Pieces of the Puzzle

One of my favorite things about Advent is that it’s a story of when God came to walk among us. Not in a palace, but in the middle of real life – among the tired, the hurting, and the waiting.

The Advent story is not a tale of polished perfection. It’s not a story of people who had everything together. It’s a story of people who were faithful, and still found themselves grieving, or confused, or afraid.
That makes it our story too.

Advent reminds us that even when we try hard, even when we do everything “right,” we can still find ourselves facing disappointment, loss, unanswered questions.

You and I, we know what it’s like to live in the tension – to see a family divided,
a community at odds, people we love turning away. And some of us have been the ones who stayed behind – carrying the weight, holding everything together, still showing up, still believing – sometimes with joy, and sometimes with just enough strength for one more step.

Wherever you find yourself right now, this is an invitation to renewal.
A reminder that you are not alone – not in your grief, not in your rebuilding, not in your questions.
God is still with you – right here, right now.

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This Is Where Advent Begins

And this is where Advent begins—and where it makes room for each of us. It begins in grief, with questions, with a deep longing. It begins with someone who has waited too long and heard nothing in return.

Zechariah represents not only the people of Israel – who had long awaited a Messiah (Luke 1) – but also all of us who have waited for something and been met with silence. Those who have hoped… and eventually stopped hoping.

Zechariah was a priest. Righteous. Faithful. Devoted.
He had prayed for a child… and waited. And waited. And at some point, quietly, painfully… he stopped expecting an answer.
But even in that silence, God was not absent.

In the very heart of Zechariah’s sacred duties, God showed up – with a message he could barely believe:
“Your prayer has been heard.” (Luke 1:13)

Not just any prayer – but the one he may have stopped praying, buried under years of disappointment. And suddenly, the silence breaks.

Maybe you’ve carried prayers too heavy to speak anymore. Prayers for healing… reconciliation… strength to just keep going.
And maybe, like Zechariah, you’ve stopped getting your hopes up.

Advent is a story that reminds us: God even hears the prayers we’ve stopped saying out loud. Silence is not the same as absence. Delay is not denial.

And sometimes, God answers not just with a gift – but with a calling.
Zechariah didn’t just receive a child – he received a prophet (Luke 1:16–17). He didn’t just get what he prayed for – he became part of what God was doing in the world.
And with this gift, his skepticism was transformed into a song (Luke 1:67–79).

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Joseph: Quiet Courage

Zechariah is not the only devoted character in our Advent story. The story also gives us Joseph – a man known for his righteousness (Matthew 1:19).
In other words, Joseph was steady and honorable – he could be trusted to do the right thing.

And yet, despite doing everything right, Joseph found himself caught in a scandal he didn’t create.
Mary, the one he is pledged to marry, is found to be pregnant. Not by him (Matthew 1:18).
Everything he had planned – his life, his marriage, his future – suddenly falls apart.

He has every legal and moral right to walk away.
But Joseph does something extraordinary: He chooses mercy.
He decides to release Mary quietly, protect her dignity, spare her shame (Matthew 1:19).

And that’s when the angel comes – in a dream:
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child within her is from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20)

And Joseph obeys. Not because it’s easy. Not because he has all the answers.
But because he’s willing to risk that this might be from God.

Joseph’s story reminds us: Obedience isn’t always about certainty – it’s about courage. It’s about saying yes to God even when the road is unclear.

Maybe you’ve stayed when others didn’t. Maybe you chose compassion when it would’ve been easier to turn away.
Maybe you have said yes, knowing full well how hard it would be to stay.

Like Joseph, your faith may not always come with clarity – but it comes with quiet courage. And that matters.
Quiet faithfulness may go unnoticed, but it is never small or unimportant.

Joseph never speaks a word in Scripture, and he never stands in the spotlight – yet his quiet actions help carry the story of salvation forward (Matthew 1:24–25).
He shows us that faith can be both tender and strong, that mercy takes strength, and that doing the next right thing – quietly and faithfully – is holy work.

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Mary: Willingness Over Readiness

And then… we come to Mary.
We’ve heard from Zechariah – a devoted priest, shaped by years of service and sacred routine.
We’ve walked with Joseph – a man of righteousness and quiet strength.

But Mary?
Mary is young. Unmarried. Unimportant by the world’s standards.
She was quietly living the life expected of her—when God showed up.
And that’s where God meets her.

The angel greets her,
“Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you,” (Luke 1:28)
and Mary is troubled – not by doubt, but by the cost of defying the life expected of her.

She doesn’t question if it’s true – only how it could be (Luke 1:34).
Her response isn’t rejection, but wonder and trembling trust.

The message is impossible: a young girl from an overlooked town will carry the Messiah, God’s promise to the world (Luke 1:31–33).
And this child will change everything.

Mary had every reason to resist – no clarity, no safety, no promise of how it would end.
But still she said:
“Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

It wasn’t passive surrender – it was courage.

Mary reminds us that faithfulness doesn’t always look like confidence.
Sometimes it just looks like trust – trust that says yes, even when the path ahead is unknown.
It looks like openness, even when it costs something.

Here’s the truth: Faithfulness doesn’t wait for ideal conditions – it begins in obscurity, in uncertainty, in real life.
Mary didn’t say, “I have a plan.” She said, “I’m willing.”

And maybe you’ve been there too.
Maybe you’ve felt called into something that didn’t come with clarity.
Maybe you’ve sensed God asking you to carry something – not a child, but a calling… not a title, but a burden, a quiet responsibility.
And maybe, like Mary, you didn’t feel ready. But you were open.

Zechariah needed a sign (Luke 1:18).
Joseph needed a dream (Matthew 1:20).
Mary needed a word (Luke 1:38).
And all three – eventually – said yes.

Each one responded in the only way they could, with the faith they had.
And so can we.

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The Shepherds: Good News on the Margins

And then, finally, it’s time for Jesus to be born, and the news of Christ’s birth goes out (Luke 2:1–7).

Shepherds – ordinary, overlooked people – were the first to hear the news (Luke 2:8).
They are out in the fields. Watching over sheep. Doing what they always do. Working the night shift. Staying awake while the rest of the world sleeps.

In their time, shepherds weren’t just overlooked – they were dismissed as unclean, unable to fully participate in worship, and pushed to the margins both socially and spiritually.

And maybe this is your part in the story.
Maybe you’ve felt like a shepherd – not because you’ve herded sheep, but because you know what it is to stand just outside the circle.
Present, but unseen. Necessary, but unrecognized.
Doing what needs to be done – without much applause.

Maybe you’ve wondered if the good news is really meant for someone like you.
If that’s where you find yourself, hear what the angel said:

“To you is born this day a Savior…” (Luke 2:11)

To you.
Not just to the righteous or the spiritually confident – but to the tired, the unsure, the overlooked.
To those whose names may be forgotten by others, but whose quiet faithfulness is never unnoticed by God.

Maybe you’ve been showing up quietly – doing unseen work, caring for others, holding things together.
Maybe you’re carrying the weight of quiet prayers, late nights, or a return to faith after a long time, wondering if there’s still room for you.
Maybe you’ve been wounded – pushed out or made to feel like you didn’t belong.
Or maybe your story has convinced you that the message is for someone else.

Maybe you’ve learned to stay in the background, believing your place is at the edge of the story.
But the Gospel says otherwise.

Because the God who chose Zechariah in the temple (Luke 1:8–12), and Joseph in the middle of a scandal (Matthew 1:18–21), and Mary in her obscurity (Luke 1:26–27)…
also chose shepherds in the night (Luke 2:8–14).

People on the margins. People outside the walls of the sanctuary.
People who didn’t ask for a sign – but received one anyway.

Because this is what the Gospel does:
It finds the forgotten.
It lifts the overlooked.
It brings those on the edge right into the center of the story.

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There Is Room for You

These four Advent witnesses – Zechariah, Joseph, Mary, and the Shepherds – could not have been more different.
A priest. A craftsman. A young girl. And a group of field workers.

They came from different walks of life.
They stood in different places in society.
They responded to God in different ways.

And yet, each of them became part of the same story.
Each of them was drawn into the unfolding of God’s promise.
And so are we.

Because this story – the story of Emmanuel, God with us (Matthew 1:23) – isn’t just something we hear.
It’s something we are invited to enter.

And maybe this is what we need to hear as we step into this season again:

• Zechariah shows us that silence is not the end. That God hears even the prayers we’ve stopped saying out loud (Luke 1:13–17).
• Joseph shows us that obedience doesn’t need the spotlight. That doing the next right thing – quietly, faithfully – is a holy act (Matthew 1:24–25).
• Mary shows us that courage can be quiet and open-handed. That God doesn’t always call the ready – God calls the willing (Luke 1:38).
• The shepherds show us that grace reaches even the forgotten. That the good news really is for you, even when you’ve been made to feel otherwise (Luke 2:8–11).

Each of them said yes in their own way.
And each reminds us that God comes – not to perfect people, but to open ones.
Not to those who have it all together, but to those who are tired, uncertain… still showing up.

So say yes – not perfectly, just honestly.
Even if you’re hurting.
Even if you’re still waiting.
Even if your faith feels small.

Because when we say yes – like Zechariah, like Joseph, like Mary, like the shepherds – we don’t just remember the Gospel.
We become part of it.

The Advent story is still unfolding – in the middle of real life, among the grieving, the questioning, the still-believing.
…And there is room in it for you.

 

It’s not an enemy that is insulting me— I could handle that. It’s not someone who hates me who is exalted over me— I could hide from them. No. It’s you, my equal, my close companion, my good friend! ~Psalm 55:12-13 (CEB)

There is nothing worse in the world than to be betrayed by a friend. A friend, a close friend is someone you trust, someone you expect to be there for you in good times and bad. No one can hurt you more than a dear friend. When you have been betrayed by a friend the hurt goes so deep that you feel like you could never trust anyone ever again. You feel so alone with your feelings of hurt and betrayal. No one could ever know what you are going through.

But you are not alone. Jesus was sold out by a kiss. His betrayal led him to the cross. Peter, one of his closest friends, denied him not just once but three times. All the disciples fled in fear. Jesus was left alone. At the moment he needed a friend the most he found himself without even the dearest friends. They were all gone.

I don’t think I have ever been in a place where I have felt such complete abandonment. I have felt the sting of losing a friend that I thought I could trust but once the pain subsided some I realize that I was not as alone as I thought. But for Jesus, there was no one. The hardest thing for me about this story of betrayal and abandonment is that Jesus foreknew what was to come. He did not walk into this situation blindly. He chose to die on the cross to save me even when those dearest to him had left him to fend for himself. If I had been in his shoes I imagine I would have said well if even my closest friends can’t appreciate what I am about to do for the world then why bother! But thankfully I am not the Messiah.

It brings great comfort to me when I realize that there is nothing in the world that Jesus hasn’t been through. If I need an understanding ear he is the best choice. Jesus will never abandon me. Romans 8: 38-39 says, “I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.” There is NOTHING that can separate me from the love of God. Even though I might find myself alone, Jesus will always be with me. The Bible tells me so.

I am thankful that I have a friend in You Jesus. There is nothing that I go through that You have not also been through as well. I know I can trust You and turn to You for guidance in all I do this day. Amen

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever! ~Psalm 118:1

For many people of faith, one of the first things we want to do in uncertain times is to gather together to pray. As orders to shelter at home and for the doors of the church building to close for the health safety of its members we are left wondering where God is in all of this. With each passing day, things feel more uncertain, more and more fearful, causing tensions to rise. In our panic, we begin trying to seek out things that we can control in a time that everything feels so out of our control. One thing I keep hearing is that none of us have ever seen anything like this in our lifetime. We have to look back into history to the Spanish flu in the 1920s and Choera of the 1800s to find anything of comparison.

I read a post this morning where a question was asked of a Rabbi during a natural disaster to explain such a tragic act of God. The rabbi answered that the disaster was an act of nature. The act of God happened when people stepped us to help each other.

Where is God in all of this? What is the Good News in the midst of all our uncertainties? Where is the Light of God in the Midst of our Darkness?

The answer comes to us through the words of Psalm 118. “Hosanna! Save us! Blessed is the one that comes in the name of the Lord!” This is a reminder that God has acted in the past, has saved us from ourselves in the past, and God will save us again!

Even in our distance from each other, we can still come together as a community united in prayer. We can find comfort, peace and even moments of joy.

