The First Sunday of Adevnt – 2025

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Arise, shine; for thy Light has come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people:

but the LORD shall shine upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.

And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Isaiah 60: 1-3 KJV

We light this candle as a symbol of Christ our HOPE.

May the light sent from God shine in the darkness to show us the way of salvation.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel!

CHRIST OUR HOPE

Oh, how we need hope in our world today.

Lord, there are so many who have lost all hope; they are struggling physically, emotionally, financially, and most important – spiritually. Oh, how desperately they need to hear this message. You are our Hope!

They need to know the Gospel message: how you entered this world as a helpless infant – God wrapped in human flesh – to bring salvation.

Jesus died for us. He who was without sin, died on the Cross for our sin. “It is finished.” Those were His words, “Finshed,” completed, the sin debt was satisfied that day. All that remains for us is to accept or reject God’s gift of salvation. How easy God made this for His people but how difficult we make it. Yes, salvation comes at great cost but it was God who paid the price, not His people.

Oswald Chambers writes:

We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God; we must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest blessing spiritually is the knowledge that we are destitute; until we get there God is powerless. He can do nothing for us if we think we are sufficient of ourselves, we have to enter into His Kingdom through the door of destitution. As long as we are rich, possessed of anything in the way of pride or independence, God cannot do anything for us. it is only when we get hungry spiritually that we receive the Holy Spirit. The gift of the essential nature of God is made effectual in us by the Holy Spirit, He imparts to us the quickening life of Jesus, which puts “the beyond” within, and immediately “the beyond” has come within, it rises up to “the above”, and we are lifted into the domain where Jesus lives. (John 3:5)

God has given you a gift. Have you “opened” His gift or have you rejected His offer? God is patient. He desires for all of His children to come to Him but He will not force anyone. And He will not wait forever.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.

In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself;

that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 14:1-3 KJV

And He said unto them,

It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:

and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria,

and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up;

and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as He went up,

behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

which also said,

Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,

shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.

Acts 1: 7-11 KJV

On this first Sunday of Advent my wreath sits on my dining room table.

The first candle is lit.

The candle burns

– a tiny flame –

but the darkness cannot overcome it.

My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 79

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Monday, July 15th, Day 79

Father God, we are in trouble as a nation.

A young man, just 20 years of age, was influenced to hate another so intensely that he attempted to murder him. He was unsuccessful but his actions resulted in two others being wounded, and another killed. The man he killed was not his original target but a man in the crowd. He was a husband, a father, a friend, a neighbor, and a first responder. So many lives were impacted by this young man’s reckless behavior.

He was obviously a troubled young man but we as a nation must make some changes in our morals. We have grown more accepting of violent behavior, choosing to make excuses, blaming social conditions, lack of education, lack of resources – but it is time to say ENOUGH!

People need to be held accountable for their actions. We need to praise those who make wise choices and call to account those who cause harm to others, those who threaten, those who encourage violence. After this attack there were actually posts on social media saying “Don’t miss next time.” How can anyone desire to see anyone’s life taken?

Lord, I don’t have the answer, but You do. Only You can change the heart.

I pray for the family of the shooter. This has changed their lives.

I pray for the family of the man who was killed, and for all those who are affected by his death.

Their lives will never be the same.

I pray for those who were injured.

I pray for all those on that service detail that day.

I pray for President Trump.

I pray for our nation, for people to speak the truth and to seek peace.

I pray Lord, that You would show me my part in this.

My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 41

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June 7th

Day 41

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:

for unto Thee will I pray.

My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord;

in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.

Psalm 5:1-3

Thank You Lord, for the psalms. I am learning to appreciate them more and more every day.

But this I say,

He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly;

and he which soweth bountifully shall also reap bountifully.

I Corinthians 9:6

Lord, I have certainly “reaped bountifully” with all the love and support that I have received – BEYOND MEASURE!

I thank You for Your blessings on me – for Your continued presence in my life – for Your guidance every day – for Your abundant provision.

You are my Shalom  – Shalvah!

But none saith,

Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

Job 35:10

Lord, I can testify – You give songs in the night!

Just what I need.

Just when I need it.

You bring it to my mind and I awake with a song on my heart.

All those hours sitting at that old upright piano, picking out the notes of all the old hymns in that Methodist Hymnal, planting the words deep in my soul, to have them rise to the occasion when they were sorely needed.

Thank You, God!

My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 39

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June 5th

Day 39

3 a.m. meltdown –

Lord, I fall apart at the strangest times.

I am weary with my groaning;

All the night I make my bed to swim;

I water my couch with my tears.

Psalm 6:6

I never know when it will come.

Something triggers a memory and I fall apart.

Thank You, O God, that You are with me.

I am not alone in my time of trouble.

My Song For This Day

I must tell Jesus all of my trials;

I cannot bear these burdens alone;

In my distress He kindly will help me;

He ever loves and cares for His own.

I must tell Jesus!

I must tell Jesus!

I cannot bear my burdens alone.

I must tell Jesus!

I must tell Jesus!

Jesus can help me, Jesus alone.

