60 Seconds of Hope with Horace McMillon
If we can hope and if we can love, we can begin to change the world—starting with our own.60 Seconds of Hope offers daily prayers and reflections, grounded in love and filled with hope.Each episode offers a brief moment to pause, reflect, and return to what matters most.Join Horace McMillon for a daily rhythm of hope, rooted in the love that holds us all.
A Prayer For When We Don’t Make Time For Each Other
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A Prayer for When We Don’t Make Time for Each Other
Loving God,
Sometimes our days fill up quickly—
and we feel the pressure
to keep producing,
to keep accomplishing,
to keep moving.
In the midst of all that,
it can be easy to skip
spending time with one another.
We begin to treat connection
as some...
When Taking Time For Fellowship Matters
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When Taking Time For Fellowship Matters
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (from Acts 2:42)
Many of us find ourselves extremely busy—
sometimes a little overwhelmed—
feeling the constant pressure
to produce, to create, to accomplish.
The early apostles were busy and productive as well.
But they also consistently made time
for fellow...
A Prayer For When We Can’t Quite See What’s Happening
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A Prayer for When We Can’t Quite See What’s Happening
Loving God,
There are moments
when we’re in the middle of something
and can’t quite see it yet.
We don’t fully understand what’s happening,
and we’re not always sure what to do next.
In those moments,
help us not to close ourselves off.
Help us r...
When We Can’t Quite See What’s Going On
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When We Can’t Quite See What’s Happening
“But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us…’ (from Luke 24:29)
Sometimes we’re in the middle of something
and don’t fully understand what’s happening.
Jesus was walking with some of his disciples,
but they didn’t recognize him—
because they were overwhelmed by everything that had taken place.
And yet, they stayed together.
A Prayer For When We Feel Like Giving Up
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A Prayer for When We Feel Like Giving Up
Loving God,
There are moments
when we feel like giving up—
when the way forward isn’t clear
and we don’t know where to turn.
In those moments,
remind us
that we are not alone.
Help us to trust
that there is still a path before us,
even w...
When We Feel Like Giving Up
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When We Feel Like Giving Up
Sometimes we feel like giving up
and can’t see where to go from here.
But the psalmist reminds us
there is One who does not give up on us.
“You do not give me up to Sheol…
You show me the path of life.” (from Psalm 16:10–11)
In our lowest moments,
in our most difficult times,
we remin...
A Prayer For When We Begin To Notice Peace
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A Prayer for When We Begin to Notice Peace
Loving God,
There are moments
when we find ourselves at peace—
not because everything is settled,
but because something within us has.
In these moments,
help us to recognize what is being given.
Not something we have to achieve,
but something we are learning to live within.
When We Are In A Good Place
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When We Are In A Good Place
When we are free from anxiety, worry, and fear.
When anger, bitterness, and hate no longer have a grip on us.
“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.” (Psalm 16:6)
We begin to experience a peace—
a kind of wellbeing that is not dependent on circumstances,
and in tim...
A Prayer For When It Feels Like What We Do Isn’t Enough
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A Prayer for When It Feels Like What We Do Isn’t Enough
Loving God,
Sometimes what we are facing feels so large
that what we have to offer seems small by comparison.
And it’s not always easy to trust
that what we do makes a difference.
But you have shown us
that even a little
can become more than it appears.
When A Little Is Enough
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When A Little Is Enough
Sometimes the challenges we face feel so big
we wonder if we have enough to meet them.
“A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.”
(from Galatians 5:9)
It only takes a little yeast
to make a whole loaf.
It has happened before.
One woman refusing to give up her seat
insp...
A Prayer For When We Wonder If It’s Worth It
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A Prayer for When We Wonder If It Matters
Loving God,
Sometimes we give a lot of ourselves
and aren’t sure what it’s becoming.
We show up.
We care.
We keep choosing what is good—
and still wonder
if anything is changing.
Help us see that what is given in love
can sustain,
can...
When Our Sacrifices Are Worth It
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When Our Sacrifices Are Worth It
Sometimes we give a lot of ourselves—
and wonder if it matters.
If anything is changing.
If anything we’re doing is making a difference.
“For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (from First Epistle to the Corinthians 5:7)
The Passover lamb gave the people the strength to make the journey.
The early followers of Jesus...
A Prayer For When It’s Hard to Trust Change
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A Prayer for When It’s Hard to Trust Change
Loving God,
Sometimes we can see that things are changing—
and still find it hard to believe.
Not because we don’t want it.
But because we’ve been hurt before.
Because we’ve hoped before.
And things didn’t turn out the way we thought they would.
And so we become ca...
