Psalm 51:10-11

God, make a fresh start in me,

shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.

Don’t throw me out with the trash,

or fail to breathe holiness in me.

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Imagine God thinking of us as boring chores--trashing some of us, forgetting to breathe in others. Truth is, God does not reject the way our world rejects.

Open the book to Genesis whenever you need to remember how God created all things good, and humans — very good. Divine intentions activate resurrection.

Invite God to create life with your chaos.

*Olly Costello writes, “I hope my work can be a small contributing part of creating our new culture, grounded in honoring the inherent sacredness of all beings and pushing us beyond violent cultures.” Discover their inspiring work on Substack @ollycostello and at their website https://ollycostello.com/

Romans 12:17-19, 20 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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Humility and self-discipline flourish together.

Tend those places where your influence counts on behalf of others.

*Annie Soudain creates local landscapes in watercolors, wax resist on silk, and lino printing in her studio in East Sussex, England. An exhibition catalog said, “Her interest in plants started in her early years spent in Cornwall, on long walks with her mother, most memorably along disused railway tracks where the cuttings were undisturbed and full of flowers and insects.” Annie’s autobiographical book The Marsh, The Sea, and The Sky, and her prints, cards, puzzles, and tea towels are at www.anniesoudain.co.uk

Flourishing in authentic relationships with others creates abundance in every setting. Subscribe to Flash💥Devos!

Job 11:13-17

“Yet if you devote your heart to him

and stretch out your hands to him,

if you put away the sin that is in your hand

and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,

then, free of fault, you will lift up your face;

you will stand firm and without fear.

You will surely forget your trouble,

recalling it only as waters gone by.

Life will be brighter than noonday,

and darkness will become like morning.

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Our troubles loom larger than “waters gone by.”

Creator activates improbable solutions.

My friend and fellow writer *Jill Hinners searches for peace and inspiration on or near Minnesota’s lakes and smaller waterways. Jill writes, “I collect iPhone images to document all the natural beauty in this place I’m so fortunate to call home.”

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1 Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

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Accessorizing the human spirit proves futile, no matter how lucrative it may be for the multinational beauty and fashion industries. We can’t hide behind makeup, expensive jewelry, or fabulous hair extensions.

Dressing up for church or life won’t earn us God’s favor.

*Elle Billing creates safe spaces for community in rural North Dakota. “I am deeply drawn to surrealism, artistic tension, the multiverse, and alternate timelines,” they write. “In the studio you will find me deconstructing old books, making my own collage paper, and infusing my work with the power of story.” Experience their invitation “to co-create the world we want” at https://www.elleandwink.com/

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Romans 1:11-12

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

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Today is the first anniversary of my Flash💥Devos! Thank you for making this dream come true — that we can join our hearts in prayer to address the realities we live and face, together and apart.

Here are my intentions for this coming year’s Flash💥Devos. Drop your wishes in a message and we’ll pray over those, too!

* Let’s encourage one another. The mutuality of our faith is a wellspring around which we can gather.

* Let’s stand together in lament and sorrow, in wonder and joy, in silence and community.

Stay fresh in the Spirit and alive to your surroundings.

*Marcia Milner-Brage works from direct observation, facing the blank page “to transfer all my senses, whether I’m looking outward or inward.” She writes personal essays and, in visual art, drawing, painting, and collage. “For me, being in nature is going to church. Through observing the bounty of the earth, I fulfill my calling.” Find her great work on socials and https://www.flickr.com/photos/marciamilner-brage/

How cool that readers support Flash💥Devos enthusiastically. Thanks a ton!

Tomorrow will be the FIRST ANNIVERSARY of my Flash💥Devos + Podcast. Since I launched Flash💥Devos last September 1st, readers and listeners have devoted over TEN THOUSAND minutes in prayer, coming back again and again to contemplate, to reflect, and to be inspired by Divine Presence.

I stand with all of you today--loyal followers and subscribers and casual acquaintances alike--offering a prayer of gratitude for seeking mercy and grace in your lives. Spiritual solutions matter. Thank You for subscribing, following, and praying along with me!

A few things caught my attention this year:

One huge inspiration:

* You showed up! :)

Two thrilling stats:

* More than half of my subscribers are people I haven’t met yet.

* People downloaded my Flash💥Devos podcast nearly 10,000 times!

Three ways your participation built community:

* We chose quietness.

* We prayed across thirty U.S. states and eight countries.

* We honored diverse world views and practices.

Four surprising things I learned with Flash💥Devos:

* People drift in and out to read like curious butterflies without a trace.

* I didn’t feel strongly about some devos but others did.

* Daily devotional reading habits flow through seasonal and weekly cycles.

* I’ve picked up hope from these devos more often than I imagined I’d need.

Five awesome comments — and many others — refreshed me:

* J. offered: “Beautiful presentation, and also a prompt for me to invite a moment of spiritual contemplation into my life. As my spirituality is less defined and traditional, I approach Christian devotions, Bible verses, hymns, etc., much as I do poetry - I let them filter through my mind and see what deeper or applicable meaning emerges for me.”

