The month of December in our culture presents a few different narratives:

One is the “Christmas Time” narrative, where December is a month to be happy, filled with parties, and giving and receiving gifts making sure everyone says, “Merry Christmas”.

There’s a “Completely Stressed” narrative, where the entire month is one gigantic time to plan social events, shop every moment, host extended family and friends, and  decorating your home on top of an already busy schedule. Where is the time for all of this?

And, finally, there’s the “Ancient Preparation” narrative that is a part of the sacred calendar in the Church - where Advent is a time to intentionally set aside all distractions to rest and prepare in the reality of the coming Christ: Immanuel - God with us. Peace on earth, good will to all. It is the beginning of the new year for Christians.

I did not grow up celebrating the season of Advent. But I always longed to understand it. To enter in to the story. I'm also not good at waiting. This is the best practice for patience that I can get. As a culture, we take pride in always being "busy". Isn't it true - that many of us find Advent complicated, stressful, even sad when we aren't caught up in how it "should be" or "feel"? We ought to be filled with joy; we ought to push away distractions; we ought to focus on Jesus, and love, and peace, and all that holy stuff, right? But do we ever catch up with those aspirations? For many years, I did not. Until a few years ago when I began to dive head first into this practice of waiting during Advent.

What if you could join me, and the historic Church this year? What if the distractions and holiness and pain and joy and stress and peace were all supposed to be wrapped up into one narrative, instead of us having to choose? What if God intended Advent to be a part of our real, complicated lives each year, instead of a fake imitation? What if the rough edges of our Decembers weren’t things to be sanded away?

I hope you’ll join me this Advent, beginning on December 3^rd . I have included a FREE Advent Liturgy Guide (print on both sides and fold in half) to help you explore how we can celebrate Advent authentically and deeply while still in the midst of the real world. After all, Christmas is the story of the joyful birth of our Savior…

So let's learn to be patient. Learn to stare at the stars in the night sky. Learn to be with Jesus. Learn to be quiet and still. Learn to wait. Then, and only then, will you begin to discern what God is doing. May this Advent help prepare you to discern what God is about to do in your life and in our world.

Grace and peace,
Brian