Posts by Betsy
A New Year, Rooted in the Word
“Blessed is the one who delights in the law of the Lord, and meditates on it day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water.” — Psalm 1:2–3 My mom was a reader. She loved the smell of a library book, the feel of a well-worn paperback, and the joy of…
Read MoreWhat I Learned About Holiness This Advent
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” — John 1:5 Every Advent, I learn something new about waiting. Not the kind of waiting that feels empty, but the kind that wakes you up inside — that asks you to notice, to listen, and to make space for something sacred. This…
Read MoreThe Holy Birth: God’s Final Word Is Love
Four candles flicker in the dark — Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. All Advent long, we’ve been lighting one flame at a time, watching the glow spread, watching the story unfold. And now, on Christmas Eve, the waiting stills. The last candle’s flame steadies into a quiet brilliance. Everything we’ve hoped for is finally here — not as thunder…
Read MoreWhen God Comes Close: Holy Love Made Flesh
By the fourth week of Advent, the waiting is almost over. Three candles already glow — Hope, Peace, and Joy — and now, we light the final flame: Love. The light has grown brighter each week, but this candle feels different. It’s softer, steadier, somehow closer — as if the glow itself leans toward us. This is the mystery of…
Read MoreWhen God Turns Sorrow to Song: The Joy of Holy Reversal
By the third week of Advent, something begins to shift. Two candles already burn on the wreath — Hope and Peace — steady reminders that God has stepped into the darkness and begun to make things right. Now, we light the Joy candle, often pink, as if the flame itself blushes with delight. Joy breaks in.…
Read More