Make Room for More

Photo credit: Free-images.com

“Let every heart prepare Him room…”  We’ve all sung the joyful carol “O Come All Ye Faithful” countless times. In this last week before Christmas, let’s take a moment to examine how we might prepare our hearts for His coming.

We know that Christ’s love dwells in us and that it is meant to be shared. (Remember the saying, “Love isn’t love till you give it away”?) We prepare our hearts by spending time contemplating His immense love for us and then sharing that love with others in many different ways. So, the gifts we give at Christmas, whether they’re tangible items, our time, or our talents, are our response to God’s love for us. This response not only pours love onto the other person, it allows Christ’s love to grow in our hearts, too. Each time we give generously, Christ’s love expands in our hearts and creates a cycle that makes us more and more like Him:  When we give of ourselves, when we give away His love, we open our hearts to accept more of that love from Him. This love comes to us along with His gifts of peace and joy so that we’re inspired to share even more with others, which then opens our hearts for even more of His love. What does this look like in practice?

While you carefully consider what to give to someone special… while you’re making, baking, or buying a gift that will make them smile… while you’re anticipating with excitement the happiness your gift will bring... you’re preparing to share God’s Love and Joy and, in the process, you’re making room in your heart for more.

When you’re kind, patient, and cheerful with the harried cashier… when you over-tip the stressed-out wait staff…. when you let someone go ahead of you in line and then strike up a friendly conversation with them… you’re sharing God’s Love, Peace, and Joy, and making room in your heart for more.

When you put something in the red kettle… when you donate toward a community Giving Tree… when you give in any way to people in need… you’re offering God’s Love, Joy, and Hope, and making room in your heart for more.

When you bake Christmas cookies to share… when you participate in a gift exchange… when you decorate your workspace or home… you’re sharing God’s Love and Joy, and making room in your heart for more.

When we make room in our hearts for more of His love, peace, and joy, we find ourselves becoming more loving, patient, generous, and kind over time. We become more like Him.

Christ came to show us the way. Let’s take steps this week to prepare our hearts for His coming. Let’s give Him room to fill us with even more.

“Teach me Your ways, O Lord,” – Psalm 25:4

“Lord, help me prepare my heart for Your coming.”

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2024 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

Comments are always welcome! Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. 

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate to a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

A Hiking Trail's Lessons

 

Wetmore Trail, CVNP

When Ted suggested we hike Wetmore Trail last weekend I immediately said, “Sure! Let’s try someplace new!” In the 35 years I’ve lived in this area, we had driven past signs for this trail countless times, but somehow we never hiked it. It turned out to be a beautiful trail for hikers and horseback riders in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. As we followed this winding four-mile path, I kept thinking, “How have we never hiked this before??” With so many other wonderful trails within a short drive from our home, we’d overlooked this one. I suppose that’s because, like a lot of other activities in life, we tended to go back to the ones that were familiar to us. Whatever the reason, I was delighted that we had stumbled upon something new, with our favorite features: expansive woods away from the sounds of traffic, streams to cross, and a few steep hills that kept it challenging, especially after last week’s snowfall.

Zoom in on the photo above: You can see the trail way up ahead as it winds through the woods. This would be hidden by foliage during every season except winter. I reminded myself that if we hiked only during the warmer months, when the weather’s nice and comfortable, we’d miss the unique kind of beauty that winter brings. 

As I marveled at the beauty and surprise of it all, I couldn’t help but compare this hike and this trail to our spiritual life: 

Advent is half over; Christmas is just two weeks away. It’s time to ask ourselves: Have I done anything different in my prayer life to strengthen my faith, my relationship with God, or my relationships with my loved ones? Have I done anything concrete for the people around me to prepare my heart for the coming of Christ? Or am I still doing what I’ve always done, sticking with what’s familiar, hoping my love for God and my neighbor will magically increase – or, worse yet, am I complacent with the status quo? 

In our spiritual life, if we always do the same things, if we do only what we’re comfortable with, we’ll miss opportunities for spiritual growth. We’ll miss experiencing God’s love for us in new and tremendous ways. Therefore, if we long to feel more fulfilled, if we want to experience a closer relationship with Christ and with the people around us, then we have to do something different. As I learned on the trail, we won’t experience anything new if we keep doing what we’ve always done. 

