O Key: Advent Daybook, 26
O Key: Advent Daybook, 26

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Opening Prayer: O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel, controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.

READ: Isaiah 22:22-23; Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 9:2-7

Pray: Read Malcolm Guite's sonnet and then sing the fourth verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel as today's prayer.

Do:  Make space for forgiveness, mercy, and justice. What door between you and another person or group of people seems locked shut with no key?

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O Root of Jesse: Advent Daybook, 25
O Root of Jesse: Advent Daybook, 25

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Opening Prayer: O Root of Jesse, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

Read: Isaiah 10:33 -11 :2a,11:5 -10; Isaiah 52:13-15; Habakkuk 2:3

Pray: Read Malcolm Guite's sonnet and then sing the third verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel as today's prayer.

Do:  Create more space for God throughout your day today (and maybe the remaining days of Advent!) by eliminating an unnecessary daily habit. 

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O Adonai: Advent Daybook, 24
O Adonai: Advent Daybook, 24

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Opening Prayer: O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.

Read: Isaiah 11: 4; Isaiah 33:21 -22; Exodus 19:9,16 -19, 20:1 - 6 ; Micah 5:2

Pray: Read Malcolm Guite's sonnet and then sing the second verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel as today's prayer.

Do:  Read the commandments slowly. Then talk to a trusted friend about any way you’ve sinned against God and others. Receive the forgiveness of our Savior Jesus.

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O Wisdom: Advent Daybook, 23
O Wisdom: Advent Daybook, 23

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

OPENING PRAYER: O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care: Come and show your people the way to salvation.

Read: Isaiah 11: 2, Baruch 3: 9, 3:13 -15, 3:32 - 4: 4

Read: Isaiah 7:10-17; Psalm 24; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25

Pray: Read Malcolm Guite's sonnet and then sing the first verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel as today's prayer.

Do: Today, spend 15-20 minutes in complete silence, listening to God.

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Emmanuel: Advent Daybook, 22
Emmanuel: Advent Daybook, 22

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Nativity, Nicholas Mynheer -Source

Listen: Advent Song, The Porter's Gate, feat. Jonathan Ogden & Page CXVI - Spotify | YouTube

Read: Isaiah 7:10-17; Psalm 24; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25

Pray: The Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Fourth Sunday in Advent

Do: Today, light four candles to mark the fourth week of Advent.

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Remnant: Advent Daybook, 20
Remnant: Advent Daybook, 20

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Winter Landscape with Church, Caspar David Friedrich - Source

Listen: Advent Prayer, Paul Cardall - Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 40, 54; Psalm 51; Isaiah 10:5-19; 2 Peter 2:17-22; Matthew 11:2-15

Pray: Matthew 11:10

Do: Bake something, pick up a few extra groceries, a bouquet, or a loved possession you choose to give away to someone else.

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A Highway For Our God: Advent Daybook, 19
A Highway For Our God: Advent Daybook, 19


An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Madonna and Child with St.John the Baptist and a Saint, detail of the background waterside city, Giovanni Bellini - Source

Listen: Messiah / Pt. 1: Comfort ye, My people… Ev’ry Valley shall be exalted, Philip Langridge · Academy of St Martin in the Fields · Sir Neville Marriner · George Frideric Handel - Text | Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 50; Psalm 33; Isaiah 9:18-10:4; 2 Peter 2:10b-16; Matthew 3:1-12

Pray: Psalm 33:20-22

Do: Choose an entire Psalm or a portion of a Psalm from one of the daily readings to memorize during Advent.

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Prepare the Way: Advent Daybook, 18
Prepare the Way: Advent Daybook, 18

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: A pregnant woman carries water as she takes refuge at a camp after leaving her flood-hit homes in Jaffarabad, a district of Baluchistan province, Pakistan, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. AP Photo/Zahid - Source

Listen: Mary's Song (Our King of Peace), Wendell Kimbrough, feat. Page CXVI - Bandcamp w/ lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 119:49-72; Psalm 49; Isaiah 9:8-17; 2 Peter 2:1-10a; Mark 1:1-8 

Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Prayers of the People (Form VI)

Do: Give money to relief efforts for the flooding in Pakistan.

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Endurance: Advent Daybook, 16
Endurance: Advent Daybook, 16

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Sudarios, 2011, Erika Diettes - Source 

Listen: Endurance in Christmas Time, Hymns from Nineveh - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube 

Read: Psalm 41, 52, 44; Isaiah 8:16-9:1; 2 Peter 1:1-11; Luke 22:39-53 

Do: Today each time you see your reflection in a mirror or window, simply and thankfully repeat the word from your centering prayer: "Steadfast love."

