#god and the holy spirit until i was 12. scratch that i hadn’t even heard ab the ‘holy spirit’

[incorrectquotesideas-deactivated]

Person A, when the gang’s car breaks down: Okay, guys. You know the drill.

Person B and Person C: [hold hands]

Person A: Por favor, Santa Francisca de Roma, ayúdanos! [takes a deep breath] One, two, three.

Person A, B and C: [do the cross sigh across the chest and blow a kiss at the sky]

Person A: [restarts the car in pure faith, which they don’t have cause no one from the gang even believes in god]

[dailyaudiobible]

12/31/2019 DAB Transcript

Malachi 3:1-4:6, Revelation 22:1-21, Psalms 150:1-6, Proverbs 31:25-31

Today is the 31st day of December. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It is great to be here with you today on this last day of the year, New Year's Eve. Tomorrow we will be stepping into a new decade. So, we are enjoying the final hours of a decade and it's just…ahh…these…these last days of the year they get me, they just bring me into this melancholy place where it’s like, wow! I know tomorrow is like…you know…like tomorrow we’ll begin the journey again, but we’re…we’re at the end of the journey and I just think back over just this year alone, over all that we have been through together and all that we’ve been through individually and God's faithfulness in it all and I think, wow, this is the last day of the decade, and every single day of that decade we were here reading the Bible. We didn't miss a day, and yeah, that just…I hadn't thought of it until today. And it’s just, wow, this is where we are, the last day of this journey. And we can talk some more about that in a little bit, but it is our custom, it is the tradition, it is what we do is to get into God's word and that is the reason for all of what we do as a community. And, so, let's join hearts and let’s conclude the Scriptures. In the Old Testament, we will read Malachi chapters 3 and 4 today and we’ll conclude by reading from the Christian Standard Bible.

Prayer:

Father, we thank you for bringing us to this place. It was one year ago that we began another journey to sail the high seas of the Scriptures and allow them to guide our paths each and every day. It's in some ways hard to believe that the year has passed, but that's how it is. And father, I just have this…this overwhelming sense of humility that today concludes 14 years every single day offering…offering this the Scriptures spoken, read fresh, and thank you. Thank you for all that you have done through that effort and it's changed…changed…changed me completely. And I am grateful. And I am thankful for my brothers and sisters all over the world who have shared this journey that we walk through and in and with each other every single day. And, so, we come to conclusions like this and it gives us a moment to just pause and reflect on the meaningfulness of it all and all you’ve done as we look back at this year, all that you have done. Some of it's just been wonderful and some of it's been really, really hard, and some of it's been really, really deep and it’s really, really easy to get distracted in the difficult times, but when we have the presence of perspective, when we get down the road and we look back, we realize that these challenges that we face, they teach us to endure and they teach us to be strong. And, so, yeah,  there's been some hard patches for sure but we are stronger for it and we know, we know that you will continue to lead us forward. And, so, come Holy Spirit we pray. Seal this reading of your word this year in our hearts, in our minds, in our lives we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Announcements:

