Ep. 146 || Finding Rest in Advent
‘Tis the season of special Christmas parties at work and school. There are gift lists to check off and cookies to devour (we mean, deliver). There’s the Advent calendar and accompanying crafts, and someone needs to find the tree decorations. Is it just us or are you already tired? In this episode, Emily and Laura invite five women to share how they rest in Christ through this season of hustle and bustle. All of the good things we do—from present shopping to craft-making—can be an overflow of a heart that’s beholding God’s goodness in this season. Let’s pause to reflect on God’s greatest gift to us and the only One able to offer us true rest: Jesus Christ.
If you’re reading Risen Motherhood while listening to the show this week, check out chapter twelve: The Gospel and Our Traditions.
Ladies on the Episode:
[2:47] Christine Hoover is a pastor's wife, mom of three boys, host of the "By Faith" podcast, and author of several books, including Searching for Spring, Messy Beautiful Friendship, and From Good to Grace. In March 2020, she'll release her latest book, With All Your Heart: Living Joyfully Through Allegiance to King Jesus.Christine's work has appeared on Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God, and For the Church. Originally from Texas, she and her family live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they planted a church in 2008. Find her at her home online at GraceCoversMe.com or on Instagram (@christinehoover98).
[6:25] Nana Dolce loves working with women and children in studying the Scriptures. Nana has a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Palmer Theological Seminary. She writes for various ministries and serves as an instructor for the Charles Simeon Trust. Nana's husband is on staff at their Washington DC church and together, they homeschool their two daughters. Find her at motherhoodandsanctity.com and on Instagram at @nanadolce1.
[9:46] Jamie Ivey is a podcaster, writer, and speaker from Austin, Texas. She and her husband Aaron are parents to four kids, 3 of them being teenagers, so they are also primarily uber drivers. Jamie loves to encourage women to love Jesus with all of their heart, soul, and mind. She does this through her popular podcast, The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey, and her bestselling book If You Only Knew: My Unlikely, Unavoidable Story of Becoming Free. You can find her on Instagram or at her website.
[12:44] Kristen Wetherell is the author of Fight Your Fears: Trusting the Character and Promises of God When You Are Afraid and the co-author of the award-winning book Hope When It Hurts. She writes regularly for digital publications and enjoys teaching the Bible to women at retreats, events, and conferences. She and her husband, Brad, are members of The Orchard and parents to Joanna. Read Kristen’s writing at her website and connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
[16:02] Caroline Cobb is a singer-songwriter interested in telling the stories of scripture creatively and faithfully through music. In 2017, Caroline released a Home & a Hunger: Songs of Kingdom Hope, an album that traces the tension of the “already” and the “not yet” from Genesis to Revelation, with each song parachuting into a different biblical story. Her most recent project, Tell that Story (2019), parachutes into a more personal space, exploring the way God's Story has spoken into her relationship with her children, her husband, and even her phone. Caroline has been featured by The Gospel Coalition, Doxology & Theology, GraceLaced and more. She and her husband Nick live in Dallas, TX with their three young kids (Ellie, Harrison, and Libby). You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as Youtube, Apple Music, and Spotify.
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Related Articles, Resources, and Content
Related R|M Resources:
Ep. 111, Seasons and Rhythms: Incorporating Gospel Reminders Into Your Year
Ep. 114, Wish List Ignored? Loving the Giver More Than the Gift
“Gospel Thinking: How Do We Decide Our Family Traditions?” Eric Schumacher
Around the web:
We’re grateful to Lifeway Women for making this week’s show possible. Looking for an Advent Bible study? Grab a copy of Advent: The Weary World Rejoices to help you meditate on how Advent points to the glory to come.
R|M Apply Questions:
Describe past Advent seasons for your family. What distracted you from Christ? What helped you behold Christ? Did you rest well? Thinking of this year, what would you like to bring along from previous years and what should you change to pursue rest in Christ this season?
Why do we celebrate Christ’s birth? Consider the ages of your kiddos and practice communicating the joys of Christmas with them in ways they’ll understand. You can talk about this in the car, while making snacks, building legos, during bath time—whenever!
It’s important that your heart is firmly rooted in Christ before you pour out to others. We want the good works we do this season to be an overflow of our love for Jesus. How can you intentionally plan to spend time in scripture and prayer during this notoriously busy season? Be specific.
We can often feel like we “have” to do something in order to properly celebrate the Advent season with our little ones. Do you have any silent expectations for crafts, experiences, gifts, or traditions? How might celebrating with your kids out of joy look different than meeting a “good Advent mom” standard?
Christ has come! Christ is coming again! How does the Advent season prepare your heart and mind for the coming of Christ? In what promises of God can you rest?
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