Prayer Trek Day 5: KINDNESS
REFLECTION:
Kindness begins with having self-compassion. Because you can't extend what you don't give to yourself. Being compassionate to yourself and understanding, I'm not perfect and I have to be able to forgive myself for things so that I can then extend that to other people. This is important, especially as women and Black women, for sure, because we give, give, give, but who gives to us?
Who gives the superhero the voice, and when does the superhero get a chance to recharge?
There's a connection between not being kind when we feel tired and depleted, and being very kind when feeling abundant and taking care of ourselves. The kindest gift we can give to ourselves is to intentionally pull away, take the time to replenish, and fuel back up. Whether it is taking a nap on a Sunday afternoon, or forgiving yourself and knowing that it's okay that you don't have it all together. It may not always be the easiest thing to do, but it is always the kindest.
PRAYER:
God, we thank you for today. We thank you for a time of coming together and gathering in your name to intentionally seek you, to know that without you we can do nothing, and with you, we can do all things, including taking care of ourselves. Right now, God, we commit to renewing our devotion to ourselves. We thank you for loving us with the gifts of our bodies. We ask that you help us to be kinder to ourselves so that we might radiate that kindness and love to everyone with whom we come into contact.
We thank you, God, for loving us, and for demonstrating kindness to us even in your acts while you're here with us on the earth. We thank you, God, for this opportunity to gather as women, strong women, women committed to doing something bigger and better than we already have. We know that you have a great purpose for us and that great movements have happened through women simply moving their feet. We love you, God. We magnify your Holy and majestic name, and it's in your name that we pray and ask for all of these blessings.
Amen.