Well…well…that’s it. 14 times I've come to the end of the year and thought, “what do you say? What do you say at the end of the year? What do you say to sum up the adventure of a lifetime, going through the Bible in community among friends all over the world? How do wrap up all the stories that we've followed in each other's lives? How do you wrap up all the tears that we've shed for one another? How do we wrap up all of the moments that we laughed out loud and rejoiced? How many times has God's word been there right when we needed it most, telling us just what we needed to hear? How many days has God's word spoken deep truths into our lives that have been accumulating, right? They've been accumulating over this year and so now we have new spiritual muscles that we never even knew about. Now, we actually can do what I said we should do at the end of this year on this day. Look in the mirror. We looked in the mirror at the beginning of the year and we should be able to look in the mirror now and yeah, see a person who’s a year older, but also see a person who's a year wiser, but also see a person who is being renovated utterly from within by the most-high God. So, yeah, I…there’s just no way…I just sent a bunch of words and that's just scratching the surface of all that could be said. But we have reached the end of another year and…and this is the conclusion of the 14th year. So, tomorrow as we enter a new year and a new decade, we’ll also be entering year number 15 and that…that is something that I can't even…like it just doesn't seem that long ago. It’s such a strange thing, you know, I can't believe…I can't believe that I stuck to this much less that anyone else stuck to it with me. I can't believe that we get to do what we’re doing in bringing God's word to anyone who will listen anywhere on this planet any time of day or night and build a rhythm of community around it so that we’re not alone on the journey and that makes all the difference in the world. So, I think I'm just kinda…I think I’m just talking because I don't want to say goodbye. I hate having to do that. And I mean I know that tomorrow's another day, even though we’re stepping into a new year and a new decade, it's just another day and we begin the journey again, but this journey, this one is coming to a close. And I know that many, many, many, many of you will be boarding for the voyage of the new year tomorrow and we will set sail and we will be setting sail with thousands of new brothers and sisters whose stories and lives we don't know yet but we will and they will know us and we will become one community and we will become the community that…that sales the high seas of the Bible next year, but I know…I know that I'm saying goodbye to some of you and you will move on into other things and I pray, I pray, I pray with all earnestness that that the Bible will remain a part of the rhythm of your life in some fashion. And, so, I know I’m saying goodbye but I’ve said goodbye to lots people and in lots of cities and lots of towns and lots of countries and I’ve stopped saying goodbye to the Daily Audio Bible community. I hate it. And, so, I just say what I believe is true - until we meet again. So, for those of you who are moving forward into and two new chapters of your life, until we meet again. It will be my goal is as long, as long as there is breath in me to be here waiting for you tomorrow. And for…for all of us who will disembark this year and re-embark on the voyage of the new year together tomorrow then I will be waiting for you here tomorrow and I guess that just leaves me with…with a prayer of benediction over this entire community.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May he make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May he lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. May the strength of God to go with you. May the wisdom of God instruct you. May the hand of God protect you. May the word of God direct you. May you be sealed in Christ this day and forevermore. Amen.

Song:

Hold Your Head Up High – Darlingside

How it rambles 'round the moon A let-go-of balloon Nothing is forever, everything is soon

And my father as he stands A perfect cartoon man Heavy-sighed and open-eyed, I heard him speak

Hold your head up high Hold your head up high

Rise it up, it's fine terrain The time will come again And misery's no rest for weary gentlemen

See that humankind is you Like all the rest, down to The scratches on the album that you're singing to

Hold your head up high Hold your head up high

Through the light and through the shadow I won't wait it out, wait it out

Hold your head up high Hold your head up high Hold your head up high

Biting clovers in the lawn A solitary fawn Underground, the new life thunders up and on

[dontshootmespence]

That’s Where He’d Be

A/N: An anon request where the reader is dating Spencer at the time of the car crash in season 12. Stephen Walker was a casualty of the crash, and as tribute to him, she (and four friends-much like the Pentatonic cover, found here) sing at his funeral. @coveofmemories @sexualemobitch @jamiemelyn @unstoppableangel8 @criminallyyoursdrreid

                                                               ----

“No!” Monica screamed, throwing an antique vase across the room and watching as it smashed into a million pieces against the wall. “No! No! No!” As a piece of the vase hit her leg, she spun around, her hands combing through her hair as the tears streamed down her face in waves. Through thick streams, she saw Maya and Eli run into the room to see what was wrong. 

Today was the funeral. Upon hearing the news, they’d all nearly collapsed and burst into tears. Then came the numbness as the funeral was being planned, and this morning, as Monica pulled a mourning veil over her eyes, it hit her all over again, causing the crash that brought the kids to her attention. “Mom?” Maya asked, her voice cracking as Monica reached out for her daughter. In a split second, Maya also dissolved into tears and Eli followed closely behind, always told by his father to never be afraid to show emotion. 

“It’s not fair, Mom,” Maya cried. She wanted to tell Maya and Eli that everything was going to be okay - and it would be - but right now she wanted to wallow; she wanted to curse the world for taking her husband away. “Why?”

Monica didn’t know how to console her. As a mother, you were assumed to know all the answers, and she just didn’t have them. “I don’t know, baby. I don’t know.”

                                                              ----

“I know you didn’t know him that well,” Spencer said to you as you flattened out your black dress at the grave of his co-worker. “But thank you for doing this. I think his wife and kids will appreciate it.” The minute he’d asked, you said yes, calling up your old friends and asking them to resurrect your little group for a friend’s funeral. 

