While We Wait An Advent Devotional by and for the People of Grace Church

Saralyn Temple, Editor While We Wait An Advent Devotional by and for the People of Grace Church

Saralyn Temple, Editor

December 2019

Introduction Advent is a season of waiting that, according to Fleming Rutledge, “most closely mirrors the daily lives of Christian and of the church.” It is during Advent that we stop to acknowledge that things are not the way they are supposed to be and to stare into the face of who we are: sinful people in need of saving, and this we cannot do for ourselves. We are in desperate need of a Savior. Yes, Advent is a season of waiting, and not just for Christmas Day. We are living in the in-between times. As our Methodist Communion liturgy exclaims: “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.” Or, as other traditions put it: “Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus, come in glory.” We are living in the now and the not yet. The Kingdom of God has come, but we are still waiting for its fullness when Christ returns. Traditionally, the focus during the season of Advent was not the first coming of Christ at his birth, but his second coming on the final day of the Lord. We live daily in the tension that this world is broken, it is full of suffering and pain, and yet future glory is coming. How do we remember the first waiting and coming of the babe in the manger who would die to set us free as well as live in joyful and obedient anticipation that he will return to set all things right? So this Advent, will you pause to remember the anxiety and longings of the people of God as they awaited the coming of their Messiah who was born to a virgin over two-thousand years ago? Will you let your heart yearn for the return of the same Messiah? And will you enter into Christmas with joy and thanksgiving that He who promised is faithful? "What other time or season can or will the Church ever have but that of Advent?" ~Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics From the Editor

Many thanks go to the incredibly talented and brave souls here at Grace Church. It has been an awesome privileged to learn from them as I put this little book together. Each writer was given the daily Scripture to read and was asked to write on their own relationship with God and how he’s spoken to them through the passage and the assigned topic. They did a great job! A huge debt is owed to Rev. Fleming Rutledge for spawning this brainchild. Her book Advent: The Once & Future Coming of Jesus Christ has helped me to understand the season in a richer way and introduced me to many of the quotes you’ll find in the text.

The beautiful photographs are gifts from talented artist who share their art through Pixabay and Unsplash. To get the most out of this devotional, take time to read the daily Scripture, the day's essay, and prayerfully reflect on what God's saying to you through it all. Each week begins with a song, quote, or prayer from other wonderful sources on Advent. If this devotional has you longing for more, be sure to look them up! I've created a couple Spotify playlists to add to your experience called "Advent: A Season of Waiting" and "A Different Christmas." These can be found by searching for "graceeast" on the Spotify app and locating them in the Public Playlists. Thanks for picking up While We Wait: And Advent Devotional by and for the People of Grace Church. I pray it will lead you to a closer walk with the Savior throughout this Advent, Christmas, and into the new year. ~Saralyn Daily Scripture Reading

December 1 Light-Darkness December 2 Isaiah 9:2-7; Matthew 4:16 December 3 John 11-14 December 4 John 3:16-21 December 5 John 8:12; 1 Peter 2:9-11 December 6 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 December 7 Romans 13:11-12 December 8 Waiting-Journeying December 9 Isaiah 64:1-9 December 10 Psalm 80 December 11 Isaiah 25:6-9 December 12 Luke 2:25-32 December 13 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 December 14 Romans 8:18-29 December 15 Joy-Sorrow December 16 Psalm 30 December 17 Luke 2:10-14 December 18 Luke 4:14-21 December 19 Isaiah 53 December 20 Romans 5:1-11 December 21 Zephaniah 3:14-17 December 22 Arriving-Hoping December 23 Galatians 4:4-6 December 24 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 December 25 Revelation 22:1-5

ADVENT WEEK 1 Light/Darkness

"Where is God when it is dark? The church proclaims that he never hides himself to no purpose. Somewhere, somehow, in spite of all appearances, his vindication awaits the proper moment. At the heart of the Advent season is the proclamation that God did not remain where he was, high above the misery of his creation, but came down, incognito, into the midst of it...To each and all we bring this announcement: God will come, and his justice will prevail, and he will destroy evil and pain in all its forms, once and forever. To be a Christian is to live in expectation of that fulfillment. The life of the church, lived in solidarity with those in darkness, carries with it the embodiment of a certainty: when he comes again, it will be the God of mercy and no one else, and it will be morning."

~Rev. Fleming Rutledge, "The God Who Hides Himself" FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT LIGHT/DARKNESS

For the light beyond the darkness, When the reign of sin is done. When the storm has ceased its raging, And the haven has been won. For the joy beyond the sorrow, Joy of the eternal year. For the resurrection splendor, She is waiting, waiting here! Morn of morns, it comes at last, All the gloom of ages past. For the day of days the brightest, She is waiting, waiting here!

