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Katy Schaefer's avatar

I gift you my poetic response (Attempt #2) and the secret of how early I snagged my preorder🤫

Prodigal Child

My walk-away

from the LORD

of Psalms and souls

concerned errbody

‘cept for me.

about seven years

ago now she asked me to

“grab the baby’s car seat”

out of her car.

Where I also found a book

penned by James Banks.

subtitle: 90 Days of Prayer

for your Prodigal Child.

Well, gee — thanks, mother.

But it’s unlikely I’ll return.

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Daaaaaaaaaaang 💜💜💜💜💜

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Corrie Haffly's avatar

Speechless

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Marla Taviano's avatar

right?????

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Shaina Fisher Galvas's avatar

Okayyyy, i preordered! And I never preorder because I don’t feel like I can afford books that aren’t used, but this one has been calling to me. And you have such a joyful, frank, humorous presence in this post-Christian space, I just want to inch closer to that. Whole, and it’s subtitle, feel like just the invitation. So when you said you were waiting on a preorder from Utah I couldn’t resist

(I moved here from Alaska, with some regrets, so I wish I could preorder from there as well!)

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Marla Taviano's avatar

OMG SHAINA. Thank yoooooooou!!! 🥰🥰🥰 I love every bit of this (except the Alaska regret). Are you on IG to DM your address for the sticker?? 🩵🩵🩵

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Shaina Fisher Galvas's avatar

I am not anywhere but here. I found your “you’re on the list” email in my inbox (the one that automatically goes out when someone subscribed to your substack)—i could try replying to that?

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Yes! Try that! There’s also a contact form on my website. marlataviano.com

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Paul Heatley's avatar

Having discovered this brilliant phrase in one of your poems today, I am to 'zealously chill' - though I bet nobody can do that like an Enneagram 1!

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Love it!!

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Amy W's avatar

Preordered

Walk? More like an occasional check in with God/the universe these days. 🤪

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Thank you!! Love this!!

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Lana Phillips's avatar

What walk? I don’t walk anywhere anymore. If I find a suitable companion, maaaybe. Still don’t know where I land. My beliefs were passed down and bought from the thrift store. I’m shopping in different stores these days.

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Those are some great metaphors, friend.

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Marci's avatar

Preordered and impatiently waiting to hold the book in my hands

I walked away from the god (and the church) I grew up with. Currently I follow the Ms Frizzle path through life: "Take chances. Make Mistakes. Get Messy."

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Oh I love this so much!!!!!

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Ruth Chowdhury's avatar

I’ve preordered but would like to buy one of these, because you’ve already given me so much & I want to give others a chance! Let me know how to purchase one!

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Yay!! I'm making a note to text you info!

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Katy Schaefer's avatar

I wanna buy one too.

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tamara m's avatar

i agree!! i've already benefitted SO MUCH from Marla's generosity.

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Awwwwww it's my pleasure!

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Leah Is Panicking's avatar

I have preordered!

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Thank you, friend!! 🩵

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Di Olson's avatar

That one is a hoot😄

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Thanks! ☺️

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Stormy Stogner's avatar

My walk with the Lord looks more like wandering the wilderness with the Goddess

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Mmmmmm I like this!!!

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Linda Yanega's avatar

Preordered and love the stickers!!

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Thank you, friend!! 🩵

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Tricia Klein's avatar

Preordered. 🩵 God and I are pretty chill. I’m not super sporty, so mostly we eat cookies and cry as we watch the churchy folks set the world on fire.

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Okay this is amazing. And I want a cookie. 🩵

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Corrie Haffly's avatar

Preordered! And this must be one of those seasons where he’s “carrying” me right now 😉😇👣

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Looooooove this 😘

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Corrie Haffly's avatar

And actually, yes, preordered with receipt and everything, not just sitting in my cart 😭😭😭😭

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Marla Taviano's avatar

🤣🤣🤣

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Nicole's avatar

Preordered.

I’m in my agnostic era. Kind of shunned everything when my old church was like you need to disown addicts and queer people. Which I’ve got both in my family. Do I believe there’s something a bit more out there yeah, but not through any religion.

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Thanks for sharing this. 🩵🩵🩵

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tamara m's avatar

preordered!

"working on my backwards walk" (Frightened Rabbit song) 🩵

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Oooooh going to look up that song! 🩵

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tamara m's avatar

it's unrelated to god but a great song and the first phrase i thought of :) i also thought of some image of the footprints in the sand thing but there are no footprints because i've run away and god isn't there. too dark? not dark enough?

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Breath of Freedom Poetry's avatar

This is a fun one!

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Marla Taviano's avatar

Thanks!! ☺️

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