Photon Farms: Transfer of Trust

One of the most remarkable people in scripture for me besides Jesus and His Momma is the Woman at the well. She was used as an example over and over by my sponsors in early years of recovery. It was so profoundly formative to me that I've made a few different versions of prayer cards for this event in the life of Christ.

In essence, this woman was trying to fulfill her longings for infinity with the finite. Jesus saw this and invited her to drink the living water in the longest recorded conversation of Jesus with another person. That probably means something and it is important! Byzantine Christians call this woman St. Photini which means "Enlightened One". The Transfer of Trust prayer grew out of my own journey of recovery and is a hybrid of two people's thoughts and prayers. Both Russell Willingham and Dr. Christopher West have taught me much. My very first program of recovery keyed into the story of St. Photini long before I was taught her name by the Eastern Church.

The rest of Photini's story

Like many of the early Saints, Photini's story is legendary. Her and her sisters converted along with the rest of her village and went on to stand in front of Nero himself, eventually martyred by him. She evidently enraged Nero by leading his daughter Domnina to Christ. Domnina in turn led all her hundred servants to Jesus as well. Nero was not amused. Anyway, you can read the rest of the story by clicking on this photo to the right. It is pasted on the back of my icon of Photini that hangs on my prayer room wall.

Photini was given the title of "Holy Great Martyr" and "Equal to the Apostles" by Eastern Christians. This is quite an honor I am told. Her spirituality is both profound and simple: All our endless longings can be fulfilled in God alone, and once we trust in God regarding this fact, He can do great things through even us, who like Photini have perhaps felt like an outcast. God delights in doing great things through his little ones who trust Him. This is so consoling!

The latest and most beautiful portrayal of this amazing encounter between Photini and Jesus can be seen in Season 1, Episode 8 of "The Chosen". I cannot say enough good things about this episode and the entire Chosen production. It is nothing short of genius. When I watch episodes of The Chosen I feel transported into the heart of Jesus love and goodness. The entire cast is good, but Jonathan Roumie channels Jesus so very well it brings tears to my eyes almost every time.

But Vanessa DeSilvio just hits Photini out of the park! WOWZERS! It's like the writers knew how important it was to get this right, being the longest recorded conversation we have with Jesus and another person. They nail it on all fronts! Please do yourself a favor and click right here to watch the key clip from Season 1, Episode 8 right now!! [***WARNING*** If you're like me you WILL need a box of Kleenex!] The entire Chosen series is completely free... did I mention that? The best production of the life of Christ is Crowd Funded and completely free to the world!

Click here to download or listen to the Byzantine prayer being intoned.
Click here to download or listen to the Transfer of Trust prayer being spoken.