These last two weeks of Advent, resolve to do something concrete to strengthen your faith. Make time for prayer time. Serve your neighbor and loved ones with greater love. Contribute to a need in your community. Go out of your comfort zone, and watch God fill that empty space in your heart in surprising ways.

“Sing to the Lord a new song.” – Psalm 96:1

“Lord, I want You to renew my heart!”

Thank you for reading my reflection.  All thanks to God for giving me the ideas and guiding my words!    © 2024 Gina Bedell   

  

Through these reflections, I invite you, the reader, to reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other qualified persons in order to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s love and will for your life. 

Comments are always welcome! Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. 

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate to a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Advent: It's All About Love

If we were to explain to someone the purpose of Advent, I suppose most of us would answer something along the lines of, “Getting ready for Christmas.” While that is true, Christmas isn’t the only thing we’re preparing for. Also, Advent is about much more than decorating, shopping, and baking, though all of that is part of it, too.

The word ‘advent ‘comes from the Latin ‘adventus,’ which is translated ‘arrival’ or ‘coming.’ There are three components to Advent: 

The first component, of course, is our looking forward to Christmas Day, when we will celebrate the historical event of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. We’re looking ahead to celebrating a past event – the arrival of God on earth as a baby. Preparing for this is much like the plans we make to celebrate our own family’s birthdays and anniversaries. Christ was born to teach us to love purely and radically, so all of our decorating, shopping, and baking in preparation for Christmas are appropriate activities to prepare for this wondrous celebration and to show our love to others.  

The second component of Advent is looking ahead to the second coming of Christ.  This is understood to be at the final judgment, when each of us will have to answer for how well we loved our Lord through the people around us. John of the Cross (1542-1591) put it succinctly:  “At the end of your life, you will be judged by your love.” And so Advent is a time for us to prepare for the day when we will be judged: to reflect on our own lives, make changes where necessary, and trust His promise to welcome us into eternal life. 

The third component of Advent is acknowledging that Christ rose from the dead and is alive today. Our faith lets us believe that He has already arrived; He is here with us! When we pray The Lord’s Prayer (The Our Father) we ask, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We pray for heaven to come to earth – and recognize that, through our loving attitudes and actions, we can make that happen! In these weeks of Advent, we’re reminded to give more of ourselves, our time, and our talents to those around us in order to bring about the Kingdom of Heaven here and now. 

And so, as you decorate, shop, and bake, add pray. Thank Jesus for coming to earth to teach us how to love. Look ahead to your day of judgment and take steps to love more purely and radically. Seize each moment and ask our loving, living God to show you how you can bring the Kingdom of Heaven to the people and circumstances around you right now. Trust Him to lead you; watch for opportunities; and follow your gut.

May God strengthen our faith and make our hearts like His.

“Trust in the Lord forever!” – Isaiah 26:4

“Lord, prepare my heart this Advent season.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2024 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace at home, in Ukraine, Russia, the Middle East, and around the world. Donate to a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Make Peace Happen

Photo credit: Free-images.com

They say, “If you want something to happen, make it happen.” So often we hope, wish, or pray for something in particular without taking action to make it happen. Sometimes we put all the responsibility on God: “If it’s God’s will...” We sit back and wait for the right time or the right opportunity and then wonder why nothing is happening.

Between the internet, the library, and our favorite book stores, we have many resources available to us if we want to learn how to do just about anything. Learn how to knit, stick to a budget, or play the harmonica? There are books and YouTube videos that will show us how to get started. Strengthen our body or our relationships? There are resources for that, too. If we want to accomplish anything, we have to put in the effort to make it happen.  

The same is true of our spiritual life. Are we using these weeks of Advent to recognize God’s peaceful presence with us and to share His peace with our world, or are we simply scrambling to get things checked off our list? 

Yes, there is much to do. Don’t let the to-do list smother the peace our Lord came to bring. Don’t let the to-do’s wreck the love you’re trying so hard to express through gifts. Sit quietly for a few moments and ask our Lord to guide you. What gifts can you give that are both simple and meaningful? Is there someone who could help you with the shopping, baking, meal prep, or wrapping? 

Don’t wish for peace these last days before Christmas; make peace happen. 

Pray for the person you’re shopping or baking for. Thank God for them and ask Him to pour His blessings upon them in a tangible way.

