Hey, I have something to tell you: Hope is coming!
The anticipation of what this means begs my flesh to stand down that my heart might beat in holy rhythm. My soul is desperate for it. Yours too?
Like spiritual glue, hope holds the pieces of my life together. In fact, I wrote a book telling my own story of holding tightly to it through one of the deepest, darkest seasons of my life. When I felt stripped of everything else, hope remained faithful.
The best thing about hope is it constantly reinvents itself according to the situation for which it’s needed most, and at the same time, it’s a source of stability because its foundation is unchanging. Isn’t it something how the chief cornerstone makes all things new? Hope is the most beautifully abundant of all gifts, and I often find myself catching glimpses of it in the ordinary, mundane of every day. It exemplifies a mysterious tangibility, as if it waits for me to reach out and grab it, beckoning me to share it with others. And, friend, I cannot for the life of me think of a better way to express hope than correlating it to Advent season.
The word Advent comes from the Latin – adventus, which means coming or arrival, and is actually derived from the Greek – parousia, holding the same meaning. Though there have been many opinions and explanations handed down throughout centuries from scholars working to explain the history of what this word was intended to represent, for me it embodies hope.
Hope came to a fallen world and will one day come again. (Tweet that)
If it’s possible to worship together through an online space, then I want to do that. Beginning today, this first Sunday of Advent, all the way through Christmas Eve, I want to take a few moments each day to take a deep breath, brush the glitter from the Christmas decor off our hands, and focus on the hope of a coming Savior.
Every December, my life consists of directing two Christmas musicals, shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating, and praying I can make Christmas meaningful for my family and others. To be honest, it’s overwhelming. I know you can relate…
Here’s the crazy part: As chaotic as life is for me this time of year, I don’t want to change anything. I have no desire to decorate less, bake fewer cookies, or hideaway from the endless hustle and bustle. I’m not writing a series about simplifying what we do to celebrate. I’m writing to encourage worship of our Savior within every moment of preparation. I want each action to shout, “Christ is Coming! Hope is on the way!”
With every fresh cookie baked and ornament hung on the tree, with every dollar spent and gift wrapped, all I want to do is adore Jesus is in all of it. It’s my heart’s cry that every part of this season would be an act of worship.
What do you say, can we worship together?
Last year, I read a beautiful book that changed the way I think regarding the days leading up to the birth of Christ. I really want to share it with you! So to begin this journey, I’m having a giveaway!
In a way only she can, Ann Voskamp wrote a book about Advent season entitled The Greatest Gift. I’m overjoyed to give a copy away. To enter, just leave a comment on this post anytime starting today, November 29, 2015, through Thursday, December 3, 2015. A winner will be randomly selected and announced here on the blog Friday, December 4, 2015.
Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
-Hebrews 2:1
Our salvation and reconciliation with our Father God began with the first coming of Christ. Let’s take this life-giving advice from the writer of Hebrews and heed the things which we’ve heard, lest we drift away and lose focus in the middle of all the festivities. A birthday celebration awaits, let us not lose sight of Hope.
Love,
Jennifer
PS: When you subscribe to Jenniferkostick.com via email you receive my eBook, Mercy Waits, FREE! To learn more about me, click here.
Day Two: A Covenant Keeping God
Day Three: Mercy Unravels
Day Four: Maybe This Time
Day Five: Choose Hope
Jennifer, I love your words. I too want every act this season and all of my life really to be my worship to Jesus. Thank you for sharing your heart and this opportunity.
As a pastors wife, mother or 4; to which one died in a car accident 8 yrs ago and grandmother to a granddaughter that beat me to heaven, I know all about the emotional roller coaster this time of year brings. I also know about that hope that Jesus brings. I can’t wait for more devotionals on the hope that our wonderful Creator brings during this time of year and every other day of our lives. Thank you for your inspiring words. I love getting them in my email.
Sometimes this is sad time of the year for people. People reflecting from their past, maybe, the season was full of sadness or misery. We need to take these people and show them the spirit of our Lord s birthday. A light flickering in their soul of Jesus.
Hope is coming sounds like a series I will enjoy reading.
in the winter of my days i have allowed myself to become overwhelmed with headlines that say the world is doomed. your message was so needed right not to remind me that our Lord has overcome the world and it is with renewed hope and strength that i can now face each day. thank You Jesus for giving Jennifer this message that has touched my very soul.
please forgive my arthritic fingers. it should read needed right NOW
I’m looking forward to this series.
I needed to be reminded that hope is coming. We have experienced so much death in our little community over the last two weeks. I have attended four services and another person died this morning. Thank you for your message.
A beautiful post, Jennifer. I am so grateful that in and through our Savior, hope keeps on coming. I look forward to this series. Blessings!
Thank u for this message : )
I love your goal of pointing to Jesus with every little step of preparation. Truly, we are called to live lives of worship, and this is nothing less than that. Can’t wait to read your Advent series! 🙂
I desperately needed to hear your words of hope. For many years this season brings me into a spiraling down of depression. Forcing myself to go through the motions dreading each task, decorating, baking, and purchasing of gifts . Your words have given me new direction and hope, I am looking forward to spending time reading your posts and listening to God’s whispers of hope in my life. Thank you