“Until the Daybreak,” Indelible Grace Music

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. ~Collect for the 1st Sunday of Advent, Book of Common Prayer FIRST MONDAY OF ADVENT LIGHT/DARKNESS

"the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” MATTHEW 4:16

I sit here tonight thinking of all the pain and heartache around me. Working in the church office, I help arrange food basket pick-ups for folks that can’t quite make ends meet this month and answer the phone when folks in crisis call. I hear from people on Sunday morning as they bring their burdens from the week with them to worship. I listen to my kids’ concerns about friends and my husband’s worries about his students. Then, I look ahead to Christmas and the stress that goes into the world’s version of celebration. I think of all the expectations that come with all of the parties and gatherings: the food preparations, the gift giving, the family interactions. All the stressors of everyday life compacted into a few short weeks during a season where we’re expected to be happy and carefree. I just want to shout, “This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be!” Jesus didn’t come to make your burdens heavier. He didn’t come to add more stress to an already stressful life. He came to shine a light “for those who live in a land of deep darkness.” He came to lift our heavy burdens. He came to be our Prince of Peace. However, his kingdom is only just begun. We’re in the in-between stage where we are living into a future that will come into its fullness once Jesus returns. The good news is: we don’t have to wait for the Prince of Peace to return to have that peace. As Christians, we’re to be “little Christs” in the world. We’re to be the light in the land of deep darkness. We’re to lift each other’s burdens. MONICA LEBSACK FIRST TUESDAY OF ADVENT LIGHT/DARKNESS

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” JOHN 1:5

December 1971 was a month of big changes in my life that have affected me through these many years. Early in the month on a Friday, I celebrated my 18th birthday with a small gathering of my close friends. My Mom and Dad had gone on a cruise that didn't have them returning home until Sunday. That left little time with them as I was scheduled to be at the Armed Forces Induction Center in Detroit on Monday morning to go into the Navy. I was full of optimism and thought I knew exactly what to expect from the “New Navy” the recruiter had told me about, despite what my Navy veteran Dad, brother, and brother-in-law had tried to tell me. My illusion of the New Navy didn't last very long once I arrived at Boot Camp in San Diego. The full realization of Navy life started to truly sink in as I put my civilian clothes in a box and was given a tag and told to put the name and address of my next of kin on it. My new friends and I in Boot Camp Company 412 were there to be molded into sailors, and no distractions in that process would be allowed.

Other than letters from home, we had no contact with family and friends, and now my first Christmas away from my family was approaching. It seemed such a strange, lonely, and meaningless Christmas in a land with no snow and no family around to celebrate with. Yet I was not alone; along with my new friends Jeff Shinn and Hosea Tolefree, I was but one of many at Boot Camp experiencing the same emotions.

(CONTINUED) As Christmas Day neared, we were allowed to use a bank of pay phones to call family, and it was like an early Christmas present to hear their voices, Dad's especially. This simple act started to lift my spirits and helped me notice other things like the Christmas lights on the houses that surrounded the Navy Base. Despite the lack of snow and no family or familiar celebration, those Christmas lights helped remind me that it was still Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s birth. Those lights had been there all the time, but I had been so focused on my loneliness that I hadn't seen them. Just like the Star of Bethlehem guided the Magi, the Christmas lights of San Diego guided me back to what is truly important about Christmas, Jesus Christ. My wish is that the light of Christ may shine through each of us not only during Advent but every day, illuminating the way for those who find themselves in darkness.

"Oh Beautiful Star the hope of light Guiding the pilgrims through the night Over the mountains till the break of dawn Into the light of perfect day It will give out a lovely ray Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem shine on" “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem,” Al Phipps

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house." Matthew 5:14-15

RICK DONAHUE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF ADVENT LIGHT/DARKNESS

"...Light has come into the world...” JOHN 3:19 Daylight saving time ended a month ago, and we all turned our clocks back and relished the extra hour of sleep we received. But now it is early December, and the days grow ever shorter. We go to work in the dark; we come home in the dark. No shifting of the hands on the clock will change that. Seasonal darkness also brings emotional darkness. Spirits sink with lack of sunlight, and we wait impatiently for spring to come. We know in the depth of our beings that there is something about darkness that just is not right. Think about what it must have been like for the people who called Abraham their father. They’d been called a blessed people, a light to the nations, yet they found themselves enslaved, taken captive (more than once), and at the time of Christ’s first advent, occupied by another hostile people. Would the darkness ever end? Would peace and justice come? But God has a habit of bringing light out of the darkness. In the beginning, worlds burst forth at the sound of his voice. Jesus himself is light that would dawn on the people living in darkness, freeing them and us from the power of sin and spiritual darkness. The truth is: darkness cannot overpower the light. Try it for yourself: flip on the light switch. Shadows cannot hold their ground. They cannot refuse to flee. Light will always overcome darkness. This is still true for us today. Look around you. There’s a lot of darkness, injustice, pain, sorrow. This is not how it is supposed to be. Will this darkness ever end? We too are a people in waiting. Jesus will come again, and when he does, even death will have no power. Let us live as children of the light. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. SARALYN TEMPLE FIRST THURSDAY OF ADVENT LIGHT/DARKNESS

"...that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 PETER 2:9

I prayerfully asked for help from God in writing this devotional, then left for Praise Band practice. During practice, it became clear tome that I was to use the words from a Hillsong Worship song that we were going to sing the following Sunday. It perfectly expresses my thoughts.