Slow down and notice the people around you. Greet cashiers and other shoppers with a smile and “Merry Christmas!” Make it a game and keep count of how many return the greeting!

When you do your tasks God’s way – with peace in your heart and love as your goal – you’ll bring joy to both your preparations and your celebrations. 

So, stay mindful of Christ’s presence with you as you shop, bake, and wrap. Share His peace with others and, in the process, you’ll bring joy to yourself and the world around you. Your final days of Advent will be holy and not simply a race to the finish line.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” –Matthew 11:30

“Lord, help me share Your peace as I prepare for Christmas.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

You can also find my posts on Facebook!

P.S.

Pray for peace in Ukraine, in the Middle East, and around the world. Donate toward a cause that tugs at your heart. Take care of those around you; take care of our planet. Pray for the families around the globe whose lives have been torn apart by war and natural disasters.

Different and Wonderful

 

“How can this be?” – Luke 1:34

They say that stress is caused when reality doesn’t line up with our expectations.

The loss of a loved one, an illness, any other hardship, or even the weather might be affecting your preparations and plans for Christmas this year. Maybe this Christmas feels different; it’s different from how you imagined it, and you don’t like it. You want the hurt to go away, you want to feel better, and you want things to go back to ‘normal.’

Mary was making plans to start her life with Joseph when the angel Gabriel came to her and everything changed. Giving her fiat to Gabriel meant letting go of her own plans and trusting God and His love for her. The reality of what her future held was different from what her expectations had been. She had to trust that God’s plan was still going to let them experience His love, joy, and peace.

God’s plan for you is to experience His love, joy, and peace, too.

“’For I know well the plans I have in mind for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for your welfare and not for woe, to give you a future of hope.’” –Jeremiah 29:11

What does this look like?

Christ shows His love for you in the kindness and comforting words of the people around you. If you didn’t get around to your usual baking, His joy will reach you when you appreciate simple Christmas chocolates or store-bought cookies. Whether they’re humble or elaborate, you can experience His joy through decorations, gifts exchanged, and meals shared. His peace will touch your heart when you cherish the time together with your loved ones, even if you’re missing someone.

Letting go of our expectations and adjusting our thinking to embrace what we have frees us to find Christ’s peace and even His joy in the new circumstances. This Christmas can be different and still be wonderful.

Jesus was born in a humble stall, shared with smelly animals. He slept in a manger – a food trough. No plush hotel, no clean medical facility, no crib with a soft mattress. He wanted to show us that none of those externals matter. What matters is that Christ is here with you and His love never changes.

Let go of your external expectations. Welcome Christ – welcome Love – into your heart. His Love is all around you.

Merry Christmas!

“Lord, let me seek out Your love, joy, and peace this Christmas.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome!

 Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

 

Let Peace Find You

 

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  --Romans 1:7

This persistent respiratory infection has slowed me down quite a bit. You’d think that would’ve put me in a tizzy – who has time to be sick in December?? But I don’t have the energy for a tizzy and so, odd as it may seem, this slowdown has been a blessing.

Our Christmas tree still isn’t up but I know we’ll get to it eventually. In the meantime, the other decorations around the house are making me smile. I appreciate online shopping like never before! On the few occasions when I have gone shopping, I’ve had to go at an unhurried pace and in small blocks of time. This isn’t COVID but I keep a safe distance and wear a mask to keep my germs to myself. Instead of thinking of ALL I have yet to do, I try to focus on the ‘now’ and thank God for the one person I’m shopping for in that moment. Yes, I’m sad that I might miss some festivities in the next week or so; I can’t deny that. I also can’t dwell on it. Instead, I’m taking care of myself and thanking God for what I can do. Overall, I feel a great sense of appreciation and peace. What a blessing.

When we slow down, act mindfully, and thank God for His gifts and people around us, we invite His peace to settle over us. We let His peace find us.

Try this: As Christmas gets closer, especially this last weekend before Christmas Eve, resist the urge to get caught up in the frenzy that seems to infect most of us and spread like a nasty virus. Before you pull out of your driveway, pray a short prayer; keep it simple, like, “Lord, keep me kind and patient.” When you’re out shopping, slow your walking and breathing as you make your way through the store. Then – and this is the fun part -- see how many people you can make smile. Make it a game and keep count! When standing in line, remember that no one likes to wait and everyone else has other things to do, too. So, instead of joining the others who are sighing and impatiently shifting packages around, catch someone’s eye and smile. Practice friendly small talk. A little effort on your part could create a minor epidemic of joy and peace to the other shoppers.

