I was reading the Holding Hope Advent reflection for the 2nd Week of Advent and this quote stuck out to me:
Some days you may be just as frustrated with your own feelings as you are that of others’, but try to give yourself the freedom to simply be wherever your heart needs to be in that moment. Remember Paul’s words: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves.”
I’ve been seeing a new spiritual director for the past few months. I had seen someone for about a year before switching and I feel really blessed to be with this new spiritual director. For those of you who don’t know what spiritual direction is, it’s similar to counseling or therapy – but it’s more just focused on being aware of where God is at work in our lives. So it’s similar in that I get to share what’s going on with my life, and my spiritual director asks questions and helps me think about where God is at amidst everything.
One thing that this spiritual director does is to offer “invitations” for me each time we meet. These are essentially things to be trying, kind of like little homework assignments that he’ll never ask about again, unless I want to talk more about them. We talked about Micah and Judah this past week, about their short lives, about my role now as a parent and where God might be in all of this.
His invitation to me was to honor my body, to just be very aware to however I was feeling in the moment, and to honor that. To listen to that feeling and to be okay with that. Very similar to the quote from this devotional: “give yourself the freedom to simply be wherever your heart needs to be in that moment.” If I’m sad, be sad and be okay with that. If I’m crying, that’s okay. If I’m pissed at God, really lean into that and embrace that. If I’m happy, that’s okay too. It was an invitation to honor my body, to honor whatever it is that is springing up from within, and to know that it is from God.
So I offer you the same invitation if you’re grieving or simply not connected to your body. Honor it today. Honor what’s going on within you and what God might be saying to you through your body.
Dorcie Lewis says
By honoring your body you are honoring God. Thank you for reminding me of that.
Jill says
Once again I am enlightened through you sharing what’s on your mind. Being public about your insights, struggles, and growth is so refreshing. Do I sense a book being written by you? I am sure there are many people’s lives you are touching in many different ways. Adam, I admire your vulnerability and writing about it and I for one, think you should consider becoming an author. There is lots of time to determine what the subject matter might be but please, do consider it.
Adam says
Jill – thanks so much for your continued support and notes to us. I really appreciate it. I have no idea about a book – I’ve always wanted to write something, so who knows. There really isn’t much out there for fathers about dealing with grief, so perhaps something could be possible, but…who knows. Right now it just feels good to get this stuff out and share with others…and if that begins to take on a different form…well I guess that’s a possibility…
Thanks again.