Sadly, as the founder of the PresbyCan Daily Devotional, it has become clear that God is leading me to step back from my responsibilities. On March 11th, 2025, I announced that we would cease publishing new devotionals on March 31st. This has proven to be a great disappointment to many, which I deeply regret. I have been greatly encouraged by the outpouring of appreciative messages which I have received. Thank you for letting me know what the Daily has meant to you!
As you can imagine, this has been an incredibly difficult decision, for the Daily has been my constant companion for close to 29 years. I have poured my heart and soul into this undertaking, so stepping back is a really big deal for me. I have told, in four devotionals, the story of how it developed: What God Has Prepared, Death Of A Vision, Bread On The Waters, and All One Body.
What has led me to this decision? As I have now passed my 80th birthday, I am finding that my daily activities and chores, together with my wife’s health concerns, are taking longer and longer. It’s just time!
I used to pray that God would send along someone to take up the vision of PresbyCan. But more recently, I have realized that someone else would undoubtedly take a completely different approach, using MailChimp or Constant Contact and majoring in social media, like Matthew Ruttan does with the “Up!” devotional. Check it out! For example, I invented our emailing and subscription system in 1997, and the updated technology does not fit with PresbyCan.
I find it amazing how God leads and guides us. In the three weeks between that announcement and the last new devotional, my thinking evolved full-circle in regard to my plan to turn Daily into a low-maintenance website. I had originally thought of ending the daily emails and presenting ten random devotionals on the home web page. But my son suggested presenting automatically each day a pre-selected set of devotionals from either that date or the special day in previous years, so that, for example, on Easter Day, Easter devotionals would appear. Around the times of special days, the dates of selected devotionals vary, especially in the spring, when the date of Easter varies so widely.
I had also announced, however, that we were going to continue the PrayerLine feature, because it is the most-visited page on our website. One evening, a reader emailed to ask whether the PrayerLine requests could continue to go out automatically in a daily email. It was only then that I realized that such an email could also automatically contain a selection of devotionals just like the website. So, the daily emails continue! The key words are “automatic” and “low-maintenance”, which mean that I will be able to watch over the website — from a distance! My responsibilities were getting too heavy. It was just time!
There are a few thoughts that I would like to share with you as we close this chapter of life. Firstly, we have no idea of what effects may result from the actions that we do in obedience to the Lord. Undoubtedly, the devotionals were read by thousands more than just the people who read them by email, on the website, forwarded by friends, or as “likes” on Facebook. We also have very little or no idea how the written word influenced the spiritual lives of those who read it. What a great day it will be when the Lord finally reveals what our efforts have contributed to fulfilling His plan for His people!
Secondly, I want to encourage every Christian to bend every effort as an obedient disciple to do what the Lord desires us to do. May we all look forward, as I do, to the possibility of hearing those amazing words that the Lord spoke first to His disciples in a parable: “Well done, good and faithful servant! … Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (NKJV)
Over the years, our devotional website has undergone numerous changes in format, with new features introduced along the way, all the while attempting to keep up with changing technologies. I especially want to thank our dedicated volunteer staff team for your continued faithful volunteer labours, without which the enterprise would not have been possible. Jane Anne Waller was the first to come on staff to help with the subscriptions and feedback. James T. Hurd has been my backup for reviewing theology and proper editing. Mary Jane Hanson, Elaine Ingalls Hogg, and Sharon Cook have assisted in receiving and processing devotionals. Garnet Schenck and George Myers have moderated the PrayerLine requests, and Terry Folster has posted devotionals to Facebook each day. Thank you, all! You have all worked diligently behind the scenes to ensure that God’s Word has been shared daily with our thousands of e-mail subscribers. I would also like to thank our dedicated writers – over 500 of you since the beginning. Without you, there would have been no devotionals at all!
I would also like to thank my wife, Evelyn, and our children for the uncountable hours that you gave me away from you, and for your support over all those years.
To you, dear reader, thank you for sticking with us. Although we may not have met in person, I look forward to seeing you in heaven!
Robin Ross rross@telus.net
Well done, good and faithful servant!
ROBIN, I believe the Lord led me to PresbyCan Prayer Line and Devotional many years ago. I’ve found Answers to Prayer and True and Lasting Friendships. I was also encouraged to write, and I found you, Robin, taught me writing lessons I had never learned in School. My Husband and I have enjoyed hearing you read the Daily Devotions. Thank you for touching so many lives, you and PresbyCan will be greatly missed! May God continue to lead you, guide you and bless you and your Wife and Family.
Dear Robin, thank you for your many years of service. I will miss your voice in the morning. May God bless your retirement.
God bless you, Robin for your faithfulness to the Lord’s work.
May you enjoy His “Coram Deo” each day, every day, all your days.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Hi Robin,
I hope you are well, and that you are looking forward to retirement!
I just wanted to say thanks for mentioning my devotional (Up) a few days back, that was kind of you! Hopefully it is a practical refreshment and help to people.
The Lord bless and keep you! I’m thankful for your steadfast ministry.
Dear Robin, thank you for the information about the PresbyCan Daily Devotional.
I was rocked but came to agree with you on your reasons for ending this ministry.
I will be writing more fully to you at your home address.
Meanwhile prayers for you, Evelyn, and family.
Many thanks Robin for your faithful service to this devotional service. It has inspired me on a daily basis for many years and started my day on the right path.
It will be deeply missed. My prayer is that some devoted soul might still be found to continue the good work that you began.
All God’s Blessings.
I will miss PresbyCan. Robin Ross was very loyal. Shows you though that no one else is willing to take it on.
This is very sad. Daily emails have kept our link to God and His church alive – Now What?
