“As we light our Advent candles, adding a new one each week, we move from darkness to light. Our ritual symbolically anticipates the birth or our Savior, Jesus Christ, who will actually move us from darkness to light if we will let Him. Advent invites us to worship at the manger, but if we stop there, we have missed the meaning of Christ’s birth. His advent is the beginning of the path that takes Jesus from the light of the wonderful star that signals His birth, to the terrible darkness of his full and final sacrifice, and then on to the blinding brilliant light of His resurrection, which is the advent of ours. As we return to the manger, let us not forget the meaning of his birth and the purpose of His life. He came to save, deliver, and redeem us: O come, let us adore Him!” LightDarknessJesus ChristRitualAdoreSymbolismAdventRedeemDeliver Author:Jean-Michel Hansen
“When I am so certain—expressing my views, asserting my narrative, and moving my agenda forward—I cannot hear God. His voice is quiet; a whisper that is easily missed in the din and clamor of the world. But I will hear Him: either now (because I step away from my insistence that I am right) or in the end (because all of my nonsense will flee away in His presence). And when I hear Him, error will fall silent and truth will shine forth like the beautiful light of dawn after a dark and lonely night.” GodLightTruthSilenceDarknessNoiseErrorNarratives Author:Jean-Michel Hansen