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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

Here is what I know about dreams: Dreams can make us live, but they can also leave a hole inside us when they die. Some of them come true. But it’s the ones that don’t come true, the ones that go down in flames, that can kill us. But here is the secret: If we embrace them and take them into our holy room, if we sit and learn what they have to teach us, they may just help us live.

—Dee Dee Risher, The Soulmaking Room (Upper Room Books, 2016)

Today’s Question

What can you learn from embracing your dreams that didn’t come true? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.
—James 1:5 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Creator God, I give this day over to you and to the mystery of faith. I commit space and time in this very day for soul work.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

How can we find light and hope in this unprecedented year? Join Blue Christmas author Todd Outcalt as we seek to find the light in a season of darkness. Register today for The Upper Room online Advent course.

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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

4 Comments

  • Jill Posted November 15, 2020 5:43 am

    Deeper trust and understanding of how unaligned my desires can be with God’s will. An acceptance of this will lead to further submission…an asking for assistance in realigning our desires with His Kingdom come.
    Leaf blowers are wonderful things, especially higher power ones. I was able to get up on my garage roof again and it is super easy to just blow out the gutters, as compared to cleaning them out by hand. Each Fall I consider in investing in a leaf blower, but then think about just borrowing my friend’s – when she offers it. She also brought a tarp, which assisted in matters. I am grateful to have done this yesterday as it began to rain overnight. And we are to have very gusty winds today. Hopefully the leaves will be soaked and stay in place, out at the curb.
    Will be picking up lunch from a bbq restaurant and taking it to dads. We will eat in separate rooms and then mask up and watch The Masters and the football game. I am taking schoolwork over there to work on. He is feeling much better, following the shingles shot. His doctor advised him not to get the second one (booster?)

  • Julie Posted November 15, 2020 8:37 am

    I mourn more the dreams realized that I then abandoned. I can learn to trust God and His will and plan and also to revel in and value what God gives with my contribution of the hard work.
    Prayers for Jill and her kind friend who shares freely both her possessions as well as her technological knowledge. Prayers for Larry. As I understand it the shingles immunization is two shots several months apart. In order to have full effectiveness both must be given.
    Prayers for Marcy who was experiencing severe gastronomical distress yesterday. I hope to talk to her soon.
    Prayers for Robert and his church as they continue to “meet” online, may they feel connected in their souls despite the physical distance.
    Prayers for Ally and David, may Ally’s cardiac symptoms abade with time and continued recovery.
    Megan and I are wearing masks now since she had friendsgiving yesterday with her friends. She is with her dad today and will be tested on Tuesday. I know she thinks I am foolish but everything I read and here says small gatherings are fueling this new wave. After her test we will stop the masks but with seeing my mom on Thanksgiving I have asked her to have another test the following week as well to be sure she is negative.

  • robert moeller Posted November 15, 2020 8:54 am

    Although I have dreams at night, some of them very strange, none of my night time dreams has ever become reality. The other kind of dreams, the things we hope for, are very low profile for me with one great exception. After my 14 month tour of duty with the US Army in Korea there was a great interest in going there again. Had no idea how that could possibly happen and it was put on the back burner. As I finished grad school I went to the teacher placement office and found an ad for teachers at Seoul Foreign School (SFS). I applied, was told they wanted me to have at least one year’s teaching experience beyond student teaching. I found a job at a school and after a successful year applied to SFS again. The day I was accepted was one of the most exciting days of my life.

    Thanks for your prayers and the news that will be the basis of my prayers for each of you. Colder weather here, mid 20s to mid 40s and the to high 30s.

    ZOOM worship starts in 10 minutes, today’s message based on the Parable of the Talents.
    Be safe!

  • Lou Posted November 15, 2020 9:40 am

    I was actually journaling about my dreams this morning- I was cleaning the basement yesterday and I came upon some old photos and marveled at how happy I looked in those days. I wondered to myself if I will ever be that happy again. I feel
    like that was my dream- my little family and I was so happy to be a mom and wife and raising my kids – it meant everything to me. Now I’m doing ok but this life isn’t what I imagined or “dreamed”-but I love the verse Jeremiah 29:11 and I hold fast to the belief that the Lord knows better than me – thy will be done not my will – and I cling to the hope that He has a better plan for me.
    I pray for all who are alone – especially the elderly as this pandemic worsens. I pray for all of you here at the UR – that you may feel safe, and loved and know God’s peace.

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