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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

AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIP is found with someone who accepts us as we are. A sure sign of spiritual friendship is when we feel willingness, even a desire, to risk disclosing our true self. Stressful transitions, times of profound grief and loss, moments when we must release some anxiety or fear, hopes we long to express that cannot yet be voiced in public — these are the moments when nothing is as comforting as a companion with whom we can be completely transparent.

– Stephanie Ford
Kindred Souls: Connecting through Spiritual Friendship

From p. 33 of Kindred Souls: Connecting through Spiritual Friendship by Stephanie Ford. Copyright © 2006 by the author. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.

Today’s Question

Do you share a spiritual friendship with someone? Share your thoughts.

Today’s Scripture

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?

Psalm 22:1, NRSV

This Week: pray for those without enough to eat. Submit your prayer to The Upper Room Living Prayer Center or share it in the comment section.

Did You Know?

In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.

This week we remember: John Woolman (October 7).

Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

Sponsored by Upper Room Ministries ®. Copyright © 2018 | PO Box 340004 | Nashville, TN 37203-0004 | USA

9 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted October 9, 2018 5:29 am

    Todays reflection describes the UR for me. This most certainly is a place where I feel I have many spiritual friends. Thank you and thank You, Lord.

    Went back a couple days and reviewed the posts.

    Prayers for Marcy whom we all miss, Gloria as she continues many activities , Larry who provides such amazing support, Jill’s support for parents, students, and friends, Betsy’s mission work, Mary’s new job as a florist, Andrea, her husband, daughter, and grandson.

    Connie, my Monday comes in November. It will be 21 years, yes, it isn’t as painful as it was, but the memory is still there. God’s peace be with you.

    Julie, yes, there are many ski resorts in NH. As a native Vermonter I am more aware of those in VT, but I don’t ski well enough to make judgements on which are better. I think that is very subjective, it depends on what you are looking for. The highest mountains in New England are in NH. Prayers for your job search, well-being, and a good resolution to your unsettled home life

    Prayers for the hungry, may they be fed physically and spiritually..

    Thankful for discussions with my son yesterday, a good walk, wonderful home-made lentil soup with ham, today’s craft meeting at church, and a meeting with a fellow railroad historian to organize the society’s publication collection. Thank You, Lord.

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted October 9, 2018 6:22 am

      Robert, very glad that you have a good time with your son.

      May you have many more good and happy time with your son!

      Blessings!

  • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted October 9, 2018 6:01 am

    Thanks Robert!

    I also thank all of you for being my spiritual friends.

    Thank you God for all the spiritual friends you have blessed me.

    I echo Robert’s prayer for the hungry.

    Blessings!

  • Betsy Posted October 9, 2018 6:33 am

    Thankful for this body of true spiritual friends. I am humbled by how you all pray for each of us by name. There is something very intentional about that. We can share joys and sorrows here, with no judgement. Thank you, Lord, for each of these friends.

  • Jill Posted October 9, 2018 7:27 am

    I also quickly thought of this transparent group – how we share and bear each others burdens and joys, rejoicing, feeling a tug and maybe even a tear or two.
    I am grateful for each of you, knowing you are faithful before Our Lord.
    I am also fortunate to have a trio of these friends in my physical space. It is amazing how when one person is willing to step into that transparent arena, share deeply, unabashedly – it provides a safe space for future interactions. Thank You, Father – for bringing these people into my life, to be Your hands and feet.
    Grateful for dinner last evening with my parents. Having some car issues – so grateful my sister left one of her cars at my parents when they went out of town. I am using her car in the meantime. Grateful for Jif Peanut Butter icing – a wonderful topping to dad’s birthday brownies last evening.

  • Julie Posted October 9, 2018 7:54 am

    I am thankful that God led me to this group of faithful and faith filled spiritual friends. I pray for each of you every day by name and include your specific life circumstances. It is wonderful and rare to meet such a group of honest, sharing and caring people. Thank you for all your prayers, words of support and suggestions.
    Prayers for Robert and Erich and there move. I did not know to where you are moving. Yes there are also many ski resorts in NH. I pray Erich is following God’s leading and finds his purpose. I am thankful for your relationship with Erich which sounds similar to the relationship I enjoy with my daughter.
    Prayers for Mary and her new career. May she be following God’s plan for her and may she be bring beauty to many lives as she does here daily.
    Prayers for Jill, Gloria, Larry and Becky. Thankful for family support and celebrations, extra cars and brownies with peanut butter frosting, yum.
    Prayers for Betsy, may she and her fellow volunteers be God led.
    Prayers for Connie and her family as they join in mourning.
    Prayers for Andrea, her daughter and grandson, may they continue to be in harmony.
    Prayers for Marcy. We miss her warm words of faith.
    Prayers for those who live with hunger. I grew up in this situation and so it is with empathy that I share their pain and lift it to the Lord.
    Prayers for God filled day

    • Mary Ng Shwu Ling Posted October 9, 2018 9:51 pm

      Thanks dear Julie!

      May you get a suitable job soon!

      Blessings!

  • Darr Sigilman Posted October 10, 2018 9:00 pm

    I think that spiritual friendship is something that God gave us for pretty well the same reason that He gave man His church. Because we need each other to confide in someone who can mentor us and sympathize with us in our troubles and sorrows and in times of grief and who can share our happiness and who can help us and we can help them.

  • Mandy Posted October 12, 2018 6:59 pm

    I did but she passed away Sunday.

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