There was once a wise dean who, in a fairly serious and difficult conversation with one of his students, stood up from behind his desk and reached to an upper shelf.  "I have something for you" was all the dean said.  Taking down a copy of Gilead and writing a word of thanks inside the cover, the dean passed it across to the young student.  "You may carry it around with you for years before you read it, but this book will have the answers."

If only it were as easy as reading a short fiction novel.  It's apparently a National Bestseller and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize.  

While I have nothing horrendously intelligent to say or write, I would like to post a prayer.  It was passed onto me a few years back at a Vocations Conference by a rather fearless leader I respected quite highly.  I believe it was originally prayed by Thomas Merton for some reason, but my memory could be wrong.  It is a prayer that carried me through the last year of "intentional discernment" and now brings a whole new level of comfort in times and feelings of unknowing, uncertainty, and unworthiness. 

My Lord God,

I have no idea where I am going,

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I can not know for certain where it will end, 

Nor, do I really know myself and the fact that I think I am following your will,

does not meant that I am actually doing so.  

But I believe the desire to please you, 

does in fact please you,

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. 

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire

And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road,

though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust in you always.

Though I may seem lost

and in the shadow of death,

I will not fear for you are ever with me,

And you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Amen.

Okay, truth be told, only the first part of that prayer is providing comfort.  Hopefully my Lord God is willing to forgive and still journey.