In the darkness, we were waiting Without hope, without light ‘Til from Heaven You came running There was mercy in Your eyes To fulfill the law and prophets To a virgin came the Word From a throne of endless glory To a cradle in the dirt Praise the Father, praise the Son Praise the Spirit, three in one God of glory, Majesty Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming And to reconcile the lost To redeem the whole creation You did not despise the cross For even in Your suffering You saw to the other side Knowing this was our salvation Jesus for our sake You died

(CONTINUED) And the morning that You rose All of Heaven held its breath ‘Til that stone was moved for good For the Lamb had conquered death And the dead rose from their tombs And the angels stood in awe For the souls of all who'd come To the Father are restored And the church of Christ was born Then the Spirit lit the flame Now this gospel truth of old Shall not kneel, shall not faint By His blood and in His name In His freedom I am free For the love of Jesus Christ Who has resurrected me

Praise the Father, praise the Son Praise the Spirit, three in one God of glory, Majesty Praise forever to the King of Kings Praise forever to the King of Kings

“King of Kings,” Hillsong Worship

JENNIFER REINHARDT FIRST FRIDAY OF ADVENT LIGHT/DARKNESS

"You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” 1 THESSALONIANS 5:5

Waiting in the dark– We set our hearts, minds, and eyes to deliverance and the return of salvation – releasing our reaping sins. We wait in the dark but are not destined to it. We are awake and pervade our light as faithful children of the day. We realize the broken nature of our kind, turning over again to faith in Jesus. Don’t leave me in my darkness. Worry echoes throughout my mind; anger rationalizes my words and actions, and my heart is sickened with dripping temptation. Find faith in me and pray for me. You also need this from me – I will not leave you either. Our faith is greater than what consumes us. Faith together lights us up and ignites the lines we trace through darkness. The things we love are never enough. And we wait for a thief in the night – bringing triumph of everlasting love to fill us up. For now, learn to love me as I am. My love is no more fulfilling than yours. Our love combined is the work of the Lord and a perfect communion in His name. Complementing our love creates stronger light than we ever give off alone. We are faithful children of the day. Our light together is greater than the darkness surrounding us separately. Our faith and love are meant for each other – through the Lord, who knows our waiting. In darkness we build each other up, in Him, by the light of one another.

DONNY HEFNER FIRST SATURDAY OF ADVENT LIGHT/DARKNESS

"The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.” ROMANS 13:12 There are many kinds of light in our present world. Some we need, they are useful, some make us happy, and some scare the daylights out of us. Let me break that down: Some we need: walk from the dark basement to elevated stairs, use a flashlight to illumine dark corners, light a lantern in the camping area, these are safe to use. The colorful neon lights decorating our town during the Christmas season, numerous candles on a birthday cake, and street lights along our property, these make us happy. Then we have a flickering light bulb with a short, worn electric wires, a thunderstorm with lots of flashing lightening, or when approaching our home after dark, seeing a figure moving a light to and fro. These might startle us. There is a wonderful light that God placed within us. We can share it with others to help them cope with painful attitudes. It evolves to give us life; from it is strength for us to handle life’s challenges, and it brightens the negative elements we often face. That light comes from Jesus our Lord, the Promised One, Messiah, when we know Him. Items that we daily face, without Him, will leave us in darkness, gloom, morose, with feelings of failure. None is necessary since He lives within us when we ask Him to guide our lives. Regardless of how heavy the load we think we are carrying, it becomes lighter when we talk to Him, hum a familiar hymn, read a paragraph from the Bible, play a song. The darkness cannot stand that light and flees. This light that we know so well takes us away from fears, gives us comfort and peace that warms our minds and bodies, and is always with us as long as we believe in and receive the Promised One.

BETTY CRAWFORD

ADVENT WEEK 2 Waiting/Journeying

“Look up, you whose gaze is fixed on this earth, who are spellbound by the little events and changes on the face of the earth. Look up to these words, you who have turned away from heaven disappointed. Look up, you whose eyes are heavy with tears and who are heavy and who are crying over the fact that the earth has gracelessly torn us away. Look up, you who, burdened with guilt, cannot lift your eyes. Look up, your redemption is drawing near. something different from what you see daily will happen. Just be aware, be watchful, wait just another short moment. Wait and something quite new will break over you: God will come.”

