Marianne's FLASH💥DEVOS Podcast

Psalm 51:10-11God, 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.+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/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.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.+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.ukFlourishing in authentic relationships with others creates abundance in every setting. Subscribe to Flash💥Devos! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Job 11:13-17“Yet if you devote your heart to himand stretch out your hands to him,if you put away the sin that is in your handand 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.+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.”Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

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.+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/Your tips + (free) subscription💥matter! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Romans 1:11-12I 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. +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! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

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 journeyIrene M. Abel ~ April 1931 - August 1994Stephen F. Abel ~ December 1958 - August 2017 Readers support Flash💥Devos with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. Thanks for your gifts! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

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.+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! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 73:17-20Then 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.+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.”Thanks for subscribing!💥It’s good you’re here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

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?”+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.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 24:1-2The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,the world, and all who live in it;for the Lord founded it on the seasand established it on the waters.+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! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Proverbs 19:7The poor are shunned by all their relatives—how much more do their friends avoid them!Though the poor pursue them with pleading,they are nowhere to be found.+Poverty appears as a predicament we consider from a distance, like an unavoidable natural disaster or genocide abroad. Until it strikes us directly, precarity remains a news item. Yet engaging with people creates opportunities. Together we can shift the world into a more welcoming, safer place.Be the one who responds in Love, especially if it’s uncomfortable and unfamiliar.Through their artistic and community-based practices, *Olly Costello explores themes of interconnectedness, spiritual ecology, emergence, accountability, community building, Prison Industrial Complex Abolition, Transformative Justice, and belonging. “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 socials and at https://ollycostello.com/Thanks for subscribing!💥Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Isaiah 65:1“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;I was found by those who did not seek me.To a nation that did not call on my name,I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’+This is how God shows up, is here, everywhere, accessible. Discoverable. No matter what you’ve done or who you think you are. God. Always. Is.Believe that God will always be looking out for you!Readers support Flash💥Devos with prayer, tips, and subscriptions. So grateful for you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

