FaithPrayers News

Dear Friends,

Now that we have made it part of the way through January, it seems like a good time to discuss more do-able New Year resolutions! It’s right about now—the third week of January—that statistics indicate that many of us start to fall off of our new resolutions.

Instead of feeling failure over that, I want to suggest we use these next couple of weeks in January to revamp some of those over-the-top resolutions we made—and turn them into real-life ones. 

[Read more…] about Roadmap to Real-life Resolutions

Yes, but…

How often we use that phrase, whether talking to others or experiencing our own internal self-talk. While we occasionally use it somewhat positively, as in: “Yes, I want to eat the whole chocolate cake, but I won’t”, we more regularly use it to emphasize the negative, or simply as a form of self-sabotage, as in “Yes, I could smile and be friendly to the person in line in front of me, but they would probably think I’m weird or I would look stupid.”

So, while the famous “yes, but…” phrase can be useful in some important or life-threatening circumstances, I want to suggest we replace it as often as possible in our general self-talk with “Yes, and…”. Even in the negative sense, “Yes, and…” works better.  

“Yes, I could smile and be friendly to the person in line in front of me, and it might make me feel silly, that’s true, and it might not, and it might go well. And if it doesn’t I’ll be okay.”

Why? Because the word but is often a showstopper in the English language. Some of its definitions include: 

• used to indicate the impossibility of anything other than what is being stated
• used after an expression of apology for what one is about to say.
• no more than; only.
• an argument against something; an objection.

Source: Oxford Dictionary

The word and is a continual process word. Some of its definitions include:

• used to introduce an additional comment or interjection.
• as well as; in addition to; besides; also; moreover:
• also, at the same time:
• an added detail

Source:  Dictionary.com

A strict grammarian would point out that there are other definitions for each word. True, there are, though in our most basic use of English, we as the general public most often use these two words as mentioned above. Whatever the case, here’s an experiment:

The next time, instead of using the usual phrase, “Yes, I believe God loves me, but…”, try something different. 

“Yes, I believe God loves me, and….” 

You complete the sentence. Do it. Just give it one try. Just see what might happen.

Mary Ann Simkins
Founder
FaithPrayers National Prayer Line

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea…”

These words were written by Frederick William Faber, and published in his collection of hymns in 1862.  An author, and a composer of numerous songs, Faber was a friend of William Wordsworth, and a poet in his own right.  Many of his hymns, including the beautiful There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy, are still sung today.

For some reason, my mind has been lingering over words from the past, even on some of the earliest words of ancient cultures etched in stone or carried down to us, and I have found myself thinking about the power of our words, and the energy that they carry forward.  Some words come down to us filled with hate and sordidness.  Others come to us from the past like a fresh mountain spring with summer’s light dancing across it. 

I wonder what future generations will think when they read our words.  The ones we are writing this week, and putting in newspapers, in books, in media—everywhere that writing can occur. Words create the atmosphere around us, in our homes, our personal lives, and in our entire culture. 

So I find myself wondering —what are we creating? 

Frederick Faber’s words, written some 150 years ago, created in me a sense of peace, a deep breath, and a sigh. They have set me to thinking. What will I create with my own words, going forward?

Frederick Faber’s beautiful song includes these words near the end:

For the love of God is broader
Than the measure of our mind

And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind.

Blessings, and be safe,
Mary Ann Simkins
Founder, FaithPrayers National Prayer Line