Wanted:

I badly need to have a Prayer Partner again. I have one in my Spiritual Direction training, but we see each other once a month, which is not cutting it. Also, that seems to be more of a covenant-to-pray-for-you sort of thing that a pray-with-you sort of thing.

I've been thinking about this for a while, but it's really come to the fore since last week's Friday Five.

Having a regular prayer partner was part of the baby that got thrown out with the bathwater when I moved from being part of evangelical churches to being a Piskie. I became closest to people who are still beloved friends this way. I had a much stronger sense of that "peace that passeth understanding."

Mr. M is happy to pray with me, and that's good; we should almost certainly do more of that, but it's not quite what I need. I need another woman to sit down with, weekly or biweekly, share the stuff that's going on, and look together for God's direction and presence in our lives. Having done that, I want us to spend time together talking to God about what we've shared.

Does anyone understand why Piskies don't do this? Probably some do, but where I am, this sort of relationship (with God and with one another) seems to be discouraged. I think incorporating actual voodoo into our spiritual practice might be met with a warmer reception. I really believe that we, all people, need some sort of intimate spiritual support, accountability, and love. Where are we, as Mainline churches, teaching/showing/offering that? Is it just us Piskies struggling here?

(And, I'd like to point out, there is absolutely no reason in my mind that my Prayer Partner needs to be of the same denomination. But if I don't find her in church, where will I find her?)