Podcasts about advent week

Join us in our Advent series to learn about the four themes of Advent. In this short episode, we explore the theme of peace and the peace we have in Christ in the Advent season and beyond. Subscribe to our Podcast Newsletter!   Connect with us: The Daily Grace Co. | Facebook | Instagram | Daily Grace Blog | 

Advent is a good time to slow down a little, and St. Joseph the Workman shows us what it looks like to stay steady and trust God in the middle of everyday life.In Week Two of A Quiet Light, we focus on St. Joseph the Workman and pray with Matthew 11:28–30—Jesus' reminder that we don't have to carry everything alone. Joseph lived this in a very real way. The word we're sitting with this week? ✨ Rest. The kind of rest that comes from putting things back in God's hands.Our invitation this week is simple: let your daily work become a place to talk to God. Whether you're doing chores, driving, or checking things off your list, bring Him into it. Let Him lighten the load.Don't miss the Cutting Room Floor at the end for some extra stories and moments we couldn't fit into the episode.

In the midst of the anxious world we live in, Richard and Daniel discuss Biblical peace found only in Christ Jesus.  TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction 2:05 Leadership Trivia 3:00 In your travels, what have you seen around the world when it comes to anxiety and peace? 5:10 How do you begin to lead people in such an anxious world? 15:30 What does it look like to be a peacemaker? 22:20 Why is it important for a leader to not lose sight of the emotional well-being of a person? 29:45 How do you cultivate a culture of peace without making it a culture of complacency? 35:00 Leadership Trivia Answer DONATE: If you have enjoyed this podcast and want to support our ministry into the next 20 years, click here. RESOURCES: Mark your calendars for May 18-20, 2026 when Richard will be presenting Experiencing God – Part 2 at the Cove in Asheville, NC. More info to come. Join Blackaby Ministries' next Spiritual Leadership Coaching Workshop here. CONNECT: Follow Richard on X. Follow Richard on Facebook. Read Richard's latest blog here.

This week, ​​Ruth and Marilyn discuss the concept of Blue Christmas services that acknowledge grief during the festive season and offer consolation to those experiencing loss. The episode also delves into the idea of dormancy, likening spiritual dormancy to the natural world's winter phase, where growth happens unseen. The conversation highlights the importance of creating space for mourning, acknowledging our vulnerabilities, and the need for faith and guidance during these seasons of grief and apparent inertness. Questions for Reflection:  Where do you feel that you need to mourn? Have you had the guidance that you've needed for your mourning? And if not, how might you seek that out? Is there any place in your life right now that can be explained or given meaning through an understanding of dormancy?  In this season of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, Ruth invites listeners to embark on a unique journey during Advent 2025. Departing from traditional liturgical approaches, we will focus on the overlap between the seasons of Advent and winter, inspired by Marilyn McIntyre's book 'Midwinter Light: Meditations for the Long Season.' Ruth will be joined all through Advent by Marilyn McIntyre, herself. Together they will explore themes such as inner reflection, the significance of silence, and the profound connections between spirituality and the physical season of winter.    Marilyn McEntyre is an author of over 20 books, including Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies (2021) and Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict (2020). Her book, What's in a Phrase? Pausing Where Scripture Gives You Pause won the Christianity Today book award in spirituality. Midwinter Light, reflections on poems for the “long season,” has just been released. A former professor, now writer, writing coach, speaker, and retreat leader, her deepest interests lie in connections between spirituality, language, healing earth, and each other. She teaches regularly for programs at Western Seminary, New College Berkeley, and the Oblate School of Theology. Mentioned in the Episode: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi Moby Dick by Herman Melville Wintering by Katherine May The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander Music Credit: Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist A Light Unto My Path from Advent Music in Solitude   We're starting a Substack! This will be “a new home for reflection, conversation, and connection with our transforming community.” Our new Substack is called “On the Journey with the Transforming Center,” and it will include thoughtful reflections from Ruth Haley Barton and the Transforming Center team, as well as alumni and friends of the Transforming Center, occasional special video teachings and guided practices, and space to interact with our content and respond with how God is working in your life through the posts. This will also be the new home of all of our podcast patron content! There will be free and paid tiers. We'd love for you to join us over on Substack. (Existing patrons, check Patreon for a special link to provide you with a discounted rate!) Support the podcast! This season patrons will receive spiritual practices tethered to the lectionary readings to accompany them through Advent. Become a paid member of Substack today to receive these practices and so much more!   The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders.  Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self! Learn more and apply HERE.   *this post contains affiliate links

