Daily Nourishment for May 1, 2024: Grounded through the Shaking
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 40 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 15 minutes
“Faith becomes an easy way to avoid ourselves or the terrible things we become and do in the name of Jesus.” - Danté Stewart
Pause.
Take six deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale. Then go outside and take six deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale.
Prompt.
Read this excerpt from Shoutin’ in the Fire by Danté Stewart:
“I just started to refuse to give empty hope to myself or to people who did not see our humanity. I just tried over and over again, every time I got my black coffee and mustered up some Black words on empty white pages. I tried to give us love, love that would keep us grounded through the shaking.
As a writer, I came to the realization that far more important than people liking my work or even resonating with my work or even using my work to shake things up was me liking myself and liking the complexity of life and believing that I had something worth giving that was saturated in maturity and love. The people who I wanted to like my work were far more interested in being loved than they were in me trying to make them like me or me trying to give them hope or me trying to conjure up something fantastical that would keep one foot in front of the other.
We were not looking for hope.
We were looking for love.”
- Danté Stewart, Shoutin' in the Fire
Practice.
Set a timer for five minutes and take notes on the quote above.
—Which words have the most energy for you?
—What images come to mind?
—What do Stewart’s words stir in your body, mind, and soul?
Then set a timer for five more minutes and write about how your writing can give others love.
Want More?
Read this EcoTheo interview with Danté Stewart.
*
Upcoming Workshops & Gatherings:
—The May Co-Writing Schedule is live. Learn more here.
—SDW Members: Sunday Conversations are happening every Sunday through May 12th from 6:15-7 p.m. CT.
—May 5, 2024: Our next Thoughtful Readers Gathering is with Catherine Ricketts and The Mother Artist will be 5/5 from 5-6 p.m. CT.
Today’s Daily Nourishment was provided by Charlotte Donlon.
*Please help us protect our intellectual property, our creative process, and the integrity of our work. Spiritual Direction for Writers® Daily Nourishment is covered under the Spiritual Direction for Writers® trademark. You are welcome to share this link with others, but any other use (written or spoken) is prohibited without written permission from Charlotte Donlon.