I am linking up for Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “crave.” We’d love to have you join us. Just hop onto Twitter on Thursday evenings and follow the #fmfparty. Hope to see you there!
Advent is my fave season of the church year. It is a time that I crave; to slow down and remember what this season is truly about. In the midst of our broken world and as I watched the fires in Tennessee or listened to the hatred and evil I heard in our world, I knew I was in need of something different; something that would allow me to voice the brokenness I am feeling in this world.
Two of my friends created an Advent devotional called “Rend the Heavens.” Each day there is a prompt text and word. It has allowed me to simply write how I am feeling in our world; to remember our Jesus who was born in the stench and stealth of the manger. To be honest, this devo is something that I didn’t even know or realize I was craving until I started participating in it.
It is amazing how craving something we don’t know we need can be so holy. I am feeling a connectedness and a holiness in this Advent season that I don’t know about you, but that I have needed after watching the news or opening a newspaper. It has been balm for my soul!
May you find the ways that your cravings are met this Advent season too!
What a cool idea for a devotional, Tara! Profoundly simple, and inexpressibly deep.
Right?!?! It's such an awesome idea!
Funny how sometimes we don't even know what we really crave. Good observation Tara.
Thanks Deborah!
You're so right. There are times when God gives me something I didn't know I was craving. How wonderful that He gave you that devotional. May it bring peace to your spirit in this crazy season, my friend!
Jeanne, I love it! And it is indeed bringing me peace as well as helping me realize how much I am not alone when I look at the injustices in our world.
Yes. I agree. The advent season is satisfying as nothing else.
Exactly!
I try to avoid the news (I consider it unbiblical because it doesn't focus on what is good and true and right ;)). The devotional sounds lovely, though!
It really is lovely!
Love it! You know from my Facebook that our fam gets creative around Advent too 🙂 Love this craving to experience God in new, personal ways! 🙂
Me too!
The season of Advent always reminds me of the "do over" feeling I used to get from the start of the school year. A time to reconnect with what matters most, and truly await God during this holy season.
Peace.
Patricia (FMF#37)
Your description really got me thinking about Advent in a new way too. Peace to you too!
I keep up with Ann Voskamp her candle lightings each week for the advent season. But, I never thought of a devo. That sounds cool. I try hard not to listen, read, nor watch news anymore. It's so very depressing. I do see posts of other's about all the bad nastiness going on. All I know to do is pray for all of those mean and bad people. For, Yahweh's Word tells us we're to love our enemies. I try very hard! It is so very hard!
Here's my post:
A Wife's Reflection – Crave-Desire
I have read Ann's Advent devotional a few times. It really is so depressing to watch the news. Yes, love our enemies as well as love your neighbors as you love yourself. I try too, but you are right…it is so very hard.
I love it when God leads us to something that is just what we need when we didn't even realise we were craving it!
Me too!
I love getting prompts and trying to write, and this devotional sounds like it really helps you think about how you feel and to remember Jesus. Blessings to you, dear Tara!
I love it too! Blessings to you too Gayl!
This sounds like a really good devotion. I'm finding myself craving Advent more than ever this year as well.
Me too Laura! Me too!
This sounds like a great devotional, Tara. My home church doesn't have specific Advent practices, but I began to write about Advent as I thought more about it, and I also discovered some lovely resources online. I try to vary what I use each year, books especially. I love hearing how God has blessed you in surprising ways by revealing the answer to an inner need you didn't know you had! It's so good when that happens. May you have a deeply blessed Advent season, my friend. xo
It is so great. I am loving it! I like to vary what I use each year too. May you too have a deeply blessed Advent season!
Excellent approach! Usually we try to resist our craving to the wrong things. Great advice!!!!
Right?!?!
i love it when GOD gives us things we didn't know we needed that are wonderful gifts:) enjoy your advent season tara:) i'm at 73 today.
Thanks! Enjoy your Advent season too!
I'll have to check out the devotional for next year. I'm trying to go through Ann's The Greatest Gift but I am so far behind. Blessings!
That would be fun! Blessings to you too!