Today, we continue our Advent journey by entering a moment of profound humility in the Christmas story — a moment of divine descent. We pause with Mary as she receives Gabriel's astonishing message in Luke 1:31–33, and we reflect on the mystery of how the Son of the Most High chose to come not in power or prestige, but in vulnerability and dependence. Drawing from Bette Dickinson's devotional Making Room in Advent, we consider how God's choice to descend into our humanity reveals His heart, and how His downward movement invites us to follow in love, vulnerability, and humility. I hope you'll listen in. Get Faith & Feeling's weekly resource email Watch this episode on YouTube Grab a copy of my book Stop Saying I'm Fine Connect with me on my website Find me on Instagram @__taylorjoy__ Key words: Advent season, spiritual formation, vulnerability, listening, creativity, emotions, curiosity, presence, process, courage, self-awareness, emotional health, personal growth, waiting, hope, connection

ADVENT 2025 Week 2: Stand In PeaceDaniel Ray - December 07, 2025Isaiah 11:1-10 & John 14:25-31⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theaxischurch.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-----Subscribe to The Axis Church sermons on Apple Podcast or Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify Podcast

December arrives like a whirlwind—busy schedules, pressure, expectations, and the feeling that peace is slipping through our fingers. But in this message, we're reminded that the very first Christmas also began with uncertainty, fear, and a young girl in a forgotten town… until God stepped into the chaos.Pastor Karl Romeus walks through Luke 1 and the story of Mary to show us a powerful truth:

Christmas is supposed to be a season of peace… but for most of us, it feels more like stress, noise, and pressure. So why did the angels announce “peace on earth” at the birth of Jesus? And is real peace even possible in 2025? In this message, we look at Jesus as the Prince of Peace—the One who gives us peace with God and the peace of God. Discover why peace isn't found in control, circumstances, or perfection, but in surrender to the One who holds it all. This week, learn how to stop striving, start trusting, and experience the peace your soul has been searching for.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO to this reflection

You can join our OneLife Sunday morning gatherings via livestream at 8:45am and 10;30am CST every Sunday morning. Or if you're local to the Bay Area of Houston, we'd love to have you join us in person Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 8:45am, 10:30am, or 12:30pm!Subscribe to our YouTube channel to join us live on Sunday mornings: https://www.youtube.com/@onelifechurch381Listen to more messages from OneLife Church at https://www.onelifehouston.com/messagesIf you would like to give to OneLife Church, you can do that here https://www.onelifehouston.com/giveAt OneLife, we want to be and make disciples of Jesus who love God, one another, and our world. We are God's people making much of Jesus in everyday life for the good of the neighborhoods in the Bay Area of Houston and beyond.For more information about us and our gatherings, visit https://www.onelifehouston.comConnect with us over social media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onelifehouston​Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelifechurch

You can join our OneLife Sunday morning gatherings via livestream at 8:45am and 10;30am CST every Sunday morning. Or if you're local to the Bay Area of Houston, we'd love to have you join us in person Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 8:45am, 10:30am, or 12:30pm!Subscribe to our YouTube channel to join us live on Sunday mornings: https://www.youtube.com/@onelifechurch381Listen to more messages from OneLife Church at https://www.onelifehouston.com/messagesIf you would like to give to OneLife Church, you can do that here https://www.onelifehouston.com/giveAt OneLife, we want to be and make disciples of Jesus who love God, one another, and our world. We are God's people making much of Jesus in everyday life for the good of the neighborhoods in the Bay Area of Houston and beyond.For more information about us and our gatherings, visit https://www.onelifehouston.comConnect with us over social media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onelifehouston​Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onelifechurch

Vintage City Church | Trust Isn't optional • Advent Week 2 • Greg Sanders The Lord is entirely trustworthy, and Advent is the deliverance of His promise. He takes our trust in Him seriously because His character is flawless and He is faithful.

Christ is our Peace.

Advent is the time each year when the church slows down to focus on the words of the angels in Luke 2: "For behold I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." What is this good news and why does it cause great joy? This holiday season, we will take a dive into both, explore their meaning, and why it can bring breakthrough in each of our lives!