I must tell Jesus all of my troubles;

He is a kind, compassionate Friend;

If I but ask Him, He will deliver,

And in my griefs with me He will blend.

Tempted and tried I need a great Savior,

One who can help my burdens to bear;

I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus;

He all my cares and sorrows will share.

O how the word to evil allures me!

O how my heart is tempted to sin!

I must tell Jesus; He will enable

Over the world the victory to win.

My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 38

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June 4th

Day 38

Sow to yourselves in righteousness,

Reap in mercy;

Break up your fallow ground:

For it is time to seek the Lord,

Till He come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hosea 10:12

Now the parable is this:

The seed is the Word of God.

Those by the wayside are they that hear;

Then cometh the devil,

And taketh away the word out of their hearts,

Lest they should believe and be saved.

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear,

Receive the word with joy;

And these have no root,

Which for a while believe,

And in times of temptation fall away.

And that which fell among the thorns are they,

Which, when they have heard, go forth,

And are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life,

And bring no fruit to perfection.

But that on the good ground are they,

Which in an honest and good heart,

Having heard the word, keep it,

And bring forth fruit with patience.

Luke 8:11-15

At any time, the receptiveness of your heart will determine your response to God’s Word.

-Experiencing God Day By Day

Lord, I thank You for Your Word.

I thank You for the faithful men and women who preach Your Word and who teach Your Word.

Bless each one who reads Your Word, who meditates on Your Word, who studies to understand and to put into practice Your Word.

May they bear fruit.

Thy testimonies are wonderful:

Therefore doth my soul keep them.

The entrance of Thy words giveth light;

It giveth understanding unto the simple.

I opened my mouth, and panted;

For I longed for Thy commandments.

Look Thou upon me, and be merciful unto me,

As Thou used to do unto those that love Thy name.

Order my steps in Thy Word:

And let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Deliver me from the oppression of man:

So will I keep Thy precepts.

Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant;

And teach me Thy statutes.

Rivers of waters run down mine eyes,

Because they keep not Thy law.

Psalm 119:129-136

My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 36

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Sunday, June 2nd

Day 36

To whom then would ye liken Me, or shall I be equal?

Saith the Holy One.

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things,

that bringeth out their host be number:

He called them all by names by the greatness of His might,

for that He is strong in power;

not one faileth.

Isaiah 40:25-26

Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house:

thy children like olive plants  round about thy table.

Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion:

and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel.

Psalm 128

The only way to learn strong faith is to endure great trials.

I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testing.

-George Mueller

The time to trust is when all else fails.

“Be not afraid, only believe.”

And if you are afraid, just look up and say,

“What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee.”

And you will yet thank God for the school of sorrow which was to you the school of faith.

-A.B. Simpson

-Streams In The Desert

GOD IS MY REFUGE

Near the Cross, a trembling soul,

Love and mercy found me;

There the Bright and Morning Star

Shed His beams around me.

Near the Cross! I’ll watch and wait,

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand,

Just beyond the river.

In the Cross, in the Cross,

Be my glory ever,

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

-Fanny J. Crosby









My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 29

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Sunday, May 26th

Day 29

Lord, You speak to me in Your Word.

Yesterday I was done – but You were there.

Hast thou not known?

Hast thou not heard,

that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,

fainteth not, neither is weary?

There is no searching of His understanding.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary;

and they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Lord, You speak to me in the old hymns of the faith.

Oft-times the day seems long, our trials hard to bear,

We’re tempted to complain, to murmur and despair;

But Christ will soon appear to catch His Bride away,

All tears forever over in God’s eternal day.

—

Sometimes the sky looks dark with not a ray of light,

We’re tossed and driven on, no human help in sight;

But there is One on heav’n who knows our deepest care,

Let Jesus solve your problem – just go to Him in prayer.

—

Life’s day will soon be o’er, all storms forever past,

We’ll cross the great divide to glory, safe at last;

We’ll share the joys of heav’n – a harp, a home, a crown,

The tempter will be banished, we’ll lay our burden down.

Chorus

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus,

Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ;

One glimpse of His dear face

All sorrows will erase,

So bravely run the race

Till we see Christ,

-Esther K. Rusthoi

When I lift my heart, my head, my hands – and praise You, O Lord,

You give me a song!

There is nothing that pleases the Lord so much as praise.

There is no test of faith so true as the grace of thanksgiving.

Are you praising God enough?

Are you thanking Him for your actual blessings that are more than can be numbered,

and are you daring to praise Him even for those trials which are all but blessings in disguise?

Have you learned to praise Him in advance for the things that have not yet come?

“Thou waitest for deliverance! O soul, thou waitest long!

Believe that now deliverance doth wait for thee in song!

“Sigh not until deliverance thy fettered feet doth free:

With songs of great deliverance God now doth compass thee.”

-Streams In The Desert

My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 26

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I will stand upon my watch,

and set me upon the tower,

and will watch to see what He will say to me,

and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

And the Lord answered me, and said,

Write the vision,

and make it plain upon tables,

that he may run that readeth it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time,

but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:

though it tarry, wait for it;

because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Habakkuk 2:1-3

It is perfect rest to fully learn and wholly trust this glorious promise.