Yes, you have much to do; it won’t get done any quicker if you’re grumbling the whole time.

So, slow down and let peace find you. You just might spread it to others – and even get them to smile back.

 “Lord, bless me with Your peace as I prepare for Christmas.”

 

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

 

Even With Illness, We Wait With Hope

 

 “See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.” –James 5:7-8

 

“Not again….”

I thought by now we’d have the Christmas tree up and decorated and at least some of the gifts purchased and wrapped. Instead, my husband and I have spent the past week or two battling a severe respiratory infection.

I’ve had this kind of virus many times before, in various degrees of severity. This time, I’ve felt it spiritually as well as physically. I felt discouragement set in when I looked at the calendar and saw how close we are to Christmas and all the festivities that go with it. I’m also keenly aware that many others are battling greater illnesses and struggles than I am, and I feel compassion for them. And while I didn’t feel festive or energetic, I made myself put out some of the Christmas decorations, even if it took a couple days instead of a couple hours. Doing so lifted my spirits.

A farmer plants, waits, and looks forward to the day when the sprouts poke through the soil. His waiting could be described as ‘confident hope,’ the kind of hope that knows for certain that what was promised will come to pass. We adopt this same sentiment of anticipation during these weeks of Advent, and we can remind ourselves of it when we’re feeling flat spiritually. We remind ourselves that Christmas means God-with-us, and so our preparations for Christmas are both active and contemplative. He’s with us whether we feel His presence or not. He’s with us whether we’re able to put up decorations or just manage to take care of His gift of ourselves as we wait for the illness or struggle to pass. He’s with us when we’re the ones in a position to care for someone else. He’s with us when we plant seeds of love through our words and actions, and even when we don’t see the fruits of our labors. We trust that He’s working ‘underground’ to bring forth growth from our efforts. And we’re hopeful that our imitating Christ will make us more like Him.

While we acknowledge the difficulties of today, we remind ourselves that God never changes, even when our health, moods, and circumstances do. We look ahead and do whatever it is we can manage, one day at a time, to prepare for Christmas. In this way, we wait patiently with confident hope.

“Lord, help me not get discouraged by life’s challenges. Help me keep my focus on You.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

The Time Is Now

 

 “Prepare the way of the Lord.” – Isaiah 40:3

Advent might well be the time of preparation, but we’re preparing for more than the December 25 holiday. Advent is about recognizing that God is with us now.

Yes, we prepare to celebrate that day when God came to earth as a helpless baby. Our God came to earth! He became one of us so that we could become more like Him now -- by loving like He does, now.

We also acknowledge that God lives in us -- now. He’s in the ideas that ‘pop into our heads’ to reach out to someone in need. He’s in the joy, compassion, patience, and peace we feel when we give of ourselves to others. We bring God closer to us when we take a moment several times during our day – such as when we’re sitting at a red light, walking in the hallway, or standing at the stove – to say ‘thanks’ to Him.

Advent also reminds us of His Second Coming. Whether that happens at the end of time or at the time of our own death, we know that each of us will have to give an account of how we loved during our lifetime. And so we reflect on the now, on the big and little decisions we make each day and notice when we have been kind, helpful, and generous to the people around us.

The time is now. We have only today, only the present moment, to choose kindness over meanness, service over apathy, and compassion over self-centeredness. Let’s prepare for our Lord’s coming by asking Him to expand our hearts and make them more like His. Let’s love as He loves: the stranger, the homeless, the lonely, and anyone whom we perceive as being different from us.

Let’s let His loving presence now transform us from complacent beings to active participants in His mission of Love. Let’s look ahead to the day when we will meet Him face to face and see Him smile at us saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

 “Lord, let me see You here, now, with me.  Let my attitudes and actions be Yours.”

 

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2022 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! Feel free to share it with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Thanks!

 If you would like to receive these reflections directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

 p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

 

Making Room for Christmas

God’s Gift of Love was born on Christmas Day. During Advent, we prepare our hearts to receive more of His Loving Gifts on Christmas while sharing them with others:

While you carefully consider what to give to someone special… while you’re making, baking, or buying a gift that will make them smile… while you’re giving them your time, energy, and funds... you’re sharing God’s Love and making room in your heart for more.

