the world still turns
(thanks be to God)
I’ll admit it: I’m not exactly sure how to write a follow-up to my last email. Not just because, as far as readability goes, it’s hard to top a near-death experience; but also because recovery has been slow and mundane and there are still weeks of testing before me.
Long story short, whether or not I have an autoimmune disease is still anyone’s guess — but the good news is that my body seems to be healing from sepsis. I have moments (albeit rare ones) when I forget about the whole thing. I have moments when I am filled with anxiety about ordering food at a restaraunt. But I also have moments, like at 4am this morning when my 9 year old got in bed with us (surely dreaming about the villains of Harry Potter), when I look at my children and am overcome with the unbelievable magnititude of the privilege of getting to spend one more day with them.
It’s grace, all of it.
You’re invited behind the scenes
In an effort to divest a bit from the algorithim gods of social media and have more control over my relationship with you directly, I’m going to be focusing more time right here on Substack by offering an optional bonus subscription for $5/mo that will take you behind the scenes of my writing process, spiritual practice, and convergence of the two.
Everyone will continue to receive these free emails from me twice a month; but in addition to those, paid subscribers will receive one extra email every month that pulls back the curtain and gives me a chance to share more from my heart about the work I put out into the world.
If you’re curious to hear what spurred me to write certain feminist prayers, sign up! If you want to know how I make editorial decisions about my content, sign up! If you don’t ever plan on reading these emails but want to throw some spare change my way because you’re a generous soul, sign up! ;)
Find me around the web:
For Ignatian Solidarity Network, I wrote Day 2 in their daily Lenten reflection series, asking: Is my commitment to justice personally costing me something? If not, should it be?
For National Catholic Reporter, I got to interview my favorite prayer writer, Joyce Rupp, and had to giggle when she disclosed the one thing she gets “verbally bruised” by certain people for because, same.
Over on Instagram, this post I wrote about the commodification of bodies has resonated with a lot of folks. Sometimes resistance means going to bed.
New book out on Tuesday!
Just a few more days until Feminist Prayers for My Daughter officially launches out into the world! Preorders are already starting to arrive on doorsteps, which is always both super exciting and highly vulnerable.
Short on cash? Enter to win one of 5 free copies being given away on Goodreads!
Speaking of Goodreads, here are a couple of early reviews that put a smile on my face:
“This one's for the cycle breakers! Since deconstructing my faith, I've also disentangled spiritual practices such as prayer. The concept of prayer is still hard for me sometimes, and I don't always know what to say or how to say it. This book was a breath of fresh air. The prayers were heart-felt and honest. It's the kind of thing I want to read again and again, maybe reading it aloud as a prayer for not only my daughter, but also for myself.”
“I read and prayed through these prayers as a father of a daughter and found it transformative… I can’t help but think that, for many, the Holy Spirit is working through Evans to give readers the words they wouldn’t otherwise have. Prayer changes us and Evans’ prayers give us words to reflect in ways we might not have on our own. Feminist Prayers for My Daughter is a beautiful and holy work.”
Peace be with you, friends.
Shannon