Healing Candle Service begun!

The Healing Candle Service has begun. We have twenty people on our petition, with two of them also having individual petitions. Bless them, O Lord, as a Spirit of Healing and Succor. Give them respite from their ills, recovery from their injury and lay Your hand of sweet mercy on them.

Friday Reading: 2•22•2013

Last week's Friday Reading was a very specific question, which is good, because we can get a lot of detail and focus in on specific issues. But not all questions have to be. Sometimes, asking a very general question, leaving it up to your reader to fill in the blanks, is a good way to go. This week's Reading is along those lines.

Dear Crossroads Joe,

Will my love life change for the better in the next few months?

Signed,
Hopeful and Curious

Friday Reading: 02•15•2013

Welcome to the inaugural post of our new Friday Readings! In it, we take anonymous questions and concerns from our readers, provide a big of root doctoring spiritual diagnosis and prescription.

Dear Crossroads Joe:

My husband and I are wanting to expand our family. When that happens I am considering becoming a stay-at-home mom of sorts. This idea is counter to everything I've ever thought I wanted and actually makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable as I feel as though I wouldn't really be contributing or would not perceive myself as successful. However, I believe it would be really good for my family especially our kids. So A) Hubby needs a secure job where we can afford this. B) I need a confidence boost to follow this and let go of my preconceived notions of success/failure.

What are your thoughts?

Signed,
Cautiously Domestic

Candle Services

Many conjurefolk turn to the Candle Services as a means of doing good works. The simple fact is that everyone we know needs help and prayer in some way or another, and a rootworker motivated by Spirit to bring healing, peace and succor to his fellow men and women seeks a way to do that effectively, for as many people as possible, whether or not they can pay.

To that end, the Candle Service.

Here at Crossroads Joe's Ministrations, we're starting a twice-a-month Candle Service for exactly this purpose. The way we do this is simple.


The Basic Candle Service
For the Candle Service, we will collect prayer requests from those who are in need. Clients, family, friends and even perfect strangers who read these words. These requests will be printed or written up, and placed beneath a seven-day Vigil Candle, properly anointed toward the prayer work at hand.

Each Candle Service will be aimed at a particular condition that needs prayer: healing, love, prosperity and those other issues that come to us living in this difficult world. If you look to the right side of this blog, there is a list of the upcoming Candle Services, by date.

Simply send in your prayer requests to joe@crossroadsjoe.com and you'll be added to the appropriate Service. These prayers don't have to be just for you, however. Feel free to send in prayers on behalf of your loved ones and those who know who could use a little extra help.

Donational Candles

Donational Candles

If you would like a little more directed attention, we're happy to take a small donation to add a little extra to your prayer request.

With your donation, we'll dress and pray over a donational candle in your name, lit from the central Prayer Candle being used for the Candle Service.

Once that candle has burnt out, we'll add your petition back to the other petitions under the central Prayer Candle for the rest of the Candle Service's length.

Spiritual Washes 2: Hyssop & Psalm 51

Hyssop in bloom

One of my favorite cleansing baths is extremely simple, but very potent! It is all based around the use of the herb hyssop.

Hyssop: Biblical Cleansing Herb

Possessing a wonderful aromatic and slightly minty scent, hyssop is one of several herbs mentioned in the Scripture. Mentioned for its cleansing power, hyssop has been used for generations to accomplish just that. Medicinally, it is an expectorant and antiseptic with cough suppressant properties when used properly. Note that the hyssop essential oil can cause seizures, and so should be handled with care.

In conjure, we frequently use the plant itself in cleansing Work. Probably the most common use is in brewing up a "tea" with it, boiling a handful of the dried, woody herb in water until it darkens to a pleasant-smelling infusion. Then, this water is either added to mopping water for cleansing the home, or added to Spiritual Baths intended on atoning for sins, cleansing away bad habits or removing jinxes, curses and crossed conditions.

It is frequently employed in this way along with Psalm 51, below.