“In the midst of whatever follows, O Lord,
let me meet your mercies anew,
and anew, and anew.
In the midst of my dismay, fix my eyes again
and again upon your eternal promises.”

So begins “A Liturgy for Seasons of Uncertainty” in Douglas McKelvey’s book Every Moment Holy, Vol. 2. McKelvey has become known in recent years for his brief, beautifully written prayers that speak to the grand themes and the mundane moments of life alike. In a year of tremendous change and discomfort that has had us all simultaneously mired in monotonous tasks and existential concerns, his words couldn’t be a better fit.

In an interview with Christianity Today’s Kara Bettis, McKelvey describes his two years of writing a book of liturgies that center on death, grief, and hope. He invites us to understand the way of Jesus as a way does not see grief and hope at odds with one another, but as interwoven. May we—in the simplest of everyday repetitions and greatest experiences of sorrow or joy—live in light of the One who makes this so, whatever follows.