Starter Prayer: Holy Spirit, kindle the flame of your love within me. Put me in touch with my deepest desires. Give me the courage to pursue my passions. Amen

Focus Phrase: Fire in Me

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-4

Optional Read-along: Water, Wind, Earth and Fire pp. 59-65a (Chapter Two: Brother Fire, Sections: Becoming Fire and Living Flames of Love.)

SPIRITUAL DIRECTION:

I love this quote from the read-along: Becoming fire means saying yes to life by the very way we live.

St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote: Go, set the world on fire.

And I still sing this childhood song to myself when I feel myself losing passion: Give me oil in my lamp keep it burnin’; give me oil in my lamp I pray; give me oil in my lamp keep in burnin’, burnin’, burnin’; keep it burnin’ till the break of day.

It’s powerful to get in touch with God’s flame within us. God’s fire shows up in a person in the form of passion, dedication, creativity, self-sacrifice, leadership, and (of course!) LOVE.

Sadly our fire can grow dim. We can lose touch with our own flame. Have you ever realized you stopped doing what you love? Things like gardening, cooking, enjoying your children, volunteering, reading novels, traveling, exercising, praying…

Reflect on these questions: What energizes you? What injustice in the world gets you fired up? What are your great loves in life– people, projects, places??

Try one or both of these prayer practices: 1.) At the end of the day, write down where you experience your desire leading you. What are you longing for? Where do you feel unfulfilled? What activities energize you? How can you kindle this fire within?

2.) Sit with your eyes closed and your hand on your heart. Get in touch with the warmth and beat of your own heart. Imagine God’s flame of love burning within you. Send that love outward with prayers and loving thoughts for your friends and family members. Then extend your prayer to your community and all creation.

Be encouraged in your practice,

Katie Martinez

Endnotes

• For daily texts with the Focus Word, Starter Prayer and link to these daily posts, text the word “journey” to 970-500-0970.
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• Join the Orange Dots of Hope Facebook Group for spiritual conversations on the journey.

This daily devotion is part of the Summer Growth Journey: Learning to Pray with Nature with Crossroads Church. Many of us are also reading through Water, Wind, Earth & Fire: The Christian Practice of Praying with the Elements by Christine Valters Paintner. To purchase a copy, or for more information, email us at [email protected].