As you composed yourself, you saw Emily off near a tree, unable to make eye contact with anyone, especially not in the direction of Stephen’s family who were on their way toward his grave. “I’ll be right back,” you said to Spencer and the rest of the team. Since you started seeing Spencer, you’d become very close with Emily and saw how hard it was hitting her. “I’m just gonna go talk to Emily.”

She only looked up when you approached, quickly glancing back down, her eyes filled with guilt. “How are you?” You asked softly. You reached your hand out for hers and she grabbed it limply, still not looking at you. 

“It’s my fault,” she said quietly.

“What?” She couldn’t have said what you think she just said.

“It’s my fault, Y/N,” she said. A short intake of air let loose all of the emotions she was holding back. “I told him he owed me one. That’s why he came to help us. And now he’s dead. It’s my fault.” 

Emily collapsed into your arms, so you rubbed her back. “Em, it’s not your fault. He could’ve said no, but he didn’t. Because he was a good man. This isn’t your fault. It’s Scratch’s fault. And you’re gonna get him.” For a few moments, she sobbed into your shoulder, holding on tight in an attempt to steady herself. You pulled away and wiped her tears away before giving her a comforting smile and leading her back toward the casket.

When Monica, Maya and Eli walked up toward the grave, they stared into oblivion as the priest started up the service and Stephen was lowered into the ground. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the life and mourn the passing of our dear friend, Stephen,” the priest started. He continued, the words flowing out of his mouth as if he’d said them thousands of times before; he had, but at least it didn’t sound like it. His warm and personable voice reminded everyone of Stephen. “And now Stephen’s teammates wanted to do a little something special for Stephen and his family.” He waved you up, and you returned the favor with your friends. They followed up closely behind you until you were all standing in front of where his tombstone would be placed.

“Please accept our condolences,” you said directly to Monica. “This is for your family.” Quietly, you started to sing.

Well I heard there was a secret chord That David played and it pleased the Lord But you don't really care for music, do you? Well it goes like this: the fourth, the fifth The minor fall and the major lift The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof You saw her bathing on the roof Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you She tied you to her kitchen chair She broke your throne and she cut your hair And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Although you hadn’t sung together in a while, your five voices still fit together perfectly. Monica had been taken off guard, dissolving into a puddle of tears and whispering continuous thank yous in your direction as well as the team’s. Spencer’s lips upturned into the smallest of smiles, both proud of you and grateful for the gift you were giving Stephen’s family. As you continued on, you turned your head up toward the heavens, knowing if heaven did exist, that’s where he’d be.

Baby I've been here before I've seen this room and I've walked this floor (you know) I used to live alone before I knew you And I've seen your flag on the marble arch And love is not a victory march It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

There was a time when you let me know What's really going on below But now you never show that to me, do you? But remember when I moved in you And the holy dove was moving too And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

With a deep breath, you steadied your own voice. Granted you didn’t know Stephen that well, but you were overcome with emotion as his wife and two teenaged children watched their husband and father get lowered into the ground more and more. He was too young to die; his wife had already sacrificed so much for the sake of his job, and the children especially didn’t deserve to have their father taken from them at such a young age. None of it was fair, so you kept singing in an attempt to heal even a bit of their pain. 

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Maybe there's a God above All I've ever learned from love Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you And it's not a cry that you hear at night It's not somebody who's seen the light It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah

As your collective voice trailed off, you approached Monica, barely able to see each other through her tears and your own. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” you said, giving small hugs to both of the children as well. “I hope you know he’s never far from you.”

“Thank you so much,” Monica said, her smile evident that strained and painful. “I can’t thank you enough for that.” She motioned her head towards where you were standing and singing just moments earlier. “That was Stephen’s favorite song.”

“The team told me, and it was no problem at all. If there’s anything I can ever do for you, please don’t hesitate to let me know,” you said, turning back toward Spencer and the team. 

“Y/N?” Maya asked as you turned away. Quickly, you spun back around and looked inquisitively at the young girl. “Do you have a recording of your group singing that?”

You nodded softly remembering the couple hundred CDs you’d had made for the purposes of handing them out to those that needed their spirits uplifted most. “I do,” you replied. “I’ll give it to Spencer to bring over after work one day this week.”

All three of them smiled softly as you walked away and back into Spencer’s arms. “Thank you again,” he said. “That was beautiful and I know Stephen would’ve appreciated it.”