{"id":17415,"date":"2026-07-20T22:29:52","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T20:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/?p=17415"},"modified":"2026-07-21T05:31:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T03:31:33","slug":"the-perfect-circle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2026\/07\/20\/the-perfect-circle\/","title":{"rendered":"The perfect circle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Blessing in the Round<\/h3>\n

For those who want to save their life will lose it,
\nand those who lose their life for my sake,
\nand for the sake of the gospel, will save it.<\/em>   Mark 8:35<\/a><\/p>\n

 
\nThis blessing
\ncannot help it;
\nit\u2019s the way
\nit was designed.<\/p>\n

Lay it down
\nand it rises again.<\/p>\n

Release it
\nand it returns.<\/p>\n

Give it away
\nand it makes a path
\nback to you.<\/p>\n

There is no explaining
\nhow it delights
\nin reappearing
\nwhen you have ceased
\nto hold it,
\nno hiding the sly smile
\nit wears
\nwhen it shows up
\nat your door,
\nno mistaking the wonder
\nwhen it circles back around
\njust at the moment
\nyou thought you had
\nspent it completely,
\nhad poured it out
\nwith abandon
\nwhere you saw
\nthe deepest thirst for it,
\nhad put it entirely
\nin the hands
\nof those desperate
\nin their hunger.<\/p>\n

But here it is,
\nthe perfect circle of it
\npressing into your hand
\nthat curls around it
\nand then lets go,
\nreceiving
\nand releasing
\nand receiving again
\nlike the breath
\nthat does not belong to us
\nbut sets us in motion.<\/p>\n

 
\n~ written by Jan L. Richardson<\/strong>, and posted on The Painted Prayerbook<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

Prayer<\/h3>\n

It is too easy, God,
\nfor faith to become an escape
\n    \u2014 a way to avoid the pain of being human and alive;
\nor a path to success
\n    \u2014 a way to persuade the universe to give us the things we want;
\nor a system of control
\n    \u2014 a way to bend others to our will<\/p>\n

But the faith you offer is different, Jesus,
\n    more dangerous and compelling;<\/p>\n

It’s the faith that carries the cross,
\n    that embraces death
\n        and lays itself down for the sake of others;<\/p>\n

It’s the only faith that can lead us to resurrection
\n    to life renewed and overflowing.<\/p>\n

We praise you for this faith, God,
\n    and open our hearts to receive it.<\/p>\n

Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 
\n\u2014 written by John van de Laar<\/strong>, posted on Sacredise<\/a><\/p>\n\n

From the blog<\/strong>
\nTo Emmaus and back<\/a>
\nMay we know the hope \u2013 here, now<\/a>
\nTheme: Change my heart, O God<\/a>  [prayer sheet<\/span>]
\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Blessing in the Round For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.   Mark 8:35   This blessing cannot help it; it\u2019s the way it was designed. Lay it down and it rises again. … Continue reading “The perfect circle”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[13,61,3],"tags":[282],"class_list":["post-17415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible","category-blessing","category-prayer","tag-circle"],"yoast_head":"\nThe 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All\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "blessing"","block_context":{"text":"blessing","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/blessing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kardoesie_tree1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kardoesie_tree1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kardoesie_tree1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kardoesie_tree1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8693,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2019\/12\/30\/god-loves-stories\/","url_meta":{"origin":17415,"position":2},"title":"God loves stories","author":"Irene Bom","date":"December 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"from North & South exhibition, Catharijneconvent, Utrecht \u00a0(Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 Thank you to all who subscribe and visit the site regularly. According to my stats, in 2019 we had twice as many views and visitors as last year - visitors from 100 countries around the world. For this post\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "blessing"","block_context":{"text":"blessing","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/blessing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/jesus_blessing_north_south_catherijneconvent.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/jesus_blessing_north_south_catherijneconvent.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/jesus_blessing_north_south_catherijneconvent.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/jesus_blessing_north_south_catherijneconvent.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4238,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2018\/02\/08\/wild-animal-praise\/","url_meta":{"origin":17415,"position":3},"title":"Wild animal praise","author":"Irene Bom","date":"February 8, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Sebasti\u00e3o Salgado exhibit, Rotterdam 2017 (Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 This post combines a contemporary take on Psalm 148, written for a \u201cblessing of the animals\u201d service, and the work of Sebasti\u00e3o Salgado, the world-renowned Brazilian photographer, whose exhibition I visited last summer. Circle of Praise (inspired by Psalm 148) All\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "psalms"","block_context":{"text":"psalms","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/psalms\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/genesis_fotomuseum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/genesis_fotomuseum.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/genesis_fotomuseum.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/genesis_fotomuseum.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2044,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2017\/08\/08\/to-emmaus-and-back\/","url_meta":{"origin":17415,"position":4},"title":"To Emmaus and back","author":"Irene Bom","date":"August 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"For the full story, read Luke 24:13-49. Here is a summary, with some prayer prompts. Two of Jesus\u2019 disciples are headed for Emmaus, about 2 hours walking distance from Jerusalem. As they walk down this familiar stretch of road their conversation is coloured by a flood of mixed emotions. On\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "bible"","block_context":{"text":"bible","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/bible\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/emmaus_the_trip_left.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/emmaus_the_trip_left.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/emmaus_the_trip_left.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/emmaus_the_trip_left.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8360,"url":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/2019\/10\/21\/a-healing-blessing\/","url_meta":{"origin":17415,"position":5},"title":"A healing blessing","author":"Irene Bom","date":"October 21, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The Shepherd (1930) by Arturo Martini \u00a0(Photo: Irene Bom) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 An unusually short blessing from Jan Richardson. She calls it \"a [healing] blessing small enough to carry in the hand or in the heart\". \u00a0 And All Be Made Well A Healing Blessing That each ill be released\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "blessing"","block_context":{"text":"blessing","link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/blessing\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/the_shepherd.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/the_shepherd.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/the_shepherd.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/the_shepherd.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Irene Bom","author_link":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/author\/irenebom-com\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/bible\/\" rel=\"category tag\">bible<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/blessing\/\" rel=\"category tag\">blessing<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/category\/prayer\/\" rel=\"category tag\">prayer<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Blessing in the Round For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.   Mark 8:35   This blessing cannot help it; it\u2019s the way it was designed. Lay it down and it rises again.…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17415"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17430,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17415\/revisions\/17430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irenebom.com\/prayer_matters\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}