Unbinding Your Heart

Happy 2013 to all of you. It is exciting to start fresh and to think of the possibilities a new year can hold. This year I am particularly excited because of the congregation-wide small group experience English Lutheran is going to be doing through the six weeks of Lent. Unbinding Your Heart is a book that guides individuals and groups through a series of different kinds of prayer and ways to think about prayer. The book is more of a guide and conversation starter, not the substance of the experience. So whether you end up liking the book or not (I did not) the experience is the substance and the benefit. There are many ways this experience improved my life. 

Getting to know seven people in our congregation really well was one of those big improvements in my life. Going to church on Sunday, I now look for them and hope to have time to share with them. Life has so much meaning when we have people who care about us and we care about others. In a busy world, it can be difficult to forge these kinds of relationships. A small group experience like this creates the perfect atmosphere for such relationships to develop, which will feed your life for the duration of your new friendships. In addition, these new friendships are based on your relationship with God. You are free to talk about anything. 

Another great outcome of the Unbinding Your Heart small group is the new practice of having a prayer partner. It seemed kind of scary at first and a bit uncomfortable, but it turns out it is exactly opposite. Prayer partners give comfort and support and help to create a sense of calm even when things weren't great. To have a new person outside of my regular circle pray and care for me while I pray and care for them added a depth of warmth that is hard to quantify. I hope for everyone in our congregation and friends who choose to join as well to have this same experience. 

Beyond the relationship benefits, my spiritual life also blossomed. Even when I was bitter and did not do exercises or grumbled about the book, I still told God all about it. He got an earful! Despite my bad attitude, he softened my heart, opened my eyes, and gave me peace. Prayer comes much more often in new and different ways and in a more connected fashion. Life just feels different in a really good way. Everything is a bit brighter. Coming from someone who started off bitter... this is really good news. 

I hope that everyone who has a chance to be a part of the Unbinding Your Heart series, or any other small group experience based on prayer (for those who are reading this and are far away from La Crosse, WI) takes the chance and joins. Even if you are feeling bitter about it, God works in amazing ways and can work wonders in all of us, no matter our situation. 

May God bless you, guide you, and comfort you in the days to come. 

Eva Marie 

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