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer, God Is In The Manger SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT WAITING/JOURNEYING

O come, Divine Messiah The world is longing for the day When hope shall sing its triumph And her sadness flies away

Dear Savior come to tired earth and bring the grace of dawn Dispel the night and show Thy face Come, Messiah, come O come, Divine Messiah, come Come ,Messiah, come

O Thou whom nations sigh for Whom priest and prophet long foretold Will break the captive fetters and bring the wayward home There is hope today that God Himself might shine upon our souls and say Unto you a Savior comes and everything will change everything will change There is hope today That God Himself will heal our wounded world and say Unto you Savior comes and everything will change

“O Come, Divine Messiah, Come,” Jennie Lee Riddle SECOND MONDAY OF ADVENT WAITING/JOURNEYING

"Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” ISAIAH 64:4

I’m not good at waiting. Anxiety has a way of taking my most exciting expectations and turning them into worry and fear. A few years ago, I graduated college and stepped out into the wilderness. All I had ever known was student life. I was stuck between two sections of my life. In what should have been a time in my life that felt full of possibilities, I felt frozen. Afraid of what was to come. Afraid of the journey ahead. Worried that things weren’t happening fast enough. In those moments ,there was nothing I would have liked more than for God to announce in a booming voice what I should do. Unfortunately, my “burning bush” moment never occurred. But despite my fears, I knew I could always rely on the fact that God had a plan for me, and that I could trust in his plan. A few years later, I’m watching my plan unfold, and so far, so good! God’s plans don’t often happen the way or when we expect them to. God’s people waited hundreds and hundreds of years for their Savior; they expected a great and powerful warrior but instead were given a baby in a manger. Advent is an amazing reminder that God’s plan is always worth the wait.

ALLISON CAISTER SECOND TUESDAY OF ADVENT WAITING/JOURNEYING

"Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.” PSALM 80:3 Advent is about waiting for an event to happen. But as is often the case, the longer we have to wait for anything, the more we become impatient. This is especially true during this time of year. Waiting is a funny thing. Sometimes we wait with eagerness: I can't wait until Christmas day arrives! At other times waiting is stressful, and we simply want relief. As a kid, I was enthusiastic; I couldn't wait for Christmas day to come. Waiting for days to pass was like being on pins and needles. As each day Christmas grew closer, the more excited I became. I couldn't contain my enthusiasm. Another side of waiting causes pressure. Many people have the holiday blues: they can't wait until all the celebrating is over. Those who feel this way know that Christmas is a reminder that we should be happy, but happiness is elusive. No matter which side of waiting we find ourselves, we can't hurry Christmas along. It will come. We simply have to wait. But we must do something while we wait. Psalm 80 is about waiting. A man named Asaph wrote this psalm during a time when Israel was in trouble; this was his appeal, a prayer, to God that he would rescue them. No telling how long Israel had been in trouble. But since Asaph wrote it, we can be sure he came back to this prayer over and over. Waiting also requires faith: a trust that God will do what hehas promised. In the case of Advent, it is the return of King Jesus. This is what we're waiting for. We know that when Jesus returns, our expectations are going to be fulfilled, whether we're eagerly expecting the blessing of his second coming or looking forward to the relief of our troubles. Until that day comes, like Asaph, we wait in faith, knowing God will keep his promise: Jesus will come again. JEFF TEMPLE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF ADVENT WAITING/JOURNEYING

"Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us.” ISAIAH 25:9

Our Irresistible study this fall spent a lot of time exploring the Bible’s covenants: between Israel and God, between Abraham and all people on earth, between God and his son, Jesus, the New covenant poured out for all, you, me and our neighbors. The story began in God’s heavenly heart and transcended through the ages to us today. It’s been a long journey, a journey full of waiting. Funny, life doesn’t reveal its cards all at once. It evolves with experience, maturity, circumstance, relationships, and in God’s own time. Which of these components will reveal answers to the waiting I’m experiencing in my journey right now? Irresistible has taught me that God’s covenant with me, coupled with covenants I’ve had with those around me are important to my waiting/ journey. I need God continually to show me the path He wants me to take, and I need people to go with me on that journey. Advent is like that. We wait for a baby, for the season to reveal something to us, for festive gatherings. Sometimes my waiting is for God to reveal the pathway; other times, it’s having the right human relationships to travel with me. I’ve learned to not be in a hurry, in this season, or in life. It’ll come in due time…God’s time. It’s not easy for me to idly wait. God knows that. And he still expects me to do my part in life, to keep on keeping on so that when my waiting/journey walks into the light of an answer I see and recognize it for what it is. In my life this journey has taken me many places (safe and unsafe), as well as put me in touch with many people (welcome in this world and not). The richness of these experiences has shaped me into the person I am today. As broken as I am, I’ll continue to be all I can for God. For humankind around me, it’s my prayer that our waiting journeys collide and, with God’s help, we learn together. It’s an earthly covenant, prayerfully ratified in heaven. MARTY DORING SECOND THURSDAY OF ADVENT WAITING/JOURNEYING

"For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations...” LUKE 2:30-31

Advent brings us into the season of waiting and wondering. The Hebrew definition of “wait or waiting” is “twisting to make strong; as in cords becoming stronger.” When I first encountered this definition, I was struggling with life decisions. Looking back now, I cannot remember the exact person who led me to this definition, but I have passed it along to many as they too encounter waiting in their life. The definition spoke volumes to me as I made the decision to enter nursing school in my mid-forties. That is not the usual time to start such a life changing journey! After many prayers, it seemed the right path at the right time for me. Waiting did make me stronger: I waited to be accepted into the university, I waited for exam grades, I waited for knowledge to sink in so I was comfortable in practice, and I waited for my life to settle into a normal pattern when nursing became a career. Each step of that life journey led me to so many interesting people and places. Without “waiting” and trusting in the Lord, I would have missed so many fantastic opportunities.