We may know without a question that His purposes shall be accomplished

when we have fully committed our way to Him

and are walking in watchful obedience to His every prompting.

This faith will give a calm and tranquil poise to the spirit

and save us from the restless fret of trying to do too much ourselves.

Wait,

and every wrong will righten;

Wait,

and every cloud will brighten,

If only you will wait.

-A.B. Simpson

-Springs In The Valley

“Write the vision.”

For years I have been writing my daily conversations with God in black composition books. I now have bookshelves filled with years of this faith journey.

It has helped me to see where I have been and where God is taking me.

When I began this journey on April 28th, I knew I would not make it without holding fast to God’s hand, and telling Him my heart’s hurts and listening to His guidance. I did not expect Him to ask me to share my private thoughts. But that is exactly what He did.

It didn’t happen that first day. God had to get me through the initial shock and confusion, but I began sharing on May 11th and there have been some days that I just could not get on the computer so there is a time lag of about 20 days. It has been 46 days and I am only on day 26. There were days when all I could do was read my Bible and my devotionals (in case you haven’t noticed I have three favorites – Springs In The Valley, Streams In The Desert, and My Utmost For His Highest) and always talking to God.

Thank you to each one of you who have shared your thoughts with me, encouraged me, prayed for me, and loved me. You will never know how much it matters!

My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 25

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When the soul is anchored to the will of God and His exceeding great and precious promises,

with the calm unwavering confidence that His power and love are behind us

and never fail us until all His will for us is accomplished,

our life must be victorious.

In the center of the whirlpool,

while the water rushed around,

there’s a space of perfect stillness,

though with turmoil it is bound:

All is calm, and all is quiet,

scarcely e’en a sense of sound.

So with us – despite the conflict –

when in Christ His Peace is found.

-Springs In The Valley

Commit thy way unto the Lord,

trust also in Him;

and He shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 37:5

Roll upon Jehovah thy way;

trust upon Him:

and He worketh.

Young Translation

“He worketh.”

When?

Now.

We are so in danger of postponing our expectation of His acceptance of the trust,

and His undertaking to accomplish what we ask Him to do,

instead of saying as we commit. “He worketh.”

He worketh even now;

and praise Him that it is so.

The very expectancy enables the Holy Spirit to do the very thing we have rolled upon Him.

It is out of our reach.

We are not trying to do it anymore.

“HE WORKETH!”

-Streams In The Desert

God is not concerned about our plans;

He does not say – Do you want to go through this bereavement; this upset?

He allows these things for His own purpose.

The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, nobler men and women;

or they are making us more captious and fault-finding, more insistent upon our own way.

The things that happen either makes us fiends or they make us saints;

it depends entirely upon the relationship we are in to God.

If we say – “Thy will be done,”

we get the consolation of John 17,

the consolation of knowing that our Father is working according to His own wisdom.

When we understand what God is after we will not get mean and cynical.

Jesus has prayed nothing less for us

than absolute oneness with Himself

as He was one with the Father.

Some of us are far off it,

and yet God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him,

because Jesus has prayed that we might be.

-Oswald Chambers

My Utmost For His Highest

Thank You God, for this new day.

Thank You for these devotional readings that point me to You.

Every morning You give me something that reminds me that I am not alone.

You are with me every step of this journey.

Yes, there are difficult moments.

The tears fall.

I shout at the world.

I shout at him.

WHY?

Then I come back to the heart of it all.

YOU ARE WITH ME.

Nothing touches me that doesn’t go through You first.

You have allowed this for Your purpose.

I don’t begin to understand this,

but I trust that You are working out Your plan for my life.

HE WORKETH!

And so I will praise!

My Journey Through The Dark Valley – Day 23

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Day 23

I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice;

and He gave ear unto me.

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord:

my sore ran in the night, and ceased not:

my soul refused to be comforted.

I remembered God, and was troubled:

I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.

Selah

Thou holdest mine eyes waking:

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

I call to remembrance my song in the night:

I commune with mine own heart:

and my spirit made diligent search.

Will the Lord cast off forever?

And will He be favorable no more?

Is His mercy clean gone forever?

Doth His promise fail for evermore?

Hath God forgotten to be gracious?

Hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies?

Selah

And I said,

This is my infirmity:

but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high.

I will remember the works of the Lord:

surely I will remember Thy wonders of old.

I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings.

Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary:

who is so great a God as our God?

Thou art the God that doest wonders:

Thou hast declared Thy strength among Thy people.

Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people,

the sons of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah

The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee;

they were afraid:

 the depths also were troubled.

The clouds poured out water:

the skies sent out a sound:

Thine arrows also went abroad.

The voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven:

 the lightnings lightened the world:

the earth trembled and shook.

Thy way is in the sea,

and Thy path in the great waters,

and Thy footsteps are not known.

Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 77

“I call to remembrance my song in the night,”

Lord, I thank You for the songs You give me.

Just the right message at just the right time!