3 John 1:5-8Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible. They’ve made a full report back to the church here, a message about your love. It’s good work you’re doing, helping these travelers on their way, hospitality worthy of God!+Students, medical practitioners, teachers, friends, and church groups head out on missions during the North American summer. Pray with them daily. Spend time listening attentively when they return.Maybe your transformation is bound up with theirs.Flash💥Devos is reader-supported with tips and subscriptions. Thanks for being here! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Job 28:20-24, 28Where then does wisdom come from?Where does understanding dwell?It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,concealed even from the birds in the sky.Destruction and Death say,“Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”God understands the way to itand God alone knows where it dwells,for God views the ends of the earthand sees everything under the heavens.+If we have wisdom, we respect the Almighty. God advises us, “To shun evil is understanding.”Sounds simple. Means everything.Reset with a spiritual break and feel restored. Subscribe to Flash💥Devos! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Mark 6:48 Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake.+No one but Jesus has walked on water. Walk on hot coals, tightropes, caminos--yes, we can do those. That buoyant flash ending of a waterski twirl when the engine’s cut and you feel like you’re standing on water--yes, we can do that, too. But walking on water? Only Jesus knows the way.What kind of water can Jesus help you walk on? Trust the power of God working within you. *Lily DeCort is an Ethiopian American painter based in Chicago. Her work, ranging from luminous landscapes to evocative abstracts, reflects the liminality of her experience. Her paintings explore beauty, vulnerability, healing, and the human journey from wonder to loss and hope reborn. Learn more about Lily’s art at https://lilydecort.com/Thanks for subscribing!💥Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 8:22-25A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.+These experienced fishermen followed Jesus across the lake. Storms disturbed them. Questions swirled. “Who is Jesus?” And, “Where is your faith?”What might happen if you follow Jesus across the water?*Allison May Kiphuth is an artist, sternman, and collector of things who lives in a tiny house in Monhegan, Maine. Her dioramas in antique boxes, unboxed diorama scenes, 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/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Matthew 5:44-48 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?”+Loving enemies and persecutors feels difficult. Practice, Jesus encourages. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” “Perfect” means integrity, wholeness.Thanks for subscribing!💥It’s good to be here with you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Here is my Thank-You gift to readers and listeners of my Flash💥 Devos + Podcast for July. This good book by a dear friend offers a fresh perspective on the Beatitudes. I pray that Andrew’s honesty and commitment to change reaches your heart, too. Check it out! ♥Finding Presence in the Midst of Pain Blessed Are the Others: Jesus’ Way in a Violent World by Andrew DeCortReviewed by Marianne Abel-LipschutzAndrew DeCort’s Blessed Are the Others sketches the crucial work of reconciling with God about suffering through the Beatitudes. Jesus proclaimed this “divine justice manifesto” to inspire right relationships of mutual flourishing. DeCort draws widely on his international career as a public theologian, pastor, professor, and scholar in this practical and engaging book.He weaves stories from texts, memoirs, and the writings of James Baldwin, Etty Hillesum, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and others whose witness about devastation illustrate Beatitudinal wisdom. “Jesus says there’s no need to suppress the painful reality of being poor humans,” he writes. You can read Blessed Are the Others and weep. Just don’t stop there.You’ll find answers to the pivotal question we all have about the miraculous transformation of grief into goodness. “How does Jesus invite us to flourish in the face of our universal experiences of suffering, conflict, and loss?” Blessed Are the Others explores the Beatitudinal Way as “an endlessly generative, culturally divergent path of humane happiness.” This profound book is easy to hold but hard to believe. DeCort’s disruptive vision of the Beatitudes can make us squirm.He repeats a glorious and unsettling message: the Beatitudes apply to all of us. “These are not random well-wishes as we often seem to assume. Jesus is describing an interconnected path and intentional process of becoming human,” DeCort writes of the austere design of these eight movements or blessings. “Each blessing is accompanied by a promise that speaks to a core fear that we face in choosing to walk this way. The whole path reflects Jesus’s deep sensitivity to the embodied human soul.”The Beatitudes challenge us to cultivate interdependence by “doing our work,” healing the poverty and destitution that scorch our personalities. This is not a simple “Come to Jesus” message. We must bring love to the outsiders within us, DeCort maintains, the parts of ourselves we fear, the internal hatreds and rejections that complicate our inner lives. If not, we will project those wounds, “othering” those around us, “painishing” [sic] them for our suffering. DeCort’s writing on transcending this grief is memorable.“Each blessing is accompanied by a promise that speaks to a core fear that we face in choosing to walk this way. The whole path reflects Jesus’s deep sensitivity to the embodied human soul.”DeCort elaborates on his life-altering encounters with loss, terror, and abandonment during more than a decade in Ethiopia with his wife, their self-exile, and time in North America. After years of resistance, he finally allowed himself “to enter into that haunted house of my own pain.” In counseling, simply composing a therapeutic list of losses shattered his defenses. “As I tried to write that letter to God, electricity surged through my body and up my arms. I felt like I was going to blackout and fall backwards in my chair,” he recalls. “I wept hysterically, hyperventilating with overwhelming distress. It was the closest I’ve ever come to feeling like I was about to die.”Nevertheless, he encourages us to brave the world beyond our fears so we can “enter into the ultimate unionizer of humanity: our grief.” DeCort cautions us: this spiritual work will separate us from the crowd:“This theology leads to a revisionary way of becoming human. It’s poverty-processing, tear-soaked, nonviolent, hungry-and-thirsty, compassionate, God-seeing peace and justice. Humane happiness isn’t winning. It’s learning how to relate to one another as if we’re all actually beloved and the Beatitudinal Way is actually blessed. Jesus’s community found these divergent revisions to be blasphemous betrayals. They called it ‘subverting the nation’ and worthy of death (Luke 23:2).”I loved how DeCort’s study layers the Beatitudes like tree rings that embody the heart of God within us, promising that as we integrate total belonging, we will stand and bear witness while honoring joy in the midst of the crimes of our times. “Creative resistance to violence is one of Jesus’s most groundbreaking teachings,” DeCort asserts.“Jesus proved in the most intimate, ultimate way possible with his own body that humans can do their very worst. And still, God isn’t violent and doesn’t save with violence. God’s salvation is the presence of love, even in pain, free of vengeance.”I highly recommend DeCort’s beautiful book for the ways he coaches us to pursue the difficult work of surrendering to the promises of God. Fifteen pages of resources and questions for reflection at the back offer prompts to e