Dear Lord, stay close to each of us this Advent Season as we struggle with waiting. You know the path for each of us and we pray to remain patient and strong, just as Mary and Joseph did when they left for Bethlehem. Make us mindful of our waiting time and use it to your glory. In your name we pray, Amen.

PEG RUSSELL SECOND FRIDAY OF ADVENT WAITING/JOURNEYING

"...you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”

1 CORINTHIANS 1:7

It was recess time after lunch in 3rd grade. Everyone was playing, but I wasn't; I was watching, waiting. I was a bully about to pounce when my friend walked over. That friend will never leave my heart and soul. She asked me a question that burns through my mind every day: What would Jesus do? That was when it clicked; I knew I had to change. Afterward, I went to the person that was living every day at school in fear of me and attempted to make amends in my third grader way. As I remember that day, I remember the love and courage that one friend showed me to change my life. That friend was a true friend. Now, a true friend, what is a true friend? Well I did some thinking and here is the definition that I hope you will take to heart: a true friend is one who is honest with you at all times, and, like Jesus, will likely be a bit too honest. A true friend is also someone who, no matter what, will always stick by your side and feed you words of encouragement and wisdom as well. A true friend is someone you can trust without any doubts, who you know only has good intentions and wants what’s best for you. But to really discover your true friends, all you have to do is hit the lowest point in your life and take a look around. All the pretenders and sheep-cloaked wolves will be nowhere in sight, but the people who really care will never waver in their authenticity and support. Now I’m not saying go throw yourself into the wells of darkness—it's just an extreme—but know that in the end there will always be someone—Jesus and someone else that he brings along with him—to bring you into the light of true friendship and love. Love all and live on.

JORDAN LEBSACK SECOND SATURDAY OF ADVENT WAITING/JOURNEYING

"We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

ROMANS 8:12

It is the season of cheesy “Season’s Greetings” cards and popular festive music. Parties, shopping, decorations—the Christmas mood is contagious. The joy of the season is appropriate, but in this rush of excitement, we often forget what comes before Christmas: Advent. Advent is a strange time for the church, as we usually love to dive straight into bursting choruses of “Joy to the World” and “Angels We Have Heard on High.” We often forget this time of waiting and the heaviness that comes with it. You see, Advent is the time where we prepare for the Lord’s coming, both first and second, Christmas Day and the Day of the Triumphant Return. We live in the time between, so we reflect on the past, realizing our need for a savior, and look forward to the future in anticipation of our Savior’s return. In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul reminds us that the whole of creation has been corrupted, but it looks eagerly for a time where a savior will make it whole once more. Jesus is our savior, and Christmas is his birth, his entering into the world, but until he comes again, we wait. We wait for a coming messiah to set us free; we wait for a returning king to make us like himself. In songs such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” we see this pain that Paul writes about, as well as the eagerness to be restored. The chorus rings out “Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee , O Israel.” While we draw ever nearer to the joyous Christmas day, we must remember the groaning and the waiting that the Israelites felt as they waited for a messiah. We are not captives of a tyrannical government, but of a fallen world, and like them we call out for our Savior’s coming. We look towards the future and the promise of a coming king, just as the Jews did all those years ago. SHANE TEMPLE

ADVENT WEEK 3 Joy/Sorrow

"You cannot have true joy until you know great sorrow. This sorrow is discovered as we more fully grasp the reality of our sin and the weight of what Christ bore on the cross. It is discovered in the ache our hearts feel for the brokenness all around us, and it is discovered in the midst of the sorrows that invade our lives. It is in the knowing of great sorrow that we more fully realize the joy that is coming, the joy that has come. And that wonderful promise 'Behold, I am making all things new' begins to grip the heart of the weary as we find joy in the presence of our Savior and joy in the wonder and hope of His promise to redeem it all."

