Word Made Flesh is a contemplative community. One of the ways that we contemplate what God is doing in the world and in our lives is through the reflection articles that we write. We invite you to read, learn, and celebrate with us.
The Cry for Submission: Letter from the Editor by Emily Fales
What God Sees. Advent Day 6.
Isaiah 53:4-6 “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all,…
December 2011 Prayer Letter
Hello Friends, I was recently introduced to a form of prayer called the Prayer of Examen. The idea behind this prayer practice is to examine our consciousness to discover Godās presence in our day, and to examine the areas of our lives that need further growth and healing. This ancient practice is traditionally done at…
Longing. Advent Day 5.
One of my favorite hobbies is listening to music. As I sit down to write this advent reflection, the first thing that goes through my mind is, what music am I going to listen to as I write? Most people would probably think about what they are going to write about prior to writing. I’m…
December 2011 Prayer Letter
December 2011 Dear Friends, Itās hard to believe that another year has nearly come and gone.Ā As we look ahead to this coming month Iām sure that, as is always the case, December will fly by.Ā We have a lot of activities planned with the children and their families.Ā This is my major prayer request…
Dec. '11 Thada Prayer Letter
Dear Friends and Family, It is so good to write you all and thank you for your prayers for L.ās safe arrival and my recovery from an emergency cesarean. I believe this is the first time I (Becky) have written since her birth and itās a joy to share with all of you again. L.…
december 2011
Dear Friends and Family, When I last wrote, I told you that in September we were struggling with unseasonal heat. We then experienced unseasonal cold in October while awaiting the government to turn on the heat in our apartment (a leftover from communism), office and space at the school. Iām happy to announce we now…
Presence
December 2011 Dear Friends and Family, I miss all of you!!!!Ā Merry Christmas!!!Ā Truth be told, Iāve been listening to Christmas music for weeks (itās currently the middle of November).Ā In Moldova we donāt even have the pre-Thanksgiving shopping extravaganza that happens in the US, so I canāt blame it on consumerismā¦I simply like this…
The Wait, Advent Day 4
I hate waiting. While I am (typically?) patient with people, I often curse at people in traffic, get antsy in line at the grocery store, find myself frustrated when the internet wonāt load on my old computer and absolutely despise the music played over the phone while I am waiting for a representative. I am…
Mary & Joseph, Advent Day 3
During the 2009 Christmas season, staff from our Word Made Flesh (WMF) childrenās home in Chennai, India, found a brother and sister living and working on a trash heap. Referred to as rag-pickersāa derogatory term that over-identifies the children with what they do rather than who they areāthe small children were digging through garbage looking…
Revelation 12 : Advent Day 2
For several years, I attended a church in West Michigan called āMars Hill.ā One Christmas the teaching pastor there, Rob Bell, preached from Revelation 12. I had never heard an interpretation of that passage paralleling the Christmas Story as told in the Gospels, but it seemed to piece together. It paints a more violent picture…