prayers of my heart, a collection of articles and writings by C. Alicia Randolph

Over the weekend I officiated at a wedding for a young man who I have known since he was eight years old, when I moved to the town where he and his family lived, and I became his pastor.  He is brilliant and funny and now, full of life.  However, he has also had his … Continue reading Experiences While Knitting a Blanket

  The question comes As I knew it would Quiet as a whisper Through early morning sounds Of cricket chirps and bird canticles Over a steaming mug of my favorite Guatemalan coffee “Is your spirit quiet this morning?”   For a moment I wait Not ready to answer Not ready to commit To something that … Continue reading This Day My Spirit is Green

Then David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David.  These are the words that begin the next chapter of the saga of King David and the words are loaded with meaning and hints of intrigue.  These are words of transition that bridge the details of the end of David’s reign … Continue reading I Ask For Wisdom

This summer, as the Old Testament Lectionary readings have taken us through the saga of his life, we reach a turning point for King David, when the Prophet Nathan was sent by God to confront David about his sin.  Nathan told a story to David about a poor man who had an ewe lamb. The … Continue reading Deal Gently

Do you remember the first time that you felt guilty? I do.  Very clearly, I remember. It was one of those things that happen in childhood—an act that I would have forgotten long ago, except that I felt so guilty.  It was the guilt I felt afterwards. I was in the first grade and my … Continue reading Making Room for Grace

  That day was a Psalm 42 kind of day.  It was as hot and as humid as a North Carolina summer day could be and I had a yearning to be cool and comfortable.  I had a longing to walk through the woods, on my grandfather’s farm, where the shade of the trees would … Continue reading Deep Calls to Deep

This summer, the stories of David are part of the Old Testament lectionary readings and for the past two weeks, the stories of David and the Ark of the Covenant have been central to my preaching.  Two of the David stories found in 2 Samuel are stories that remind us that in addition to being … Continue reading The Stronghold of Our Lives