1 Peter 3:19-22 You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight to be exact—saved from the water by the water. The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus’ resurrection before God with a clear conscience.+Whether in a shower or a thunderstorm, every encounter with the divine medium of water can clarify your conscience anew.Allow God’s Spirit to flow through you.*Meg West lives near Charlottesville, Virginia. Her plein air oil paintings depict landscapes throughout the Shenandoah Valley. “I enjoy the rhythm and momentum that comes with a steady flow of painting,” she wrote. Meg shot today’s image for a future painting during a five-day “Unleashed Paint Out” with about thirty artists, sponsored by Allure Art Gallery near Deltaville, Virginia. Find Meg on socials and on her blog at http://www.megwestoilpainting.net/Readers support 💥Marianne’s Substack. Please join in as a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Job 3:23-26Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water.What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.I have no peace, no quietness;I have no rest, but only turmoil.”+People of the past and future share our despair, times when all else fails. Questions plague our thoughts, spreading festering boils. Silence aches.When your life feels like Job’s, what is your prayer?Thanks for subscribing!💥Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Galatians 5:13 It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom.+Flourishing communities--and individuals--work together for the common good.Is freedom growing near you?*Holly Harris, currently based in Washington, D.C., works in printmaking and oil painting. She created seven linocut illustrations to accompany each chapter of *Andrew DeCort's book, "Flourishing on the Edge of Faith." Much of Harris’ work illustrates her own grappling with the tensions of relationship: how we relate to self, to the divine, and to one another in a complex, globalized world." Find her at https://holly-harris-comms-portfolio.squarespace.com/“Flourishing on the Edge of Faith: Seven Practices for a New We” by Andrew DeCort, with linocut illustrations by Holly Harris. https://www.bittersweetcollective.com/andrew-decort This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 7:14-17Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.+Imagine being “pregnant with evil.” Consider who can access our intimate lives. Who or what hides evil inside--with hurtful actions, violent images, and vengeful slogans that tear others apart? And why?Our speech and actions can embed seeds of rage or mercy in everyone we influence. Grace heals.“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 “Cassandra,” Maria writes, “The god Apollo attempted to win Cassandra’s love by granting her the gift of prophecy, but she rejected him. Since a god could not take back a gift once bestowed, Apollo did the next best thing. He cursed Cassandra so no one would believe her prophecies. Oddly, a tiny shard of clay came loose inside her. You can barely hear it tinkling inside when she’s lifted up. To me, it’s that tiny, intuitive voice we all have, but sometimes fail to hear or to believe. However, it’s always right whether we listen or not.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Hosea 2:18On that day I will make a covenantwith all the wild animals and the birds of the skyand the animals that scurry along the groundso they will not harm you.I will remove all weapons of war from the land,all swords and bows,so you can live unafraidin peace and safety.+“On that day” sounds like a future time when God’s promises come true, God’s unbelievable and astonishing purpose to reconcile with everyone and everything. That future could be now.Bring this covenant to life!Subscribe to Flash💥Devos + Podcast or Follow for the latest posts. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Joshua 23:14 “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”+Elders who speak with authority and conviction offer those pearls of great price that can be treasured for generations. Write down dreams for your loved ones, stories of faith and community in hard times. Answer the why questions of your life.Record your truest truths.*Annie Soudain is a retired art teacher with a studio in Hastings in East Sussex, England. Annie creates local landscapes from Fairlight, Pett Level, Rye Harbour, and Romney Marsh in watercolors, wax resist on silk, and linocut prints. Find Annie’s book The Marsh, The Sea, and The Sky, and her prints, cards, puzzles, and tea towels at www.anniesoudain.co.uk This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 10:8-11“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you.’”+With every visit from Jesus, the kingdom comes—surrounding us, breathing within us.Be a good neighbor in the kingdom of God. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Matthew 26:26-29During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples:Take, eat.This is my body.Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them:Drink this, all of you.This is my blood,God’s new covenant poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins.+We hear “Take, eat,” too literally. Too much taking, too much eating. Communion rots as junk food for empty faith.Quench your thirst for authentic Love. “Drink this, all of you,” Jesus offers.Marianne’s Substack is reader-supported. Please consider a free or paid subscription. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Isaiah 6:3-5[The winged seraphim] were calling to one another:“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”+Will it ruin you to experience the living God?Feel the heat of transformation.Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

