What do we need to release this season? How can I prepare myself for the arrival of Jesus when the Christmas season can bring about some unpleasant feelings? The Christmas season can be a time of trouble and worry for many people. It can be a hectic season, a rough reality, and our hearts [...]Read More
Embracing Advent: Preparing Our Hearts for a Meaningful Christmas Celebration
The lights are up. The stores are bursting with tinsel, decorative trees and gifts galore. All around the world, a great "to-do" is made about Christmas. But just what are we really celebrating? The coming of Christ is undoubtedly one of the most monumental events in history; however, [...]Read More
Holding onto Hope
I’ve been thinking a lot about the first Advent and the early years of Jesus’ childhood. I wonder what Mary was thinking as she brought her son into the world, so far from home. Instead of nesting she had to flee to Bethlehem. So much for planning a cozy home birth. And yet, she held [...]Read More
Building Community through Storytelling
Our Chicago Local Network has been gathering this past year, centered on fostering deeper relationships through focused circle conversations. After planning the 2018 National Conference in our city, we felt the urge to get a quarterly network connection time started. We wanted to create deeper [...]Read More