All posts by: Julian DeShazier

About Julian DeShazier

SAVE THE DATE: Friday, December 22, 2023 YOUTH LOCK-IN AT UNIVERSITY CHURCH CONTACT INFO & RSVP Tiant Holloway, Youth Pastor: Tiant@universitychurchchicago.org Pastor Julian DeShazier: Julian@universitychurchchicago.org Phone: 773-966-2547 Holiday Greetings! Consider this an INVITATION for the youth at your church to our 9th Annual LOCK-IN being held at UNIVERSITY CHURCH on Friday, December 22, 2023. The […]

  “It was I who fed you in the wilderness, in the land of drought” -Hosea 13:5 Our Lenten theme The image of “Wilderness” rarely elicits positive thoughts. For many of us it is something to avoid, and if we must go through it then the point is to go through it as quickly as […]

Thursday, December 24 – “And Mary Pondered…”By Denise Hill “…and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2: 18-9 NRSV) “But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19 NKJV) “And the angel being […]

Wednesday, December 23 – “O Come All Ye Faithful”by Sergio Centeno Luke 2:1-5 (Common English Bible) Jesus’ birth 2 In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. 2 This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. 3 Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. 4 Since Joseph belonged to David’s […]

Tuesday, December 22 – “Me Turns Into We: staying unstuck in our heart centers”by Lois Snavely Proverbs 4:23 (The Message)“Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.” The anahata, or heart chakra, is the fourth chakra according to the Hindu and Yogic traditions. In Sanskrit it literally translates to “unhurt, unstruck, and unbeaten.” […]

Here is a link to the Spotify playlist that is peppered throughout this devotional. Please play it and add to it. It is a long night, so I pray that you are blessed with the interactive activity.  Comfort Ye One Another After a full day of ministry, I settle in for the night. An evening […]

Friday, December 18 – “The Sacred Memory of Waiting”by Antonia Coleman Love requires that a newly wedded couple leave out from their home to a new place for possibilities and a new life. Love requires that the newly wedded couple bring forth a newborn during the advent season. Love requires their stories of their we […]

Thursday, December 17 – “Cohen’s Hallelujah”by Bethany Kacich “The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham…..”-Matthew 1:1-17 You won’t find Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah in any hymn book, and I doubt that most people consider it a Christmas song. But the pop a capella group Pentatonix included not one but two […]

Wednesday, December 16th – “Don’t let ‘them’ tell you how to feel”by Linda Eastwood 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18   Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t suppress the Spirit. Don’t brush off Spirit-inspired messages, but examine everything carefully and hang on to what […]

Tuesday, December 15 – “together beyond time and space”by Lois Snavely Matthew 18:18-20 (The Message) “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at […]