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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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Daaaaaaaaaaang 💜💜💜💜💜

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Speechless

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right?????

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

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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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Love it!!

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Preordered

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

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Thank you!! Love this!!

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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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Those are some great metaphors, friend.

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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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Oh I love this so much!!!!!

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

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I wanna buy one too.

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

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Awwwwww it's my pleasure!

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I have preordered!

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Thank you, friend!! 🩵

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That one is a hoot😄

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Thanks! ☺️

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

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Mmmmmm I like this!!!

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Preordered and love the stickers!!

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Thank you, friend!! 🩵

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

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

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Looooooove this 😘

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

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🤣🤣🤣

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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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Thanks for sharing this. 🩵🩵🩵

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preordered!

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

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Oooooh going to look up that song! 🩵

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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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This is a fun one!

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Thanks!! ☺️

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