Golconda First United Methodist Church

08/11/2026

New Every Morning - Reflection

God Cares for Our Needs
God is still God. When our worry turns to panic, our natural response is to try to take control. However, it is comforting to know that one greater than ourselves loves us and takes care of our needs.
—Wessel Bentley, Facing Financial Struggle: 28 Days of Prayer (Upper Room Books, 2010)

Today’s Question
How has worry harmed or helped you in the past? Bring your current worries to God.

Today’s Scripture
And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your span of life?
—Matthew 6:25:27 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week
God of abundance, you provide us with so many good things. Let us be good stewards of our resources so that we can not only have a taste of your abundance, but share it with others. Amen.

08/10/2026

New Every Morning - Reflection

Dealing with Financial Guilt
Guilt, like shame, seems to drain us, imprison us, and keep us away from any meaningful conversation with God. Why not try to bring your feelings of guilt to God?
—Wessel Bentley, Facing Financial Struggle: 28 Days of Prayer

Today’s Question
What do you feel guilty about? Take a moment to share those feelings with God.

Today’s Scripture
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.
—Psalm 121:7–8 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week
God of abundance, you provide us with so many good things. Let us be good stewards of our resources so that we can not only have a taste of your abundance, but share it with others. Amen.

08/10/2026

New Every Morning - Reflection

Freedom

The first step to recognizing and releasing our attachments is to notice them. We need to become skilled at noticing when attachments are holding us back. And that means paying attention. In particular, we can notice our feelings and thoughts.
—L. Roger Owens, Everyday Contemplative: The Way of Prayerful Living

Today’s Question
What thoughts and feelings are you most attached to in this life? What is one step you can take to loosen your attachment to that and grow closer to God instead?

Today’s Scripture
Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
—Hebrews 13:5 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week
God, I want to grow closer to you. Move my attention toward you and away from all distractions. I simply want to be in your presence. Amen.

Welcome to The Upper Room Store & Resource Library

08/08/2026

New Every Morning - Reflection

Nonjudgement
Again and again, Jesus—through his words and deeds—erased the dividing lines of judgement set up by religion and culture and welcomed the judged into fellowship with himself and, through himself, with God.
—L. Roger Owens, Everyday Contemplative: The Way of Prayerful Living (Upper Room Books, 2022)

Today’s Question
How can you show curiosity the next time you feel the temptation to judge others?

Today’s Scripture
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
—Luke 23:34 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week
God, I want to grow closer to you. Move my attention toward you and away from all distractions. I simply want to be in your presence. Amen.

08/07/2026

New Every Morning - Reflection

Vulnerability
The gifts of God’s vulnerable presence and love make it possible for us to offer our lives to God and others. To show up in the world risking love. To show up as our truest selves.
—L. Roger Owens, Everyday Contemplative: The Way of Prayerful Living (Upper Room Books, 2022)

Today’s Question
God became vulnerable and arrived to us as a helpless baby who relied on his parents for safety and constant care. How can we show a similar level of vulnerability to God?

Today’s Scripture
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
—Matthew 2:13 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week
God, I want to grow closer to you. Move my attention toward you and away from all distractions. I simply want to be in your presence. Amen.

08/07/2026

SAVE THIS DATE!! AUGUST 16TH @ 10:30am
We will be Blessing the Backpacks during our Worship Service. Please join us as we say blessings over our kids and school.

08/07/2026

New Every Morning - Reflection

Playfulness
Playfulness is one aspect of a contemplative approach to life with God. . . . Jesus was speaking to me when Jesus said that to enter God’s kingdom you must become like a little child.
—L. Roger Owens, Everyday Contemplative: The Way of Prayerful Living (Upper Room Books, 2022)

Today’s Question
Do you ever ask God playful questions or make time to be silly with God? Take a moment to connect to God with more playfulness than usual.

Today’s Scripture
But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.”
—Matthew 19:14 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week
God, I want to grow closer to you. Move my attention toward you and away from all distractions. I simply want to be in your presence. Amen.

08/07/2026

New Every Morning - Reflection

Patience
When we slow to a pace that allows us to notice the particulars of our lives, and we can only attend to God in our spiritual practices if we refuse the temptation to hurry.
—L. Roger Owens, Everyday Contemplative: The Way of Prayerful Living (Upper Room Books, 2022)

Today’s Question
What do you hurry to do most often? What would happen if you paired your most hurried task with a prayer?

Today’s Scripture
Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him;
Do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
—Psalm 37:7 (NRSVUE)

Prayer for the Week
God, I want to grow closer to you. Move my attention toward you and away from all distractions. I simply want to be in your presence. Amen.