We had thought we were beggars. . .

(Anna Akhmatova - found here)

We had thought we were beggars,

with nothing at all,

but as loss followed loss

and each day

became a day of memorial,

we began to make songs

about the Lord’s generosity

and our bygone wealth.

~Anna Akhmatova (Translated by Robert Chandler)

“Akhmatova’s poem, ‘We had thought we were beggars,’ was written in 1915, soon after Russia entered WWI. That first line became shorthand for future Russians talking about worsening conditions in their lives. ‘We had thought we were beggars then,’ but now there’s war or revolution or purges or political crackdowns or economic hardship. And how many others around the world could use the same line? First there’s a volcano but now there’s a pandemic. First there’s a hurricane, but now there’s an earthquake. First there’s a dictator, but now there are gangs and militias. First there’s a coup, but now there’s a civil war. And on and on.

. . .

Prayer:

Our Lord and King, we rise today to bring you our highest honors. We long for the day when you will reign completely. We pray for world leaders to act in accordance with your righteousness. We pray for those who are suffering. We pray that what we do today would give everyone we interact with a taste of your kingdom, so that they too will hunger for it and turn to you to be satisfied. Rule in our hearts, no matter what we are going through, we pray.”

~Kitty Purgason