Do you know Thomas Merton? He lived the life of a Trappist Monk, a writer, poet, author, spiritualist, mystic and he did all that between 1915 and 1968. He was a man born in the time of the “greatest generation” and left this world at the height of the social unrest in the 1960s.
This afternoon I was poking around in a drawer looking for a document for one of my classes and I came upon this first:
THOUGHTS IN SOLITUDE by Thomas Merton.
It reads gently and speaks of the trust we are to have in life with God. I have offered this in an abbreviated version:
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. Nor do I know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always…
His words are honest, transparent and transcendent. We all want to be faithful and trusting with loved ones in our lives, with employers, merchants and business operators and, of course, God! It is true we do not know where the road leads.
I hope to reach out to touch God’s hand whenever doubt and fear creep in.
May it be so this day.
spiritandsoul.net 
Morning, Denise.
I’m sitting on a beautiful porch overlooking the ocean and reading your blog. Very important words by Merton especially in this time of unrest in the United Methodist church. We don’t know what life holds in the future but we do know that following God’s teaching will sustain us and show us the right path. Thanks for his words.
Hi Sue– Had not put Merton’s words into a church context, but I am happy that you did. You have offered food for thought as I know several UM folk who read this website. Thanks for the insight. Enjoy your ocean view!