In its ancient context, Psalm 118 was most likely an entrance liturgy to the Temple, used at the festival of the Passover. It proclaimed God’s deliverance from Egypt and, later on, from the Exile.

Sine New Testament times, Psalm 118 evokes for Christians the story of Easter.

“Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
With the Lord on my side I do not fear.
What can mortals do to me?” (118:5-6).

New Testament writers used Psalm 118 “as a means of understanding and articulating the significance of Jesus.” (See Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7.) Christians have long read this Psalm with Jesus in mind.

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

Today, the words of Psalm 118 gives us hope as people of faith to celebrate God’s faithfulness. God was with us in the beginning. God is with us now. God will be with us always. The words in this Psalm remind us that God’s love is steadfast and endures forever. They remind us that God gave us God’s Light to shine in and through the darkness and that God’s light will never go away! The very words of Psalm 118 give us hope and stir our hearts and our souls to celebrate! They unify us! They remind us that we are God’s children! And remember being God’s children means that we are never alone.

Even in our anxiety and fear, we can celebrate that our God is still working.

We celebrate the hope, the security, the trust that we have as people of faith because we know that in the midst of our darkness, we find the Light of God. Because the Light of God never goes away.

If you listen to the news, they tell us to brace for a rough week ahead. I want to remind you that the churches may stand empty today, they may stand empty on Easter morning, but remember so is Christ’s tomb. This epidemic will not cancel Easter. Easter has already happened.

So we still celebrate because our God’s saving grace is steadfast and endures forever. The Light of God shines in this darkness, giving us strength and courage for the journey ahead. The Light of God is for all of God’s children, bringing peace, bringing hope, bringing grace. The Light of God fills us, renews us, lifts us up, and connects as one. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Our God has answered our pleas and has given us salvation!

Dear God, even in these days, help us to remember your promises. Help us be unified in our prayers, even when COVID-19 seems to keep us separated. Fill our homes with your Holy Spirit in such a way that we know you are near. Restore us to health, God, restore us to life and give us hope. Amen.

Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up. ~Galatians 6:9 (CEB)

No matter what is going on in our lives we must never give up. In the scripture on God’s Armor (Eph 6:10-18) it ends the section with “no matter what, persevere.” This is easy to throw around but how do you even begin to persevere in a world that we have never seen before? How do we persevere when each day seems to be darker than the last?

I persevere by my diligence in prayer, resolving to stay the course, unwavering faith, and determination to stand firmly on God’s Words and His promises for me.

Even so, it gets frustrating how slowly things seem to be moving sometimes. Every time I turn on the news, I feel like our “safer at home orders” get extended even further out. I no longer know what to say to my son when he asks me how much longer do you think COVID-19 will disrupt our lives? My heart breaks for him as this should be one of his golden times as a senior in High School. There should be celebrations, rewards for a good job done, a senior trip to Disney, a musical production with his high school theater group… and who knows yet about graduation ceremonies? Instead, he meets with his friends online as they try to distract each other between their lessons at home.

It is easy to think that God isn’t dealing with the situation, but I have to remember that God is doing some of his greatest work even if I can’t see what He is doing. This pandemic did not catch him off guard. Also, I need to keep in mind if the problem didn’t occur overnight it also will take time to correctly resolve it. There may be more going on than the “virus” we see.

No matter what is going on in our lives the victory is in not giving up. I think that is a good definition of perseverance. Not giving up. When the road ahead is full of bumps and I feel like I am acting out one of my son’s ninja shows he watched when he was little as I try to dodge trouble, I need to keep assured that the good that I am trying to do is noticed by God and time will bring fruition to my diligence.

Sometimes God, I get tired of doing the right thing. Give me courage to stay the course give me strength to do your will. Most especially God, help me to remember that as I child of God, I do not walk this journey alone. Amen.

 

I can’t bear these people on my own. They’re too heavy for me. ~Numbers 11:14

Sometimes life is just more than I can handle. Some days it is all I can do to manage what I need to do for that day. In reading Numbers chapter 11 we read where Moses is feeling overwhelmed with leading the Israelites. They aren’t happy with the fact that God has been providing them just manna to eat. Now they are complaining that they want meat to eat too. Moses cries out to God in verse 13, “Where am I to get meat for all these people? They are crying before me and saying, ‘Give us meat, so we can eat’.”