When you’re kind, patient, and cheerful with the harried cashier… when you over-tip the stressed-out wait staff…. when you let someone go ahead of you in line and even strike up a friendly conversation with them… you’re sharing God’s Love, Peace, and Joy, and making room for more.

When you put something in the red kettle… when you participate in a community Giving Tree… when you give in any way to people in need… you’re offering God’s Love and Hope, and making room for more.

When you bake Christmas cookies for your coworkers or family… when you participate in a gift exchange… when you decorate your work space or home… you’re sharing God’s Love and Joy, and making room for more.

When you send out Christmas cards or e-cards, and include a person with whom you’ve had difficulty… when you ask God to bless them… when you open the door to the possibility of smoothing the bumpy road between you… you’re offering His Love, Hope, and Peace, and making room for more.

When you listen to Christmas music… when you thank God for coming to Earth to show us the way to heaven… when you ask Him to bless each person as you wrap their gift or address their card… you’re giving them and yourself His Love and Joy, and making room for more.

“Lord, prepare my heart this Advent to receive more of Your Love, Hope, Peace, and Joy this Christmas.”

Feel free to share my reflections with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Comments are always welcome. Thanks!

Advent: Are We Looking Ahead or Looking Back?

(December 16, 2020) In churches throughout the world, the season of Advent is marked by the four  weeks leading up to Christmas, the day we celebrate Jesus’ birth. Most people see  it as a time of preparing for Christmas in the way of shopping, baking, and sending  cards, and more religious activities like lighting advent candles and following an  advent calendar. All these actions will culminate in church and family  celebrations December 25. (I feel compelled to state the obvious, that December  25 is the day chosen to celebrate Jesus’ birth. There is no way to know which day  was His actual birthday.) 

The word ‘advent ‘comes from the Latin word ‘adventus,’ which is translated ‘to  come’ and ‘to arrive.’ But if it means ‘arrival,’ then why do we celebrate Advent  before Christmas? And if these four weeks are really meant to be a time of looking  ahead to Christmas, then why are we looking ahead to an event that happened  2,000 years ago? Is preparing for December 25 all that Advent is intended for? 

Absolutely not. In fact, there are three components to Advent, not just one. 

The first, which is the most familiar to believers, is looking back to the historical  event of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and preparing to celebrate it. In this sense, we  look ahead to the day, December 25, when we celebrate a past event. This is not  unlike the plans we make to celebrate our own family’s birthdays and  anniversaries. So, yes, all our shopping and wrapping and baking and all the rest  are appropriate activities to prepare for a celebration – in this case, the  celebration of Christ’s coming to earth as a baby.  

The second component of Advent is looking ahead to the second coming of Christ.  This is understood to be at the final judgment, when each of us will have to  answer for our own conduct and how well we loved our Lord through the people  around us (see Matthew 25:41). John of the Cross (1542-1591) put it succinctly:  “At the end of your life, you will be judged by your love.” And so Advent is a time 

for us to reflect on our own lives, to draw near to God and ask forgiveness for our  sins to prepare for the day when we will be judged. 

The third component of Advent is acknowledging that Christ rose from the dead  and is still alive. If we have faith, we believe that He is already with us; He already dwells in the hearts of believers. As I stated in a previous article, when we pray  The Lord’s Prayer (The Our Father) we ask, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,  on earth as it is in heaven.” We are praying for heaven to come to earth, and  through our loving attitudes and actions we can make that happen. Jesus himself  said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I  do, and will do greater ones than these.” – John 14:12 

And so Advent is a time of looking ahead to celebrate a past event; it’s looking  ahead to a future event; and it’s looking at the present. It’s acknowledging God  With Us (Emmanuel) and seeking to immerse ourselves deeper in His love so that  we may share that love with those around us. 

May God strengthen our faith; may we seek Him and His love within us; and may  we allow Him to guide our thoughts, words and actions. 

This article is a personal reflection by Gina Bedell. It and other reflections written  by her are not intended to replace catechesis. Rather, they invite the reader to  reflect on a given topic and then seek deeper answers through prayer, additional  spiritual reading, and/or consultation with clergy or other persons who may guide  the reader to a deeper faith and understanding of God’s love and will for their life. © 2020, Gina Bedell