A Reflection for Friday, December 19 by Jeanne Barnes Lectionary reading for 12/19/2025: Psalm 80:1-7,17-19; 2Samuel 7:18-22; Galatians 1:1-7 ; Selected passage for reflection: Psalm 80:1-7,17-19 (NRSV) Read Psalm 80:1-7,17-19 (NRSV) Give ear, O shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh. Stir up your might and come to save us! Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that

Mary’s song occurs after Mary is not only told that she will become pregnant with Jesus, but also after she has visited Elizabeth. Mary is taking time to praise God for what God has done not only for her but for His people. This sweet girl has just been told that she will give birth to the Messiah, and instead of becoming filled with pride or ego, she is humbled.  She takes time to praise God.  In a moment when Elizabeth is spotlighting her and the favor she has found, Mary t

Sometimes I try to look back and reflect on when I first felt like chaos was winning. I remember at the end of 2016, someone said that nothi

The story of Naomi and Ruth is compelling. After uprooting her entire life, Naomi, her husband, and her two sons move from Bethlehem to Moab. Upon arriving in Moab, they settle into a new life—Elimelech finds wives for his sons, and they marry. Just when it seems that a new life is emerging, Elimelech and Naomi’s two sons die. At the beginning of Ruth 1:6, we find Naomi and her two daughters-in-law alone. When Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem, her daughters-in-law beg to

God promises that when the poor and needy are in need, and if there are no abundant resources to provide, God will intervene and provide, and not forsake them. Surely this message of God’s power and provision shows us that God cares for the poor and the needy and would restore a balance of resources.

Having watched a live-streamed genocide carried out by those who believe themselves chosen by God, who quote their scriptures to back them up, and who invoke a divine mandate as they raze whole communities to the ground. It's now impossible for me to read the scriptures in the way I used to read them. God on our side. God will lay waste to our enemies. God will give us the land. Now I understand these sentiments roll off the tongue of the oppressed in a different way than the

Isaiah 40:1-11--Today I invite you to read this passage of scripture slowly and aloud and in small sections.  Perhaps you can imagine yourself in the place of the author. Imagine yourself sitting somewhere with a pen and parchment, and you and God having this conversation. Perhaps you even write this passage of scripture by hand and then read it aloud.

As we approach Advent, many of us are experiencing a mixture of emotions. Some are excited, but many are fearful of the future, grieving losses of relationships and special loved ones. Some of us are facing very challenging circumstances and/or are suffering and in deep emotional and/or physical pain. We may feel desolate, disappointed, and disillusioned. We reach out for help, but people are unavailable or dismissive. Against the backdrop of the exciting news of the Savior,

Psalm 72 is a prayer for God’s justice, fair judgment for the poor, protection for the weak, peace for the land, and prosperity and abundance. Where am I placed and trusted to have authority? Who do I “rule” over? Is my leadership a reflection of Jesus? Am I seeking justice in my family and in my community? Am I taking care of the weak and the poor in my own neighborhood and city? Am I sowing peace? 

The spirit of discernment is powerful. Discernment is the spiritual discipline of assessment. It is imperative, in this chaotic time, to discern for ourselves who the false prophets are and whether the messages we are receiving are from God. How do we do this? If I am trying to figure out whether a pastor or faith leader is speaking truth, I always look to the fruit. What fruit is this person producing? Is this preacher producing the fruit of kindness, compassion, love, and j

A Reflection for Monday, December 1 by Samantha Wade Lectionary reading for 12/01/2025: Psalm 124; Genesis 8:1-19; Romans 6:1-11  Selected passage for reflection: Genesis 8:1-19 Read Book Chapter: Genesis 8:4-17 CSB 4 The ark came to rest in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. 5 The water continued to recede until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were visible. 6 After

What are we to do with this uncertainty? What are we to do when violence, injustice, and greed seem to dominate our world? Jesus’ instruction is clear: Stay awake, be alert, and follow his teachings. As Micah 6:8 reminds us, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Our ignorance about God’s timing calls us to this way of living—seeking righteousness, loving kindness, an

The account of Noah and the Ark is an early example of God’s holiness, faithfulness, justice, mercy, and love. Noah believed God to be good and gracious, despite the destruction and the unknown that was before him. He trusted God and obeyed Him, even when it was hard to make sense of what was to come. And yet through it all, God proved to be a faithful, loving, and merciful God. We are here today because we are long descendants of Noah and his family. 

By faith, Alicia took to the dark roads. She put on that one song that reminded her to be bold. She rolled down the windows, turned up the heat, and poured her angsty heart out to the one who created the mountains on her left. 

A Reflection for Thursday, November 27 by Rev. Bronwyn Leigh Murphy  Lectionary reading for 11/27/2025: Psalm 122; Daniel 9:15-19; James 4:1-10 ; Selected passage for reflection: Psalm 122 Read Psalm 122 NIV 1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,    “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” 2 Our feet are standing    in your gates, Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem is built like a city    that is closely compacted together. 4 That is where the tribes go up—    the tribes of the Lord—to pra

As you read today’s passage Revelation 3:1-6, imagine yourself as the recipient of a letter from one who knows you well and loves you dearly

Ash Wednesday is the doorway into Lent. It begins with repentance. When we repent on Ash Wednesday, we are changing direction.

I am happy to announce that Prayerful Reflections: A Daily Devotional for Advent 2024 is available to download for free or read on the blog.

The Word of God is always a “we thing”, spoken to a people! This text addresses the community of God. Therefor I gathered a small community

An Advent Reflection for Christmas Eve by Rev. Alicia Vela Anderson Lectionary reading for 012/24/2023: 2 Samuel 7:1-11,2 Samuel...