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Archive for the ‘identity’


graffiti art!

graffiti wall

a few saturdays ago the refuge hosted a graffiti art workshop at joshua station, our friends near downtown denver who provide transformational housing for struggling families. it was a perfect spot for our gathering and sam trujillo, who works for milehigh ministries (the umbrella organization for joshua station), did an amazing job facilitating a wild and crazy afternoon. we had 30 participants, about 1/2 from the refuge, 1/2 from joshua station, with a wide range of ages (from 8 to 69 years old!) and backgrounds (the best part). the common thread that wove us together was a desire to express ourselves in ways that some of us aren’t used to, to connect with our artistic side, our story. sam used a great combination of videos, conversation, and all kinds of mediums to help people connect. one tool he used was a template for an “i am” poem that people could use to add to their piece. you can check out the template here if you want to give it a try on your own.

you can check out a gallery of pictures from the afternoon here

and some other blog posts with some highlights: here and here

we definitely hope to offer more experiences like this in the future so people of all ages, backgrounds & spiritual journeys can have an opportunity to express themselves through art. thanks, sam!

identity prayer

i am

this is a prayer written by christa romig-leavitt that was read with 3 readers to close our “i am” series of sunday conversations about our identity in Christ. hearing it powerfully spoken with different voices can’t be recreated but we wanted to share it here as a prayer for anybody listening in.

Oh God,

The most high, the loveliest, the creator of creation.

Have you created me in your image?

Do I look like you?

Do I have your mouth?

Give me your mouth, that I may speak your words and breath your breath

Do I have your eyes?

Give me your eyes, To see you in all others and look with love into all other eyes

I hope I have your hands,

To hug and hold.

To work and plant seeds of joy and peace.

To plant food to feed the hungry

To plant trees to shelter the homeless

I want to look like you God…

because…

I want to be your child.

I think I am your child.

Am I your aroma?

Am I your daughter?

Am I your son?

Am I a treasure?

Am I your bride?

Do you think me that beautiful? That you could love me forever?

Help me trust

Learn

Know

That you have vowed to make me your bride

Help me be a bride to you. Loving you all my days and wanting you in all ways.

Help me remember that I am wanted.

I am wanted.

I am wanted. Because…

You want me.

And that means that I am

worthylovableamazing

The crazy thoughts in my head donʼt matter.

The flab under my arms donʼt matter.

The confusion in my heart donʼt matter.

Because

I am a child of God. Birthed by love.

Oh God,

Father Mother

Thank you for my self. This very self inside and out that you have made me and given me.

Help me to love you as no one has ever loved you.

Help me to love others as no one has ever loved them.

Help me to be you as fully as I can. Because

You are my God.

I am your Child.