Good morning, friends!
It is the first day of Advent. I’m nestled into my couch, feeling rather cozy under my blanket and sipping my second cup of coffee as the rain falls gently outside my window, steady and soft.
I’ve begun my first Advent practice of reading and reflecting, which I’ll share with you here. I’ve also got my hands on Phyllis Tickle’s book, Christmastide. She describes it as a “manual for doing fixed-hour prayer during the holy weeks of wintertime.” I’m not usually a “read the manual” kind of girl, but I’m always looking for fresh ways to connect with God, even though “observing the divine hours” is apparently one of the oldest spiritual practices. Something about praying alone, but also alongside other believers all around the world at the same time, feels very inviting and holy. And scripted prayers feel very doable for me right now. So I’m hoping to do this alongside the simple practices I created.
Throughout Advent, I’ll be posting my process daily over on my Facebook writing page, so feel free to follow along there. I’m also going to test out the Chat feature here on Substack. Think of it as an online Gathering Place for us, which is what I always hoped this newsletter would become. Each Sunday, I’ll share my reflection, and I’ll start a new chat based on the theme of the week. I hope you’ll share your thoughts and process there too if you choose to work through these practices with me. So I hope you don’t mind that you’ll be getting a few extra posts from me this month. This week’s chat reflects on hope.
This is Day 1 of Light in the Darkness: Twenty-two simple practices for cultivating hope, peace, joy, and love. Today we're looking at John 1:1-5.
It’s probably no surprise that this passage gives me hope. I find myself rereading these words over and over again - sometimes out loud so I can feel the vibration of each syllable in my throat and the weight of each word in my bones.
In the beginning was the Word,
And the Word was with God,
And the Word was God.
In American church culture, “the word” often refers to scripture. And how we interpret the scriptures is usually based on how we’ve been taught to interpret them. For many Christians, the Bible is considered the ultimate authority, often idolized as if it were the true God. Rigid interpretations have caused a lot of pain and divisiveness within the church: gatekeeping, abuses of power, and unintentional hurts, too.
But here, I am reminded that Jesus is “the Word.” And that Word is the Light of the world. The Church’s policies are not the Word. The pastor’s interpretation of scripture is not the Word. Even the Apostle Paul’s teachings are not the Word. Amid the beauty and complexity of scripture, Jesus is the One whom Christians should be modeling their lives after. I am reminded that if we follow his ways (which are radically loving and inclusive and just), the world would be a kinder, gentler place.
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Where are you noticing light these days?
✨ I find hope in the potential of a new day.I find hope in the artists and creators, who help us imagine the kind of world we'd like to live in.
✨I find hope in the sisterhood of Israeli peacemakers called Women Wage Peace.
✨I find hope in the believers and skeptics who may not be able to walk through the doors of a church, but who keep showing up in other ways - those who cling defiantly to their faith because they know that God can be found beyond church walls.
How can you shine a light into dark spaces?
✨I can offer gentle responses to those around me.
✨I can reach out to someone who might be feeling particularly lonely this season.
✨I can advocate for the voiceless, speak out against injustice, and/or draw awareness to the hope-bearers of the world.
✨I can beat Earl in Scrabble and remain humble.
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Now, I'd love to hear from you! Head on over to Facebook or make your way over to the chat and tell me: Where are you finding hope these days? And how can you be the light?