This piece was originally published as a Substack newsletter on August 9, 2024.

For many years now I have maintained a generally consistent practice of a morning devotional time that included Bible reading, journaling, and prayer. However, at our spring MA CSFL program residency in April, we were provided with a “morning liturgy” that was developed by our facilitator, Emily P. Freeman. We were instructed to follow the practice until our next residency in September. 

After more than three months, I can say unequivocally that it has been a blessing. Following is the basic structure, along with my particular choices and habits. 

1. Pray the opening prayer from Ted Loder’s Guerillas of Grace.

(Address with your current name for God.)
Gather me now to be with you as you are with me.
Soothe my tiredness;
Quiet my fretfulness;
Curb my aimlessness;
Relieve my compulsiveness;
Let me be easy for a moment.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Amen.

I love this opening prayer. I usually address God as “Jehovah Jireh,” as I am aware of my desperate need for his provision. I am always tired in the mornings, and the supplications having to do with focus and rest in the presence of God are never inappropriate.

2. Read Psalm 23 from The Message. 

God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.
Even when the way goes through Death Valley, 
I’m not afraid when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure.
You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.
Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.

Reading this Psalm nearly every day for the past three months may have been the most beneficial aspect of this morning liturgy. I was already in the habit of praying the first line from the NIV as a breath prayer (The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.), but reading and ruminating on these verses daily have done much to promote tranquility of heart. 

3. Read a chapter or two from The Gospels.

The gospel reading is my addition to the plan in accordance with my goals for the year. I’m reading a different translation each quarter. 

4. Write at least one page in my journal.

We were given options here that also included play and embodied movement such as walking or dance, but what else can a writer do but write? It has been my habit for years to try and write at least one page per day. Sometimes there is more; occasionally there is less; but a page is usually just right. My Paperblanks journal has pretty wide lines, so it’s usually easy to quickly fill a page. I may write about observations from my Bible reading, but more often, I write about whatever is on my mind. My ruminations usually lead to written prayer. 

5. Read nonfiction and poetry.

We were instructed to read nonfiction for a set period of time, based on the time available to us. Initially, I read a chapter or two in recently published Christian nonfiction books, but about a month ago, I decided to begin a slow read through Saint Augustine’s Confessions. The Oxford World’s Classics edition I am using has small type, and the prose is divided into short sections, so it usually works out that I read about two pages a day. That’s it. 

About a month into this liturgy practice, I decided to add a poem to my reading, so I picked up the copy of Mary Oliver’s Devotions that I had set aside. Oliver’s sacramental approach to life is perfect for encouraging a reflective, prayerful mindset.

6. Pray.

I try to begin with about ten minutes of silence. The goal is to quietly sit in God’s presence and reflect on his love for me. However, my ADHD brain often falls short of the goal. I hope to improve with practice and to gradually extend the period of time to twenty minutes. 

Next, I pray The Lord’s Prayer. Then I move on to adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication (not always this methodical). I have a regular list of folks for whom I pray, but I also try to be responsive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the Spirit brings to mind people I haven’t thought of in a long time. 

Finally, I close with this passage from The Book of Common Prayer:

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day. Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

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I do not take for granted the amount of time at my disposal in the mornings that allows me to follow such a plan. I am grateful for the ability to “ease into the day” and to spend as much time as I am able cultivating my relationship with God. If I were to recommend an abbreviated, thirty-minute version, I would suggest Psalm 23, a chapter in the gospels, a page of journaling, and prayer beginning with the Lord’s Prayer.