It isn’t over yet. What is your typical practice immediately following the New Year Holiday? Do you quickly begin to make a game plan on when to take down decorations? Have you already returned those well-meaning Christmas gifts, spent those gift cards, and ate all those cookies? Maybe the excitement and the sugar high are wearing off. Now what?

As I write this Pastor’s Peace, Christmas day hasn’t even come. It feels like a little bit of a let-down to already be looking beyond what, to me, truly is the most wonderful day of the year. However, even at the time you are reading this, the truth is, Advent isn’t over yet. We are constantly living in a state of great expectation and preparation waiting for Christ to come again. This does not mean we have to keep our houses decorated or dip into savings some more to keep buying Christmas gifts. I know most of us are glad the business and extra energy the holidays ask of us is coming to an end. However, the waiting for Christ to come again has not come to an end. It isn’t over yet. The world around us tells us that we are still waiting for Christ to come again and make all things new.

Sometimes, the waiting is the hardest part. We are always looking for things to focus on to help the waiting seem more tolerable. Prayer is a great practice to focus on, and there are a lot of different ways to pray. As we are looking into the new year, I want to offer us a potentially new rhythm of prayer. A Sanctified Art uses a prayer practice called “star words.” Just as the Magi followed the star to Jesus, we will focus on a star word this year that will help lead us to Jesus in our daily lives. Some examples of those words include, joy, rest, bless, restore, affirm, connection, etc. Depending on the day, the meaning of that word can change. With that word remaining highly visible each day, it offers us an opportunity to ask Christ, “What new thing will you do in me?”

On January 7th, we will celebrate Epiphany Sunday. This is the day we remember the Magi meeting Jesus. When we dig deeper into this meeting, we understand it was the day Jesus was revealed to the gentiles. At both services, there will be an opportunity to receive your star word and follow that word to the presence of Christ. If you are not able to make it to a service, the words will continue to be available over the month of January.

Advent isn’t over yet, but the waiting doesn’t have to be the hardest part. Even in the weariness, we can rejoice as we utilize the tools given to us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ. Amen!

From one light to another,
Pastor Hannah Loughman

Photo by Dee Johnson