The spiritual life of home and place shifts with the seasons for me. As my Thank-You gift to all of you who have come alongside me during June on Flash💥Devos, I offer my article about the world I encounter on my lawnmower, an unlikely but perfect place to connect with creation. May the ways you tend to the world bring you surprise and insight, too. Around the Yard in 100 Daysby Marianne Abel-LipschutzSpring mowing in Iowa releases the sweet pineapple aroma of chamomile. I discovered this stubborn, single stem plant in our driveway gravel, creeping improbably across compacted zones like it owns this place. Driving from one side of the lawn to mow beyond a building, I trim it so often that it barely tops my toes. Also known as Common Mayweed, this herb defies annual baths of RoundUp, subzero winters, snow plows, and herbicide spills. Green sprouts proliferate even after the grader blade shaves the gravel so flat it pools water like beach sand. Mayweed is a persistent gift that teaches me how to thrive in unlikely places.Chamomile varieties have been cultivated since the Neolithic. Commercial producers harvest a blue oil and components of the flowers and leaves for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and teas. One source claims that people around the world drink more than a million cups of chamomile tea daily. The tiny plant yields bioactive phytochemicals that treat ailments from hay fever and hemorrhoids to insomnia and muscle spasms. Native to northeastern Asia and northwestern US, sources say chamomile was likely brought eastward across America with the Lewis and Clark expedition as they returned to St. Louis in 1806. Rich folklore and traditional healing treatments document its spread westward from Asia.On our farm, mayweed is a wild companion, my souvenir of our history here. We bought this property from the Federal Land Bank in September 1987 and did not meet the former owners until later. Foreclosed in 1983 during the agricultural crisis, this dairy and general farm had been operated by generations of one family for almost one hundred years. Neighbors declined to buy the land, a common protest strategy, leaving the acreage to the care of renters. The property’s ragged edges showed how quickly vegetation reclaims the spaces people leave behind.We moved here in late November after most plants and shrubs had withered. I would have liked to walk around the yard with the former owners to learn what grew where. Even if we had met then, they probably would have directed my attention away from the weeds. We had never lived west of the Mississippi or on a farm, and though many common plants and trees were familiar in this northern climate zone, many were new to us. We’d come from West Virginia where eroded, hillside soils formed from decayed woodlands over rock and clay. Iowa offered a new nature with lush prairie sods and soils created by glacial drift layered over ancient marine sedimentation.Our first year here presented a calendar of outdoor surprises. Perennial onions, hyacinths, and tulips appeared after the snow melted. Rhubarb emerged like an organism coming out of hibernation. Asparagus fingers poked through like Rip Van Winkle calling out to meet the newcomers. Rangy willows waved their yellow catkins at us when we looked out the kitchen window. A solitary cherry tree by the road, exposed to harsh northwest winds for countless winters, finally exhaled some blooms after much effort. Peony fists shook in the wind along the west ditch. I would have enjoyed a crowd of white or lavender lilacs, even a few hollyhocks. It’s just as well that this place had few frills. Roses and fussy ornamentals would have perished from my neglect.I feel at home with seemingly insignificant plants like chamomile that blend in as part of the scheme of things. Pineapple Weed is another popular name for this miniature cousin of the daffodil. It sprouts above the grit with a lime-green stalk topped by a yellow, cone-shaped, button flower stuffed with potential. Thousands of its seeds weigh a fraction of an ounce, an abacus of years counting forward into the future. We notice mayweed in northeast Iowa at the beginning of June when that unmistakable sweetness rises again.The area where mayweed grows best now was the site of the property’s original house. This small, clapboard structure had been used as a garage and metal-working shop after the family moved into the big house across the driveway, built in 1924. By the time we bought the place, the shop was a multi-generational mix of wasp nests, spiders, parts, nails, oil slicks, and metal paraphernalia that outbuildings accumulate as if by magnetism. We salvaged odd tools and dimensional lumber, and bulldozed the rest to expand the driveway for maneuvering large equipment.The demolition exposed that patch of ground to daylight and rain, activating a botanical legacy that hosted the mayweed. The tropical smell enchanted me, an unexpected scent in the driveway when I crushed the flower bud

