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New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors and all your creation, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"A Liturgy for Morning Prayer," Upper Room Worshipbook

Used by permission from the Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved. This prayer appears in “A Liturgy for Morning Prayer” in Upper Room Worshipbook.

 

Today’s Reflection

When I walk, my life slows down. Rather than speed past the world around me, sealed in my car with the radio playing, I move slowly. Moving at the speed of my feet, I hear the sounds of birds, insects, and the wind blowing through the trees. The rhythm of my footfalls invites me into an awareness of myself and the world around me. This awareness leads me beyond creation to the Creator.

—Thomas R. Hawkins, Every Step a Prayer: Walking as Spiritual Practice (Upper Room Books, 2016)

Today’s Question

What increases your awareness of the Creator? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Let heaven celebrate! Let the earth rejoice!
Let the sea and everything in it roar!
Let the countryside and everything in it celebrate!
Then all the trees of the forest too
will shout out joyfully.
—Psalm 96:11-12 (CEB)

Prayer for the Week

God of creation, we know that love takes time. May we be prayerful on each step of the journey. Amen.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

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Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Looking for lectionary-based resources? Learn more about The Upper Room Disciplines.

4 Comments

  • Julie Posted January 20, 2022 8:21 am

    Nature, the sight, sounds, smells.
    Still having trouble walking due to leg pain. I stopped all meds from hospital stay and feel less nauseous. Megan still waiting to hear back from several jobs.
    Prayers for Aly and David, for improved health and finances and for Jeremy’s urinary health to improve. Prayers for Roger’s diabetes to continue to improve. Prayers for God to direct Robert’s words for his upcoming message.
    Thank you for your prayers and may God bless all who visit here.

    • robert moeller Posted January 20, 2022 8:41 am

      Your post came while I was writing, glad you are less nauseous, I would advise your doctor of your action. Hope Megan finds the job that works for her. I add my prayers to yours. Prayers for progress in the many aspects of your life that are tough at the moment.

  • robert moeller Posted January 20, 2022 8:37 am

    My walks are also time to recognize my Creator. Around me here in the White Mountain National Forest all nature rings, I liken it to a mini-version of Yosemite and with Mount Washington looming over the valley to a mini-Rocky Mountain. Thankful for the snowfall we had, temperatures are staying below freezing, and more snow is on the way. While not the conditions experienced for many years, climate change is reducing snowfall amounts, temps rising, skiing and snowshoeing are possible. Need to reduce the sizes suggested by a modeler friend, they are too big. Have to restart my drawing. Have to take some time today and review NEM posts, I’m in the fog, have only hints of how things are going. Tests coming through the post office. Hope you order yours as well. Thankful for the blessings of the day. Be safe and be well.

  • Jill Posted January 21, 2022 11:29 am

    Reading through the Psalms and Job, where we are reminded of Who made the heavens, Who told the sea to come this far, Who places the stars distinctly where they are.
    This may be weird, maybe because significant snowfall was later than usual – but the snow seems whiter than usual. I know that doesn’t even make sense. But – it is spectacular. Of course, I didn’t think this while shoveling it.
    Dinner last night with my friend – the one who has walked a similar path as mine with our diagnoses. She also has her daughter in an out of state center to help with her eating disorder and struggle with OCD. My friend came home for a few weeks, because the center was locked down due to Covid. Impossibly hard to leave her daughter in another state, but there was no reason for her to be away when she could not visit with her daughter. She is raw with emotion, exhausted mentally and physically – and the stress is just heightening her physical discomfort. So hard. I think our time together was helpful, I pray that it was. She’s just a phenomenal example of a godly woman, always looking for the positive. She was one of my rocks when mom went through her struggle. I hope in some way I am an encouragement to her.
    My god son has a basketball game today. My god daughter returned to uniform last night – but didn’t get in the game. Cleared the Covid protocols and her foot seems to be improved. I am hoping to see her next week – go to one of her games.

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