Blog

I have been writing the Praying in Color blog for over a dozen years. The entries include theological musings, memoir, reflections on life and Scripture, and hundreds of posts on ways to incorporate Praying in Color into your prayer and spiritual life. In the search bar you can type words like “Scripture, Advent, Lent, calendar templates, intercessory prayer, mourning, gratitude, forgiveness…” or other topics of interest to find related posts. I hope you enjoy exploring this site.

Holy Saturday Prayers for the World

Holy Saturday Prayers for the World

Holy Saturday The blackest day The emptiest day The sorriest day The silent-as-a-grave day The hold-your-breath day The candles-barely-shed-a ray day The waiting day The no-word-from-God day The hope-slides-into-hopeless day The call-it-quits day The please, Lord,...

Good Friday Prayers for the World

Good Friday Prayers for the World

It was on Good Friday and all in the morning They crucified our Savior and our Heavenly King And was not this a woeful thing And sweet Jesus we’ll call him by name These words are from a traditional English carol called And All in the Morning. (If you receive these...

Holy Thursday Prayers for the World

Holy Thursday Prayers for the World

  It was on Holy Thursday and all in the morning They plaited a crown of thorns for our Heavenly King And was not this a woeful thing And sweet Jesus we’ll call him by name. These words are from a traditional English carol called And All in the Morning. (If you...

Holy Wednesday Prayers for the World

Holy Wednesday Prayers for the World

It was on Holy Wednesday and all in the morning That Judas betrayed our dear Heavenly King And was not this a woeful thing And sweet Jesus we’ll call him by name. These words are from a traditional English carol called And All in the Morning. I have sung this song and...

Palm Sunday Prayers for the World

Palm Sunday Prayers for the World

With words from Scripture, hymns, and poems and some paper and markers, I can sometimes form prayers that just won't come with my own unfocused and scattered thoughts. Thanks be to God for the community of people whose words ground me when my own words fail me.

Step-by-Step Intercessory Praying in Color

Step-by-Step Intercessory Praying in Color

My inattention and distraction in prayer are at a heightened, high-alert, orange level. Praying in color came to me in a time of desperation and inattention  when many friends and family members received diagnoses of cancer. I could not find the words for my prayers....

Breath Prayers for COVID-19

Breath Prayers for COVID-19

"Breath of God, fill me." "Indwelling Spirit, flow through me." "God of breath and air, cleanse him." "Loving God, permeate us." "Holy One, protect us."  "Ruach, inhabit me." "Loving Healer, enfold us." These simple, one-liners are called breath prayers. Since the...

Calendars Redux + 2 More for Lent

Calendars Redux + 2 More for Lent

Today is the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday. The pancakes from last night's suppers are gone and promises for Lenten disciplines have been made. There is still time to download a calendar template or two and follow a doable, visual path through Lent. Here are two...

New Praying in Color

New Praying in Color

Writing the Expanded and Enhanced version of Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God was a journey through the past dozen years of my prayer, spiritual, and vocational life. When I first started praying in color almost twenty years ago I was teaching calculus,...

Praying through Lent 2020 on a Daily Calendar

Praying through Lent 2020 on a Daily Calendar

Using a calendar template is a simple, daily prayer practice for making the 40-day journey through Lent. Each day choose a word to ponder or a person to pray for. Write the word or name in the allotted space with a pen and draw or doodle around it. Add color with...