courage

Focus Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God. Read Psalm 150 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament![a] Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his […]

Focus Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything other than God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word. Read 1 Samuel 17:32-51 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go […]

Focus Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today. Read 1 Samuel 17:19-32 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were […]

Focus Stop and thank God for being present with you today. Ask for God’s guidance as you hear God’s voice through scripture and the writer. Read Isaiah 50:4-9 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a […]

Focus Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything other than God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word. Read Luke 5:27-32  (NRSV) After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth; and he said to […]

Focus Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today. Read 1 Samuel 9:15-10:1  Version (NRSV) Now the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel:  “Tomorrow about […]

Focus Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you. Read Judges 5:1-11  (NRSV) Then Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: “When locks are long in Israel, when the people offer themselves willingly— bless the […]

Focus Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything, but God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word. Read Acts 4:1-4 (NRSV) While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, […]

Focus Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for a peace at this time. Read Esther 8:3-17 (NRSV) Then Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet, weeping and pleading with him to avert the evil design of Haman the Agagite and the […]

Like many of us, I suspect, there comes a time in the 24-hour news cycle following a tragic event—particularly an event that speaks of little but the human capacity for evil and ugliness in the world, as we witnessed in Charlottesville—when I just begin to feel weary. It’s a weariness that springs from a deep-seated […]