One blessing that resonates deeply with me in this season of life and ministry comes from John O’Donohue’s To Bless the Space Between Us. In his blessing titled “For a New Beginning,” O’Donohue writes:
“Awaken your spirit to adventure
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.”
These words strike a deep chord because they speak powerfully to the moment in which I find myself—a moment of stepping into new leadership as senior pastor of Fredericksburg Baptist Church. Transitioning into this role has felt both exhilarating and daunting. While I grew up in this church community and spent nearly two decades serving in various roles, stepping into senior leadership has been a journey of unexpected transformation.
O’Donohue’s blessing beautifully captures the essence of trusting God amid uncertainty, embracing risk with faith and courageously moving forward even when the path isn’t entirely clear.
The phrase “learn to find ease in risk” particularly resonates with me. It reminds me that leadership is inherently tied to vulnerability. To lead authentically means embracing uncertainty, trusting that God’s spirit is guiding and shaping our community, even in moments that feel uncomfortable or unpredictable. The invitation to “awaken your spirit to adventure” inspires me to see leadership as an ongoing pilgrimage rather than a static role, embracing the unknown with a sense of hope and curiosity rather than fear or anxiety.
Within our Fellowship, as we navigate staff changes, ministry reimaginings and new ways of engaging with our broader community, this blessing has become an anchoring prayer for me. It is a constant reminder that while change can be disorienting, it also holds tremendous potential for growth, renewal and deepened faith.
The call to become “home in a new rhythm” also speaks to our church’s collective journey. As we collectively discern God’s call for our congregation, these words reassure us that while the new rhythms of ministry may initially feel unfamiliar or challenging, we will soon discover a deeper, richer community life that feels genuinely home. O’Donohue’s blessing affirms that our souls already sense this hopeful horizon, even if our minds cannot fully grasp it yet.
Claiming this blessing for myself and our Fellowship, I am encouraged by the tangible presence of God’s grace guiding us through these threshold moments. I see this blessing as personal and communal—a shared prayer that invites each member of our congregations to trust that God is leading us to new spaces of ministry, compassion and communal flourishing.
May we, as a Fellowship, embody the courageous, adventurous spirit this blessing offers, holding nothing back as we faithfully step into the sacred unknown that awaits us.
For a New Beginning
By John O’Donohue in To Bless the Space Between Us
In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.
For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.
It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.
Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you.
Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life’s desire.
Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.
