Tuesday - November 11, 2025

SCRIPTURE Romans 15.1 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. WORDS OF HOPE Although it may not seem very spiritual, I sometimes wonder how certain things smelled back in the days of the Bible. I imagine there were lots of familiar smells such as fires burning while people cooked, anointing oils, wine, and various smells in nature, but for the ancient Bible days, I can pretty much stop there. Recently, somebody asked on a social media page about what they remembered of things and places past while living in Arlington, Texas, the city where I grew up in my teen years. I remembered a little country store called Granny and Granddad’s. Suddenly I was taken back in time and remembering very specifically how that little store smelled when I first walked in. It was the home of old wood, candy, popcorn, and whatever hot foods they were serving that day. My mind then wandered off to other places. Another location I remembered was Wyatt’s cafeteria where I could distinctly pick out the olfactory pleasures of fresh coffee, chocolate cake, roast beef, and brown gravy. If three is a charm, the third place was a toy store in North Dallas called Booth’s Toys. I really don’t know how to describe those smells that were in the store; maybe nothing more than brand new boxes of games and plastic model kits. The smells contributed so much to those treasured few minutes of just walking into a magical place with no intent of doing anything but looking at all those wonderful toys. Those smells created some kind of inspiration deep within me. Maybe it was anticipating the toys of my birthday, the plastic masks of Halloween, the holly and candy canes of Christmas; or just the idea of living in some kind of mystical fantasy paradise. I don’t really know how to label those feelings. What matters is all of these things combined created indelible memories. I was inspired. It’s how we tell our stories, share memories, and reminisce about the days that we have delegated as ideal. Yet, all of this gives context to relate my memories to yours. When I think of those remote people of history who wrote the texts of what we’ve come to call the Bible, I wonder how their familiar smells and dwelling places may have inspired them to write about the things they did. How would we have been affected by writing in the fresh smelling outdoor sunshine? Would we write a Psalm of praise? How about the Apostle Paul breathing damp mold smells in a tiny dark Roman jail cell or David writing while hiding in a cave from the tyrannical King Saul? Would we write about social justice? If they could afford it, did the writers smell burning bee’s wax or favorite foods cooking nearby? Would those fragrances inspire us to write about loving the people we call our families? We’ll never really know, but I’m convinced the fragrances of their world were as influential to them as ours are to us. PRAYER Loving Creator, I’m thankful for the people you inspired to give us a tiny glimpse of their world. It fascinates us and influences us so much that we are still reading and interpreting their messages thousands of years later. Help me to be aware of the sights and smells of the world around me and to be conscious of my own words. Will what I say or do today be worth remembering in a hundred years, let alone next week? May your world live in my words. DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie C. Rose Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE James 1.2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. WORDS OF HOPE I have lived most of my life in parts of Texas where there are a lot of non-English speakers or second language English speakers. But this October was the first time I have spent a good bit of time in a country where English was barely spoken. Or maybe in previous times I was in a group and did not interact that much with the locals. It is a very different feeling to be "the foreigner" who does not speak the language. Thankfully, you did not need to speak the language to take Uber in another country! Your travel destination is already loaded for you. Portugal is an amazing and beautiful country. On the day our daughter had to travel to another city for an important meeting, we managed to find an American restaurant with English menus and a waitress who spoke English! They had American hamburgers and 8 ice cubes for my Coke Zero! I am too old at 78 to learn a new complicated language. I can hang freshly washed clothes on an indoor hanging rack! I would be scared to hang them out my window, like a lot of people did. I might drop our underwear onto someone's patio! I could learn to carry salt & pepper for my eggs with me. And I sure could learn to enjoy their coffee, but I think it might add pounds! The only time not speaking the language was a problem was at the airport when we were leaving at 3am! We could not see where Lufthansa airline was and did not see signs. The only English-speaking person was a homeless person hanging out at the airport! He was very aggressive and hung onto Barb but got us to our check-in area. There was no security anywhere in sight, either. I have a different perspective for people who find themselves where they do not speak the local language! I am the old momma who needs her daughter to make sure I get back correct change when I buy something using actual local currency! Those that know me know I will post Thankfulness posts each day in November! This year my thankfulness has broadened! I have traveled to a new country and have a better understanding and care for people who cannot speak the local language! Especially in this time when their citizenship may be challenged by someone speaking a language that may not be their first language. PRAYER God of all people and all languages, thank you for showing me how it feels to be on the other side of the language barrier. Thank you for helping me know that you love me and people of all languages. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jan Nunn CoH Volunteer

