger. Who pushes you to stretch beyond what you think you are capable of doing?" "My best friend," she said.
"Your ring finger is one that holds your promises. Who counts on you and knows that you do what you say you will do?" "My kids," she said.
"Your pinky finger is your smallest. Who believes in you without expectation and whose love sustains you as an unconditional gift?" "My brother," she said.
"Ok. You have your team. Their energy and presence will be with you in that meeting. If you need a reminder, simply put your hand on your thigh and gently press each finger into your leg so that you feel each person. You will not be in there alone."
Of course, she nailed her presentation and today is the executive vice president of marketing for a major international corporation.
Psalm 90:17 says, "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands." This is the one time I vote we take that literally!
- Rev. Cameron Trimble, author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight

Blessing for the Week
Blessed are we: the chalice-lighters of resistance, justice, love, and faith.
Blessed are we: the heretics, the outcasts, the walkers of our own way.
Blessed are we: the border-crossers, the refugees, the immigrants, the poor, the wanders who are not lost.
Blessed are we: the transgressors, the trespassers, the passers-by, the cause-takers, the defiant, the compliant.
Blessed are we: the hand-extenders, the sign-makers, the protestors, the protectors.
Blessed are we: the trans women, the trans men, the non-binary, the cisgender, the multigender, the no gender.
Blessed are we: the friend, the stranger, the lonely, the hidden, the visible, the authentic.
Blessed are we who rise in solidarity, blessed are we who cannot, blessed are we who do not.
Blessed are we for this is our Beloved Community, and this is who we are.
