Monday Manna
Love holds you...
If you are new to Monday Manna, I’m so glad you are here. My prayer with this little pause on Monday mornings is to offer some nourishment (“manna”) for you — via my reflection, prayer, and painting — as you are nourishing the world around you. Together, we are watching for the ways God is with us and for us as we take one day at a time….
Good morning, friends, and much love to you as we begin this new week….
Today’s reflection is going to be very brief. The thing I want you to know most of all is that Love holds you. A friend of mine received some really hard news last week, and this was the message and promise I most wanted her to hold onto and be held by. When life turns upside down, when pain doesn’t lift, or when things just pile up to a level you don’t think you can manage — Love. Holds. You.
And we know God is Love.
And that, as a mentor once said to me, “You will never slip through God’s fingers.”
A Prayer
Valentine’s Day is this Friday and people have all kinds of feelings about that (my kids’ favorite part is that the school apparently does pink “strawberry” milk in the cafeteria? 🤔) Whatever the state of our heart, God holds it, in love. So I thought I’d reshare this prayer from my book, Ash and Starlight: Prayers for the Chaos and Grace of Daily Life, Second Edition.
***
For Valentine’s Day
Loving God,
As I think about Valentine’s day,
I bring you my heart…
a hopeful heart,
a disappointed heart,
a confident heart,
a heart-in-hiding,
a grateful heart,
an angry heart,
a patient or “I’m so done and over with this” heart,
a restless heart,
a full or aching-with-hollowness heart,
a scarred heart,
a scared heart,
a heart that sings or
a heart long silent,
a surprised heart,
a struggling heart,
a broken heart,
a beautiful heart…
I wear my heart as the badge of honor it is–
any heart that keeps beating love
in a broken world
is a testimony to grace,
to resurrection,
to you….
Somehow, God, you find a way to curl yourself
into the most closed hearts…
to make your way through
the heart’s minefield,
knowing where to step,
where to heal.
I know, God, that broken,
beautiful hearts are powerful –
the world was changed, is changed,
because of your broken, beautiful heart.
And there’s beauty to be found in the pieces…
Thank you, God – Love made Flesh –
for hiding me in your heart.
Amen.
Mark 12:30-31 * John 1:14 * Ephesians 3:16-17
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind,
and with all your strength…”
- Mark 12:30
Something that nourished me recently…
*February is Black History Month, and one of the most inspiring newsletters I learned about a couple years ago is the “28 Days of Black History” put together by Nicole Cardoza. Each day features an untold or underappreciated story of a Black figure in the U.S., particularly centering those who are disabled, queer, trans, or marginalized. You can still subscribe on their webpage here, and will find yourself deeply moved. There are discussion questions as well as action steps with each feature. Last week, I especially appreciated learning a bit more about Brad Lomax, who transformed both disability and civil rights through his activism and establishing of the East Oakland Center for Independent Living. As a part of the Black Panthers, he brought important support to the disability right s movement, showing how different forms of oppression intersect.
*Our family is slowly and imperfectly trying to establish a Tech Shabbat tradition thanks to some real inspiration from
. One of our favorite parts before beginning the shabbat is making the “Everything but the Screen” Challah bread recipe in Tiffany’s book. I did “break” the rules by turning on my phone for these two pictures…
Ash and Starlight, plus other good things…
*SECOND EDITION OF ASH AND STARLIGHT ~ Find the updated edition of my book here at Chalice or at the Amazon link! Also, I am happy to mail personalized bookplate stickers to you. And maybe one of my watercolor bookmarks, too. :) Just ask!
*MONDAY MANNA ARCHIVES ~ You can view previous Substack Monday Manna reflections as a paid subscriber here, or for the really old stuff, go to my website.
*WHAT DOES MANNA MEAN? ~ Check out an earlier post to learn how this little bit of “daily bread” got its name…
*”BREAD OF LIFE” BEAUTIFUL LENTEN MATERIALS ~ Carrying on with the theme of bread (!) I highly recommend the latest launch of Illustrated Ministry and their 2025 Lenten Materials centering on the theme of Jesus as the “Bread of Life.” I had the joy of editing some of these products — I especially recommend this Lenten Devotional if you are going to get one thing.
It may be a couple weeks before I return back here in light of some upcoming travel, but in the meantime, Love Holds You. And as I often say, “feel my hug.”
Love and Light,
Arianne
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Beautiful! I love the reminder that Love is holding us!
Beautiful start to the week! I remember hearing Judy Heumann on an NPR interview some years ago and she helped me see things from a deeper perspective. Be safe in your travels and thank you for sharing your gifts and love with us.