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ebookComfort and Joy
Connect with what truly matters this holiday season
In the hustle and bustle of the season’s endless to-dos, it can be difficult to truly connect with what matters—honoring beloved traditions with family and friends, being present in our communities, and experiencing God in the celebration of Jesus’ birth. In Comfort and Joy, authors Sherah-Leigh Gerber and Gwen Lantz offer a unique blend of thoughtful reflections and inspiring spiritual practices grounded in noticing the sacred amid the ordinary. Two friends who forged a friendship and a blog through a shared love of writing, together they bring fresh insight, warmth, and opportunities for spiritual nurture and growth. In these pages, you’ll find ways to engage more deeply with favorite traditions and cultivate creative space for new ones.
With readings to walk through the Advent and Christmas season, the weekly offerings include a variety of devotional meditations and invitations. Scripture texts drawn from A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church by Wilda C. Gafney accompany reflections, journal prompts, and spiritual practices to help us slow down and savor this meaningful and holy Advent journey.
In the hustle and bustle of the season’s endless to-dos, it can be difficult to truly connect with what matters—honoring beloved traditions with family and friends, being present in our communities, and experiencing God in the celebration of Jesus’ birth. In Comfort and Joy, authors Sherah-Leigh Gerber and Gwen Lantz offer a unique blend of thoughtful reflections and inspiring spiritual practices grounded in noticing the sacred amid the ordinary. Two friends who forged a friendship and a blog through a shared love of writing, together they bring fresh insight, warmth, and opportunities for spiritual nurture and growth. In these pages, you’ll find ways to engage more deeply with favorite traditions and cultivate creative space for new ones.
With readings to walk through the Advent and Christmas season, the weekly offerings include a variety of devotional meditations and invitations. Scripture texts drawn from A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church by Wilda C. Gafney accompany reflections, journal prompts, and spiritual practices to help us slow down and savor this meaningful and holy Advent journey.
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Introduction
Week 1: Preparation
Advent Questions
Reluctant Preparation
Gathering Evergreens
Lectionary Text: Luke 1:26–38
Mary’s Miracle
Great-Grandma’s Soft Sugar Cookies
How Can This Be?
Releasing Expectations
Good in the Present
Blessing for the Waiting
Week 2: Hope
Hope Haikus
Living in the Gap
Intentionally Hopeful Tasks
Lectionary Text: Luke 1:39–45
Hope Is Alive
Star Bread
Shared Hope
Unresolved Hope
Reverence for the Future
Blessing for the Season
Week 3: Joy
Blessing for the New Day
Joy’s Interruptive Invitation
Welcoming Joy
Lectionary Text: Luke 1:46–55
Joining with God
Family Fruitcake
Joy beyond Our Circumstances
Deep Joy
Greater Joy
Christmas Prayer
Week 4: Peace
Holiday Communing
All Is Well
Breathing Deeply
Lectionary Text: 1:18–25
Choose Wisely
Ranch Party Mix
Grace and Peace to You
One Task at a Time
Winter Mornings
Blessing for Peace
Week 5: Love
Winter Sunrise
The Story of Loving Friendship
Feel the Love
Lectionary Text: Luke 2:1–14
Vastly Loved
Pecan Tarts
A Sign for You
Well Loved
The Ministry of Availability
Blessing to Love
Week 6: Emmanuel
Ponder
Familiar yet Fresh
Being With
Lectionary Text: Luke 2:15–20
Embodied Christ
Christmas Fruit Salad
Treasuring and Pondering
Embracing Humanity
God with Us
Blessing My Body
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Additional Resources
Bonus Recipes
Recipe Index
How to Adapt for Small Groups
Notes
The Authors
Week 1: Preparation
Advent Questions
Reluctant Preparation
Gathering Evergreens
Lectionary Text: Luke 1:26–38
Mary’s Miracle
Great-Grandma’s Soft Sugar Cookies
How Can This Be?
Releasing Expectations
Good in the Present
Blessing for the Waiting
Week 2: Hope
Hope Haikus
Living in the Gap
Intentionally Hopeful Tasks
Lectionary Text: Luke 1:39–45
Hope Is Alive
Star Bread
Shared Hope
Unresolved Hope
Reverence for the Future
Blessing for the Season
Week 3: Joy
Blessing for the New Day
Joy’s Interruptive Invitation
Welcoming Joy
Lectionary Text: Luke 1:46–55
Joining with God
Family Fruitcake
Joy beyond Our Circumstances
Deep Joy
Greater Joy
Christmas Prayer
Week 4: Peace
Holiday Communing
All Is Well
Breathing Deeply
Lectionary Text: 1:18–25
Choose Wisely
Ranch Party Mix
Grace and Peace to You
One Task at a Time
Winter Mornings
Blessing for Peace
Week 5: Love
Winter Sunrise
The Story of Loving Friendship
Feel the Love
Lectionary Text: Luke 2:1–14
Vastly Loved
Pecan Tarts
A Sign for You
Well Loved
The Ministry of Availability
Blessing to Love
Week 6: Emmanuel
Ponder
Familiar yet Fresh
Being With
Lectionary Text: Luke 2:15–20
Embodied Christ
Christmas Fruit Salad
Treasuring and Pondering
Embracing Humanity
God with Us
Blessing My Body
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Additional Resources
Bonus Recipes
Recipe Index
How to Adapt for Small Groups
Notes
The Authors
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Praise for Comfort and Joy
“Filled with meaningful rhythms, fresh perspectives, and steal-away moments, Comfort and Joy meets us in the pull between hustle and longing. This cozy companion slows the tempo, steadying our hearts for the abundance of Christmas and the promised arrival of Emmanuel.”
SHANNAN MARTIN, author of Start with Hello and The Ministry of Ordinary Places
“Comfort and Joy is much more than ‘readings and practices for Advent.’ It’s a celebration of family and friendship and stories of days past and present, with reflections on Scripture, recipes, poetry, and prayers of blessing that start with Advent and take us through Christmas all the way to Epiphany. Reading this book was a gift to me, and I’m happy to recommend it as a gift of grace for the Advent and Christmas season.”
APRIL YAMASAKI, pastor and author of Sacred Pauses and Four Gifts
“If you’re anything like me, you want to prepare well for the coming of Jesus during the season of Advent. And—if you’re like me—you know that everything else gets in the way. The authors of Comfort and Joy are the guides I need. They know what my life is like. Living with the same challenges of being human that I face, their words gently usher me out of the chaos and into what’s holy.”
MARGOT STARBUCK, author of Small Things with Great Love
“Comfort and Joy is the perfect Advent devotional for busy readers who yearn to experience anew the wonder and joy of Christmas. Through a weekly rhythm of reflections and questions, practices and prayers, readings and recipes, Sherah-Leigh Gerber and Gwen Lantz guide our hearts and minds into a fresh encounter with the profound miracle of Jesus’ birth—God with us. Beautifully written, with relatable stories from two down-to-earth authors, Comfort and Joy is one of those rare books I plan to reread year after year.”
JASON PORTERFIELD, author of Fight Like Jesus
“In the rush and frenzy of the Christmas season, Comfort and Joy is a breath of fresh air that helps readers pause and ground themselves in the joy, goodness, and blessings of the season. This is a delightful book of story, reflection, and practical rhythms for individuals, families, and churches!”
BRENDA L. YODER, author of Uncomplicated