Loop Encounters: Advent

Spiritual Practices to Encounter God

LOOP ENCOUNTERS: ADVENT JENNIFER J. CAMP

© 2022, revised 2023 GATHER MINISTRIES All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or reused in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations for a book review.

Gather Ministries 95 2nd Street, 1st Floor San Francisco, CA 94103 www.gatherministries.com

Dear One, you can trust your heart this Advent.

May our Father ll you with His love. May He awaken your heart and smile upon your face. May the Savior's love overwhelm you and Holy Spirit's presence guide your every step. May you be comforted when the night is dark. May the Lord's light bring you wisdom. May his voice in your heart ground you in what is true. May you be held in the Father's arms and adored as the Son is adored. May you rejoice with the angels the night of His birth, astounded with the shepherds, lled with wonder with Mary, amazed and overwhelmed by Love who Came Down. May your heart leap with gladness and pour out worship upon the King. May your heart nd rest in Home.

With expectation and hope,

Author of Loop for Women

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AN INVITATION Perhaps we are most desperate to hear God's voice at Christmas.

Our hearts are drawn to contemplation, even amid the noise and bustle our culture esteems. But to hear His voice, we must be in tune with our hearts. It is a struggle to relax into Jesus' arms when we are numb to our own emotions, unaware of or unable to access the deeper places within us where God most tends to speak.

So, this Advent, will you join me in some quiet moments of curated practices that will help us tune into our hearts so we can better engage with God? Will you close your eyes with me, open your hands and heart, breathe deeply, and engage in a posture of listening that will slow us down, helping us to turn inward so we may look upward and into the face of the Savior who o ers hope, peace, joy, and abundant love?

Let's try it together. What have we got to lose?

Designed for you to engage your heart and communicate with God throughout the Christmas season, each Encounter in this tidy book includes a prophetic word, guided prayer, spiritual formation exercises, and worship songs. You can enjoy these practices for a few minutes a day-or participate in a lingering focus session at

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your own pace as each week unfolds.

From one friend to another, let us trust our hearts this Advent. Let us heed its whispers, for He is calling us deeper there.

Find Me. Be surprised. Be restored. Be loved. Encounter Love calling you Home.

WEEK 1:

HOPE

Loop Encounters: Advent 2023

Week 1: Hope

SCRIPTURE & PROPHETIC WORD

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him” (Psalm 62: 5).

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de ne hope. I embody it. I create it. I sustain it. I restore it. I breathe life into it.

Hope is my way of thinking, of being. For, all is already made, and all is already brand new. So, I participate in hope through my care for you, for my giving life to this world.

Hope is for you. It is powerful, for it mobilizes you to do things you cannot do alone. Hope gives you the strength to dream. It gives you a vision for what is true–and wisdom for laying things down. Hope distills moments, helping you see what you have faith in and what you don’t. Hope is beyond time, as I am not corralled by seasons, ideas, emotions, or good or bad choices.

I bring hope into your heart. And this season, as you adopt the posture of waiting, re ecting on my Son, let me resurrect hope in you. Let me show you the stable where he lay his precious head. Let

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me show you how you are resigned to your life being one of few beginnings–how everything is mostly at an end.

My Son, the beginning of all things, the hope of heaven, the hope of life, brings ideas into your heart that are true and good–that stir you to experience heaven now. Hope for what is unseen, child. And hope for what is here already. Hope for what is beginning again in you. Hope for the possibility of heaven’s Treasure grabbing hold of your hand and giving you a di erent way to see, believe, and dream.

I hope for you. I teach you how to hope for–and experience–Me. 1

1 Like Loop devotional, Loop Encounters: Advent is not a replacement for reading

Scripture; nor is it a replacement of Scripture. It is simply the result of Jennifer praying with a pen in her hand and then listening for God’s message for you (and through her) this season.

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ENCOUNTER

Find a comfortable place to sit that feels cozy, safe, and good. Take a deep breath. Inhale for a count of four. Hold for four. And then exhale for a count of four. Repeat this deep, relaxed breathing for at least two minutes.

Next, surrender your mind and your heart to God. Let’s do that now: Father, I consecrate my thoughts, ideas, and expectations to you now. I give you every concern, each worry, each fear.

Name them one by one: I give you ________________________________________________ I give you ________________________________________________ I give you ________________________________________________ God, I trust you and give all my concerns to you. I trust you. I bring everything under your authority. Lead me now, Holy Spirit. I invite you in, even deeper into my heart. Help me to be present– fully engaged–with you.