Matt Pearson, Senior Pastor of ClearView Baptist Church in Franklin, Tennessee speaks about Advent - Week 2.

Nothing like this has ever happened before or will again. In order to save us God would take on human nature in order to save us. Jesus thus was both fully God AND fully man. Both natures are necessary for our salvation. What incredible love must the Lord have for us for Him to send His Son, have Him take on flesh, and then submit to death on a cross. It is a mind boggling, yet incredibly encouraging reality! O Come let us adore Him!

Matthew Week 3 | Advent Week 1 | Matthew 2:1-12

What if today we hear John's call—Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near—not as a threat of impending condemnation, but as an invitation? Listen in as we consider that repentance is not primarily about fear, but about embracing a way of being that reflects what Jesus is about.

December 7, 2025: Will Cook

Sunday, Dec 7, 2025Denise HornMark 11:12-14, 20-25

Teaching from Sunday AM service by Pastor Jeff Miles

2025-12-07 - Advent Series Week 2 Ruth Series - Ben Chastney

Pastor Mindy Wolfe teaches us about Peace on this second week of Advent.

Advent Week 2

Did you know that hope is not just wishful thinking or expecting something to happen in the future? True Hope in Jesus is a certainty of the promises delivered to us by God! The first week of Advent has us looking at the hope all believers can have in that truth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

https://www.salemtabernacle.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Firefly_Gemini-Flash_Make-a-sermon-title-slide-with-the-title-Advent-and-hour-later-than-midnight-edit-the-380358.png December 7, 2025 – Advent Week 2 false no 51:02 Salem Tabernacle

Part 2 of a 4-week Advent series released every Sunday.Life doesn't slow down during the holidays just because you want it to. The emails keep coming, the world keeps moving, and your mind keeps spinning—even as something in you longs for quiet.If that's been your experience this year, this week's episode is where you'll find grounded support.Welcome to Week Two of Advent on the Holy Rebels Podcast, where we make space for spiritual honesty, nervous-system awareness, and practical ways to anchor yourself when life refuses to cooperate.This week is all about Peace.Not the version that waits for silence.The version that becomes possible even while everything around you stays loud.Nina Hirlaender OFS brings together the mystical meaning of Advent with psychology-based practices around nervous system regulation, emotional overload, and the inner orientation that allows peace to rise from within.St Clare of Assisi accompanies us, offering a real examples of what peace looked like in moments that were anything but calm.What you'll take away from this episode:what the second week of Advent symbolizes historically and spirituallythe difference between calm (a state) and peace (an orientation of the soul)how stress pulls you away from presence—and how to interrupt that patternwhat Clare of Assisi's courage reveals about inner steadinesshow to identify your “peace threshold” when life feels unmanageablea simple practice to help your nervous system settlehow to begin Week Two with alignment rather than pressurePeace isn't the absence of noise.Peace is the awareness that God is present inside what hasn't resolved yet.It grows through noticing, returning, and softening what has been clenched for too long.Press play to enter the second week of Advent with a steadier center, a calmer body, and a deeper experience of presence.Send Nina a text message.Support the showRate, Review & Follow“I love Nina and Holy Rebels Podcast.” If that sounds like you, please rate and review my show! This helps me support more people — just like you — to practise their spirituality and nurture their inner wisdom. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select "Write a review.” Nina reads every single review and it always brings a smile to her face. Also, if you haven't done so already, follow the podcast. If you're not following, there's a good chance you'll miss out. Follow now Show Notes: www.holyrebelspodcast.comConnect with me!facebookinstagram

If the weight of waiting has ever felt crushing…if your desires feel delayed…if your suffering feels like, “Lord, I can't do this anymore”, this episode is for you.In this first week of Advent, we talk honestly about the ache of longing and the places in our lives that feel heavy. But we also talk about the God who meets us there, who gives us grace for the long haul, who replaces our faint, weary hearts with “long-lasting batteries,” and who teaches us to hope again.We explore:The weight of waiting and how the Lord strengthens us in seasons of sufferingWhat happens when God invites us to name our desires with hope, not resignationHow Advent calls us to slow down, unclench our calendars, and step into sacred timeThe difference between external “liturgical living” and the gentle interior rhythm of graceWhy even the smallest shifts in prayer can reorient our hearts in profound waysHow the Lord is doing deep work in our souls—often beyond what words can describeAdvent isn't about striving. It's about letting ourselves be carried, like a leaf on the river of God's grace, toward the heart of the Father, toward the eternity we long for, and toward the desires He Himself placed within us.So if you're longing… aching… hoping… or simply tired, come sit with us. There are graces available in this Advent, in this moment, that have never been available before.We're so glad you're here.