Psalm 77:2-6When friends said, “Everything will turn out all right,”I didn’t believe a word they said.I remember God—and shake my head.I bow my head—then wring my hands.I’m awake all night—not a wink of sleep;I can’t even say what’s bothering me.I go over the days one by one,I ponder the years gone by.I strum my lute all through the night,wondering how to get my life together.+Seeking relief leads our souls to the Beloved.Treasure the hope you embody as cherished by God.A version of today’s Flash💥Devo also appeared this morning in Red Letter Christians’ WakeUp devotional newsletter. https://redletterchristians.org/*Allison May Kiphuth is an artist, sternman, and collector of things who lives in a tiny house in Monhegan, Maine. Her dioramas in antique boxes, unboxed diorama scenes, 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/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Ephesians 2:17-20, 22He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.+Let the prophecies of generations find fulfillment in you.Peace rules.A version of today’s Flash💥Devo also appeared this morning in Red Letter Christians’ WakeUp devotional email newsletter. *Olly Costello is a white queer illustrator, PIC abolitionist, food growing enthusiast, and community seed saver. “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,” Olly writes. Discover their inspiring work on socials and at https://ollycostello.com/Your subscription💥means just what you think! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 22:25-26From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.The poor will eat and be satisfied;those who seek the Lord will praise him—may your hearts live forever!+Calling in our community with fear and praise sounds confusing. But when we witness the miraculous intervention of God in our families, cities, and towns, hope thrives.Be a prophetic voice for good in our world.Thanks for reading!💥It’s good to be with you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 1:46-51God took one good look at me, and look what happened—I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!What God has done for me will never be forgotten,the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.His mercy flows in wave after waveon those who are in awe before him.He bared his arm and showed his strength,scattered the bluffing braggarts.+With some people there’s no doubt who’s responsible for their quality of life.Is your character marked by divinity?*Maria Wickwire reveals feminine archetypes in ceramic sculptures, hoping to encourage healing and forgiveness in our sometimes splintering world. Her “Fledgling” series evolved from a series she named after Terry Tempest Williams’ poem, “Once Upon a Time When Women Were Birds.” “When I started making the smaller ones, it seemed logical to call them fledglings,” she commented. “They are very small pieces, but powerful in their own way. Fledgling 30 is one of my favorites.” Find Maria on socials and at Mariawickwire.com“Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.”Terry Tempest Williams, When Women Were Birds: Fifty-four Variations on Voice This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Romans 5:1-2 We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.+June is spectacular in the Upper Midwest where vast fertile landscapes invite us to relax and breathe freely. What can you offer God in gratitude for the divine gifts your neighborhood enjoys?Live the glory you are.In memory of our good neighbor Coralee Keefauver Barrow ~ 1936-2024Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Ephesians 1:17-19 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know God better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which you’ve been called, the riches of this glorious inheritance in God’s holy people, and this incomparably great power for us who believe.+Humility, awe, and peacefulness embody inheritance, glory, and power.May your heart accept revelation.*Elle Billing creates safe spaces for community on Očhéthi Šakówiŋ land 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/Your (free) subscription💥matters! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 133How wonderful, how beautiful,when brothers and sisters get along!It’s like costly anointing oilflowing down head and beard,Flowing down Aaron’s beard,flowing down the collar of his priestly robes.It’s like the dew on Mount Hermonflowing down the slopes of Zion.Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing,ordains eternal life.+Harmony between people invites God’s blessing. How can we “ordain eternal life” within our circles and communities of influence?Choose a joyful way to anoint one another with the promise of eternal life.Colectivo + ARTE "is an artistic group in Sumpango, Guatemala that seeks to promote change in our society through art and sharing the cultural richness of our land." Find their work on socials and around central Guatemala. The Salmo 133:1 mural was commissioned in 2024 by the local ministry, El Puente Sumpango.Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Glad you’re here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

John 1:16-18We all live off his generous abundance,gift after gift after gift.We got the basics from Moses,and then this exuberant giving and receiving,This endless knowing and understanding—all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.No one has ever seen God,not so much as a glimpse.This one-of-a-kind God-Expression,who exists at the very heart of the Father,has made him plain as day.+Can you connect with Jesus in one of these forms? Light. Joy. Bread. Prophet. Friend. Vine.Reach for the very heart of Love.My friend *Lily DeCort is an Ethiopian American painter based in Chicago. Her work, ranging from luminous landscapes to evocative abstracts, reflects the liminality of her experience. Her paintings explore beauty, vulnerability, healing, and the human journey from wonder to loss and hope reborn. Learn more about Lily’s art at https://lilydecort.com/Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

