“This is always the choice: pain demands to be felt — or it will demand you feel nothing at all.”- Ann Voskamp
In Chapter 2 (“Re-Membering Your Broken Pieces”) of The Broken Way, Ann Voskamp observes that we never stop hoping for the best. Hence, we wait for the best in life like it got lost in the mail. Yet, the contagion of hurt creates chronic soul amnesia.
As a result, we need to hear great stories again and again. Those great stories call us to find wholeness in ourselves again.
Ann once received an unexpected gift from a friend, an earthen and primitive clay sculpture of The Last Supper. The Great Story. Furthermore, the timely gift reminded Ann of the word eucharisteo. Ms. Voskamp extensively explored this word in One Thousand Gifts.
Consequently, the author offers this review. Charis, the root word of eucharisteo, means “grace.” In addition, eucharisteo, or thanksgiving, also holds the Greek, word chara, meaning “joy.”
Therefore, Ann reasons, joy always is possible as long as thanks is possible. Thus, the holy grail of joy remains within reach:
“The holy grail of joy was not in some exotic location or some emotional mountain peak experience. The joy wonder could be here, in the messy, piercing ache of now.”
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it. Therefore, thanksgiving precedes the miracle of knowing all is enough. As Ann emphasizes, “the miracle happens in the breaking.”
Today’s question: Following your ministry downsizing or vocation loss, have you opted for feeling your pain? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “The temptation to self-protect”