~Lindsey R. Dennis, author of Buried Dreams THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT JOY/SORROW

Comfort ye heavy laden The Son of God has come His kingdom shines with lavish mercy For those who’s hearts are drawn

Those who dwell in darkness See the light of Christ invades the night Shining from His cross of anguish His death brings many life In Christ we know hope for the hurting In Christ we know love for the lost In Christ we know no other one can save Comfort ye weary Christian For just as Christ was raised He will soon return to gather those Who follow Him by faith Immanuel God with us Son of God Hallelujah

“Comfort Ye,” Daniel Renstrom THIRD MONDAY OF ADVENT JOY/SORROW

" ...Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” PSALM 30:12

I have two brothers and one sister, and we are all single. Three of us have had spouses who died, and the fourth was a divorce. Either way, we have all experienced the pain of loss of loved ones. Many of you have gone through this as well. Certainly, my first Christmas without her was difficult, but memories of how much she loved Christmas have kept it special for me. Julie showed the love of Jesus in everything she did, and at Christmas time, she was at her best. She spent hours decorating the house and Christmas tree just right. She invited many of our friends to come and see the house and have a few cookies and tea. Our two kids had an Advent poster with a cardboard door for each day. They would open the door for that day and read the Bible verse that dealt with the coming of Christ. Of course, there were the parties with friends and food—times of fellowship and singing. She had the gift of joy. King David also had the gift of joy and he wrote many verses in the Psalms that deal with joy. Psalm 30 in particular deals with joy. The occasion is the dedication of the Temple. David’s joy is expressed by these words: “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” Certainly, the birth of Jesus is a joyful occasion. Luke 2:10 tells us that angels told the good news of Jesus birth to the shepherds, and that the good news will cause joy to ALL people. The Gospel brings great joy because it brings salvation from sin and reconciliation with God! Joy does not come from things we buy; it comes from time spent with family, including church family, Bible reading, the account of Jesus’ birth found in Matthew or Luke, and the assurance that Jesus lived on earth and died to save us from our sins. May you have a JOYful Christmas. RICHARD DURKEE THIRD TUESDAY OF ADVENT JOY/SORROW

"I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” LUKE 2:10

You have scoured Amazon, searched Google, or even looked at items in an actual store. You have begun Christmas shopping, organizing lists of things you can’t wait to give, or receive, this Christmas. It’s fun. For me, I dig through websites finding things I know my kids will be thrilled to open Christmas morning. I use spreadsheets to create lists and track websites and sales so I can maximize their Christmas joy. I especially love finding gifts for them that help them pursue things they enjoy. Sports gear and art supplies are frequent guests under our tree, and they bring joy year long as the kids use them in activities they love. I love showering my kids with gifts. It gives me a glimpse into how God loves you and me. God wants to shower us with gifts that allow us to be who He created us to be. He wants to experience His joy despite whatever hurt and sorrow we’ve endured. From the fruits of the Spirit to Jesus himself, God gives us His peace and more. While I might not need a Louisville Slugger, I do need more patience. God will give it. I don’t need painting canvases, but I need grace. God give me that, too. At Christmas we begin to see how God showered us with the Ultimate Gift. Jesus arrived on a cold morning and 30ish years later gave His life and conquered death so that we might spend eternity with Him. On Christmas morning all my kids have to do is open their gifts and they are theirs. All we have to do to receive this Ultimate Gift is to trust Christ with everything. Give Him control. Please ask yourself today, “Have I really trusted God with everything. Have I allowed Him to give me what I really need? Have I really given my life to Jesus?” Be honest. It’s Ok, just go ahead and open that gift today. MATT COPPESS THIRD WEDNESDAY OF ADVENT JOY/SORROW

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." LUKE 4:18-19

It’s been a long, long time waiting for Jesus to return and make everything better for us. He’s supposed to do that: it’s what’s written, and it’s what we’ve all been told since we can remember, right?! But generation after generation is born, lives, and dies…and still no return of our Savior. The church is in another Advent season, a season of magic, music, anticipation of“ re-living” the baby Jesus’ birth. But it’s difficult to be at peace with this knowing he may not return again in our lifetime. I find myself wondering what Jesus could have been thinking all the days of his life, not really knowing for sure how or when he would do what he had to do to save us. Can you imagine the anxiety? The fear? Knowing God the Father had chosen him to fulfill that role must have been a great burden to him, BUT he trusted in God and preached as such. So, as desperate as we are in these times of pain and suffering throughout the world, we need to remember that God’s promise of a Savior who would die to save us was fulfilled. The promise of his return should be trusted and believed in as well….as written, as we’ve been told. But the timeline is for our heavenly Father to know, just as it was for Jesus. Be patient. Be loving. Be prepared. He will return again!