1 Samuel 2:8-9 He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world. He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked will perish in darkness, for not by might does one prevail.+The poor, the needy, faithful ones, the wicked: all receive their due.Let God’s synergy animate your community.*Olly Costello writes,“I find direction and purpose in recognizing the power our radical imaginations have in shaping the world we live in.” Their illustrations add to Jane Ball and Mariame Kaba’s powerful new book, Prisons Must Fall, showing the harm prisons cause and exploring alternatives. “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 at https://ollycostello.com/Your subscription💥means a lot! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Psalm 30:5, 11-12You turned my wailing into dancing;you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.Lord my God, I will praise you forever.+It is difficult to live in the image of God whose “anger lasts only a moment,” and whose “favor lasts a lifetime.” Yet God’s love invigorates us with an eternal power we can tap for change in ourselves and our communities.Receive the great mercy that makes our lives whole.Kindred spirit and dear friend *Paula Tomy says she felt compelled to make art but lacked the time before retiring from elementary education. She is giving art another chance now. “I laugh, I rage. ~ I vibrate, I can't move. ~ I hate, I love. ~ I am light, I am darkness. ~ I am perfect, I am chaos. ~ I control my pen, my pen controls me. ~ I paint souls, but I can't find mine.” A painter and a poet, Paula lives in Marion, Iowa. “Now there's time for art and I’ve found sheer delight,” she wrote. “There are pen and ink drawings of extreme detail, and paintings with a flying brush. When I paint or draw, I am free.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Isaiah 46:4 I’ve been carrying you on my backfrom the day you were born,And I’ll keep on carrying you when you’re old.I’ll be there, bearing you when you’re old and gray.I’ve done it and will keep on doing it,carrying you on my back, saving you.+Nature reveals the imperishable Power Greater than All Others. Whether it is human nature, the physical world around us, or an intuitive knowing, each person arrives at the threshold of the Divine in our own time.What’s next on your spiritual journey?*Allison May Kiphuth describes herself as an artist, sternman, and collector of things who lives in a tiny house in Monhegan, Maine. Her miniature and multi-layered landscapes evoke the woods and coastlines of the northeast. Dioramas in antique boxes, unboxed diorama scenes, 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 look off into the woods at twilight. Discover her work at linktr.ee/alliemaykiphuth or her website https://www.allisonmaykiphuth.com/Your (free) subscription💥matters! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Here’s an essay about learning to heal loneliness, offered to you as a Thank-You gift for reading, listening, and praying along with me during May. I feel so encouraged by your presence. May reflecting on respectful relationships bring insight and hope into your world. The Museum of My Lonely Heartby Marianne Abel-LipschutzMy complicated history with stealing may have started on nature walks in grade school. Teachers taught us simple ways to study what we explored in our suburban Chicago town. Students made leaf collections, smearing Elmer’s white glue on the backs of dried leaves we’d picked up in the neighborhood to fill pages in autumn scrapbooks. One leaf per page with the tree’s name. There was no mention of maybe the leaves were needed by the soil or that they belonged to the land where they’d grown.We killed butterflies and beetles, and organized them on quilting pins on a whiteboard. We printed each insect’s name carefully before gluing the paper strips alongside each insect. Lightning bugs filled Mason jars for a few days. We threw them out after their lights dimmed. In a family of five, school projects weren’t kept long.There was no talk of the torture of small creatures. Nature was just there. There for the taking.No one mentioned that our parochial school was built on the traditional homelands of the Three Fires: the Ottawa, the Potawatomi, and the Ojibwa. We all lived on land stolen from Three Fires peoples when they were forced west against their will in 1835. Stealing is part of our history.***I stole money from people and things from Woolworth’s dime store downtown in fourth grade. I slipped a check out of a lady’s pocketbook at church one Sunday, then forged it for cash at the local movie theater later that week. After buying popcorn and Raisinets for the matinee, I set most of the money aside to donate to the mission fundraising competition at our Catholic grade school. I really wanted our class to win and be cheered when the money thermometer filled up with Maybelline red paint. Beyond seeking the approval of the nuns, I couldn’t say exactly why I engaged in stealing. Psychology suggests I wanted to draw attention to our family’s need for attention. Ours was a good-enough family but we kept secrets about serious problems.Eventually, a police officer knocked on our front door and inquired about the forged check. I confessed and agreed to apologize to the lady at her house with my dad. He offered her cash restitution, money I had to pay off through chores. Sadly, the silence about domestic violence at home persisted along with my shame.My stealing habits shifted to other pursuits. Some Saturdays I’d borrow a grocery cart from the local Kroger’s store and wander the trails of Panfish Park for the afternoon, walking the cart as if it were a companion. I’d return it to the rack in the parking lot on my way home. I wish someone had taught me that the woodland preserve itself was another support, an important companion in a lonely time.Stealing is acting on the impulse to take something for my use or pleasure that doesn’t belong to me. It’s as true in a store or a library or someone else’s home as it is in a forest or along the shoreline where a mussel’s abalone glints in the sunlight and, delighted with this beachfront trinket, I transfer it into my pocket and off we go. Of course, I don’t think of that as stealing but I should.Loneliness is a common human feeling when social attachments fade and interpersonal connections diminish in value. Different from solitude or being alone, loneliness can motivate me to connect with something or someone outside my boundaries. In the past, that yearning to be in a relationship could be satisfied by stealing. Disordered feelings still urge me to take what isn't mine but my self-restraint is stronger now. I’ve learned to feel content without needing to possess more.***I treasure all manner of stolen objects, plucked without permission from environments where I once felt connected so tenderly that I didn’t want to live without their charm. I cradle each item into my surroundings. Wherever I’ve moved, I’ve carried shells and pottery shards and leaves and beaver-toothed shreds of oak and seed pods and a hunk of coal--even a tiny bird nest half the size of this paragraph that was blown out of a tree. Living with favorite things helps me attach to a new location where, before long, I’ll bring home new souvenirs from the beginnings of relationships that mark my settling in.Tiny worlds fill the six-inch wide disk that holds up my nightstand lamp. Each object carries its own folklore--stories about its formation, mode of living, origins, and its history with me. There are two shells from Deer Isle, Maine, a favorite place shaped by ocean, wind, rock, and marine life: one conch and a snail decorated with barnacles. There’s a quarter section of a broken sand dollar polished by the beach; is it from Florida? I forget. Rather than reading at night, I like to pick up a t

