Advent 2023: Light in the Darkness
Twenty-two simple practices for cultivating hope, peace, joy & love
Hello, friends!
The season of Advent is upon us, and I am bubbling with excitement. I love the cozy, dark nights, curled up on the couch. Lighting a hand-poured beeswax candle has become somewhat of a tradition for me, its glow casting a warmth that pushes back against the bitter cold outside. Colorful lights on display throughout town are unexpected glimmers of joy that weren’t there just the other day. This light in the darkness - it all just feels so hopeful, you know?
I never understood Advent beyond the store-bought calendar that hung in our home each year. Typically beginning on the first of December, it helped us count down the days until Christmas. In essence, Advent is the season of waiting, but back then, the only thing I ever waited for was the coveted piece of chocolate that lay behind those little cardboard doors.
Several years ago, I began to learn about the true meaning of Advent, and it has become one of the most treasured times of the year for me. Advent (from the Latin word adventus) means “coming.” For Christians, it is a time of preparation as we wait for the arrival of Jesus.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
John 1:5
When I walked away from church a few years ago, it was incredibly helpful for me to go back and reread the gospels - to remember, “Who is Jesus?” Who does he say he is? What makes the Good News, good? And who is this Good News for? How has the church warped some of my interpretations of scripture and therefore my understanding of God? Is He still worth following? (I think so.)
Advent is that remembering. The steady drumbeat towards the birth of Christ. The remembering of who He is. Why He came. Why He chose to come the way He did. And most importantly, what He came to teach us about His ways. Quite often, I feel the American Evangelical Church has gotten it so wrong, which makes this remembering even more urgent and necessary and sacred.
Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve, which means that Advent is just a few days away. Each Sunday we light a candle on the Advent wreath as we reflect on the theme for each week: hope, peace, joy, love.
The Christmas season can feel a bit lonely for those of us who were once so tied to church but now find ourselves on the outside. So Advent practices can feel like a tethering to the faith we profess, even though we know faith is a daily practice well beyond this Christmas season. While Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Christ, we also remember that the world is not as it should be, and we wait for the time when things will be made right.
I created this Advent practice for me, but I created it with you in mind, too. It’s my attempt at answering the question, “How do we cultivate hope, peace, joy, and love in a world that can often feel so dark?” I believe these are some ways we can partner with God to create a more beautiful world here “on Earth as it is in Heaven.”
A few things to consider:
✅ This is meant to be simple. Most of these activities will take just a few minutes a day. You won’t need any fancy materials – in fact, you probably have everything you need already.
✅ Anyone can participate in these practices. So even if you don’t identify as a Christian, I invite you to join us. We can all benefit by cultivating hope, peace, joy, and love in our own lives and in the lives around us.
✅ Beginning this Sunday, December 3rd, I hope to share my progress daily on my writing Facebook page. So please head over there and “like” that page because I’d love for you to share your thoughts and progress, too! (Note: This is a separate page, and I will not be posting on my personal page.)
The desire is to be intentional about cultivating hope, peace, joy, and love within, as we consider how we can reflect that light out into the world.
So, I’ll see you on Sunday! We ride at dawn. (Kidding. I’ll still be sleeping. I encourage you to move at your own pace.😊) Click the link below when you’re ready to get started.
I’ll close with a Christmas Prayer by Henri Nouwen:
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”