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The Invitation to Come As You Are this Advent Season

by Celia A. Miller
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A few weeks ago, my friend and fellow writer, Beth Ferguson, reached out and asked me if I’d kindly contribute to her Advent devotional blog series that begins this month and continues into next. And of course, my response was yes, please!

The Advent devotional series kicks off today with an article written by yours truly entitled, The Invitation to Come As You Are.

My heart behind this blog post is to share God’s deepest desire for you this Advent season; the desire for you to come to Him, to step gently into Advent, and be with Him, just as you are.

Sometimes we think that in order to approach God, we have to have it all together or at least be a bit cleaned up. But that’s not God’s heart or His desire for you.

I’ll link the full article on Beth’s blog for you to read below, but here’s a small excerpt of today’s post:

But maybe this Advent season, you feel like me as I made my way to The Hermitage. You feel your soul longing for the Savior’s coming, but your mind worries about how you don’t measure up or fit into this kind of Christmas story. Instead of surrendering and receiving, maybe you feel like you have to pretty yourself up before coming to the manger.

Well, I have good news for you, my friend. 

Even in our woundedness, He calls to us. 
Even in our shame, He calls to us. 
Even in our worry and fear, He calls to us. 
Even in our wandering and questioning and wrestling, He calls to us. 
He beckons us to come without expectation or hesitation, always and forever. 

You are invited to simply receive His coming as a gift and come as you are to the God who gives Love freely and expects nothing in return. Your own coming to Him with all you are and all you carry is the only gift He desires this Advent season.

Read the full article here: The Invitation to Come As You Are and be sure to subscribe to Beth’s blog while you’re there to keep up with her Advent devotional series!

peace be with you,

“Every day the Presence beckons: Look, touch, be at peace, break bread, eat, be a witness to the Living God. See and feel the Divine in the simplest forms and movements of everyday life. Let every table be an altar. Let every meal be communion. Let every birdsong be a miracle. Let every encounter be an awakening to look, see and touch Christ.” Listening prayer teaches us how to delight in our relationship with God. It slows us down and invites us to pause, rest, and enjoy walking with Him moment by moment in intimate communion and relationship with our Creator. This season of life has me wrestling with a lot of different decisions. Decisions that pertain to priorities, childbirth, and commitments, to name a few. To be honest, sometimes it becomes a bit overwhelming and a little lonely, and I’m growing more and more familiar with the ever dreaded decision fatigue. Yesterday was full of God-glory as we had our 24-week appointment, witnessed the eclipse, and then took a trail walk in 70 degree weather. This season has been challenging to not wish that time would speed up so we can finally meet Baby Girl, but days like yesterday remind me that the present holds so much beauty, and I don’t want to miss a second of it. Four words to end the month of March: Happy Easter 💛 we’re holding space for a lot of things this year, but feel very thankful for the love of Jesus, His sacrifice, and the joy of new life! ”When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. Then Pilate ordered that it be released. So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.“ On this Maundy Thursday, we walk slowly to the cross with Jesus as we enter into the Last Supper and the Garden of Gethsemane, bearing witness to His final hours before that dreaded day on the cross. This morning, I stepped into Holy Week needing silence, asking Jesus to center my heart on Him. My days have grown loud lately, and I didn’t realize just how loud until I felt the anxiety weighing on my chest. This anxious feeling used to drive me further into myself, but I’ve come to learn that it’s an indication that my soul needs the quiet and rest that only God supplies. The racing thoughts are an invitation to pause, breathe slowly, and enter into the silence with the Spirit.