Download or read book The Upper Room Disciplines 2021 written by The Upper Room and published by . This book was released on 2020-09 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How important is it to have a daily spiritual routine? "When we engage in daily spiritual formation, we deepen our roots . . . and grow our capacity to handle any season of life," Junius Dotson wrote in the 2018 edition of The Upper Room Disciplines. Daily devotional reading helps keep our faith alive. Disciplines invites readers to spend unrushed time with God, reading a lectionary-based scripture passage, reflecting on the author's insights, and thinking about how to apply the truths from the readings to their daily life. This devotional book features 53 authors from diverse backgrounds, including some of the leading Christian thinkers of our time. Among the writers for 2021 are J. Dana Trent, James A. Harnish, Enuma Okoro, Jean-Claude Masuka, George Donigian, Beth A. Richardson, Kenneth H. Carter Jr., D. L. Mayfield, Stephane Brooks, Rachel Hackenberg, Rosalind Hughes, Memory Chikosi, Liz Magill, Charity Kiregyera, Joe Pennel, and Beth Taulman Miller.

Download or read book Earth Gospel written by Sam Hamilton-Poore and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do something for the environment--pray for the earth. The icecaps are melting. The air we breathe and the water we drink are polluted. Forests are being cleared of oxygen-making trees and ecosystem-integral wildlife. Our daily lives impact our earth--mostly leaving negative footprints. The environmental challenges we face are real and almost out of control. We're free to enjoy the earth's bounty and beauty, but along with that privilege comes responsibility. How are Christians to respond as stewards of God's creation? Explore through prayer the interconnecting love that binds God, humankind, and creation--forming a sacred trust. Earth Gospel offers four weeks of prayer (seven days per week with prayers for morning, midday, and evening) to encourage care of God's creation. Each daily reading includes scripture, hymn texts, beautiful poems and reflections from sages across time, and blessings. Featured voices include Emily Dickinson, Wendell Berry, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther, e.e. cummings, Julia Esquivel, Annie Dillard, Henry David Thoreau, Catherine of Siena, and many others. Conveniently sized to tuck into a backpack for a field expedition or as a companion to your Bible during prayer time, Earth Gospel will deepen your appreciation and commitment to creation. Use it daily, and it will change your life.

Download or read book Light of Lights written by Robin Pippin and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2014-07-01 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Advent book invites readers to commit to the practice of daily prayer. The collection of meditations from The Upper Room daily devotional guide is arranged to coordinate with the themes of the four candles on an Advent wreath: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. Meditations are included for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the Sunday after Christmas. A complete Leader's Guide for small groups and instructions for making an Advent wreath are included.

Download or read book Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera written by Valerie K. Isenhower and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2012-08-01 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have you ever thought of photography as a spiritual journey? Photography provides a way to still the heart and soul so you can hear God's voice and sense God's presence. Whether you're an experienced photographer or just take pictures with your smartphone, you will enjoy this creative way to connect with God. In Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera, award-winning photographer Valerie Isenhower guides you to pay attention, center, and focus your eyes in new ways. "The spiritual journey of photography from beginning to end is like breathing life into the stories of our photographs and souls," Isenhower writes. This e-book includes: color photography helpful suggestions for preparing your heart, mind, and soul before you go on a photo shoot tips for reflecting on the images you capture links to online resources Take advantage of Isenhower's years of experience as enjoyed by others in her workshops and online courses.

Download or read book Soul Reset written by Junius B. Dotson and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2019-09-01 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everything was going fine … until it wasn't. For Reverend Junius B. Dotson it took an actual breakdown during a funeral for him to realize he needed a reset. As he recalls his own journey through grief, depression, burnout, and emotional breakdown, Dotson is passionate about calling for a Soul Reset for pastors, church leaders, and all disciples of Jesus Christ. This is a 6-week churchwide study for everyone who moves at breakneck speed through their daily lives, often relying only on their own strength to bring God's kingdom on earth. Jesus shows us a different way, an easier, unforced rhythm of what kingdom work looks like. It's a balance of work, rest, play, worship, exercise, and eating well—spiritual practices that keep our souls hydrated and healthy as we do the work of the church in the world. Soul Reset: Breakdown, Breakthrough, and the Journey to Wholeness includes a book; a DVD; downloadable video segments; age-level discussion guides for children, youth, and adults; sermon starters; and more. Soul Reset is a call for the church and all of Jesus' disciples to reset and reorder their lives around spiritual practices, to learn to walk through our difficult seasons with our souls connected to the source of Living Water so that we don't burn out or break down. And if we do burn out or break down, we learn to lift one another up and point one another back to Jesus. Introduction Chapter 1: Watch How I Do It – Jesus Chapter 2: Knocking on God's Door – David Chapter 3: It's Not All on Me – Mary and Martha Chapter 4: Eat Something – Elijah Chapter 5: Life in Crisis – Job Chapter 6: Living in the Light – Judas and Peter

Download or read book Becoming Who God Wants You to Be written by W. Paul Jones and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2014-01-01 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For those who do not have a spiritual director – or are curious about the concept – W. Paul Jones has crafted a series of topical meditations that facilitate self-guided spiritual direction. In this refreshing approach to the means of spiritual growth, you will explore self-guided spiritual direction with the ultimate spiritual director – The Holy Spirit. Examine your inner thoughts, truths, difficulties, and triumphs through reflection questions at the end of each chapter that prompt introspection and ultimately direction in your spiritual life. Chapter Topics Include: Abandonment, Being Second, Covenant, Envy, Prayer, and Religion

Download or read book By Water and the Spirit written by Gayle Carlton Felton and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2003-10-01 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By Water and the Spirit, a 6-session study guide for use in small groups, contains the full text of the paper "By Water and the Spirit," which describes the United Methodist understanding of baptism approved by the 1996 General Conference. This booklet serves as a resource for congregational leaders who are helping members make connections between the baptismal covenant and discipleship in daily life.

Download or read book Texting Through Cancer written by Jan Woodard and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2021-03-01 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When author Jan Woodard requested prayer after her breast cancer diagnosis, her texts, email, and mail were flooded with encouraging notes that inspired her to write about her journey through treatment. As she wrote a weekly column for her local newspaper, Woodard discovered that writing kept her from self-pity by helping her focus on others and shift from fear to faith. In Texting Through Cancer, Woodard shares the peace she found in surrendering her cancer to God. Through 42 reflections she offers practical ways to find beauty in ordinary moments. Woven throughout her meditations are 12 spiritual practices that challenge readers to explore their own faith more deeply. This book extends hope to those who wonder how to live fully today when uncertainty overshadows tomorrow. Readers will discover how to pay attention to small signs of God's faithfulness, savor the gifts each day brings, and receive assurance that "all will be well" when they trust their tomorrows to God.

Download or read book Upper Room Worshipbook written by Elise S. Eslinger and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Included features in the new Upper Room Worshipbook: - Praise to God-in-three-persons, the Trinity - Biblical vision of Shalom and Sabbath for an emerging Church - Prayer reflecting the full, honest, emotive range of the Psalms - Word-soaked and image-rich texts which are foundational, evocative, and formative - Music which is delightfully varied in origin and style, yet accessible - Songs which pray for aching creation and peoples yet embody the expectancy of healing and restoration - Eucharistic joy in community, expressed in fresh language Use this volume to relate to others who seek a structured way of daily deepening their faith through prayer and mediation. Target: - The UR Academy of Spiritual Formation - Persons who practice daily prayer of the hours - Prayer groups - Churches that stress spiritual formation as a primary means of deepening a life in the spirit

Download or read book At the Edge of Life written by Richard Morgan and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2014-09-01 with total page 82 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on 60 years of experience as pastor, hospice chaplain, volunteer, and friend to dying persons, Richard Morgan offers perspective and advice to people coping with a family member, friend, or patient who is approaching the time of death. These 30 meditations take us from accepting our own mortality and the impending death of someone we care about through "making preparations," "finding closure," and "dying moments." In each meditation Morgan uses personal stories and scripture to lead into a reflection question and prayer. The result is a sense of peace that gives readers confidence as companions to the dying.

Download or read book Talking with God in Old Age written by Missy Buchanan and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2010-03-01 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aging often brings concerns about health, worries about finances, and frustrations about change. The so-called golden years can seem filled with loneliness and pain. How is a person of faith to cope with the challenges and find purpose for the rest of his or her life? Missy Buchanan encourages older adults to maintain open dialogue with God. Through a series of personal poems and reflections, each coupled with a selection from Psalms, Buchanan presents heartfelt talks with God. She addresses topics such as the fear of falling, despair over feeling useless, and grief after the loss of a spouse. For professionals, friends, or family members seeking to understand an aging loved one, Talking with God in Old Age offers a glimpse into the thoughts and emotions of someone who speaks with candor and from experience. For seniors currently grappling with the aging process themselves, this book can serve as a daily devotional with a friend who is "in the same place." Readers can join Missy Buchanan on the journey of faith as she shares with honesty both the heartaches and concerns of the elderly persons she has interacted with on a daily basis and the hope they reveal in old age.