This Advent season, we're taking a few minutes each week to reflect on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. And to mix things up a bit, I'm sharing a short spoken-word piece every week.This week, I'm talking about Peace.Advent Peace isn't the soft, candle-lit word we print on cards. It's not the “if I could just get my life together…” kind of peace. And it's definitely not the version we try to manufacture by control, comfort, or numbing.In the poem, I explore how real peace doesn't show up in palaces or power structures — it shows up in the wilderness. In unexpected places. In unlikely people. And ultimately in Jesus, who brings peace not by force, but by presence.If you're carrying worry, striving for calm, or trying to hold it all together during a season that promises “peace and quiet” but rarely delivers… this reflection is for you.Take a breath. Listen in. And let this be a reminder that peace isn't something we achieve — it's a gift already given.Watch, reflect, and share if someone in your life needs a small moment of peace today.Make a plan and join us this Advent: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver00:00 — Opening Reflection: What Do We Mean by Peace?00:32 — The Peace We Chase (and Can't Quite Catch)01:13 — Peace in Jesus' Day: Power vs. Promise01:50 — The Wilderness Word: John's Message02:28 — Peace as Gift, Not Achievement03:05 — Peace in the Manger, Cross, and Resurrection03:48 — Closing Invitation: Stop Running, Receive Peace

Join us as we gaze upon our Savior, Jesus, our Wonderful Counselor. He is the best advisor, yes, but He is also so much more!Wherever you find yourself this Advent season, do you need counsel? Look to Jesus—your Wonderful Counselor.He is waiting to meet with you.To encourage you.To counsel your heart.

In this first week of Advent, we turn our hearts toward hope, remembering that God's people have always been a people who wait together. Drawing from Isaiah 9:2-7, Dean reflects on a world that once walked in darkness and the promise of a great light: Christ, our coming King. And as Romans 15:12-13 reminds us, this hope is not wishful thinking, but a confident expectation rooted in God's faithfulness. Advent teaches us that hope grows strongest in community; we are “better together” when we lift one another's eyes toward the Savior who keeps every promise and turns our waiting into worship.

Mollie and Tique continue the Conversation this week looking at our Advent Series - The Carols of Advent.

Join us in our Advent series to learn about the four themes of Advent. In this short episode, we explore the theme of hope and the hope we have in Christ in the Advent season and beyond.   Subscribe to our Podcast Newsletter!   Connect with us:  The Daily Grace Co. | Facebook | Instagram | Daily Grace Blog | 

Welcome to Week One of A Quiet Light, our Advent journey with Saint Joseph from Advent to Epiphany. If you missed the introduction episode, go back and give it a listen — it sets the tone for everything we're walking through together.This week, we're sitting with the title Saint Joseph, Most Faithful and praying with Psalm 122:1–9, the psalm Joseph himself would've prayed and carried in his heart. The word that stands out this week? Peace. Peace in a season that often feels anything but peaceful.In the episode, we talk about: • How Saint Joseph lived a simple, steady rhythm of prayer — not to check a box, but to stay rooted in God all day long. • How his quiet faithfulness invites us into deeper spiritual discipline, not perfection. • The power of posture and praying with our whole body — kneeling, lighting a candle, creating sacred space. • How the artwork for this week reflects Joseph's urgency to pray and his readiness to respond to God. • What it means to become “expectant” with hope — not just for Mary, but for Joseph as a father preparing his heart for Jesus.Your challenge for Week One:Choose one small resolution that brings more light and intention into your prayer this week. Maybe it's five extra minutes using Lectio Divina with Scripture, kneeling beside your bed, or praying with a candle lit — one quiet step toward faithfulness.Tune in, pray with us, and let this Advent begin gently, quietly, faithfully. Let's Go Be the Light. 