Pray: On Mondays during Advent we’ll practice a contemplative prayer method called "Centering Prayer"

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Magnificat: Advent Daybook 15
Magnificat: Advent Daybook 15

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Virgin Annunciate, Antonello da Messina - Source

Listen:  Magnificat (Chorus) · Melanie Scafide Russell, Felix Mendelssohn: Magnificat / J.S. Bach: Magnificat, Bwv 243 -  Spotify | YouTube 

Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Third Sunday in Advent

Read:  Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10, Luke 1:46b-55, James 5:7-10, Matthew 11:2-11 

Do: Today light three candles to mark the third week of Advent. Add some roses or other flowers that you find beautiful, in honor of the mother of God.

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Fulfillment: Advent Daybook, 14
Fulfillment: Advent Daybook, 14

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Jesus Reading from Isaiah ... "he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised" (Reconciliation Stained Glass Window in St. John’s Church, Tralee, Ireland), Thomas Denny - Source

Listen: The Trumpet Child, Over the Rhine - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 30, 32, 42-43; Isaiah 8:1-15; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18; Luke 22:31-38

Pray & Do: Selah pause

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Served: Advent Daybook, 13
Served: Advent Daybook, 13

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Are You Being Served?, Stephen Towns (source)

Listen: Pretty Home, The Rose Ensemble Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 31, 35; Isaiah 7:10-25; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5; Luke 22:14-30

Pray: Psalm 22:22

Do: Is there someone you want to bless this weekend? Bake something, pick up a few extra groceries, a bouquet of flowers, a loved possession you choose to give away to someone else (e.g., favorite books), or make something.

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Trust and Do Good: Advent Daybook, 12
Trust and Do Good: Advent Daybook, 12

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: A violinist plays in the rubble of Jonah’s tomb, Muhammad Hamed - Source

Listen: Carol of the Birds, Fernando Ortega - Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 37; Isaiah 7:1-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Luke 22:1-13

Pray: Psalm 37:3-6

Do: Choose an entire Psalm or a portion of a Psalm from one of the daily readings to memorize during Advent.

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Woe: Advent Daybook, 11
Woe: Advent Daybook, 11

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: A security guard walks by the rubble of a police station that was destroyed by bombardment, in Lysychansk, Ukraine. Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times - Source

Listen: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, Bifrost Arts Music - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 38, 119:25-48; Isaiah 6:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; John 7:53-8:11

Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Prayers of the People (Form VI)

Do: Give money to a relief effort for UkrHere'sHere's one suggestion: Ukraine Crisis Emergency Response.

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Delight: Advent Daybook, 10
Delight: Advent Daybook, 10

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Christmas Dance, Henri Masson (source)

Listen: Listen: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” from A Christmas Cornucopia, Annie Lennox

Read:Look: Christmas Dance, Henri Masson - Source

Listen: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Annie Lennox - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 25, 9, 15; Isaiah 5:8-12,18-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Luke 21:20-28

Pray: 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV) Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do: Give thanks for the life of the real Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, by giving a secret gift to someone in need.

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Signs: Advent Daybook, 9
Signs: Advent Daybook, 9

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Departure, Agnes Pelton - Source | h/t: Biola University Advent Project

Listen: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, Phil Keaggy - Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 25, 9, 15; Isaiah 5:8-12,18-23; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Luke 21:20-28

Pray: On Mondays during Advent we’ll practice a contemplative prayer method called "Centering Prayer."

Do: Today each time you go outside or look out a window, simply and thankfully repeat the word from your centering prayer: "Raise your heads"

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The hope of peace shall be fulfilled: Advent Daybook, 8
The hope of peace shall be fulfilled: Advent Daybook, 8

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Holy Mountain III, Horace Pippin - Source

Listen: O Day of Peace, Josh Garrels - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

Read: Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 3:1-12

Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent

Do: Today, light two candles to mark the second week of Advent.

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Remaining In Zion: Advent Daybook, 7
Remaining In Zion: Advent Daybook, 7

An Advent daybook for these 29 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?

Look: Meg Hitchcock, Shema - Letters cut from the Koran, 2014 - Source

Listen: Mt. Zion, Cageless Birds, feat. Jonathan David Helser - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube

Read: Psalm 116-117, Isaiah 4:2–6, 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Luke 21:5–19

Pray: from Inscriptions, 16: "The lamps are burning in the synagogue", Charles Reznikoff

Do: Spend 10 minutes quietly observing the night sky.

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