asking for patience & grace (erin jean warde)
I come to you today with very little to say. I’ve been trying to ~come up with something neat and inspiring and important and cool~ and nothing is there.
asking for patience & grace
I come to you today with very little to say. I’ve been trying to ~come up with something neat and inspiring and important and cool~ and nothing is there. Plus, anything I would come up with would be forced, and forced writing is a special type of bad.
I’m frankly flat out of words, because my head is full of so much else — packing for a trip next week, packing to move cross country, saying goodbye to friends (except I don’t really say goodbye), managing the day to day necessary life things (apparently I still have to eat? rude), and taking my last few work calls before my time away. I’ve also got a list longer than I would wish on my worst enemy of all the minutiae of moving: forwarding my mail, turning off utilities here, turning on utilities there, turning off internet here, turning on internet there, and all the rest. And I have to have it all done by Tuesday, July 4.
So, this is me today, as best as I can be. Frazzled, but hopeful. Crying as I say not goodbye but “see you soon,” and trusting in the love of friendships that can withstand the miles. Nostalgic as I pack my things, but looking forward to the new memories I’ll make as I begin a new chapter. I’m a mess of emotions and logistics and that’s just life.
Today, I thank you for receiving me as I am, even though I don’t have something neat and inspiring and important and cool to say. I thank you for your patience and grace with me, and I pray you might show that same patience and grace to yourself. Forever grateful you let me into your inbox. :)
With love & care,
EJW
PS: You can read more below, but we will resume book club the week of July 17. My brain just can’t read and write this week, and I’d like to offer y’all my best. Again, thanks for your patience & gentleness toward me. <3
healing moment: don’t force it
Try not to force something today. It’s probably going to be hard — today’s newsletter was hard for me, because I felt like I would let people down, but I had to trust that everyone would understand.
Try not to force something today, and if it starts to feel hard, try to trust that everyone will understand. <3
The Rev. Erin Jean Warde Releases New Book (Seminary of the Southwest)
I am beyond honored to see that my alma mater, Seminary of the Southwest, shared a piece about Sober Spirituality!
“Since she was a student here, Erin Jean Warde had brought unique perspective and passion to ministry,” said the Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge. “In her direct and perceptive voice, Erin Jean makes perceptive observations about church culture and reveals the complex journey toward health and well-being. I am very proud of her!”
My deep gratitude to SSW and the Very Rev. Cynthia Briggs Kittredge for these kind words of support. I absolutely love my seminary so this feels like a special blessing. <3
If you’re enjoying — or finished! — Sober Spirituality, consider taking my Discerning Sobriety course! You’ll get daily emails for 40 days full of spiritual practices to guide you through bringing discernment into your relationship with alcohol. It might surprise you how much the daily email can really encourage you and help you stay on the path.
Feel free to reply to this email if you have questions about the course!
summer book club
Since I’m brain fried, we’ll resume Comfortable with Uncertainty by Pema Chödrön the week of July 17th, when I’ll reflect on chapters 31-45. Thanks so much for your grace as I try to cram a ton of life stuff into 7 days! <3
Book club is for paid subscribers — $7/month — but if you need this right now and don’t have the cash, reply to this email and we can figure it out. I won’t be on e-mail until I return, but I’ll get back to you then, promise. 💛
If you want to join us, go ahead & subscribe!
"Forced writing is a special kind of bad." Word.
Give yourself Grace for "What Is". We will hold you through this uncertainty. Big hugs!