Everyone expects an encounter with God when they enter church—even unbelievers. We hope to encounter Him in His Word, or when praying. Some of us look for Him in the beauty of creation, and still others anticipate His presence in times of focused solitude. But how many of us expect an encounter with God at work, the grocery store, or…
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In the midst of one of the harshest winter seasons, we have seen in many years where I live, a memory of another harsh winter revisited me. Over 20 years ago, that one extended well into April, with snow on the ground until May. I remember sewing with my youngest daughter while listening to The Secret Garden on cassette tape, in an…
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Experts predict that 2026 will see significant economic, technological, and geopolitical changes, with a cautious, but optimistic outlook amid uncertainties. Every year the “experts” posit what they foresee for the coming year. While many of their predictions seem vague, pundits insist yearly predictions tend to materialize. The thing about such predictions given at the outset of a new year is,…
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The world tells us that January is for acceleration—new goals, new habits, new hustle. But God’s kingdom moves in the opposite direction. What if the holiest thing we could do at the start of the year is…less? What if restraint, not ambition is the doorway to renewal? This softer approach invites us to step out of the cultural current and…
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Throughout our Advent Series: Light in Unexpected Places, we have lingered in the shadows, trusted midnight, waited with the light, and rested in silence. Each paradox prepared us for this moment: the spark has ignited, the dawn has broken, the fragile flame now becomes the Light of the World. On Christmas morning we discover that every shadow was shaping us,…
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We imagine light as instant, a switch flipped, a candle lit: but Advent reminds us that light waits. Dawn’s arrival comes not with a hurried appearance, it lingers on the horizon, yawning across the sky. So, too, God’s promises unfold in rhythm, not haste. Advent is the season where we learn that waiting is not wasted, but the very shape…
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We often imagine Advent as a season of candles piercing the dark with the gift of Light. But what if the shadows themselves are part of the gift? Without shadow, light has no shape, no texture, no contrast. Scripture reminds us God Himself chose to dwell in thick darkness (1 Kings 8:12), a mystery that reframes our waiting. In the…
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Advent is the season of light— but not in the way we usually imagine. We often picture candles glowing against winter nights, or the star guiding the Magi. Yet the deeper truth of Advent is that God’s light often appears in unexpected, even counterintuitive places. Resting in the shadows, in midnight hours, in the mundane of waiting, or in the…
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If you live in the United States, as soon as the calendar flips to November, thoughts turn to Thanksgiving preparations. But with Christmas right on the heels, even those living around the world anticipate a busy holiday season. In rapid succession these thoughts turn to family gatherings. But for some, the thought of family gatherings conjures feelings of anxiety or…
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