SCRIPTURE  1 Peter 1. 15-16 For the Scriptures say, but now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. “You must be holy because I am holy.” WORDS OF HOPE I read this scripture numerous times before it finally clicked. God is literally calling every believer to walk in holiness. Not an unattainable request with strict rules, degrees, titles or unusual ideology, just the simple act of practicing holiness in everyday life. We just concluded Holy Week, with specially dedicated days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday to honor the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. The word holy means to “set aside” for a divine purpose dedicated entirely to God. Consecrated objects set apart for the purpose of worship such as the sacraments, Bible, garments, and the priests who handled them were considered holy. However, the scripture assures us holiness isn’t limited to appointed servants or objects; we are holy simply because God is holy. When God calls us to walk in holiness and separate ourselves from worldly thoughts, it may seem daunting and out of reach, as if its only reserved for the “most” spiritual people. We tend to connect holiness with overbearing rules instead of feeling free and joyful to live as followers of Christ. The word holy is used everywhere. Sometimes sacred and sometimes not so much. We sing revered songs such as Holy, Holy, Holy, referring to the Trinity and ask the Holy Spirit to bless us in prayer. Holy matrimony is about marriage and then there are slang expressions of Holy Toledo, Holy cow or Holy Moses which are uttered by millions. Each of us is called to be holy. Holiness isn’t about trying to be good; it’s about living “in” the goodness of God. This surrender to God’s will is life-changing, enabling us to fulfill our purpose to love one another as God loves us. PRAYER Creator God, we are grateful for your reminder of our holiness. As we align our prayers with your will, let the Holy Spirit remove all obstacles that keep us bound. In Jesus Holy name, Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donna Jackson

SCRIPTURE 1 Peter 1:8-12 Although you have not seen him, you love him, and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.  Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace intended for you made careful search and inquiry, inquiring about the time and circumstances that the Spirit of Christ within them indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings intended for Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look! WORDS OF HOPE This passage from Peter has the great Advantage of being applicable to almost anytime or place. Clearly, Peter is talking to people who are not witnesses to Jesus‘ life, death, and resurrection. He reminds them that even though they have not been direct witnesses they still believe; they still love Jesus; and they are still capable of feeling the certainty and the joy of salvation. Of course, this applies to today’s believers as it did to those to whom Peter was writing. We are only able to see Jesus in the words of the Gospels. We are only able to feel the presence of Jesus in our hearts and not with our eyes and ears as the disciples were able to do. Peter reminds his audience that the prophets had been clear about the coming Messiah. And while those of us who are not of Jewish descent, may not always feel close to the words of the Ancient prophets; even we can look and see how they were serving the future generations to whom they were writing. This is why we still read those ancient words. This is why we still look to them to understand how they were fulfilled by Christ Jesus. So today in your devotional time, reflect back on all you have heard and been taught and seen about the risen Christ. Jesus came to restore the connection between God and humankind which had been lost. Remember that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, lives within you and that Jesus gives you a way to understand, and grace to act on that presence of God within your heart. PRAYER Great Creator, though we cannot see you or your Christ in the way the early disciples did, we long for your presence in our lives. We pray to be able to live the life you have given us so that we reflect your love and the sacrifice of Jesus. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare

READING  Jonah 1:7-10 As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the Lord!” Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out onto the dry land. WORDS OF HOPE I always remember hearing the story of Jonah and the Whale as a child. I guess it was more believable that he was swallowed by a whale than a “big fish”, but I think the story as told to children misses the point. Jonah was swallowed by the fish because he was running away from God. He had been tasked with carrying God’s message to the great city of Nineveh and that overwhelmed him. He was so reluctant that he tried on escape on a ship, and we all know where that led. The point is not about being swallowed by a whale, but perhaps it is about being overwhelmed by missions that feel a bit like facing a whale: big, scary and a lot of work. The moral of the story to me is that sometimes we must face our fears and just buckle up and do the work before us. In the end just following God’s plan seems a lot easier than enduring time in the stomach of a big fish. PRAYER May I use the strength that God gives me to do the work before me. May I always remember how Jonah made his task much more difficult that it was by trying to run away from God’s guidance. Amen DEVOTIION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman

SCRIPTURE Jonah 1:1-5 One day long ago, God’s Word came to Jonah, Amittai’s son: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get. But God sent a huge storm at sea, the waves towering. WORDS OF HOPE  Jonah’s flaws are so relatable. He chooses to disobey God. Yet in verse 9, he tells the sailors, “I worship God.” Have you ever decided that your way was better than the Lord’s? Have you tried to maintain the appearance of faith while actively running away from it? I learned about a Married Men’s virtual Life Group at the church of a well-known and influential pastor. During a chat with the group leader, I told them I was married to a man. I wanted to show up as my most authentic self. The group leader said someone from their senior leadership team would reach out. They never did, even after I followed up. This wasn’t the first time a church rejected me for being gay, but the experience still stung. In my heart, I could hear the words of Jesus: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Did I listen and forgive the church leaders? Of course not. Like Jonah, I chose to run, not to another city, but into the darkness of resentment and depression. I lost an entire day of work feeling sorry for myself and googling churches that would validate my identity. I considered never listening to the pastor’s sermons again, and felt guilty for supporting someone with views so different from mine. This suffering was my version of the storm God sent Jonah. Eventually, I realized that it wasn’t a punishment. It was an act of love to get me back on course. I took away several lessons: Anchor to God’s unconditional acceptance and approval instead of human validation. My spiritual practice is richer when it’s not in an echo chamber. I can take a religious leader’s wisdom that resonates and leave the parts that don’t. Forgiveness is about setting yourself free from negativity and aligning with God’s love, not condoning another person’s actions. We all face storms. I hope sharing this story helps you weather your next one and follow what God is calling you to do. PRAYER Lord, I’m ready for Your assignment. Speak to me and give me the courage to obey. I trust that Your Love will bring me through every storm. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Logan Alexander Johnson

SCRIPTURE  Judges 6:39-40 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. READING "The opposite of faith is not doubt -- it is certainty." - Anne Lamott WORDS OF HOPE In Judges 6, we meet Gideon at a moment of deep uncertainty. God has already called him to deliver Israel, but Gideon hesitates. He asks for a sign: first, that a fleece would be wet with dew while the ground stays dry, and then the reverse. Miraculously, God graciously answers both requests. When we first look at this story, it seems that Gideon displays doubt. Given how overwhelming the stakes can be to being Israel’s deliverer, I think it’s less about doubt and more about assurance. Gideon is not testing God out of rebellion; he is seeking clarity in the face of fear. How often do we find ourselves in Gideon’s shoes? We’re looking up phone numbers for a real estate agent and a mover. Suddenly, what felt like a nudge now doesn’t seem so sure. The new job offer looks like a win-win, but you don’t know if you’re ready or qualified. That person you’ve been seeing is everything you’ve hoped for, but you’ve been hurt before and you’re not sure you want to leap again. Are you asking for a sign because you doubt or because you just need that little bit of extra assurance? What’s striking in Gideon’s story is that God doesn’t rebuke Gideon for what could be perceived as doubt. Instead, She does exactly what she always does. She provides reassurance. Looking for signs shouldn’t become our default setting when making a meaningful decision and that’s not what this story is implying. Instead, it reveals something important about the nature of God. He is compassionate with our fragile faith. The story isn’t about Gideon’s uncertainty; it’s about His patience. Anne Lamott got it right: Faith is not the absence of questions or being fearless in the moment. It is the willingness to move forward even when resolutions to the questions are not fully resolved. PRAYER Gracious God, You know how often we long for clarity and reassurance. Thank you for your patience with us when our faith feels small. Give us wisdom to discern your voice, courage to trust your leading, and strength to act when the time comes. Help us to move from hesitation to faithful obedience. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs

SCRIPTURE The Book of Psalms 25:6-8 (adapted from NRSVUE translation) Be mindful of your mercy, O God, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from days of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, Holy One! Good and upright is God; therefore God instructs the broken in the way. WORDS OF HOPE The Sins of Youth and Other Times I have replayed them in my head too many times. Poor decisions of my past. Hurts I’ve inflicted on people whom I genuinely loved and cared for. Words I’ve spoken thoughtlessly that left wounds upon others. Actions I took or neglected to take. The writer of today’s passage from the Book of Psalms understands. Sins of our youth are common. The Creator of our frontal lobe where decisions are made must understand better than any experienced neurologist. After all, that part of the brain isn’t fully developed until around our mid-twenties (usually a bit earlier in women) so I would imagine God’s expectations are lowered and forgiveness is a given. What about the rest of our life? The years of our 30’s and 40’s and upward can seem equally horrid in places. The poor choice that cost us dearly. The good job we left too soon. The failed relationships, broken marriages, poor parenting. It is the human experience—but not entirely. We can take comfort in knowing that it is also the nature of being human that along with mistakes there will be successes. There are times of blessing and opportunity and moments of unexpected kindness and serendipity. Theologically, we call it Grace. We demonstrate both our character and our persistence by trying and failing and trying again. We make many good choices, too. Especially when we follow the path that Jesus demonstrated which became known simply as, The Way. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. What the Apostle Paul proclaimed as the fruit of the Spirit of God. The nature of the Christ-follower. Psychologists and sociologists tell us that there are times when we are not fully prepared for what we face. Those are times when we did the best with what we had or what we knew at the time. Or perhaps we are still making choices out of our wounded parts that were formed from childhood hurts or neglect. We’ve not taken time to heal our wounds and live out of our better and true Self. Turn the page. It gets better, especially when we seek to make it so. As the Psalmist said so well, “All the paths of the Divine are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep covenant and seek to live in God’s sacred way.” PRAYER Dear Jesus, who loves us, help us we pray, to strive for good choices, and live in Grace when we stray. Today, may we offer ourself and others Grace. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary G. Kindley, LPC Pastoral Psychotherapist drgk.org

SCRIPTURE  Genesis 1:25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds… and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. READING “We have only begun to love the earth, … only just begun to envision how it might be to live as siblings with beast and flower and not oppressors.” Denise Levertov, “Beginnings” WORDS OF HOPE Last Wednesday, Sage and I pulled up at the old house in East Texas that has been a sanctuary for some 40 years. I was exhausted and, like so many, had been battered by the cruelty and chaos of the powers that be and needed renewal, so the trees’ vibrant greening, the migratory loons calling across the waters, and the does heavy with child called my heart to open. Since tumultuous weather had pummeled the area a few weeks ago, I entered the house cautiously—checking ceilings for leaks and other signs of damage. A sigh of relief issued forth as all seemed well—until I reached my bedroom where signs of a raccoon incursion from the attic were everywhere: broken ceiling tiles, scraps of old insulation, animal droppings, new raccoon scat, and muddy paw prints. While empathizing that these masked creatures had probably sought refuge from the storms, I was disheartened at the wreckage and that rather than being able to rest while here, I’d have to kick into work mode trying to find someone to repair the house and make sure there were no critters still in the attic. I would also have to don mask and gloves and disinfect the area in a way that would protect Sage and me from toxins in raccoon scat. Beginning to unload the car, I saw something move on the leaf bed by the back door. I walked closer and discerned the dark shape and patterns of a snake, but couldn’t tell whether it was venomous or not. At my closeness, she arched her slender neck in warning, and I scooted Sage into the house. I told her that I meant her no harm—and hoped that my soothing tone and the lack of hostile action would signal my non-threatening presence. This is not to say that I am casual about snakes: The bite of a copperhead years ago landed me overnight in the Marshall hospital followed by several painful days at home, so I have a healthy respect. But in Franciscan mode, I resisted what seemed the code of many area folks—to kill snakes in any situation—and left her to find her safe place. When Brad, the wildlife removal person, came out, he was a spiritually grounded man who sang in a praise band and lived by a creed for animal life akin to my own, using humane traps and non-toxic products. God does indeed show up in strange places! As we discussed procedure, I felt the worry begin to release in the face of his expertise and his care. In the midst of these encounters, a beautiful cedar waxwing flew inside, rapt by the holly berries which load our bushes, and, in spite of much wooing and humane ways of encouraging him to return to freedom, he stayed the night. Over the course of the time he bunked in with us, he grew to know my voice, I think, becoming less frantic when I approached, at times perching quietly on a curtain rod. A few days ago, the administration gave the go-ahead to ignore the endangered species protections in the Gulf of Mexico though a huge number of species have gone extinct worldwide. While the extra intensity and care on behalf of these 3 creature-kin asked for more from me in a weary time, I cannot think it is less than what they are due as God’s good creation. And I think of those who gave—and give—extra care to me and feel grateful that Brad and I were here for them. PRAYER Teach us, God of all creation, that practicing care for our creature-kin is indeed another kind of “Good Trouble.” Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon

SCRIPTURE Ephesians 3:4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. WORDS OF HOPE Ancient Writings On this first week of the Season of Eastertide, I’m wondering if the writers of scripture would be curious about all the church Seasons or astounded that people are still reading and interpreting their narratives and letters. In this stage of human development, we have a rare opportunity to understand that what we do will likely have an impact in the distant future. The internet makes us aware that what we report on social media immediately becomes news about who we are. We have the chance of purposefully creating our legacy for future generations multiple times over. The ancient writers may not have known the impact of their epistles and grocery lists, but here we are the stewards who have a unique glimpse at how these civilizations lived, fought, and died. A snapshot of time. We try to ‘read’ what we can into the lives of those people who struggled to live in such a mysterious and violent era. The people who fought to survive in Jesus’ day had a much bigger puzzle to fill in about their origins, what they believed, and whether or not they had a greater purpose. Yet, here we are with their mail which was postmarked 2000 years ago. What an incredible gift they left us. Their thoughts are now our Gospels. Theologians have been busy for millennia trying to decipher their ancient code that has now fallen into our hands. Perhaps instead of zooming into ancient scriptural insights with our modern microscope, we might be wiser to attempt to understand who those original authors were, living under Romam rule, contrasted to our lives today, with freedom to speak our minds. There are many among us however, who have taken advantage of that freedom and interpret those ancient writings to their own political advantage. There are those who consider themselves Christians yet manage to ignore the bigger picture teachings about loving our neighbor as ourselves and have in many ways reverted to eye-for-an-eye, tit-for-tat mentality. They will be leaving behind their lessons in bullying and brutality, but my prayer as I write my feelings and complaints on the internet is to consider “what will my life look like when somebody reads my own mail in a few thousand years?” What will I do or say to create a better world with my life and works as an example? It helps me to remember to pause before I rant. What will you tell yourself as you write your own thoughts and feelings that could someday be considered somebody’s internet scriptures? PRAYER May I never shy away from telling the truth of God’s love for all and may the spirit of my conversations or writings always reflect the spirit of Jesus. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie C. Rose Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. WORDS OF HOPE Do you ever just open the Bible and let whatever passage appears speak to you? This practice is called bibliomancy. You may enter into this practice with a specific question or concern in your heart; or, you may come with an openness that simply desires that God fill your heart and mind with whatever God believes you need in that moment. Like many of us right now, the goings on in our country and in the world weigh heavy on my heart. Most days the only thing I feel I can do is pray. Recently I began my morning prayer time with my thoughts going in what seemed like a million different directions. I randomly opened my Bible to this, Psalm 36, from The Message.  The God-rebel tunes in to sedition— all ears, eager to sin. He has no regard for God, he stands insolent before him. He has smooth-talked himself into believing That his evil will never be noticed. Words gutter from his mouth, dishwater dirty. Can’t remember when he did anything decent. Every time he goes to bed, he fathers another evil plot. When he’s loose on the streets, nobody’s safe. He plays with fire and doesn’t care who gets burned. God’s love is meteoric, his loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks. How exquisite your love, O God! How eager we are to run under your wings, To eat our fill at the banquet you spread as you fill our tankards with Eden Spring water. You’re a fountain of cascading light, and you open our eyes to light. Keep on loving your friends; do your work in welcoming hearts. Don’t let the bullies kick me around, the moral midgets slap me down. Send the upstarts sprawling flat on their faces in the mud. I am particularly drawn to the use of the word “God-rebel” instead of wicked. It cuts right to the implied actions of those who commit wicked deeds. When these actions are distilled down to the lowest common denominator, they all rebel against the “meteoric love of God.” Taken as a whole, this psalm yields a powerful and comforting message. Read it carefully, and then read it again. What words and phrases speak to you? What part of this psalm will make today easier for you to face? PRAYER Author of the Universe, open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word! Guide me to the words I need so that I may grow in understanding, knowledge, and faith. Remind me that meditation on your words will bring peace to my days. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare