My husband and I decided to do Advent together using the Pray as You Go App. It’s such a wonderful experience with worship music, a passage, and reflection questions. The nice thing about the app is that we can listen at our own time and schedule, then chat later by text or in person.

I’m not sure if I’ll have time to write each day of Advent, but when I can, I will record and reflect on this time. When I have a purpose in journaling, it deepens my understanding and “sticks” to the bones better.

Today, December 1, the passage was from Luke 9:23-26, where Jesus calls us to take up our cross daily and follow Him. To not be ashamed of His love, and to express it in our daily actions with great confidence. This was not a metaphor during Jesus’s time. Because crucifixion was a practice for punishment, He knew that anyone who followed Him would face persecution. To say yes to Jesus was saying yes to a surrender of all you knew to follow the kingdom of God.

We do not face this type of persecution in the United States; however, we are called to give our daily agenda, happenings, and events to Him. Our daily choices are a part of a larger story – God’s kingdom breaking into the world. This brings everyday occurrences to Holy exchanges. From showing up at work to conversations in the hallway, changing a diaper, the way you handle injustice or unkindness, all of it, is a way to minister love. It sometimes feels unnecessary, mundane, and at some point, even a form of sabotage (I’m laughing at this one, Valentina, and our conversation where you showed me a video clip from Madagascar, the movie.)

How do we daily surrender? How do we pray, “Lord, I give You my plans, my desires, my calendar today.” How do I see my daily actions as expanding His Kingdom of love? How do I see that love displayed back to me with His mercies being new EVERY morning.

The moments in the moments. I’ll never forget feeling this first, then hearing the expression at a celebration of life for Mandisa.

Practice being present. In the moment you are standing in, what do you hear? See? Who is with you, and what are they really saying through words or body language? How can you express love even when you have a different opinion or agenda for the moment? What is God showing you? Do you need to be silent? I think silence is often a more valuable gift than words spoken. Yet, there are times when we can interject life-giving words. Take a long, deep breath, pause, and let the Holy Spirit work.

I had a brief conversation with a young lady I will never see again. She shared her faith with me and expressed her desire to continue pursuing her nursing education. I claimed her dreams with her and talked to her about my daughter, who is a nurse. Sharing with her all the many options and avenues of nursing if she continues to pursue her dreams. I’ll never see her again this side of heaven, but God knows her, and we, together, from this reading of the blog, pray for her. Her name is Luana.

Another tender moment was time with my grandson, Huxley. Playing horsey with him at the restaurant, and with his stuffed animal horse, was priceless. His love for the horse, the shape, the sound it makes, and the joy of simple play. Those are collective moments that teach him God’s beautiful world, the creation of animals, and the importance of imagination, creativity, and play. Never lose that Hux, Spencer, Jr., and Adelaide. I loved how Spencer, Jr. played with me on the horse to the table.