Proverbs 2:4-5That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,and won’t take no for an answer,Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.+Today’s International Day for Biological Diversity implores everyone to address inequality, respect traditional knowledge, and empower women, girls, Indigenous People and more.Seek restoration and flourishing by honoring the ways everything is divinely interconnected.*Maria Wickwire creates ceramic sculptures in northwest Washington, hoping to encourage healing and forgiveness in our sometimes splintering world. “The title ‘You See More than I’ is from ‘Daniel’ by Elton John (lyrics by Bernie Taupin),” Maria commented. “She is a particular favorite of mine for some reason, maybe because she is still something of a mystery to me.” Find Maria on socials and at Mariawickwire.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Acts 11:25-26 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.+The spiritual revival in Antioch around 46 A.D. flourished so broadly that locals called the diverse crowds by the nickname “Christians.” They called themselves disciples, followers, brothers and sisters. Now a Christian identity is complicated.What distinguishes believers today?Subscribe to Flash💥Devos + Podcast or Follow for the latest posts. Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 10:23-24 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”+Jesus places abundant power within our grasp--literally his hands in our hands, his words in our mouths, his life in our bodies. Reconciliation works wonders.Attune with Love to respond in love.*Meg West lives near Charlottesville, Virginia, delighting others with her plein air oil paintings since 2000. Her landscapes depict scenes throughout the Shenandoah Valley, as well as Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and beyond. “I enjoy the rhythm and momentum that comes with a steady flow of painting,” she wrote. Meg completed today’s image and others during a five-day plein air “Unleashed Paint Out” with about thirty artists, sponsored by Allure Art Gallery near Deltaville, Virginia. Find Meg on socials and on her blog at http://www.megwestoilpainting.net/Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Jeremiah 20:9But if I say, “I will not mention his wordor speak anymore in his name,”his word is in my heart like a fire,a fire shut up in my bones.I am weary of holding it in;indeed, I cannot.+Once a truth sets you free, new conversations emerge. It’s surprising how people and things that used to be important drift into the past. Vocabulary changes. Tone of voice shifts.Maybe you’re ready to speak up now. Clearly, confidently. Lit from within.*Marcia Milner-Brage creates from direct observation, facing the blank page “to transfer all my senses, whether I’m looking outward or inward.” She writes personal essays and creates visual art. “I play with color and paint and collage, embracing whimsy through my valentines.” Her series is at: https://www.flickr.com/gp/marciamilner-brage/N7u5Z078s3.”I’m so grateful that Flash💥Devos + Podcast is a reader-supported publication. Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 12:29-32 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”+The “you” in “give you the kingdom” means all of us.The whole flock is divine.*Christina Farrell is an artist and consultant with a professional background in opera and theatre. She specializes in arts integration and thrives on collaboration. Supporters describe this mural as “meaningful community-based artwork,” envisioned in brainstorming sessions with residents for a vision of the future. “I was able to experience the warmth of this neighborhood first-hand while talking with people,” Christina wrote. “I especially loved when kids would ride up on their bikes, point to the mural and say, ‘That looks like us!’” Discover Christina's art at https://christinafarrellart.crevado.com/ and at the organization she founded to network with Iowa creatives at https://throughlinearts.org/.Your (free) subscription💥matters! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Luke 5:4-6 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.+Obedience with 51% compliance yields miracles in God’s hands.Hope thrives in the deepest waters.My friend *Lily DeCort is an Ethiopian American painter based in Chicago. Her work, ranging from luminous landscapes to evocative abstracts, reflects the liminality of her experience. Her paintings explore beauty, vulnerability, healing, and the human journey from wonder to loss and hope reborn. Learn more about Lily’s art at https://lilydecort.com/Thanks for subscribing! 💥 Means a lot! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

John 21:12-14 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord.Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish.This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.+An invitation from Jesus simplifies life and messes with our worldview. Would you accept the opportunity?Sharing a meal (with Jesus) is risky.Your (free) subscription💥matters! Thanks! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Revelation 3:17-18 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.+In Christ, even the wretched become rich.How will you be transformed and by whom?Reset with a spiritual break and feel restored. Subscribe to Flash💥Devos! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

