Scripture and Prayer Topic: Joy
Scripture: James 1: 2-4
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
Prayer:
Spirit of The Divine, during our times of struggle and isolation, please help us remember it is always darkest… just before the dawn of a new day. Guide us in remembering the moon goes through phases where it does not appear whole… yet, it shines the portions it can, each night. Help us to honor the portions you’ve taught us are right, or whole, by planting those deep notes of grace and understanding within us… before we arrived in the here and now. May we always look to you when we need lifting; and, offer that same Gift to others who may feel less than your steadfast love and support in their daily lives. Amen.
Personal/Professional Growth Tool Suggestion:
Ask everyone with whom you work to share a favorite movie they own by writing it down and putting the slips into a container. Once a month, pull out a movie title and gather together for a potluck watch party. This can aid in fostering a healthy sense of family, togetherness, and teamwork outside of the workspace, which can often translate back into the workspace. Some folks didn’t grow up in healthy home environments; so, can we really expect to see a level of compassion… if they may never have seen it in action? We are social creatures by design and some may merely be waiting for an invitation… they may not know how to extend.
Coping Skill Suggestion:
Watch a movie, whether you do it alone or with a friend. Movies are a great way of processing through the full range of emotions, depending on the movie. Sometimes, we get bogged down in how we feel or maybe that we simply feel a bit “off;” but aren't sure exactly what we are feeling or why we are feeling a certain way. Rather than dwelling in the space of the unknown or overwhelm, watching a movie can help us identify how or what we are feeling and help us process through it.