FRITZI STEVENSON THIRD THURSDAY OF ADVENT JOY/SORROW

"Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering...” ISAIAH 53:4

It’s only been a few short days, but yet a long few weeks since John left us. The loss hits hard at times during my day while trying todo things are normal as washing the dishes. The crippling pain squeezes me, and I wonder if I’ll be able to breathe through it. I take deep breaths and I cry or just bottle it back up and move on. I look at my kids’ faces, and I know I have to be strong and show them that life goes on. I know I’m the person my kids are looking at to know how to react every step of the day. Each is handling it differently, just as I am from them. We each had a different road we walked with John, and therefore, our feelings and what is going to make us feel that loss is going to be different. I know that any time Nicholus looks at the sailboat, his heart is going to hurt something terrible, and the grip can either take him under, or he will take a deep breath and step on the boat and let the good memories take over rather than the pain. Kate is going to look at the spot on her bed where her dad would sit at the end of a long day and ask her repeatedly how her day was and what happened until she stopped using the word “fine” and told him something real about her day. Sawyer is going to sit at the table and look at his dad’s spot and wonder how the chair can truly be empty. This is where we have to either let God help us through or push him away. By remembering what we’ve been taught over and over again in church, Sunday school, in our own learning along the way, we can either hold tight that God has a plan and we may not understand it but that’s ok, or we can throw that all away and be angry and fight it and not use the core values that are taught to us for just these times.

(CONTINUED) I hold tight to my beliefs because without them all hope falls apart. It’s how I manage to get up and continue on each morning despite things no longer being exactly as I want them. My control that I so desperately want in my life has been taken from me, and the only way to process it is to use the information I have been given over my entire life to get through this time. Until we are faced with true tragedy, we can say all the right things, go out and help others, and go to church every week, but in the end, if we throw it all away and don’t hold God tight, then what’s the point? I can’t say I felt God with me every step of the last two weeks. I can’t say with confidence that I told him I trusted him every step of the way. I know there were times when all I could see and feel was my pain, anguish, and anger. But when the fog lifts and the pain is gone for small times here and there, ’that s when I could reach out and say, “Please keep holding me; I need you.” I continue to ask for guidance. Even though I am not happy with God always, I still hold firm to the understanding that we each have a path. I don’t understand or have to like it, but I can’t fight it either. My journey is going to be longer than John’s. He was able to touch more lives in his short time than I, and therefore his time was shorter on this earth. It’s what I’m holding tight to. This is my interpretation. My kids have a different interpretation of why he is gone so soon from them. This is because our brains are different, and our experiences are each our own. But in the end, we all believe God will walk us through this and get us to the end of our path. And each person he puts in that path along the way will help us and ease our pain.

CAROLINE DARBEE THIRD FRIDAY OF ADVENT JOY/SORROW

"...we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” ROMANS 5:2

I have never been good at waiting, whether in joy or in sorrow. I have always been ready for the next thing, eager to get to it. I don’t like the in-between times, when things are unclear or uncertain. I waited in joyful anticipation to walk down the aisle to marry my husband. I remember the butterflies in my stomach as I held my dad’s arm at the back of the church, looking forward to my future. I waited in painful sorrow when my mom was released into hospice care. I remember caring for her by my dad side, the waiting stretching on as she moved forward into eternity. Just as I wait in joy and in sorrow, so did the followers of Christ. John 12:13 tells us that they joined in his joyous entry into Jerusalem, waving palm branches. They must have trembled in fear and sorrow after witnessing Jesus’ horrific death as described in John 19, wondering what would come next. Now we wait in the in-between time, just as Christ’s early followers did. We are between his birth, death, and resurrection, looking forward to when we’ll see him again. As we wait, we are reconciled to God by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. “Waiting Here for You,” by Christy Nockels, is a song that comforts me in times of uncertainty, when I have surrendered my requests and impatiently wait for answers:

Waiting here for you With our hands lifted high in praise And it’s you we adore Singing alleluia

AMY HOERAUF THIRD SATURDAY OF ADVENT JOY/SORROW

"The Lord your God is with you,the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” ZEPHANIAH 3:17

On the long journey that is known as life, there will be moments of joy and moments of sorrow. There will be trials and tests, but also serene moments where you can just be happy. But the question many of us ask is, “How can I be joyful in times of sorrow?” The answer to this question is not that complicated. Frankly, it can be summed up in one word: God. In my life, I’ve come to find that getting through times of sorrow is almost impossible without God. When we go through tough times, we often ask ourselves, “If God is real, and he loves me no matter what, why did he let this happen?” Then we begin to question our faith because life isn’t going according to our plan. But that’s the thing; we don’t control our path, God does, and he knows what’s best for us. I believe that God throws obstacles in our path because he wants us to grow closer to him in our faith, and find our joy in him. The Lord has a plan for our lives and has a reason to give us these obstacles, and you have to believe that God is with us and will never forsake us. Zephaniah 3:15 says, “The Lord has taken away your punishment; he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, The King of Israel, is with you.” In the next few verses God reminds us that he will always be there to guide and comfort us through the moments we need him most and every other time we need him. So the next time you are overwhelmed with emotion, trust God and he will help you through it.

CRISTIN COPPESS

ADVENT WEEK 4 Arriving/Hoping

“Our lives are eschatologically stretched between the sneak preview of the new world being born among us in the church, and the old world where the principalities and powers are reluctant to give way. In the meantime, which is the only time the church has ever known, we live as those who know something about the fate of the world that the world does not yet know. And that makes us different.”

