p.s. God Loves You!

Today’s Reflection There is nothing in this world, irrespective of its power, that is going to stop God’s salvation plan. God’s determination to set free and usher salvation is unstoppable. Evil and darkness do not overpower good and light forever. —Sidwell Mokgothu, Light from Afar: An Advent Devotional from Around the World (Upper Room Books, 2023) Today’s Question What evil powers will be overthrown when God’s salvation is complete? Today’s Scripture Creation itself will

Today’s Reflection [Ukrainian soldiers] “are fighting not because of hate for our enemies but out of love for our families, our homes, and our land.” Hatred might be a mighty fuel, but it runs out soon. Love is the fuel that remains. —Nadiyka Gerbish, Light from Afar: An Advent Devotional from Around the World (Upper Room Books, 2023) Today’s Question Who do you love most? What would you do to shelter them from harm? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture No one has great

Today’s Reflection While looking at yet another money-raising initiative to help a war-afflicted family on Facebook, I thought that, maybe, instead of trying to guard our hearts from any outward-looking strong emotion, we must make sure that our guarded hearts never grow insensitive to the suffering of God’s people around us. —Nadiyka Gerbish, Light from Afar: An Advent Devotional from Around the World (Upper Room Books, 2023) Today’s Question Sometimes we try to guard our h

Today’s Reflection There will be no peace without justice. It is only when justice thrives that the poor, lowly, humble, powerless, vulnerable, and weak are safe in the hands of those who hold power. No more predators and victims. —Joel Bengbeng, Light from Afar: An Advent Devotional from Around the World (Upper Room Books, 2023) Today’s Question Is peace with justice something that can only happen in the next life? How might it be accomplished on earth? Join the conversatio

It's Scout Sunday!

Today’s Reflection In Latin America, the invitation to pray to God for restoration is an act of collective hope. The hope lies in the path of liberation for all those who are poor, lonely, disrespected, destroyed, misunderstood, put down, killed. —Cláudio Carvalhaes, Light from Afar: An Advent Devotional from Around the World (Upper Room Books, 2023) Today’s Question Do you pray with and for others? What kind of liberation are you praying for? Join the conversation . Today’s

Today’s Reflection When we hesitate to voice our questions, even to those closest to us, the spinning logic wheels in our mind can distract us from experiencing the reality of God. We produce questions that are impossible to answer. —Mary Lou Redding, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question What questions of faith do you struggle with? What might happen if you decided to accept that we all have doubts? Join the conversation . T

Today’s Reflection We are given the privilege of reminding one another over and over. . . . In as many ways as there are people, we need to say to one another from the heart, “Blessed are you. God comes into the world through you.” —Mary Lou Redding, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question When have you reminded someone that they are important to you and to God? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture When Elizabeth heard Mar

Today’s Reflection Even the worst experiences can teach us about eternal love and draw us toward God’s purposes. . . .God is at work preparing us and “preparing the way” before we even realize there’s a journey to be made. —Mary Lou Redding, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question What have some of your worst experiences taught you about God’s love? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture We know that in all things God works

Today’s Reflection God welcomes us with whatever degree and quality of hope possible for us. Even if the hope is simply an inexpressible desire for something more, it has power, and its power grows as we nurture the hope in God’s presence. —Mary Lou Redding, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question What do you hope for this Advent? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture You, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my yout

The Message: Carrying the Light

Today’s Reflection Daily reading and reflection enrich our attending to God during Advent. . . .The small amount of time it takes can be a gift to ourselves and to God as we record our insights and explore what God may be saying to us. —Mary Lou Redding, While We Wait: Living the Questions of Advent (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question When have you given yourself the gift of quiet moments to reflect during Advent? How could you plan to set aside time for reflection thi

Today’s Reflection For the light imparted to the soul is a most lofty divine light that transcends all natural light and does not belong naturally to intellect. —St. John of the Cross, The Upper Room Spiritual Classics: Writings of John of the Cross , Edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe (Upper Room Books, 2017) Today’s Question If intellect does not bear God’s divine light, what does? How can you bear God’s light in the world? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture You are th

Today’s Reflection Allow the soul to remain in rest and quietude even though it may seem obvious to them that they are doing nothing and wasting time. . . . Be content simply with a loving and peaceful attentiveness to God. —St. John of the Cross, The Upper Room Spiritual Classics: Writings of John of the Cross , Edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe (Upper Room Books, 2017) Today’s Question How often do you “waste time” with God? How has it born fruit in your life? Join the conve

Today’s Reflection Let them trust in God who does not fail those who seek him with a simple and righteous heart; nor will he fail to impart what is needful for the way until getting them to the clear and pure light of love. —St. John of the Cross, The Upper Room Spiritual Classics: Writings of John of the Cross , Edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe (Upper Room Books, 2017) Today’s Question Have you ever searched for your own faith in God? What is one practice you can do to reach

Today’s Reflection God does not communicate through the senses as before, by means of the discursive analysis and synthesis of ideas, but begins to communicate through pure spirit by an act of simple contemplation. —St. John of the Cross, The Upper Room Spiritual Classics: Writings of John of the Cross , Edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe (Upper Room Books, 2017) Today’s Question How have you heard the Spirit of God speak to you in the past? How can you listen for the voice of

Join us in singing and praise and prayer this Sunday. The Message: Carrying the Light

Today’s Reflection [Jesus] saw eternal life as a wholeness, a continuum with no dividing categories. He knew eternal life was the unbroken relationship with God on this side of death and on the other. It is the eternal now. —Flora Slosson Wuellner, Beyond Death: What Jesus Revealed about Eternal Life (Upper Room Books, 2014) Today’s Question How will you live your life anew, starting now? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alp