One of my favorite Christmas traditions is attending Long Night Service—an Advent service of healing and hope held during the darkest time of the year. The lights are dimmed, the space is quiet, and everything feels hushed and expectant.
After a sermon that speaks to the courage of a young girl whose sacrifice would ripple through the ages, we are invited to light a prayer candle—for ourselves, and for others.
We then step into a line, waiting mindfully for a few sacred moments with the pastor to ask for prayers for healing, while a deacon gently lays hands on our shoulders, creating a circle of quiet, shared grace.
A Sacred Invitation in a Tender Season
This year, I invited my youngest granddaughter to join me.
She was bullied relentlessly from grade school through middle school and was transferred during her senior year to another town. While the bullying ended, a new challenge began—trying to find her footing in an unfamiliar place, among peers who had long-established friendships.
No room at the inn takes on a very real meaning when you watch someone you love walk through that kind of loneliness with courage.
Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love
Each week of Advent represents a virtue: hope, peace, joy, and love. As Christmas approaches—and before Aubrey leaves for college next August—I find myself holding these virtues close for her.
Hope in her future, shining as brightly as the Star of Bethlehem.
Peace that settles within her as she closes one chapter of her life and begins another—stronger and wiser.
Joy in the knowing of how deeply proud her family is of the grace and fortitude she has shown.
Love. She is the heart of my heart. May she always feel the love of her family and the Creator who wonderfully made her.
A Prayer for You
If your season feels tender, complicated, or you are simply weary, know that you are not alone.
My gift to you is this prayer:
that hope gently guides your path,
peace meets you amidst the clamor,
joy rises unexpectedly from within,
and love surrounds you—now and always.
May this reflection meet you wherever you are in this season.