~Will Willimon, Conversion in the Wesleyan Tradition FORTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT ARRIVING/HOPING

Christ whose glory fills the skies Christ the Everlasting Light Son of Righteousness arise Triumph o'er these shades of night

Come Thou long awaited one In the fullness of Your Love Loose this heart bound up by shame And I will never be the same So here I wait in hope of You All my soul's longing through and through Dayspring from on high be near Daystar in my heart appear Dark and cheerless is the morn 'Till Your love in me is born Joyless is the evening sun 'til Emmanuel has come

“Advent Hymn,” Christy Nockles

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.” Revelation 22:20-21 FORTH MONDAY OF ADVENT ARRIVING/HOPING

"But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” GALATIANS 4:4-5

This year has been a year of hope and waiting for the arrival of my son. When my husband and I found out we were pregnant, we were just a few weeks away from starting a very different journey to have a family. Throughout the pregnancy, I spent countless hours sitting and wondering about who our son would look or talk like, if I would bond right away, how engaged would his dad be, and hundreds of other musings about this tiny human inside me. I also wondered if these were some of the same thoughts Mary had as she was carrying Jesus. During this advent season, I find myself again wondering. Yes, wondering about holiday plans, what gifts to give, family photos, and how my son Thomas will do through it all. I also think about what it would have been like on that Bethlehem night in the stable gazing upon the manger. I ponder on the thoughts of those who stepped into the empty tomb some years later. What are you wondering about this season?

"But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7

ANNE PENN CHRISTMAS EVE ARRIVING/HOPING

"Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 THESSALONIANS 4:18

Anticipating. Expecting. Coming. Appearing. Celebrating. Celebrating the birth of Jesus every year during Advent helps us to reaffirm our belief in Him, our love for Him, and our faith in Him; knowing He would be facing crucifixion, resurrection, and a second coming, Christ came to save us from our sins, and we shall have eternal life with Him. Max Lucado says, “Hope was born on that night, hope and expectation that a new Kingdom would begin.” The teachings of Jesus give us so much in our lives, a way to live and to be more like him. In Matthew 22, Jesus gives us a directive to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Knowing this gives us the courage to let others know what they can have – a Savior who loves them and who died on the cross to take away their sins. In Matthew 6, Jesus tell us not to worry about what we would eat or drink or wear, but to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things would be given to us. Likewise, we should not worry about dying and death. “We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven…and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). So as we celebrate Jesus’ birth again, let us continue on to love one another, follow the Great Commission Matthew 28, and be ready to be with Him in His new kingdom. GLENDA VANDEMARK

CHRISTMAS DAY ARRIVING/HOPING

"No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.” REVELATION 22:3

We enter once again, into that season in which we defiantly embrace hope—the hope of new life, the hope of rebirth, the hope of liberation in the advent of the coming of Jesus. As I pause once again to think about the story, I cannot help but realize how impractical the whole spectacle seems. The fact that God chooses to manifest himself in time and space born to an unwed and unassuming teenager wise beyond her years, who in turn gives birth in a barn of all places, at a time of year in which the whole world has come to Jerusalem. Not only that, instead of announcing it from the rooftop of the Temple, instead of announcing it through the heralds of the religious community, shepherds are the recipients of the angelic announcement of the Good News. It seems to me that if I were God, I would have done things a bit differently, possibly with a bit more pomp and circumstance. Yet that’s what it is all about isn’t it? I mean God doesn’t choose too often to reveal himself to a -self confident, self-assured, self-secured people, does he? No. God is the God of the underdog: the broken, bruised, battered, and betrayed. God comes to a people whom have been largely betrayed by both their religious and political systems. So, no, God will not reveal God’s plan through the most obvious means. Instead, like the Scriptures suggest he will bury his treasure in a field (see Matthew 13:44) and see who is willing to give everything they have to find it. The question becomes, then, how hard are we looking? How desperate are we? Jesus doesn’t come at obvious times, in obvious places, through obvious means. So where are we looking to find him?

(CONTINUED) We live in a world engaged in a global war on terror, where people kill, maim, and destroy in the name of their respective “gods” that can make it extremely difficult to discern the hand of God. We live ina world where political agendas continue to promise a brighter future but rarely even deliver. While we prepare to gather around holiday tables, there are those around our nation and around the world for whom this annual celebration of the birth of Jesus will be difficult. Yet as John reminds us in Revelation 22, there will be yet again another day when “we will see his face” once again. The first advent hints at yet another that’s yet to come. It’s in the midst of this world that God offers us the gift that is the only real hope of a divided and broken world—the gift that has demonstrated to us what true giving is all about, the one gift that has the power to change the world one life at a time, the gift that in the truest sense of the word, keeps on giving – the gift of Jesus! May this New Year continue to provide opportunities for you and I to fall deeper and deeper in love with the One who embraces hope for us.

ERIC KIEB 4267 Two Mile Rd. Bay City, MI www.baycitygracechurch.org