Advent Reflections
Jesus Reigns in Our Mess (A Christmas Confession) #AdventReflections
I’m so grateful Jesus reigns even in my mess. I expected this Christmas to be different. I planned for this Christmas to be different. To be quieter … simpler … slower. And then life kicked in with a vengeance. The busyness of the holidays — no, my own ideas of the what the holidays should…
Messy Is Real, but One Day Only Beauty Will Remain #AdventReflections
It’s all messy, but one day only beauty will remain. This is the week serene images of the first Christmas will be displayed everywhere. They will feature Mary, the mother of Jesus, Joseph the Christ-child’s adoptive father, shepherd and wise men, and the Babe Himself (and don’t forget all the docile livestock looking on) all…
Put Down the Bonds: Jesus Came To Set You Free! #AdventReflections
Jesus coming set us free! Let’s walk in that freedom. I have a tendency to imprison myself—to become shackled by my own expectations. I tie my worth to my accomplishments, attach my holiness and righteousness to my outward actions, and align my happiness with my situation. Be Free It’s one reason I cherish the Holy days of…
Discover the Beauty of the Season, Even When It’s Hard #AdventReflections
The holidays can hold great joy but also deep sorrow. What or who is missing from our lives becomes hyper clear at this time of year. Our grief may make it difficult to discover the beauty of the season. Focusing on the not here makes it difficult to be joyful at a time when we should be…
The One Reason We Can Face an Overwhelming Future Without Being Overcome #AdventReflections
My friend and I struggle with looking too far into our daughters’ futures. It can be frightening and overwhelming. She because her sweet Taylor has been given a shortened expected lifespan. (This post is now in memory of Taylor, who went to be with the Lord January 2, 2019.) Me because my sweet Rachel may…
Come Lord Jesus, Come! Our Advent Hope #AdventReflections
Recently, I’ve been reminded anew how fragile and precious life is and how tragic this world can be. I’m struggling to process the sad reality of young men who see no hope and end it all—most recently a friend of my oldest; their parents, left trying to make sense of the senseless; moms and dads I love…
When Life Knocks You Down #AdventReflections
When life knocks you down, look up. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a rather strong person, a pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps kind of person. Generally, I can see the next step and take it. Yet there’s been plenty of times when I’ve felt out-of-control and inadequate to handle a situation. The big ones that quickly come to mind…
When Slow and Quiet Is Not Your Reality #AdventReflections
In the past, I jumped from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Like many, I’d bypass the intermediary season of preparation, expectation, and anticipation. Yet slowly through the years, I’ve begun to realize what I’ve been missing. Advent specifically focuses on Christ’s “coming.” His past coming in our secured salvation. His present coming in Word and sacrament. And His…
Hello, I'm Julie, an imperfect wife and mother of four. Life in this broken world is not always easy. Yet, joy can be found in each day through the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I find it's easy for our day's blessings to get lost in its happenings. But God's "mercies never end" (Lamentations 3:22) and His "grace is sufficient" (2 Corinthians 12:9).
May the posts and pages on this site offer you a measure of peace and encouragement.
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