* S. clicked on a purple heart with this endorsement: “Your one minute flash devos are an encouragement! Our [baby] is up 4x/night still and the sixty seconds is what my brain can give focus to for reflection. Thank you!”

* A. cheered: “Wow, Marianne. This is the grounding and orientation I needed today. Thank you! I continue to love how simple, short, and lit these invitations are. I echo back to you, ‘Be strengthened in the truth of your witness.’"

* M. confided: “Your sharing of devotions comes at a very good time for me. Although 2024 has been a very good year, I’ve really struggled with the state of our country and the world. I’m seeking more positive news than that which I see on the ‘news.’ Your offering comes as an answer to my prayers!”

* E. shared: “I grew up in the Lutheran Church, and while I have deconstructed a lot of the junk from the 90s church culture (...the 90s definitely did a number on me), I still have a deep spiritual practice.”

Shout out to these artists, friends, and family who gave me permission to highlight their work alongside the scripture and commentary! Please support their creativity!

Jill Hinners, Maureen Seamonds, Marcia Milner-Brage, Lily DeCort, Meg West, Maria Wickwire, Olly Costello, Annie Soudain, Elle Billing, Holly Harris, Christina Farrell, Paula Tomy, Allison May Kiphuth, Colective + Arte, Jack Abel, James Abel, Betsy Baker, and Coralee Barrow.

Please stay with me for the coming year on Flash💥Devos + Podcast. Let God multiply our efforts for the good of all, for the good of the future, and for the good of this exceptional present moment. Whether you read, listen, or just stop by, thank you!

Dedicated to my mother and my brother Steve, companions on the everlasting journey

Irene M. Abel ~ April 1931 - August 1994

Stephen F. Abel ~ December 1958 - August 2017

Readers support Flash💥Devos with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks for your gifts!

Romans 12:3 Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what God does for us, not by what we are and what we do for God.

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Right and wrong switch places now. God remains the power greater than all others. God’s grace will always be given.

Right-size your relationship to God’s grace.

*Allison May Kiphuth is an artist, sternman, and collector of things who lives in a tiny house in Monhegan, Maine. Her dioramas and watercolor and ink studies of natural objects enchant viewers as if we’re walking together and might pick up a feather, a dandelion, or scan the woods at twilight. Discover her current work at linktr.ee/alliemaykiphuth or her website https://www.allisonmaykiphuth.com/

Your tips + (free) subscription💥matter! Thanks!

Psalm 73:17-20

Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.

Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.

In an instant they are destroyed,completely swept away by terrors.

When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

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Wicked people are the “others” we hate. Yet we too act wickedly, and can be hated.

Shift a dismal destiny by loving all others.

*Maria Wickwire creates ceramic sculptures in northwest Washington. Her works reveal feminine archetypes, she writes, “hoping to encourage healing and forgiveness in our sometimes splintering world.” Find Maria on socials and at Mariawickwire.com

About “According to Legend,” she writes, “The nest is a real one, but the eggs are ceramic.

I’m not sure how I came up with her title. Maybe she suggests a story that needs to be told.”

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Luke 6:1-2 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

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Consider the field you walk through with others. Who’s with you? Questions and answers, given freely, can foster new relationships. Who’s watching matters. Conversations can lead to new places both sides agree to explore.

If you change who you walk with, try exploring their fields with them.

*Elle Billing creates community on Očhéthi Šakówiŋ land in rural North Dakota. “I am reconstructing characters’ experiences through mixed media with a focus on vintage texts and contemporary themes,” they write. “In the studio you will find me deconstructing old books, making my own collage paper, and infusing my work with the power of story.” Experience their invitation “to co-create the world we want” at https://www.elleandwink.com/

About the Ophelia Series, Elle writes, “The series began when I taught Hamlet to a group of deaf high school students in 2017. Ophelia uses the symbolism of flowers (the so-called feminine) to speak truth to power (the patriarchy). She is a truth teller; however, the frames we have for storytelling don’t have space for that. In Joseph Campbell, women are relegated to madonnas or w****s, sirens or saints. ‘Get thee to a nunnery,’ Hamlet says, as Ophelia is used and cast aside. The in-betweenness her character is forced to occupy doesn’t exist. This is for all the times madness is truth, when it is beautiful, when it’s the appropriate response to the ‘rotten state of Denmark’: our partners, homes, and countries are bent on murderous intent and everyone stays smiling.”

Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,

the world, and all who live in it;

for the Lord founded it on the seas

and established it on the waters.

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We speak of the earth as a hard place, literally, shaped from molten and exploded rock. Yet many origin stories in folklore and scripture describe our world as having formed from liquid chaos (kinda matches the state of our world now, too). Whether hard or liquid, we have never owned this world.

Let’s honor our collective heritage with water.

My friend and fellow writer *Jill Hinners searches for peace and inspiration on or near Minnesota’s lakes and smaller waterways. Jill writes, “I collect iPhone images to document all the natural beauty in this place I’m so fortunate to call home.”

Flash💥Devos is reader-supported with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks for being here!