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Now, let’s contemplate the following verses: 5-8 of Psalm 62. Read it once, silently, noticing what words and phrases draw in your heart.

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62: 5-8).

Reading Scripture, God’s words to us, continues a conversation that God started between his heart and ours. Read the verses two or three more times. You might even want to read it out loud, calling your mind and heart to attention as you listen to the words spoken with your own lips and breath.

Then, speak back to God–either by writing in a journal or praying in your heart–what you think and feel about what He had to say to you in those verses. Listen for his voice in your heart as you converse with him here: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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Week 1: Hope

____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ During this Advent season, we are invited to “wait quietly before God.” We are desperate for hope. Yet often we struggle to see it and pursue it. Either we are lled with hope, or we are not.

Right now, what are you hoping for? Be honest. Don’t censor yourself. Let your heart speak what it is truly feeling now.

Lord, I am hoping for….. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Hope isn’t just a wistful longing for something. It is an action. It takes courage to hope. It takes faith in what we cannot see. The Psalmist says that the Lord “alone is my rock and my salvation/ my fortress where I will not be shaken.” Close your eyes and give God your imagination now. Ask Him to show you a picture of himself as

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your rock, your fortress, your refuge. How is God wanting to be the ultimate safe place in your life?

Lord, show me how you are my rock, my foundation, the God in whom I can put all my trust.

Draw a picture of what He shows you here:

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In this rst week of Advent, how is your heart desperate for hope?

What action will you take this week as you put your hope in God? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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WORSHIP

Conclude this experience of encountering God’s hope by spending time worshipping him. Let your heart continue to process–and remain–with the Father (or Jesus or Holy Spirit or all three!) through engaging your heart with him as you read or sing or garden or walk or rest or work. Below are songs of worship you might want to use to help you stay engaged now.

“Who Would Have Dreamed,” Sovereign Grace Music: Spotify | YouTube “Emmanuel,” Hannah Kerr: Spotify | YouTube “Heaven Meets Earth,” All Sons and Daughters: Spotify | YouTube“

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Week 1: Hope

PRAY

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, thank you that you are hope. You are solid and sure. You are with me now, leaning in, loving my company, wanting to take my every burden. I give you my heart now. I want to experience your hope in a new way. I want your hope to be the rock on which I place all of my trust. I love you. ank you that you are here.

ank you for never leaving me.

ank you for giving me hope that never wavers, never subsides, never ends. In your powerful and beautiful name, Jesus, amen.

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WEEK 2:

PEACE

Loop Encounters: Advent 2023

Week 2: Peace

SCRIPTURE & PROPHETIC WORD

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

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ou want to wear peace like a blanket, don’t you? Drape it around your shoulders like protection when you face challenges and trials, metaphorical rain and storm and

cold. But, be assured that, with my Son, peace is more than something you wear like a shield. Rather, it is something you inhabit. With the peace of Christ within you, you both wield a weapon and stand strong as a fortress. For with the peace of my Son, you are invincible, not because the world will not hurt you (because it will) but because my Son and you will not leave each other’s hearts.

I know peace is both foreign–and familiar–to you, for the peace you recognize often feels transient, not lasting. But be gentle with yourself now. Be calm–grant me access to your heart to help the turbulence within you subside. For this is what is true: Peace, my

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Son, is your inheritance; it is within you and it never leaves. You don’t have to wait for peace or ght for it. You don’t have to earn it or achieve it. Rather, it is bestowed upon you with my Son’s sacri ce. I give you peace because it is what you are made for. And with it you are not unsteady; you are not unsure. For with my peace, you can place your feet upon me, your hands upon my shoulders, keep your heart within my heart, and I will quiet you.

My con dence in who I am gives you con dence in who you are.

My con dence in my Son ushers in peace in you that never ends.

Peace came like a sword to a world that believes power rests on acclaim, prestige, and gold. But I am the force that grounds you in all circumstances and makes you know your way home. I am the gentle whisper in a crowded room. I am the steady ame in a night cold and dark. I am fearlessness. I am majesty that brings calmness and surety to what feels lost.

Stand upon me. Here is my Peace. Let it hold you up.

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ENCOUNTER

Get comfortable. Put everything down, so you hold nothing in your hands. Shrug your shoulders toward your ears, then roll them up and down and back. Take a deep breath.

