Practical Advent is a daily blog series I’m doing throughout Advent this year. Join me on my blog each day for practical faith tips.
Practical Advent, Day 21
Since childhood, I’ve observed Advent each year. It’s been a wonderful way to build my faith and increase my anticipation of Christmas for all the right reasons. I highly encourage you to observe Advent as well, because it can help you be more intentional in this busy season.
In this Practical Advent blog series, I’ll have the same post format to give you about 10-15 minutes of practical tips for loving God, loving others, and loving yourself during the Advent season.
Praise
Each day of Practical Advent, I’ll share one of my favorite songs to listen to during Advent. Take a moment to praise God while you listen.
Here’s an oldie but goodie – What Child Is This from Harry Connick Jr.’s 1993 Christmas album – still my favorite of all time.
Ponder
Every day of Practical Advent, I’ll share a quote or idea from an Advent book in my collection for you to ponder, along with my thoughts and a few reflection questions.
Today’s quote is from Advent in Plain Sight by Jill J. Duffield.
Here’s the quote I’ve chosen to share today, which is a reflection on Isaiah 35:1-4 (NIV).
The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.
Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;
it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the Lord,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the feeble hands,
steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”
“This is a proleptic text, one that describes and anticipates a future not yet yere, but certain to come. Hard as it is to believe, the desert will overflow with flowers, those places so barren now will surely teem with life. Advent reminds us repeatedly that God is on the move, doing new, good, restorative, redemptive things…
We are to live proleptic lives, envisioning blooms in the desert and acting accordingly. I confess, such a hopeful, holy-leaning perspective does not come easily to me. I tend to get overwhelmed with the vastness of suffering, the seemingly endless swaths of deserts, so that my heart grows more fearful rather than strong. It takes effort to imagine desolate places rife with joy, strained relationships close again, broken institutions functional, oppressive structures upended and replaced…
We are a people of prolepsis, living in to the not-yet but sure-to-come justice and peace of God.”
I encourage you to watch this video of the desert in bloom before you answer the reflection questions.
Reflection questions:
- How are you overwhelmed today with the vastness of suffering you see?
- What efforts could you take to live a proleptic faith in the new year?
Prayer to Fight Holiday Overwhelm
Here’s a prayer to bring you greater peace in your overwhelm:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for creating me to feel.
I take comfort in knowing that you are unchanging, even when my emotions overwhelm me.
You are my rock, my refuge, my anchor, and my safety.
This holiday season, remind me to turn to you again and again.
Jesus, I know you want me to celebrate my joys with you.
You also want me to share my sorrows to you.
I’m so glad you care about how I feel.
Holy Spirit, remind me to tell you about all my emotions in prayer.
Use each emotion this season to draw me closer to you, Lord.
When I feel overwhelmed, comfort me with your constant presence.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Pour In
Here’s a post I wrote to help you examine your mindset. Read the full post HERE.
Pour Out
How is praying at the holidays an essential tool to promote peace in your family? Here’s a podcast episode to inspire your prayer life before Christmas. Listen HERE.
Just for Fun
This is a funny Christmas song that will bring a smile to your face today – listen or watch HERE.
See all new and/or previous posts in this series on THIS PAGE.
Find all my additional resources for Advent on THIS PAGE.
Practical Advent is a daily blog series for Advent. Check out Day 21 tips here. #advent Share on X
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