The Upper Room

1. Inner Voice

   This week’s featured book: Speak, My Soul by Marsha Crockett  Today’s Reflection The soul speaks. Our God-breathed souls endow our human experiences with holy intention and purpose leading us on a path toward an intimate, dynamic relationship with God. If we are willing to listen to our inner voice, we are then better equipped to […]

2. Hope

   This week’s featured book: Walking in the Wilderness by Beth A. Richardson  Today’s Reflection The people of Israel modeled for us a way that leads to hope. They grumbled and complained in the wilderness, but the Holy One gave them what they needed to survive. The psalmists cry out in despair and, in the next […]

3. Lament

   This week’s featured book: Walking in the Wilderness by Beth A. Richardson  Today’s Reflection Sometimes I wonder, Where are you today, God? Do you not see what is going on here in this world? People are suffering! The earth is groaning in pain! Are you there? Are you listening? We see in the scriptures that […]

4. Collecting My Tears

   This week’s featured book: Walking in the Wilderness by Beth A. Richardson  Today’s Reflection A number of years ago, someone gave me a small, handblown glass vial made by a collective of Palestinian women. I was going through a difficult wilderness season—a season filled with tears. It was comforting to hold the little turquoise vase […]

5. Honesty with God

   This week’s featured book: Walking in the Wilderness by Beth A. Richardson  Today’s Reflection Wilderness times invite integrity, truth-telling, and lament. There is great suffering in the world, in communities, churches, and families. We can be honest in expressing to God our hopes and our fears, our anger and our despair. Our spiritual ancestors modeled […]