INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE

For years, Bonnie and I worked together in Recovery Ministries serving individuals and families with burdensome hurts, habits and hangups.

Every Friday night, we spent the evening in an hour of worship, an hour in specialty recovery groups, and hours in fellowship in the Soul Food Cafe.  

Central to all our work was the Serenity Prayer written by Reinhold Niebuhr.  Most know the first four lines of the prayers that says:

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity 
to accept the things I cannot change; 
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

The first four lines are used in many recovery groups as an individual and group encouragement.  The conclusion of the prayer says:

Living one day at a time; 

Enjoying one moment at a time; 

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it; 

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life 

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Earlier today, I was inspired by the work of a call center coach named Mike. Mike had penned an adaptation of the Serenity Prayer for a call center employee requiring extra grace. He left the employee this note.

Mike's Adaptation

God grant me the common sense

to realize complaining 

about the leads does not help;

The mental strength

to act like a grownup

when my RPH stinks

and the common courtesy

not to take it out

on innocent bystanders

THE INVITATION ANNOUNCEMENT

As a result of today's inspiration, I invite you to join me developing adaptations of the Serenity Prayer in a collection to be called the Peace Prayers. The goal will be to develop 52 adaptations, one for each week of 2015.

The Rules

Keep in mind that an adaptation is something that is adapted; especially, a movie, a book, play, etc., that is changed so that it can be presented in another form.

1. Make your adaptation true to the spirit of Niebuhr's Serenity Prayer using his model for form and format.
2. Begin your adaptation with the word 'God'.
3. Do not use the word 'serenity' in your adaptation.
4. Make sure your adaptation is one with peace central to its theme.
5. After developing your adaptation of 14 lines and an Amen, write a 400 character comment expressing your personal sense of your adaptation.
6. Use this opportunity to be a blessing in your work, now and for many years to come.
7. If your work is selected, it will be included in the completed adaptations to be called the PEACE PRAYERS.
8. All Contributors will be licensed to give away the eBook edition of PEACE PRAYERS through the holiday season from Thanksgiving through Christmas and New Years. You will have an excellent gift to give away to all you love and care about.

For further information, text 602 - 413 - 8942 and ask for a scheduled return call or email oscarcrawfordchristianmedia@gmail.com.

We make the world a better place every time we love and bless one another, each other, and others one soul at a time.