In, for a count of four–and hold. Then out for a count of four–pause for a count of four.

Keep your eyes closed if you can. Repeat this slow, gentle breathing for a few minutes as you relax your body–your shoulders, arms, wrists and ngers, face, head, and neck–and give your attention to Jesus, your Prince of Peace. Imagine him sitting in front of you in a chair facing you. He stretches out his hands and holds yours in his.

Stay here for at least ve minutes, letting Jesus hold your hands.

Keep breathing slowly, with your eyes closed, as you let Jesus direct your imagination now. As you sit with him, give him every distraction–each concern from the day, each thought that is heavy on your heart.

Jesus, I give you…. (name each concern speci cally.) ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Now that you’ve given Jesus all your worries, trust him with them.

He has them.

Jesus, you have all my worries. You have me. I am okay here.

Next, let Jesus direct your thoughts and imagination as you stay present to him in your heart.

Jesus, please stay and speak.

Listen for the voice of Peace as you slowly, carefully, and attentively contemplate the verses below. After reading each verse, set a timer for 5-10 minutes, close your eyes, and let your heart experience Jesus speaking these words to you by visualizing the scene between you and Jesus as if you are watching a movie.

Stay in this intimate space with Jesus but write your response to him.

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Jesus says, “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my awless one…” (Song of Solomon 5:2) You say…. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” ( John 14:27).

You say…. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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Finally, consider the kind of peace you are truly waiting for this Advent.

Jesus, I used to think peace was…. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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But you are showing me it is actually…. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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WORSHIP

Keep your heart open and continue your interaction with Jesus through worshipping him. You might want to lie down or walk or dance. Try to nd a private place where you can have no inhibitions. Let your body experience Jesus’ presence and respond with stillness or movement, however Holy Spirit leads you. The songs below are suggestions for music to play to help your mind, heart, and body engage with Jesus now.

Jesus, thank you that you are here. I love you. I love you. I love you.

“O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” for King & Country: Spotify | YouTube “Our Jesus,” Amanda Cook: Spotify | YouTube “O Come All Ye Faithful,” Johnnyswim: Spotify | YouTube

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PRAY

Jesus, my Prince of Peace, I know you and love you. Your peace is here–it is in me and lasting. Because peace is my inheritance, I don’t have to wait for it or ght for it. Your peace makes me steady and sure. It quiets me and gives me con dence, making me fearless and strong.

ank you for how you bring peace to my heart. Please

help me to live in your peace and not forget it. In your most powerful name, Jesus, amen.

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WEEK 3:

JOY

Loop Encounters: Advent 2023

Week 3: Joy

SCRIPTURE & PROPHETIC WORD

“

ough you have not seen him, you love him.

ough you do not now

see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and lled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).

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ere is the celebration, where music lls this space, this space that has no boundaries. Stars sparkle boldly in the sky, and angels sing with exuberance the songs that carry

you into the place of love. Where are your party clothes? Where is your heart that knows my name? Be here with me. I will help you to imagine it. I am in the middle of it all–how could I miss it? For my Son, the One who has always been with me, the Word who was and is, the beginning and the end, came to earth to be with you because I want to be with you because I love you from the beginning to the end.

Come to the place of celebration. Come into the deep place where life begins, for I cannot contain my joy. He came to you, and now we can be together. He came to you, and I am not holding back on loving you.

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Sing with me, will you? And shout? And let your heart leap with energy and expectation? For all goodness can be expected now– and newness and life. Here, with joy, life begins again, with a baby’s cry, an angel chorus, and a swelling of possibility. Oh, yes, with my Son, all goodness is possible now.

He said yes, my Son, the rescuer. He packed up joy inside himself and brought it straight to you. So enter in, my child. This joy is for you–all for you. Celebrate the One who loves you. All of heaven forever sings. So join in, join in, join in.

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ENCOUNTER

Retreat to a place of stillness where you can relax. Breathe deeply and evenly. Rather than sitting right away, stretch your arms up over your head. Roll your wrists. Scrunch up your shoulders. Pivot your ankles and bend at the knees or waist.

Now nd a place to sit or lie down–and prepare to close your eyes.

O er this prayer to God. Lord, thank you that you are here. I invite you deeper into my heart in this moment. Lead me now; help me to hear you and see you–let me be open to experiencing you fully.

With your eyes closed and your hands empty and open, take four deep, slow breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth.

