Today’s Reflection When we surrender our lives to Christ, we have a new guide who leads us in the way of love. We enter a life of giving away the rich gifts that come to us instead of trying to hoard and control them. —J. David Muyskens, Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer (Upper Room Books, 2006) Today’s Question What “rich gifts” have you given away for the sake of following Christ? Are there any you should give away now? Today’s Scripture

Today’s Reflection Our prayer gives consent to the presence and interior work of the Spirit. We are unaware of this work in the periods of Centering Prayer, but its effects become evident in the rest of life. —J. David Muyskens, Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer (Upper Room Books, 2006) Today’s Question Are you aware of what God is doing in your life through centering prayer? What do you think God may be up to? Join the conversation . Toda

Today’s Reflection Treating my body as part of the gift of grace has become a spiritual discipline. I had to stop demanding perfection from my body and instead lean into kindness and love for this vessel God gave me. —Caroline Vogel, As Yourself: The Sacred Work of Embodying Grace (Upper Room Books, 2026) Today’s Question God makes and remakes us as we learn and grow. How have you come to accept yourself as a vessel that is not fully perfected? Today’s Scripture The vessel h

Today’s Reflection The only condition . . . in petitionary prayer is that we stay on in prayer until the little things give way to the big things. We must stay on until we wrestle these trifling matters out. —Douglas V. Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question Have you ever wrestled with God in prayer? What did it feel like? What was the outcome? Today’s Scripture Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is brea

Forced Rest by Nicole Curtis I’m the first to admit that I often don’t practice what I preach. At The Upper Room, we talk a lot about the importance of rest as a spiritual discipline. But how often do I actually practice it? If I’m honest, hardly at all. Recently, I was forced to rest. COVID hit my family, canceling our spring break plans and sending us into isolation. When it was my turn to isolate, I decided I wouldn’t “soldier on” and try to work or be what we usually call

Today’s Reflection [Judas] represents the intersection of many contrasts: day and night, obedience and betrayal, and, ultimately, life and death. . . . He is invited into obedience and the life found in Jesus. But heartbreakingly, Judas chooses to walk away and into the night. —Stephanie B. Dunn, Draw Close: A Creative Companion for Lent (Upper Room Books, 2025) Today’s Question Where do you see yourself in the story? How do you experience the contrast between day and night?

Today’s Reflection If prayer in one sense is a disengagement—a stepping aside from life . . . to see it under the gaze of God—it does not stop there. . . . We find ourselves being mobilized. —Douglas V. Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question How has prayer pushed you to take holy action? Today’s Scripture The king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Then I said to the king,

Today’s Reflection While death marks the end of [the Lenten] journey, it is not the end of God’s story of salvation. . . . We are to announce that God’s story goes on and on as a story of life and love. —Stephanie B. Dunn, Draw Close: A Creative Companion for Lent (Upper Room Books, 2025) Today’s Question How will you announce the good news of the risen Christ this Easter? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have s

Today’s Reflection The Holy Week texts are the same year after year. While the words might repeat, what we carry with us changes. The story remains the same; we who encounter the story are changed from year to year. —Stephanie B. Dunn, Draw Close: A Creative Companion for Lent (Upper Room Books, 2025) Today’s Question What is shifting in you? How might God be reassuring you at this time? Today’s Scripture Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glori

Today’s Reflection We are surrounded by messages demanding that we earn and prove worthiness at every turn. But God asks us to accept the gift of grace that requires nothing for it to be offered. —Caroline Vogel, As Yourself: The Sacred Work of Embodying Grace (Upper Room Books, 2026) Today’s Question Have you ever lost the love of someone you were close to? How is God’s love different? Today’s Scripture Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and bef

Today’s Reflection We need God’s help. We cannot reach God by our effort. In the silence of contemplation we yearn for God’s loving presence and action. —J. David Muyskens, Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer (Upper Room Books, 2006) Today’s Question Have you ever prayed without words? Perhaps you have simply sighed, cried, or even screamed in God’s presence. How will you pray without words today? Today’s Scripture Likewise the Spirit helps

Today’s Reflection In our most vivid imagination we cannot fathom the greatness and majesty of the Holy One. Yet the Bible encourages our knowing God face-to-face. Jesus provides a human face by which we find God. —J. David Muyskens, Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer (Upper Room Books, 2006) Today’s Question What do you think God’s face looks like? Have you ever seen it? Today’s Scripture For it is the God who said, “Light will shine out o

Today’s Reflection I belong to God: We do not project or generate grace. . . . It sprang out of the heart of the Creator of nature; it is a kind of second creation. —Douglas V. Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question If you could see the grace pouring out of God, what would it look like? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his n

Today’s Reflection “To come near God is to change” is a profound Christian statement of truth. And the most open way to “come near to God” is prayer. —Douglas V. Steere, Dimensions of Prayer: Cultivating a Relationship with God (Upper Room Books, 2002) Today’s Question How has God changed you as a result of prayer? Today’s Scripture Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.—Exodus 34:29 NRSVUE Prayer for the Week Prayer: God, I

Today’s Reflection Being a part of the church means giving up a sense of ownership of anything and any sense of individual rights, because ultimately it’s about love of the other and taking on the servant posture of a crucified Christ. —Enuma Okoro, Reluctant Pilgrim: A Moody, Somewhat Self-Indulgent Introvert’s Search for Spiritual Community (Fresh Air Books, 2010) Today’s Question What practices help you love your neighbor? Today’s Scripture “And the second is like it: You

Today’s Reflection I had to let go of that position and became just what I was baptized to be: a child of God. . . . That is who I am. I can let go of everything else. —J. David Muyskens, Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer (Upper Room Books, 2006) Today’s Question What are you most proud of in your life? Are you willing to set it aside to simply be a child of God? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture More than that, I regard everything

Be Loved This Lent by Caroline Vogel It was one of those nights when my mind wasn’t done with the day, but my body was ever so done. My brain wanted a little more time to noodle on the word “beloved.” As my head was nearing the pillow, I saw the word become two words: “Be Loved.” I felt the Holy Spirit whispering to me, “That’s all it is, Caroline. Just let yourself be loved.” I was asleep seconds afterwards, though for weeks I kept pondering this simple whisper — be loved.

Today’s Reflection Created in the image of God, we have a built-in longing for God. That longing can be ignited into a burning love for God. —J. David Muyskens, Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God: The Practice of Centering Prayer (Upper Room Books, 2006) Today’s Question Have you paid attention to your longing for God recently? What might ignite your longing to burn brighter? Today’s Scripture The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord,searching every inmost part.—Proverbs 20

Today’s Reflection We will be called to do what is necessary to glorify God. It may be scary, and it will require a great deal of courage. But it will be possible because we will be living out our true story with our whole heart. —Kristen E. Vincent, We Are Beloved: A Lenten Journey with Protestant Prayer Beads (Upper Room Books, 2019) Today’s Question How is God calling you to live into your belovedness with courage? Join the conversation . Today’s Scripture Do not fear, fo

Today’s Reflection The more in touch we become with our belovedness, the more passionate we become about God and all that God has created. We become passionate about who we are, how we reflect God’s sacred image, and who God calls us to be in the world. —Kristen E. Vincent, We Are Beloved: A Lenten Journey with Protestant Prayer Beads (Upper Room Books, 2019) Today’s Question Where can you passionately extend God’s love to other people and all creation? Today’s Scripture Giv