I want to thank Robin and the others for their tireless work on behalf of the “Daily”. It has been a significant ministry, conceived by Robin, which reaches around the globe. Blessings to Robin and the other staff.
It saddens me to see this “End”! I thank you for giving me a place to put my writing. Robin, I will be forever grateful for your help and support. I praise our God for the gift of writing in this late season of my life. I consider you a friend as you have prayed for me through difficult times, especially during these months of my daughter’s passing.
Friends in the Lord.
Sir,
This is a really shocking news for me, as I was already preparing my next month devotional, but God knows best.
It has been a great privilege to be a part of this ministry. I have always felt that joy in writing and sharing my work on this platform. And the opportunity to get feedback have been a really great encouragement for me to continue writing and believing that God is really speaking through me.
Thank you very much for allowing God to use you sir. And thank you very much to your team sir.
I pray that this year if your life will be one of ease, joy, happiness and glory in Jesus’ name. I pray that God helps you to hold on to the crown of righteousness till the very end. And because you have blessed lives, none of your family members will miss heaven in Jesus’ name.
Thank you very much once again. This will be like a missing void in my life. May God keep us.
Wishing you every blessing for the adventures ahead. What amazing work you have done since, what 1996. I believe I was among your first contributors and I want to thank you for the privilege of having this venue for almost 30 years.
Not that you need any more reading, but I will send along a compilation of 400 plus mediations you have published along with 50-75 not published or not submitted.
Well! I kind of thought Presbycan Devotionals were forever, I guess. My husband and I have been reading them every morning for years now. My Aunt, a former contributor, got us started. She and my dad now live in a Senior’s home, across the hall from each other. They both have dementia but are very glad to see me. I guess my Christmas devotional we were working on won’t get published, let alone the ones that are in my head and not on paper at all. The closer I get to being “old” the harder it looks. I’ve just said a prayer for you and your wife. I prayed the good times would outweigh the bad for years to come.
I also hope you enjoy lots more “goodbye” emails!
Let me thank you for all your mission efforts. I also want to thank you personally for allowing me to publish devotionals over the years. It has meant so much to me in many ways to do this.
Call it my peaceful method of sharing often in very trying times of my own. The friends I have met here are not known in the flesh but in my spirit and I shall miss looking for them and their prayers.
Maybe time for me to enter a new phase in my late 70s as well.
May God bless you and your family and may your wife find health and comfort, you, too of course.
(Ontario, Canada)
Dear Robin,
It is with deep sadness to hear that you have decided on a final end date for your tenure as the founder and editor of PresbyCan Daily Devotional. I am sure that I am not the only one of your many writers and readers who will miss you profoundly and truly. For me, you have been a teacher, guide, and supporter of my work – that is extremely appreciated.
You will never know how much your impact on my writing, spiritual, and personal growth over these past one and a half years has been to me. I would not be the writer I am today without your input and commitment to perfecting each and every one of my submissions.
After a submission, I always looked forward to your almost immediate comments and critiquing for the betterment of my work. You challenged me to be my very best at all times and to clarify points that you felt a reader would need to know in order to understand my piece more accurately.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart and hope that this new chapter in your life and the lives of your family are enriched and fruitful going forward go with God’s blessing, guidance, and protection. At this time, I pray for the health of your dear wife and that she experiences God’s grace, His healing touch, and boundless mercy.
Robin, I will miss you!
Kindest regards!
What a ministry – founder and 29 years! I did not know! Thank you for all the work you did. I was really blessed by your story. (You are the only person who ever published me!)
I know you are saddened to leave, but I think it’s wonderful that you’re able to show this caring and love for your wife. I pray that God gives you continued strength as you approach your 80th birthday and that you continue to feel his presence and joy and his daily companionship but now in a different way from Presbyterian Canadian devotionals.
God bless you and thank you again.
My prayers for you as you prepare to enter your 8th. decade and as you care for your wife. I indeed have been blessed over the years by these devotionals. Gratitude and trusting our wonderful God to guide you through your next steps.
Thanks for your dedication to the Daily Devotional. You provided a way for people to share the faith and to be encouraged in their spiritual growth and discipleship. I’m sure God has worked through you to touch more lives than you can ever imagine. I pray your retirement from this ministry will arrive with the peace of Christ Jesus and God’s Holy Spirit.
Blessings.
Dear Robin,
I did not know that you were the founder of PresbyCan. Definitely it has been there for many, many people over those years. I am very thankful that I found it and I share it with others daily. With so many different people sharing their faith, it is an amazing devotional and you and the team are so faithful to us readers.
I have asked my prayer group to pray for a miracle. Prayers change things.
Thank you for your heart and soul which you have poured into this devotional website and for your team of volunteers working with you. It is difficult to do something every day of the week. It is nice that the website will be there with links to devotionals in the future. 10,400 devotionals is awesome. THANK YOU.
Sorry to hear this news. These readings have been a great source of inspiration and thought.
Robin Ross,
Many thanks and blessings.
Thank you and your team of fellow workers.
For your many years of service and giving.
Of God’s love.
I appreciate all the years.
Thank you.
Blessings.
Robin: It’s a hard thing to do, stepping back from something you birthed and nurtured, but there does come a time when tough decisions need to be made. I’m 76 and experiencing a few health issues including a rather serious one, so am trying to scale back on a number of fronts. May the Lord continue to bless you in all you do.
(ON)
Thank you for all you have done and best wishes!
I will miss my daily emails very much. I don’t remember the key words in my search, but I found one of your devotionals for comfort when my husband was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2012. So many writers over the years. My husband died in 2022, but all of your wise insights and God’s scripture will always be remembered.