Lord, I am here with you. Please help me to be aware of your closeness.

As you continue to calmly and purposefully breathe, spend at least ve minutes consecrating your mind–surrender all your thoughts

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Week 3: Joy

and worries to God. Lord, I give you every worry I hold. Be speci c as you name each concern.

Consecrate your body–surrender to God all your tension and stress. Lord, I give you the anxiety I feel. Trust his leading you deeper into his presence as you focus on him.

Consecrate your heart–surrender to God all your hurt and emotions. Lord, I give you my heart fully. Relax even deeper now as you stay here, letting his presence give you a feeling of peace.

In this third week of Advent, as we contemplate joy, let’s consider what joy means. Then let’s ask God to give us a picture of joy in our minds.

For the next ve to ten minutes, close your eyes and surrender to God your imagination. When you think of joy, what image or scene do you see? Is it a memory? Is it a dream? What is the situation?

How do you feel? Be patient: draw inward to the deep place within your heart where it might be easiest for you and God to engage.

Spend another few minutes jotting down the details of the scene God showed you regarding joy. For example, note the colors you noticed, the people, and the setting. Or, sketch a picture of what you felt and saw in your mind.

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Describe or draw your picture here:

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During this Advent season, we re ect on the great joy of Jesus’ arrival. The light has come into the world! Glory is realized. New life is made possible through the most miraculous birth.

In Philippians 4:4, we hear the bold invitation to celebrate our Savior: “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”

And we appreciate this truth: joy is not something we have to muster–it is not dependent upon our circumstances or emotions.

Our joy is found in Jesus, the Savior who lives in us.

Next, consider these questions: how is God inviting you to “join in” with the celebration of joy’s arrival? What joy does God have for you to experience this Advent season?

For the next ten minutes, let yourself contemplate what God’s joy looks, feels, sounds, and smells like. How does it feel to be in the room with him as he celebrates Jesus’ birth? Be expectant– completely open-minded–as you let your heart direct your imagination. Remember that God’s joy is exuberant and wild. He is thrilled to show you what Jesus’ joy for you looks like, uniquely, in your life. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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Finally, write a letter to God in response to his joy. What do you say and do when He looks you in the eyes, grabs hold of your hands, and says, with the deepest love for you: "Join in"? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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WORSHIP

When it comes to worshipping in joy, sitting down and being still might not be what you want to do–or it might be exactly what your heart needs. As you keep your heart turned to God, let your body and mind fully embrace God’s love for you. Respond to his joy by letting your worship tell him “I love you” over and over again.

“Arrival,” Hillsong Worship: Spotify | YouTube “Joy to the World ( Joyful Joyful),” Phil Wickham, Jordan Felix, Bryan & Katie Torwalt, Maverick City Music: Spotify | YouTube “You’re Here,” Francesca Battistelli: Spotify | YouTube

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PRAY

Father, thank you for your joy.

ank you for your Son. I want to

come to the place of celebration with you. I want to be with you and hold nothing back on loving you. Help me sing with you. Help me dance with all my heart as I receive Jesus completely. You are beautiful, and I am made to be captivated by all that you are. Let me join in with heaven now–the glorious worship of you—my whole life. In Jesus’ powerful and everlasting name, amen.

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WEEK 4:

LOVE

Loop Encounters: Advent 2023

Week 4: Love

SCRIPTURE & PROPHETIC WORD

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs” (Zephaniah 3:17).

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t isn’t a long time to wait for love. It is here. It arrived to save you. It came gentle and erce, with all of heaven singing and rejoicing loud and long. I created you in love, for love. It is the

richest, most precious thing you can ever possess. And it is what you need most.

I give you love in abundance, without hesitation and reservation.

Love has been your beginning–it has shaped you, formed you from the dust. It holds you together now. It gives your story a framework. For with each moment you breathe a breath, and forever after you breathe your last, love will direct your steps, ll your mind, and give energy and purpose to everything you think, say, and do.

I love loving you.

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While you wait for love and contemplate what it means, why it is here, and how much you need it now, let it wake you up to the ways you have been ignoring it. Let it ll you and guide you. Let it energize you and give you eyes to see what you are often blind to understand.

Love heals and gives hope to the brokenhearted. Love promises life that resurrects what has been dead. Love creates beauty. Love brings peace. Love motivates the hardest of hearts to feel what is otherwise too di cult–the lost and the lonely, the voiceless and the forgotten.

