Advent Prayer link
I lift my heart up to you, Lord,
to thank you for the blessings
you shower on me each day.
You are the ‘joy of my soul.’
I know that in your great love,
I am held and protected by you.
I pray and listen to the good news you send;
I ask and feel the healing.
I am freed by you
from the things in this world
that let me hide from you.
I rejoice, I rejoice, down to my soul.
Help me to prepare my heart
to be open and able to receive your immense love.
Amen
Advent Prayer link
Oh, Adonai, dearest Lord,
Compassionate God of justice,
so many areas of my life seem imprisoned
but you promise me real freedom
and peace in my life.
Renew my spirit and free my soul.
Please, open my heart which you have bathed in the longing of Advent.
I am awe-struck as your glory fills the earth and I want to follow you in caring for other.
Grant me the grace to see how you shine your light on the poor who have such a special place in your heart.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
Amen
Advent Prayer link
Oh, Jesus, you hold the key
that will unlock my constricted heart.
It gives me great hope
that Mary said yes to you and your plan.
She was filled with the Spirit
and put aside her own doubts.
I know you are ready to answer my prayers,
ease my doubts and calm my fears.
Sometimes I don’t hear your messengers
because they aren’t what I expect.
They aren’t wearing wings or halos
but are the people standing in front of me.
How many times have I not listened?
How often have I balked at your messages
and your messengers?
Fill me with the light of your Spirit
and enter, in all your glory
into my life.
Let me rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
Amen
Advent Benediction link
Go now and walk in the light of the Lord.
Stay alert for the Lord is near.
Put on the armour of light
and live openly and honourably.
Pray for peace for all God’s people.
And may God clothe you in the light of Christ;
May Christ Jesus teach you his ways;
And may the Holy Spirit keep you alert and prepared
for the coming day of the Lord.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
…In the name of Christ.
Amen.
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Greetings Dee and Todd. You mentioned you were receiving some disturbing information about Bruce Ashford in a comment to a previous post. Do you have any updates about that? I saw an update on his Facebook asking people to donate money so he can keep writing. He also has an ad online for offering his services as a proofreader or editor. And he mentioned in the update that he is working 30 hrs per week to pay the bills.
Can you give us an update? Why did SEBTS treat him differently than others who no longer work there? He didn’t get the goodbye party as you mentioned. And that is strange considering Daniel Akin posted a goodbye tweet about his good friend James Merritt who has recently come under fire for telling the racist joke about Rustus (?).
John,
30 hrs a week for Lyft