We begin our week with devotionals written by Vicky And we will mount up on high with wings like an Edwards, using lyrics from her songs, Scripture, and eagle. prayers. Thank you, Vicky for using your gifts and All fear falls behind as we focus above. blessing our church! We will learn how to fly - far away from all evil Devotional for November 25: Caught up in the joy of His Wonderful Love - We will soar through the sky - as free as an eagle. Psalm 57 All our troubles below seem so small from above. Song words by Vicky Edwards We will learn how to fly - far away from all evil, Be merciful to me, Father. Upheld by the strength of His Glorious Love! O Lord, give Your grace unto me, Upheld by the strength of His Glorious Love! For I am a pilgrim With evil all around. O Lord, how we long to cast all our burdens on To the shadow of Thy wings shall I flee. You, and rise up into your peace. Give us more faith, that our spirits may soar like an eagle! I dwell in the midst of lions Amen. That feed on the sons of men. My steps are uncertain. Devotional for November 27: My soul is cast down Some of my songs take over a year to write. This one ‘Til heaven raises me up again. took five days! Our church in Richmond was scheduled to hold a chapel service the next weekend for Lakewood My heart doth proclaim Thy praises. Manor, a Baptist retirement home. Before I sang that My voice shall awaken the dawn. afternoon, I told them that I felt that this song was All nations will tremble meant for someone there. After the service was over, a And bow to Thee as Lord, gentleman came up and said,” That song was meant for While Thy Glory reigneth on and on. me.” God uses all of us as his hands and voice. O Lord, many others before us have lived Perfect Peace through times of hardship, when their hearts (Song words by Vicky Edwards Based on Isaiah 26:3) were discouraged. Let us, like David, continue to place our hope in you, and look to a brighter day. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace Whose mind is stayed on Thee. Devotional for November 26: Thou wilt bless him with sweet release From the fears he cannot see. With Wings Like an Eagle Help him to trust you the way that he should Song words by Vicky Edwards based on Isaiah 40:31 Teach him to understand When my spirit is bound by earthly chains That all things work for good Of worry and heartache - and all that remains When they’re guided by Your hand. Is to finish the task, and get through the day - Oh, Lord, I ask, show me a better way! Thou wilt keep me in perfect peace And we will mount up on high with wings like an When my mind is stayed on Thee. eagle. Thou wilt bless me with sweet release All our troubles below seem so small from above. From the fears I cannot see. We will learn how to fly - far away from all evil, Help me to trust You the way that I should Upheld by the strength of His Glorious Love! So I may understand That all things work for my good If you wait on the Lord, your strength will renew. For they’re guided by Your hand. Spend time with the Father, And I will trust You the way that I should And the Son will shine through. So I may understand With one wing we trust, and the other, obey - That all things work for my good Unfettered by doubt - we fly away! For they’re guided by Your hand. perhaps one of those listed below: Thou wilt keep me - in perfect peace. - Go for a walk outside. - Sit quietly and meditate. Thank you, Lord, that you are always with us. - Plant something indoors or outside. If we keep your presence in our mind and trust - Spend time with a friend or loved one. you with our heart, we will find your perfect - Explore a new area of your town or city. peace. Amen. - Cook or bake something using a favorite or new recipe. Devotional for November 28: - Do yoga or exercise in a way that feels good for your body. - Write and mail a letter to someone you haven’t All Is Well talked to in a while. Song words by Vicky Edwards - Organize or redesign an area in your home. If you’ll only come to Me, my child, - Draw or create something. I’ll give you peace and rest. - Dance or play music. If you trust in Me, I’ll lift you up - Write a poem or a song. And hold you to My breast. - Watch a movie. The road is steep, the journey long - Take a nap. And the future hard to tell. - Read a book But if you will come to Me alone, You’ll know that all is well. Devotional for November 30: I am your God, who gave you life. “Dream, Don' t Sleep” A Poem for the I’m with you as you grow. First Week of Advent by Sarah Are Do not be afraid. I love you more Mark 13:24-37 & 2 Peter 3:8-15 Than you will ever know. They say you will come like a “thief in the night,” When troubles come, like angry seas The hour unclear, the day easily feared. Whose billows roll and swell, But I toss these words over the edge of my Call out My Name, take hold of My Hand. tongue, Believe that all is well! And they don’t taste right. In Me, all will be well. Come unto me, my precious one − A thief is one that I lock out. And know that all is well! A thief is the one that I fear. So I ask myself—Did I downgrade you to no O Lord, may we say over and over, “All is well more than a thief, Great Builder? because God is with me.” Then our souls will Did you form me from the dust, be restored to their natural state of peace and Breathe life into my bones, And paint the horizon into the sky, all for me? joy! Amen. ____________________________________ And was all of that fine, The following devotionals were created for our Advent Until you asked me to love my neighbor as Theme “Those Who Dream” by the creative liturgy myself? group A Sanctified Art. Was all of that fine, Until you said, “Dream, don’t sleep”? Devotional for November 29: Was all of that fine, Take Sabbath, for dreams take time: Until you asked me to wake up to the suffering in the streets? There is a reason dreams come to us in our sleep—rest recharges us, connects us with our Did I imprison you to the role of the thief intuition, expands our imagination, and opens us To keep you from getting too close? to receive God’s messages. It takes action to bring our dreams to life; it takes rest and time to sustain Forgive me, Great Builder. them. To nourish and sustain yourself as a Tear down the door to my house. dreamer, commit to a Sabbath activity today, Crawl through the window. Slip through the attic fan. God’s continuing revelation of justice. Dance in the security light. We do not know the day or the hour, but we do Scream through the letterbox until I hear you know as the African American poet Langston again. Hughes says: For this house is your house. You built it. Hold fast to dreams You belong here. For if dreams die I am begging you, Life is a broken-winged bird Break back in. Devotional for December 1: Mark 13:24-37 Abridged from a Commentary by Dr. Marcia Riggs …To begin Advent amid pandemic and protest is a befitting point of departure for 21st century people of God. We are being reminded that to be the people of God requires an ethical posture of attentiveness, to “keep awake.” (v. 37) The text charges us to “keep awake” because we do not know the day or the hour when the fullness of “God with us” will be realized… As we light the Advent candle of hope, we keep awake by dreaming, by envisioning how we will live out God’s promise to be with us. We expect God to be with us and meet us on the other side of this pandemic. For the other side of pandemic is not a return to “normal”; it is living the hope of That cannot fly. .