Download or read book Worship in Light of the Cross written by John Indermark and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What difference does the cross make in our worship and discipleship? This 6-week study focuses on the cross, its imprint on how we worship as a community, and how it transforms our discipleship. He organizes daily readings around components of corporate worship: gathering, invocation, confession, proclamation, creed, response, and sacrament. 6 weeks -- Includes Leader's Guide KEY FEATURES --Leader's Guide helps you share this worship experience with your community of faith. --Daily readings are key in preparing you for worship experiences. --Each daily reading includes a reflection question or action. --Includes ideas for creating a weekly worship center to emphasize each week's theme.

Download or read book Sacred Breath written by J. David Muyskens and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2010-09-01 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When life takes an unexpected turn that leaves you reeling, sometimes you have to remind yourself to just breathe. But God is closer than the air you breathe. Grounded in scripture and Christian tradition, Sacred Breath walks you through the practice of Centering Prayer and helps you breathe in deeply the presence of God. Learn how to present yourself to God in silence twice a day without any agenda. Forty days of practical, encouraging meditations will help you get started in the rich experience of living in the awareness of God's love. The first 10 readings focus on receiving God's love, the second 10 on obstacles to our relationship with God, and the last 20 on the rhythm of receiving and giving in our walk with God. Sacred Breath includes scriptures, breathing exercises, and an outline for group meetings. For an introduction to Centering Prayer, try Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God, also by J. David Muyskens.

Download or read book Upper Room Meditations written by Bp. Oscar Penn Fitzgerald and published by . This book was released on 1902 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God written by J. David Muyskens and published by Upper Room Books. This book was released on 2016-04-01 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It's been said that Centering Prayer is like two friends sitting together in silence, just being in each other's presence—completely natural and comfortable. Yet, Centering Prayer is sometimes viewed as too mysterious, too escapist, too hard. At first, it even appeared that way to the author, but events in his life and his further studies about prayer changed his views. Through Muyskens' insightful guidance, you'll explore a method of prayer that goes deeper than verbal conversations with God. This book teaches: silent communion with God a method of being open to the gift of God's presence a way of receiving a deep ad intimate relationship with God Each day's reading has a focal scripture verse and the author's reflection, ending with simple suggestions for contemplative prayer. You'll begin with as few as 5 minutes of Centering Prayer. By following the guidance in this book for 40 days, you will be led to a closer relationship with God. As you progress through the daily scripture and meditative readings in Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God, you'll find greater understanding and fresh awareness of Jesus' promise, "I am with you always."

Download or read book The Wondrous Mystery written by Benjamin Howard and published by . This book was released on 2019-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During Advent we think about a wondrous mystery: that God chose to become human and lived among us. The Wondrous Mystery invites readers to reflect on several paradoxes that make up the Advent season: light and darkness, peace and strife, solitude and community, simplicity and complexity. This daily Advent reader incorporates meditations from Weavings: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life. Writers include Barbara Brown Taylor, Henri J. M. Nouwen, Sue Monk Kidd, Wendell Berry, Wendy M. Wright, and other voices from Weavings, which contained the teachings and perspectives of some of the finest theologians and teachers of Christian spiritual formation. Compiler Ben Howard writes, "The glory of the Advent season is that it's irrational. It shows us a glimpse of the way that God turns the world and our expectations upside down. . . . In a season filled with the longest, darkest nights, we are told to wait for the coming of the most beautiful light."

Download or read book Daily Wisdom for Women 2022 Devotional Collection written by Compiled by Barbour Staff and published by Barbour Publishing. This book was released on 2021-10-01 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You Are a Woman of God. Live Each Day Rooted in His Steadfast Strength! Women will find comfort, challenge, and their spirits encouraged as they experience the encouraging wisdom of God's Word every day of 2022. Every day for an entire year, you will be inspired by scriptures, devotional readings, and prayers that that no matter what challenges or difficult times come, God is firmly in control and His ways are good. Daily scripture readings follow a Read through the Bible in a Year plan that you may choose to complete alongside the devotional. In these pages you'll find comfort, inspiration, and spiritual blessing as you grow in your faith all 365 days of the year. Those who trust in God are like Zion Mountain: Nothing can move it, a rock-solid mountain you can always depend on. Psalm 125:1 MSG