When It’s Hard To Believe Things Can Be Different
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When It’s Hard to Believe Things Can Be Different
“While in their joy they were still disbelieving…” (from Gospel of Luke 24:41)
Sometimes we want to believe things can get better—
but part of us holds back.
Not because we don’t see the signs.
Not because there isn’t reason for hope.
But because we’ve been disappointed before.
The disciples we...
A Prayer For Seeing What’s On Front of Us
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A Prayer for Seeing What’s Right in Front of Us
Loving God,
Sometimes we move through our days
carrying so much in our minds and hearts
that we don’t fully see what is right in front of us.
We hold our worries,
our disappointments,
the things we think we already understand—
Where we have already decided how things are,
create...
What Keeps Us From Seeing
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What Keeps Us From Seeing
“but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (from Luke 24:16)
Sometimes we get so caught up in our own thoughts and worries
that we miss what’s happening right in front of us.
Some of Jesus’s followers were so focused on his execution
that they didn’t realize he was already with them.
There was no maliciousness,
no ill intent,
A Prayer For When It Feels Like It’s Over
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A Prayer for When It Feels Like It’s Over
Loving God,
When our hope is lost,
and it doesn’t feel like anything will change—
Give us the courage to come anyway,
to show up,
to bring what we have,
to do what we can do.
Even when we are afraid.
Even when we are unsure.
Even when we fee...
When It Feels Like Our Stories Are Over
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When It Feels Like Our Story Has Ended
Sometimes there’s a quiet dread we carry…
the feeling that the way things are
is the way they will always be.
Today we are reminded, as the women were reminded long ago:
“Do not be afraid, for I know who you are looking for…
He is not here, for he has been raised.”
— Matthew 28:5–6
The women came...
A Prayer For Noticing The Good
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A Prayer for Noticing the Good
Loving God,
When we begin to notice the good in our lives,
something within us starts to shift—
even if nothing has changed yet—
And there is still so much we carry,
things that weigh on us,
things we don’t understand,
things we wish were different.
And yet,
there is als...
What Gratitude Begins To Change
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What Gratitude Begins to Change
When we begin to notice the good in our lives,
something begins to shift within us.
This was the experience of the ancient psalmist.
“What shall I return to the LORD
for all God’s bounty to me?” — Psalm 116:12
The psalms are often honest and raw.
They make space for anger, frustration, and disappointment.
They don’t deny what is ha...
A Prayer For When We’re Moving Through Times Of Change
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A Prayer for When We’re Moving Through Change
Loving God,
In times of change and uncertainty,
when so much feels unsettled
and we don’t fully know what lies ahead,
help us to care for ourselves along the way.
When we feel the pressure to keep moving,
to stay ready,
to hold everything together—
remind us that we sti...
Don’t Forget To Eat
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Don’t Forget To Eat
How do we care for ourselves during times of change and uncertainty?
The people coming out of slavery in Egypt were given some unusual instructions for their meal.
“This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand, and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the Passover of the LORD.” — Exodus 12:11
Even positive change comes wi...
A Prayer For When The Darkness Feels Heavy
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A Prayer For When The Darkness Feels Heavy
Loving God,
In a world where we feel the weight of the darkness,
the weight of what is uncertain,
the weight of what is hard,
the weight of what is not right—
You have made us to be light.
So help us today—
to be present where we are,
to offe...
We Are Meant To Be Light
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We Are Meant to Be the Light
How do we live in a world that feels this dark…
especially when so much feels uncertain?
Isaiah writes,
“I will give you as a light to the nations.” (Isaiah 49:6)
The darkness we’re facing now—
uncertainty, hardship, injustice—
it isn’t new.
It was present in the time of Isaiah.
It was present...
A Prayer For When It Feels Like The Darkness Is Closing In
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A Prayer for When It Feels Like the Darkness Is Closing In
Loving God,
when it feels like the darkness is closing in,
and we’re not sure what to do next—
you are here.
You know what it is
to feel troubled,
to face uncertainty,
to walk through hardship and loss.
So meet us here,
right here in the...
When It Feels Like The Darkness Is Closing In
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When It Feels Like the Darkness Is Closing In
When it feels like the darkness is closing in…
remember—
“The light is among you… Walk while you have the light.” (John 12:35)
Jesus knew what that felt like.
His heart was troubled.
He was moving toward betrayal, suffering, and death.
So when we feel vulnerable, unsettled, or distressed,
it is not a sign that we have fa...
A Prayer For When We’re Not As Okay As We Say
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A Prayer for When We’re Not As Okay As We Say
Loving God,
When we are not as okay as we say we are,
you already know.
You see what we carry,
even when we don’t acknowledge it,
even when we try to move past it.
Help us to be honest—
not harsh with ourselves,
but willing to tell the tr...
