Taking a deep breath

By Tom Ehrich

I took a deep breath this morning and put out an invitation to writers, photographers and poets to send submissions to Fresh Day magazine. (http://www.freshday.org/submit/)

I don't know whether to expect a mighty flood or a discouraging trickle. Nor do I know what quality of work I will receive.

But I am determined to change our conversation about faith and faith community -- in search of the fresh and life-giving, away from the stale and hurtful -- and to do that I need voices in addition to my own.

This venture into not-knowing is emblematic of the entire Fresh Day adventure. I can see the next step but not a mile ahead. I want to find my own fresh voice, but don't know what that voice would be. After years of writing easily, my output takes more work.

I believe we have danced the usual dances for too long. The "dance of anger," of course, the dance of helpless rage, the dance of certainty in a world marked by uncertainty, the dance of getting-my-way, as opposed to finding-our-way.

And more. I'm sure you know those tired songs as well as I do.

I have no illusion that I have found the perfect path. I'm just part of a growing cohort who know the old path stopped working, stopped leading us to God, and now it's time for fresh explorations.