By Raylene Stebbins of Bartlesville, Oklahoma USA

From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight.

Greeting a new client once again, the Lord and I;
Stories of hurt, confusion, trauma, turmoil, unmet hopes
These are your children Lord, precious in your sight!
Age makes no difference.
We are all your children!
Together, we will heal them.
The words Sacred Story enter my mind.
And it hits me…I am part of a Sacred Story!
And you are part of a Sacred Story!
When we sense the stirring of the Holy Spirit…
Respond to its presence…
Act on its instruction…
We are part of a Sacred Story.
Can we really live any other way?

Prayer Phrase

“…he has given us a new birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3).

Spiritual Practice

Weaving a Life

Hold, or imagine yourself holding, a piece of patterned cloth. Examine it carefully. Notice overlapping threads mingling colors that form the design. Write a journal entry or meditate about the threads and patterns of your life. What design do you see? How does the life pattern you are weaving create justice and wholeness in God’s world? What new pattern is God calling you to weave in 2025?

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.