 As we enter this Christmas season, Richard and Daniel chat about the importance of biblical hope and how leaders can work to foster it. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction to Advent 4:30 Leadership Trivia 5:00 Hopelessness in the World 10:05 How do you begin to lead in such a hopeless world? 12:50 How can a leader guide people to find that hope? 17:45 How do you balance waiting on God and hope while not neglecting your duties? 22:15 What is the difference between Biblical hope and optimism? 27:55 How can a leader balance instilling hope in people while also being transparent about real struggles? 32:45 Leadership Trivia Answer DONATE: If you have enjoyed this podcast and want to support our ministry into the next 20 years, click here. RESOURCES: Mark your calendars for May 18-20, 2026 when Richard will be presenting Experiencing God – Part 2 at the Cove in Asheville, NC. More info to come. Join Blackaby Ministries' next Spiritual Leadership Coaching Workshop here. CONNECT: Follow Richard on X. Follow Richard on Facebook. Read Richard's latest blog here.

ADVENT 2025 Week 1: Stand In HopeSteve Robinson - November 30, 2025Isaiah 9:2–7 & Romans 8:18–25⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theaxischurch.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-----Subscribe to The Axis Church sermons on Apple Podcast or Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify Podcast

This week we are beginning our Advent series. Advent means arrival and this series will focus on celebrating Christ's first arrival and what we can do as we await his second. Today's message centers on the theme of love.Sermon Discussion Guide: https://kingspark.org/guide/nov3025

Series Title: 2025 Advent Series Scripture Passage: Matthew 1:23 Stream Date: November 30, 2025

In this Advent message, Pastor Dan reminds us that hope isn't something we have to hold onto with white-knuckled faith; real hope is something that holds us. When life shakes, when we feel weak, or when the future feels uncertain, God offers a hope that stabilizes us, strengthens us, and pulls us forward. Discover how the arrival of Jesus brings a steady, unshakable hope that carries us, not because we're strong, but because He is.

The passage for lectio divina today comes from Isaiah 2:1-5. Follow along in your practice guide or grab a journal, if you'd like. Special thanks to Lem LeRoy for recording Come Thou Long Expected Jesus for the intro, and to Jeremy Mancini for reading the passage for week one. Find the practice guide for Joy of Every Longing Heart here.

In this season of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, Ruth invites listeners to embark on a unique journey during Advent 2025. Departing from traditional liturgical approaches, we will focus on the overlap between the seasons of Advent and winter, inspired by Marilyn McIntyre's book 'Midwinter Light: Meditations for the Long Season.' Ruth will be joined all through Advent by Marilyn McIntyre, herself. Together they will explore themes such as inner reflection, the significance of silence, and the profound connections between spirituality and the physical season of winter.  This week, Ruth and Marilyn discuss the importance of recognizing and responding to the invitation for inward focus during this time and the subsequent freedom it can bring. We conclude with practical suggestions for embracing the quiet and contemplative aspects of the season and posing the following questions for reflection: How are you perceiving or sensing the invitation inward?  As you sense or perceive that invitation, do you feel yourself resisting, or are you willing? And finally, do you have any sense at all of what you might be invited to freedom from and freedom to?   Marilyn McEntyre is an author of over 20 books, including Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies (2021) and Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict (2020). Her book, What's in a Phrase? Pausing Where Scripture Gives You Pause won the Christianity Today book award in spirituality. Midwinter Light, reflections on poems for the “long season,” has just been released. A former professor, now writer, writing coach, speaker, and retreat leader, her deepest interests lie in connections between spirituality, language, healing earth, and each other. She teaches regularly for programs at Western Seminary, New College Berkeley, and the Oblate School of Theology.   Mentioned in the Episode: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande Reconstructing Illness by Anne Hunsaker Hawkins   Music Credit: Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist Come Thou Long Expected Jesus from Advent Music in Solitude   Join us for our next Online Oasis—a sacred pause in a busy season. Together we'll remember Christ's coming, anticipate his coming again, and open ourselves to the tender ways he is coming to us even now—with light for darkness, peace for turmoil, and hope for despair. Join us this Wednesday, December 3, from 12 to 1pm CST for this Online Oasis, MakingRoom for Advent. The cost is flexible, as it is our hope that everyone who wishes to participate will be able to do so. Register today! We're starting a Substack! This will be “a new home for reflection, conversation, and connection with our transforming community.” Our new Substack is called “On the Journey with the Transforming Center,” and it will include thoughtful reflections from Ruth Haley Barton and the Transforming Center team, as well as alumni and friends of the Transforming Center, occasional special video teachings and guided practices, and space to interact with our content and respond with how God is working in your life through the posts. This will also be the new home of all of our podcast patron content! There will be free and paid tiers. We'd love for you to join us over on Substack. (Existing patrons, check Patreon for a special link to provide you with a discounted rate!) Support the podcast! This season patrons will receive spiritual practices tethered to the lectionary readings to accompany them through Advent. Become a paid member of Substack today to receive these practices and so much more!   The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders.  Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self! Learn more and apply HERE.   *this post contains affiliate links