The first thing Moses did when he realized he had come to the end of his rope in this situation was to admit, “I can’t bear these people on my own. They’re too heavy for me.” This allowed God to say, “I can!” The problem was bigger than Moses but once he allowed God into the situation it allowed God to go to work.

I often forget that God is waiting on the sidelines for me to call out to Him for my needs. God wants to work in my life but He isn’t going to come into the situation without my invitation. I first need to call out to God, “Help, this is more than me!” I need to realize Who can get the job done and then I need to let Him.

Dear God, help us this day to reach out to You when things feel more than we can bear. Come into the circumstances we are dealing with today and help us feel assured that You will make a way for us through this day and the days ahead. Amen.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ~Isaiah 43:30

One of my jobs at church is our social media pages. I scroll through feeds a couple of times a day looking for items to pass along to the church. As I was scrolling one morning, trying to not look too closely at all the COVID-19 bombardment of articles out there, I stumbled across this photo. I was so struck by this image. This little guy fits so securely in its parent’s hand. She is not struggling to get out of the parent’s grasp but resting and even drawing comfort for being there. This made me think of God holding me!

Whether we are on the front lines of this pandemic or sheltered at home, we can rest assured of God going with us through these times. Psalm 139:10-12 says, “Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me and the light around me become night, even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

One of my favorite verses in scripture is Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” After seeing this image, I will forever connect this verse and this picture together. Before I always envisioned myself being still among whatever I was going through and trusting that God was taking care of things I couldn’t see. Now, when I need that verse to calm my anxiety (I often use it as a breath prayer) I will see myself sheltered in God’s hand as he carries me through not just this present time but in all the times ahead.

Dear God, Help me to find solace in the stillness you provide. Calm my anxieties so that I can know that You are God and that You will lead us through ALL our days ahead. Amen. 

 

 

*I could not find the original post of this picture. Since in my search I found thousands of pages using it, I believe it to be an open stock picture. If anyone finds the original photographer I would love to give credit.

So then, let’s work for the good of all whenever we have an opportunity, and especially for those in the household of faith. ~Galatians 6:10 (CEB)

A smile and a kind word, I would say that this is my mother’s ministry. I grew up with my mother always smiling to those she met and giving a smile. It seems like such a simple thing. It seems that it couldn’t really make a difference, but I have seen many eye light up when my mother smiles.

Often I forget that we are called even in the little things of life to serve Christ. If I put on God’s eyes and look around, His ears and listen, He is calling me to reach out every day even in the little things. Acknowledging a cashier and asking them about their day, holding open the door for someone, letting someone ahead of me in line who only has a couple of items, a smile, these are all things that I can do to serve Christ. Sometimes these “small things” can impact someone greatly. I will probably never know how my small actions may impact someone’s life this day but I am called to be Christ even in the small things that I do.

Lord may I not be so caught up with my own life that I forget to look out beyond myself. May I notice those around me with a smile and a kind word today. Amen.

A joyful heart helps healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones ~Proverbs 17:22 (CEB)

Sometimes I get caught up in looking at the big picture. The worries and stress of the day seem to steal all joy and I forget to live in the moment. When I forget to live in the moment, I forget to take joy in things like the melodies my son picks out on his guitar or the texts I get from my husband. When I get caught up in my worries I forget to see my flowers pushing up from the ground getting ready to bloom. I forget to laugh at my dog as she takes serious her task of chasing the rabbits. I forget to listen to the bird’s songs or listen as the wind rustles the wind chimes on my back porch.

Seeing things piece by piece and searching for the joy in the moment helps to lighten my day. When I get to worrying about all the things that I have no power to fix at this moment, those things that are out of my control, I allow those things to steal the simple joys from my heart. Missing out on these simple things soon finds my spirit hurting.

God doesn’t want me to live with the weight of the world on my shoulders. He has put things in my path to help me enjoy life. He created flowers and bird songs for my enjoyment. He gave me friends and family for comfort and love. May I remember each day to appreciate all that he has blessed me with down to the simplest and smallest of details.

Heavenly Father, help me to remember to stop and smell the flowers, to hear the birds sing, to hug my family. May I not take any of these joys for granted. May they ever be fresh on my heart. Amen.