Advent 1: Enter the Story of Hope

Anticipation.
Of new life.
Of birth.
Of rebirth.
Of the good,
ㅤthe joy,
That follows the struggle.

For even in that struggle is peace.
Is joy.
The relief,
ㅤthe peace,
of fulfillment.
The joy of anticipation.
Anticipation of a future.
Of finally having a…

Future

And so we wait.
We wait for this future.
Even as we struggle,
ㅤwe wait.
In expectation we…

Wait

For a new season is at hand.
It is the dawning,
ㅤthe advent,
Of a new life.
A new peace.
A new joy.
It is the advent of a new story.
It is the advent of…

Hope

Finally silence is coming to an end.
Hopelessness has reigned.
But hope is arriving.
Darkness has prevailed.But light is coming.
The horizon,
ㅤthe future,
Is beginning to brighten.

One was coming who would reverse,
ㅤwould overturn,
The present darkness.
One who would bring order out of disorder.
One who would replace chaos with…

Shalom

One who would write this new story.
This story of hope.
The story of the hope we long for.
The story we long to be part of.

For we know,
ㅤwe understand in our hearts,
We cannot write this story.
We cannot fix our story.
We must rely on,
ㅤwe must place our hope in…

Another

It is this hope that gives us life.
It is this hope that determines how we live.
It is this hope,
ㅤthis conviction of a coming goodness,
That determines our posture today.
That allows us to live today in the hope of tomorrow.
That gives us the strength to face today
ㅤin the expectation of tomorrow’s victory.

For today is filled with struggles.
With things we desire to avoid.
But avoiding is denying hope.But light is coming.
The horizon,
ㅤthe future,
Is beginning to brighten.
One was coming who would reverse,
ㅤwould overturn,
The present darkness.
One who would bring order out of disorder.
One who would replace chaos with…

Shalom

One who would write this new story.
This story of hope.
The story of the hope we long for.
The story we long to be part of.
For we know,
ㅤwe understand in our hearts,
We cannot write this story.
We cannot fix our story.
We must rely on,
ㅤwe must place our hope in…

Another

It is this hope that gives us life.
It is this hope that determines how we live.
It is this hope,
ㅤthis conviction of a coming goodness,
That determines our posture today.
That allows us to live today in the hope of tomorrow.
That gives us the strength to face today
ㅤin the expectation of tomorrow’s victory.

For today is filled with struggles.
With things we desire to avoid.
But avoiding is denying hope.
And living apart from hope leaves us not fully present.
Not fully alive.

But embracing hope gives us space.
Space to live today.
To fully experience today.
To live today in the hope of tomorrow.
Hope allows us to be fully…

Present

Hope recreates today.
Hope offers the ability to live into holiness.
Hope offers the ability to live into glory.
Hope offers perseverance.
Hope offers sustenance.
Hope offers courage.
Hope offers…

Life

a bit of performance art — I wrote as the speaker spoke…