Advent is often filled with the nervous energy that propels us through all of the busyness, the hustle, and the last-minute wrapping of the pre-Christmas season. There are so many desires and longings wrapped up in every must-make recipe and must-do tradition that often we’re tired just thinking about it.

But what if we spent this Advent looking at what’s underneath the joyful (and possibly manic) expectation?  We invite you to join us in a daily Advent devotion as we seek to find the hope, peace, joy, and love for ourselves, our people, and our world, that are at the heart of the season.

And not in a Hallmark movie way. In a way that meets us where we ACTUALLY are in our lives right now.

Using the book Bless the Lives We Actually Have and an Advent companion guide, we’ll draw closer to all that is holy and all that can be hard about the season. Read along with us using a free 4-week daily devotional that we’ll provide. The devotional is designed to take no more than 20 minutes each day and it includes links to music, podcasts, and other extracurricular resources should you want to go deeper.

DETAILS

• Getting Started. Sign up to join the Advent Devotional Group and we’ll share the devotional and further instructions for you to get the most out of this time. You don’t have to purchase the Bless the Lives We Actually Have book to use the devotional but it will enrich your experience. The book is available in print, audiobook, and electronic formats.
• Daily Devotional. The devotional begins on Sunday, December 3rd. Plan on spending 20 minutes each day in reflection. There are group options in the devotional as well so you might even want to make this a family devotional time.
• Group Gathering. We’ll meet halfway through Advent on Thursday, December 14th at 6:30 PM to reflect together on our experiences with the devotional. You may join us in person or on ZOOM for this get-together.