SCRIPTURE Jeremiah 2:8  The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols. WORDS OF HOPE There’s a certain kind of rejection that feels more painful, more insidious than others. It’s the kind of rejection that occurs when you pour yourself out for someone and they take advantage of your kindness. It’s that moment where you realize the love and care that you showed in their hard times was selfishly forgotten when things got better for them. God speaks to this deep ache of being a forgotten friend. Being brought of out slavery, through the wilderness, and into a promised land of abundance, God’s people became so accustomed to comfort that they forgot to ask, “Where is the Lord?”. Their hardened hearts wandered, and they sought meaning and security in things that could not sustain them. They chased after empty things and became empty themselves. And God ached for them. How often do we go through the motions of faith and forget to ask, “Where is the Lord in this?” In worship, service, and ministry, we can become so focused on managing outcomes, maintaining institutions, and following our own plans. And yet, God calls us to return, to be grateful, to be humble, and to trust in Her. Jeremiah’s words caution us against finding our worth and security in our own plans—trusting in ourselves or in idols that hold no power. Yet they also extend an invitation: to seek the Lord again and again, not by clinging to the past, but through a renewed and living trust. We are called to release what cannot give life and to place our full confidence in the One who can. Let us pray. PRAYER You are always faithful and loving, Lord Christ, giving gifts even and especially when we need you most. Forgive me when I forget to ask “Where are YOU in this?”. Call me back to your company. Let my work, my worship, and life be a reflection of the abundance that you have given me. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs

SCRIPTURE  Joel 2. 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. WORDS OF HOPE We sleep at night not knowing the journey our soul is making. Usually, we do not remember our dreams. Sometimes, however, we remember in the morning what was happening underneath the cover of darkness we call the night. We plant seeds deep into the dirt not knowing which direction the roots grow. When we dig, we discover the countless roots that lie hidden underground spanning all directions. If there is anything the darkness of the night or the depth of the Earth has taught me, it is that sleeping things move and buried things grow. To put it another way: progress is not limited by what we can see. Sometimes, the world seems to be in an endless night of sorrow buried in its own despair. Nevertheless, as each day passes, the next generation is coming closer and closer to inheriting this Earth. Everything that we have planted, the good and the bad, is going to bear fruit to the future. Bitter and sweet fruits are sure to grow according to what has been planted, but I trust that the sweet fruit will always be preferred over the bitter. We always desire for our children to have better, to live better. In this way, each generation that comes into its own leaves behind the promise for a better future. It was not even a hundred years ago that a gay, black man who struggles with mental illness would not have had the simple opportunity of writing these words, but here I am, the fruit of my foremothers and forefathers. I am proof of their progress despite centuries of injustice, cruelty, and evil. Our children are the evidence that what prevails in this world are our collective hopes and dreams. Like those who came before us, we must give our children everything, all of our love, and anything worth passing onto the future. We must demonstrate our love by believing in our children, for they are the greatest part of us. PRAYER Spirit of hope, It is often that we are so limited by what we can see. Despite that, allow our hopes and dreams to go beyond every barrier and obstacle set before us. Grant us the simple joy of leaving behind what we ourselves have inherited, this thing called love. We trust You, although we do not see You and we love You even when we are buried in the night. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

READING “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ” . . . “If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be a Christian.” Quote attributed to Gandhi.  WORDS OF HOPE Long before I converted to Christianity, I read a lot of Eastern philosophy. Among the books I read was “Gandhi on Christianity” a collection of essays and writings from him about the Christians he came to know. I also read a good deal of work by Thomas Merton, an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, and scholar of comparative religion. He was a monk in the Trappist Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, near Bardstown, Kentucky. His books gave me insight into the Eastern religions and how they all seemed to have similarities. Having come from a Jewish upbringing, a lot of what religions like Taoism, Buddhism and others taught felt surprisingly familiar in their views of the Divine and more specifically how to achieve enlightenment and live a good life. When I examined the teachings of Jesus, I found much the same thing. It seems that great thinkers, prophets and teachers all grasped that bringing heaven to earth was not a magical thing, rather the product of contemplation followed by doing the actual work. Jesus tells us this over and over and His message resonated with me enough that I decided to follow His way. Perhaps, if more people who professed to be Christians actually followed Jesus we would have a better world. The divisions we perceive between various religions are minor when we look at their essence. PRAYER Great Divine Power, help us to find a way to your love and strength to do the work to bring heaven on earth. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman