Shelby Olive Isaiah 60:2-3 For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Reflection: I’m just going to come right out and say it: I’m a glass-half-empty kind of gal. It’s not that I actively look for things to see in a negative light. But I find that even when I try to “look on the bright side”, I can’t seem to ignore the problems. Now, being someone who has at [...]

Starting Breath Prayer: Inhale: Here I am Exhale: A servant of the Lord Luke 2:39-56 39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord [...]

Molly Ward Scripture: Psalm 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,     for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go,     for to you I entrust my life. Reflection: I embrace mornings. Perhaps this is due to all the special mornings I spent with my Grandfather.  He was a morning go-getter (because days are short and adventures and helping others are endless).  I was often his sidekick or at least one of his sidekicks since there were 7 grandchildren that he spoiled and allowed us to witness his love of [...]

Ann Pierce Arnett   Nehemiah 7:6,73; 8:1, 3, 9-10   These are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried into exile; they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town.... the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.   When the seventh month came—the people of Israel being settled in their towns—all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the [...]

Belinda Weatherly Jeremiah 29:11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Reflection This passage is from the prophet Jeremiah’s letter to the Hebrew exiles in Babylon. Most of us have not experienced exile, but being uprooted from our comfortable lives is not uncommon. When I was young my good friends and I were part of an innovative project that was enjoying success and even some notoriety. My friends and I were thrilled to learn that our leader had [...]

Starting Breath Prayer: Inhale: Here I am Exhale: A servant of the Lord Luke 1:24-38 NRSV 24 After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, 25 “This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.” 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s [...]

Fannie Parker Scripture Titus 3:4-7 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life Reflection: Titus was a Gentile Christian who was a friend and coworker of the apostle Paul.  [...]

Belinda Weatherly Jeremiah 29:11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Reflection This passage is from the prophet Jeremiah’s letter to the Hebrew exiles in Babylon. Most of us have not experienced exile, but being uprooted from our comfortable lives is not uncommon. When I was young my good friends and I were part of an innovative project that was enjoying success and even some notoriety. My friends and I were thrilled to learn that our leader had [...]

Camilo Amezquita Acts 2:25-26 (NRSV) 25 For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right and so that I will not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover, my flesh will live in hope. Reflection I often reflect on times when I felt confident and in control and contrasted them with times when I felt confused and lost. We all go through ups and downs with our friends, our families, our jobs, and our faith. We tend to overcome adversity and persevere, but then [...]

Cynthia Wier Philippians 1:3-11 3 I thank my God every time I remember you, 4 constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, 5 because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace [...]