When We’re Not As Okay As We Say
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When We’re Not As Okay As We Say
⸻
We don’t always admit when something is wrong… but Jesus does.
“Now my soul is troubled.” (John 12:27)
We usually want everyone to think we have it all together.
We often tell ourselves we’re okay when we’re not.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus shows us what it looks like to face difficult m...
When We’re Not Seeing Results | A Prayer
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When We’re Not Seeing Results | A Prayer
Loving God,
When we are doing what we can
and not seeing the results we hoped for,
help us to remain grounded.
In moments when our efforts feel ineffectual,
remind us that our lives have impact
beyond what we can see.
You are the one who holds us,
who forms us,
an...
When It Feels Like Our Efforts Don’t Matter
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When It Feels Like Our Efforts Don’t Matter
“I have labored in vain” — (from Isaiah 49:4)
Sometimes it feels like we are just spinning our wheels.
Even Isaiah—one of the great prophets in scripture—knew this tension.
There are moments when we pour ourselves out for our families, our friends, our neighbors, our communities, and our work.
We give what we have. We try to be fa...
When We’re Desperate For A Change | A Prayer
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When We’re Desperate For A Change | A Prayer
Loving God,
When we’re desperate for a change
and starting to reach for anything,
you see how quickly we look for answers,
how easily we place our trust,
how much we want things to be different.
You know how tired we can be
of carrying what we’ve been carrying,
how ready we are
f...
When We’re Desperate For A Change
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When We’re Desperate For A Change
“They spread their cloaks on the road.” — (from Matthew 21:8)
When we are so desperate for a change that we’ll try almost anything…
That’s where the crowds in Jerusalem were.
They were tired of Roman occupation, injustice, and inequality.
They were ready to be free.
They were looking for someone to rescue them.
And they hoped so...
When We Are Too Tired | A Prayer
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When We Are Too Tired | A Prayer
Loving God,
When we are too tired to keep going,
too worn down to show up the way we want to,
you are still with us.
You know the moments
when we are willing but not able,
when our strength runs out,
and we just can’t.
Help us to rest without shame.
Help us to...
When We Are Too Tired
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When We Are Too Tired
“He came and found them sleeping.” (from Matthew 26:43)
Sometimes we are just too tired to do what we know we should.
Too tired to show up the way we want to.
Too tired to be who we are trying to be.
This is where the disciples were near the end of the Gospel of Matthew.
They had given up everything.
They...
When It Feels Like All Too Much | A Prayer
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When It All Feels Like Too Much | A Prayer
Loving God,
when it all feels like too much—
too much to carry, too much to sort through, too much to hold—
you know what that feels like.
You know the weight we carry,
the stress we don’t always name,
the moments when we feel overwhelmed and unsure how to move forward.
Help us to be honest...
Sometimes It Feels Like Just Too Much
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Sometimes It Feels Like Just Too Much
“My soul is deeply grieved…” (from Matthew 26:38)
Sometimes it feels like it’s just too much—
too much to carry, too much to process, too much to hold.
Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by everything going on
within us and around us.
This is where Jesus is near the end of the Gospel of Matthew.
He knows he is about to b...
A Prayer For When It Might Be Us
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A Prayer for When It Might Be Us
Loving God,
You know how quickly we look for someone to blame,
how easily we protect ourselves,
how often we hold tightly to our pride.
You see the moments when things go wrong
and we look everywhere but within.
Give us the courage to be honest with ourselves—
not with harshness or shame,
but with humility an...
When It’s Good To Question Ourselves
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When It’s Good To Question Ourselves
“Surely not I, Lord?” (Matthew 26:22)
When something goes wrong, how quickly do we look for someone else to blame?
That’s where the disciples were in the Gospel of Matthew. When Jesus told them one of them would betray him, they didn’t accuse one another or try to predict who it would be.
Each one asked:
“Surely not I, Lord?”
Prayer - When We’ve Been Discounted And Dismissed
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Prayer — When We’ve Been Discounted and Dismissed
Loving God,
You see us when we feel overlooked,
when we’ve been dismissed,
when we begin to wonder if we matter.
You know the frustration of being passed over,
the discouragement and disappointment we carry,
and the times we are screaming on the inside
but holding our tongues on the outside.
Restore what has been worn d...
When We’ve Been Discounted And Dismissed
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When We’ve Been Discounted and Dismissed
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.”
How many times have we been overlooked, marginalized, or dismissed?
(Psalm 118:22)
The psalmist first spoke these words for the people of Israel. They had lived through seasons of defeat, discouragement, and being counted out.
The Gospel writers remembered these words when they told the story of Jesus. Israel did not count...
