A Gentle Word Before We Begin   Dear Friends,   Last month, I wrote about prayer for oneself—the often-overlooked practice of turning inward to listen, align, and restore. I didn’t know then how timely that message would become for me.   On December 14, I drove myself to the emergency room after weeks of knowing something wasn’t right and feeling unheard along the way. Emergency surgery followed, and I spent the next twelve days receiving care, resting, and allowing my body a