Acts 5:18-20 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”+Public jail and a brutal flogging didn’t silence the apostles. “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching.”Respond graciously when people ask how to get free through angels and Christ.*Olly Costello is a white queer illustrator, PIC abolitionist, food growing enthusiast, and community seed saver. “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,” Olly writes. Activist Mariame Kame’s new book “Prisons Must Fall” features Olly’s illustrations. Discover their engaging work at https://ollycostello.com/Flash💥Devos is reader-supported through subscriptions and tips. Thanks for being here! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit marianneabellipschutz.substack.com

My March Thank-You gift to readers and listeners of Flash💥Devos is this article about a puddle that kept me company through the first COVID months of 2020 and beyond. This body of water served me as a Visio Divina, a sacred window of possibility that I searched with the eyes of my heart and soul. I pray that an environmental image or experience can be your holy partner through a time of grief and weariness.Pool of Tears by Marianne Abel-LipschutzFor the first six weeks of a stay-at-home order I served daily shifts as a chaplain on a 24-hour-a-day national prayer line created as a response to the COVID crisis. During the early morning, late afternoon, and again in the evening, several dozen chaplains in other time zones and I answered phone calls weary people made to an 800-number looking for relief. For two or more hours strangers invited us into a baffling intimacy amidst real isolation and social distancing.I inquired about their location as a conversation opener. No matter where the person lived, each caller felt close. “I’m talking on the couch in my living room,” one lady from upstate New York said. Her radio’s volume was louder than her voice but we managed. She feared losing her faith by not going to church. She had never prayed anywhere else and wasn't sure if the prayer line would work to rekindle her faith.An elderly man sat uncomfortably propped up in a hospital bed in Mississippi, gulping with fear and a deep, dry wheeze. “I don’t know if I will have to go to the ICU,” he worried out loud in a mellowed southern drawl. His urgent pleas matched the intermittent code blue alerts I overheard on the hospital PA system in the background. “Could you just pray that I can go home with my dog?” His mood brightened when I asked about his schnauzer, Millie. I felt comforted, too, by listening to his excitement about how she’d snuggle close to him everyday in the easy chair.One client outside Cleveland, Ohio, lamented the emptiness at his kitchen table, unable to fill the space left behind after his loved one departed. His melancholy mixed with a flurry of sounds forever bouncing around in my mind from decades around our kitchen table—the same table where his life now joined with ours. I imagined him sitting across from me at this vintage formica set we’d found at a garage sale. A lonely elder in Cleveland taught me how objects retain intangible goodness that can perish as memories recede. We prayed that love would not drift away, too.***In between calls my attention drifted to a puddle in the driveway. The puddle appeared with the pandemic after melting snow pooled with a sheen of feathery hoar frost one morning. Its steady but ever-changing presence became a stand-in companion during the isolation of 2020. I'd look out the window at the puddle as daytime air warmed the water and find myself rapt by the glittery frost flattened into a scrim of matte gray that mimicked the overcast sky. Sometimes a sparrow would drop down from the electric cable and walk around the edge, assessing the puddle. The bird would lap the chilled water and return to its perch, ascending effortlessly in one swift gesture.The puddle intrigued me. As opaque as a stilled pond, I saw its potential locked up like hope frozen in time. The shallow water out the window on my right became a contemplative partner that connected me to life beyond the confines of our house in northeast Iowa. Our bodies, made in God’s image, are 60% water. Our lungs are roughly 83% water. We are watery beings reflecting the divinity that gave us life yet we're lodged in a specific time and space.The fluid canvas spread across the driveway directed my daydreams. I imagined watering holes where massive creatures lowered themselves gracefully into the coolness of an afternoon. Some days my worried mind emptied onto the agate-studded shores of Lake Superior where sky greets water on the far horizon. Watching the sparrows stand the same way I do at the puddle’s edge, I wondered about the colors of water that only their eyes can see. I wasn’t thirsty enough to drink puddle water but my needs led me to the edge, too.“We can excite one another's imagination toward good,” writer Christina Baldwin commented on her blog that first COVID spring, “so that when we wake up empty and frightened the first thing we see is how we are held and what we are learning.”Sometimes I’d answer the phone and receive prank calls, vindictive comments about God, salacious chatter, or a hang-up. Yet each time I heard people express their anger, panic, and desperation it taught me about my own grief. Everyone we knew was at risk; COVID updates dominated most conversations. I honored how differently we suffer in each prayer as the comments of aggressive clients attuned my understanding. Occasionally a caller reciprocated and prayed out loud for me. Each prayer became an extemporaneous psalm tailored to one sacred moment together.I let two late night callers talk all they wanted since our convers