I’m Lauren.
I tried to think of something to write about myself that makes me interesting, or more interesting than the next writer. Am I a writer? I have always wanted to be a writer.
I write sermons. I write prayers. I write in my journal. I write long text messages. I love to write emails.
But don’t call me. I’m not a good talker anymore. I am not a quick thinker.
Writing helps me think. And feel. I think and feel a lot.
Who am I?
I am a Progressive Christian Leader. A Pastor in the suburbs of Washington, DC. I am learning and I am growing. Just like parenting, pastoring reveals my own wounds. Just like parenting, pastoring reveals the parts of me that need healing. There is so much FUN in pastoring, there is also so much PAIN. I have been pastoring for seven years and before that…a mish mash of other things.
I am also a wife, and mother to three children, two dogs, three birds, a hamster, and I’m not sure how many fish. Chaos. That’s all I want to say for now.
What will I write about?
Substack tells me that when I start a substack, I am starting a community and that I am inviting people to subscribe to my thinking. Well, I think that is what I’m best at. Building Community.
But I am driven by fear. What if I write the wrong thing, say the wrong thing. What if I AM the wrong thing?
I want to create a space that values intellectual humility, and a small cranny on the World Wide Web that can offer healing and hope, even if only through solidarity and words.
Goals…
I read a quote from…someone…recently that said sometimes you just have to start writing, to figure out what you’re writing about. That’s what I am doing right now, this stream of consciousness. I hope to write something read-worthy every week.
But I’m not sure I’ll share this. Feels too raw.
Here’s Me.
Here’s a link for my LinkTree which I created during the pandemic.
https://linktr.ee/LLGeraghty
Tragedy
Yesterday, a bridge collapsed in Baltimore. Today, there was a shooting down the street at a daycare. My heart hurts for all. Here are two prayers I’ve written in two days.
A Prayer for the Baltimore Bridge Collapse (3/26/24):
Almighty God,
This morning, many of us woke up to the news of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. It took us a minute to understand what had happened. This news feels too close.
Comfort those who mourn. No one wakes up thinking that today is a day of tragedy. In this moment, amid the devastation, we pray that your peace infuses the pilots of the vessel who must wish they could turn back time. We pray that your healing love washes over the vessel's crew and their families, the first responders, the rescue divers, the construction crews, the grieving families, those whose jobs are impacted, and those who are still missing. We lift up the victims who are now enveloped in your perfect love, though we wish they had more time in this world. We thank you for the heroic authorities who were able to stop traffic from crossing the bridge when they saw the unforseen. We thank you for the lives saved.
We pray for Baltimore. That they can sense you in the senseless, and be strengthened by your love.
We pray for the world, who wonders where you are in enormous suffering. We cry out to you, Lord. In your mercy, hear our prayers.
Amen.
A Prayer for Springfield's KinderCare Daycare Shooting (3/27/24):
Almighty God,
We feel suffocated by tragedy, this time in our own town. What do we do with news like this? How do we protect ourselves? How do we protect our children? Our families? Our teachers? Our rescue workers? How do we live without fear? How do we trust this one life and this one world? How do we hold onto our faith and live with joy? We are like the Psalmists who cried out, "How long, O Lord, will you forget us? How long will you hide your face from us? How long will our hearts be full of sorrow? How long will our enemies be exalted?" Sometimes, we worry, it will never end.
Tonight, Lord, as we process this shooting and this trauma, give us the wisdom to know how to care for our community...especially those who will not be able to forget this day and this horror. Care for and comfort us, so that we can care for and comfort others.
We want to hate the shooter. But you, a God of Justice, call us to a different way. As we seek justice, strengthen us to exchange hate for compassion. Strengthen us to exchange violence for peace. This is the Way of Christ, demonstrated on this very Holy Week, over 2000 years ago. It is excruciatingly hard for us to see your love in a world where evil exists, because we are scared. It is hard for us to continue loving as we seek justice for all. It is easier to be fueled by hate. Have mercy on us.
You tell us that your light will not be overcome by darkness. You tell us that your love will prevail. Lord, we believe, help us with our unbelief.
Amen.