I am here, lling up every space with love. And this love can move you towards connection with other people–those who know me and those who don’t. And through my love in you, you will help transform this world. I see it now. I have always seen it. I want you to see it too.

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ENCOUNTER

Retreat to a quiet place–where you can be comfortable and either sit or lie down.

Let’s begin with consecrating our imaginations and hearts to God– giving him access to our minds, ideas, and emotions. We want to bring our whole self-all of our attention–under his authority so that the Holy Spirit can draw us inward. We want to better hear God’s voice in our hearts and experience his presence now.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I consecrate to you my mind, my heart, my emotions, my ideas and thoughts. I trust you with my every concern. (Name each concern, each worry, each fear now; give him each one.) I want to be with you, experience you, and have nothing interfere. Help me stay with you; help me remain in your presence.

Next, let’s do a breath prayer, using Zephaniah 3:17 as inspiration.

Breathe deeply, feel your abdomen rise on your inhale, and pray (either silently or aloud) the following words: “With your love.”

Then hold your breath for a count of four. Next, exhale slowly and pray the following words: “You calm all my fears.” Repeat this breath prayer for a few minutes–closing your eyes and either keeping your hand on your abdomen or chest to feel the air enter

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and exit your body. Or keep your palms open, hands resting in your lap.

Inhale: With your love….

Exhale: You calm all my fears…

During this fourth week of Advent, we are contemplating God’s love. We appreciate God’s words about love to us in Scripture–we marinate on them and allow them to rest deeply in our hearts. We also enjoy what we learn about God’s love in prayer; he teaches us about love through hearing his voice. But there is nothing like experiencing God’s love by being in his presence. We long for Love through encounters.

So now, we are going to contemplate one of the greatest moments of love described in all of Scripture–the scene of Jesus’ birth, from the celebration of heaven–the angels’ rapturous singing so the lowly shepherds could hear–to the physical grit and grime of the manger scene, with the teenage virgin Mary a very far way from home, giving birth to the King of Kings.

Let’s read the following passage from Luke chapter 2, verses 6-14, a few times–allowing our imaginations to soak up the scene. What characters are you most drawn to–and which setting? The shepherds outside? The angels in the heavens? Mary or Joseph in the cave? Let the situation, as you read, draw you in. Listen for the sounds you hear. The scent of the air on your skin. The emotion you feel.

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Week 4: Love

Read the verses at least three times.

“When they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor, and there she gave birth to her rstborn son. She wrapped the newborn baby in strips of cloth, and Mary and Joseph laid him in a feeding trough since there was no available space in any upper room in the village. That night, in a eld near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their ocks. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the eld with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terri ed! But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you.

He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miraculous sign: You will nd a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in the feeding trough!”

Then all at once in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing: ’Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven! For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men’ “ (Luke 2: 6-14, TPT).

Next, set a timer for at least ten minutes. With your eyes closed and nothing in your hands, contemplate the verses you just read. Stay in one scene for as long as you can. Be present to your heart–your

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Week 4: Love

thoughts and feelings. Let God speak to you through your imagination. There is so much he might want to say.

Finally, write a prayer to God or Jesus articulating your heart’s reaction to this encounter with First Love. Be speci c and tell him how you need him this week, how your heart is feeling this fourth week of Advent, in the heart of the Christmas season. Give him all of your emotions. Don’t hold back. Tell him everything. Wait expectantly for his response. ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

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Week 4: Love

WORSHIP

Continue your conversation with God in worship–either silently, or walking or dancing–or doing whatever is on your heart to do. Just continue to engage with him in love.

“Shepherd,” CityAlight.

Spotify | YouTube “Mary & Joseph,” Chris Renzema: Spotify | YouTube “Emmanuel, God With Us,” Anthem Lights, Amy Grant: Spotify | YouTube

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Week 4: Love

PRAY

Lord, I love you. I am amazed by your love. I want to be lled up with it and have it sustain me. I want to want nothing more than your love for me. During this Christmas season, I give you my heart–for it is desperate for your love. Let my heart be lled with worship for you–for your coming to earth to save me. Let me wake up to the ways I have been ignoring your love. Let your love energize me and give me eyes to see what I am often blind to understand. me.

ank you for how your love heals and gives hope to

ank you that your love promises life that resurrects what

has been dead, creates beauty, and brings peace. I love you, my King and Savior, amen.

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