Deepening our Christianity

the Monday Newsletter of Paul Prins

Edition #11 · 24 July 2023

Blessings Reader,

Thunderous Grief

Grief is a thing all its own. While it exists because of love, it is nothing like love. Love grows and builds. We can be surprised by love we discover within us. Yet grief. Grief strikes us. It arrives like thunder. Just like thunderstorms of the Midwest, you can sense them coming. You can often feel a shift in the air.

Grief is like thunder. Reality remains suspended, as if time itself has stopped. Then. News is broken to us. We hear what happened. When we hear the air of possibility collapses. Recently, I learned of a friend who died. He died years ago. As I heard the news, so many moments collapsed together. When my dad passed, we slowly watched the disease ALS kill him. As if slowly watching the thunder rumble and roll towards. Never to stop, love holds us in place against the storm. Amidst thunderous grief. A part of love.

Until Next Week

From my Life

Since January, I have been a part of a committee producing a conference in Malaga this week. Around 60 pastors and ministers from across Europe are coming together for "Restoring Hope." I was also asked to give a talk confronting the many ways that the culture of consumerism/consumption has harmed our personal faith, our churches, and the world. It is a hopeful (and I hope inspirational) talk called 'The Church After Consumerism." I’ll share the talk after the conference!

Unpublished Photo for this Edition

Last week, we heard a beeping somewhere in our building. A while later, we noticed the street was blocked off and firefighters were climbing the steps. They even used the ladder on the outside to get into the fifth floor! Not sure what the smell of smoke was, but it ended up being anti-climatic.
**Captured:** 20 July 2023

Curated Goods just for You

Sharing what I've come across from around the internet that may encourage or help you.

Brother Alois stepping down at Taizé ~1 Minutes
After 18 years as prior of Taizé, Alois is stepping down this year. Matthew will become the next prior.

A Prayer for the Week to Come

Lord, help us not to shy away from the grief that comes with love. Give us the courage to continue to choose love over time. Help us feel our lives fully, and be with us when life is too much. Continue to be gracious with us.