Today, we begin our Advent journey by entering a quiet moment in the Christmas story — a moment of hiddenness and waiting. We explore Elizabeth's five months of solitude in Luke 1:23–25 and reflect on how God used that secluded space to reshape her identity and nurture new life within her. Drawing from Bette Dickinson's Making Room in Advent, we consider how solitude becomes a sacred womb where God does his deepest work in us. I hope you'll listen in. Get Faith & Feeling's weekly resource email Watch this episode on YouTube Grab a copy of my book Stop Saying I'm Fine Connect with me on my website Find me on Instagram @__taylorjoy__ Key words: Advent season, spiritual formation, solitude, silence, listening, creativity, emotions, vulnerability, curiosity, presence, process, courage, self-awareness, emotional health, personal growth, waiting, hope

In this episode of Your Week with St. Luke's, pastors Jenn, Jad, and Melissa explore the theme of peace through Luke 1 and Mary's encounter with the angel Gabriel. They share personal reflections on seeking peace amid life's chaos, discuss Mary's courageous trust and agency, and wonder about the spiritual shaping that prepared her to say “yes” to God's call. Drawing connections to the season, daily life, and popular movies, the conversation invites listeners to consider how peace and trust intertwine, how God meets us in turmoil, and how we stay attentive to God's voice.   Go deeper at https://www.livetherhythm.app/

As we enter Advent 2025, Pastor Kelly Roth invites us into a season of waiting, reflection, and hopeful anticipation. Advent reminds us that God meets us in the ordinary—just as He met Zechariah and Elizabeth in their everyday faithfulness—and invites us to anchor our hope not in outcomes, but in the unshakable promises of God.In this Week 1 message on HOPE, Pastor Kelly unpacks Luke 1 and the story of Zechariah, Elizabeth, and the miracle that prepared the way for Jesus. Through Scripture, honest reflection, and practical insight, we explore what it means to live in the “now” and the “not yet”—to trust God in the waiting, to root our hope in His character, and to remember that He is with us, even when life feels uncertain.Whether you're entering this season with joy, disappointment, or longing, Advent invites all of us to slow down, refocus, and hold onto the hope that anchors our souls.“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” —Hebrews 6:19For the full gathering of this message which includes worship, visit our Youtube channel. Stay Connected With Hillside Community Church.Youtube | https://www.youtube.com/c/HillsideCommunityChurchInstagram | https://www.instagram.com/hillsidechurches/Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/hillsidechurchesWebsite | https://hillsidechurches.com

Hebrews 1 & 2

Have you ever prayed for something so long that you stopped expecting the answer? In this powerful Advent message, Pastor Stephen Mizell explores the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth—a faithful couple who waited 40 years for a child while continuing to serve God in the temple. Through their story found in Luke 1, discover a profound truth: God's silence isn't His absence. Sometimes heaven's delays aren't denials—God is preparing something bigger than what you're praying for. In This Episode: Why biblical hope is different from wishful thinking—it's confident expectation based on God's character How Zechariah and Elizabeth's obedience positioned them for a miracle they'd stopped expecting The difference between faith that believes God "can" versus faith that serves Him even when He "doesn't" Why both Zechariah and Mary asked "how?" but received different responses from the angel What it means to "keep lighting the incense"—staying faithful in service while waiting for answers How God sometimes closes our mouth so He can open our understanding Pastor Stephen challenges us with this question: What do you do when your prayers seem unanswered? The answer may surprise you—it's not to stop praying or stop serving, but to continue faithfully because hope is forged in consistency, not excitement. This message kicks off Open Door Church's Advent series, preparing hearts for 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting beginning January 4th. Key Quote: "Sometimes the most righteous people carry the heaviest crosses. Faith is not just believing God can—it's continuing to serve Him when He doesn't answer the way you expect." Scripture Focus: Luke 1:5-25

11/30/25 Message from Andy Smith. Advent Week 1. Continuing in the series "Imago Dei"