Episode 70: Advent Week 1: Hope

This past Sunday marked the beginning of Advent—a season observed by many Christians during the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Although there are many traditions around celebrating Advent, we’ve decided to bring it to the pod to help us prepare our hearts and maintain our focus on Jesus. Each week, we will unpack one of the four themes of Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Kicking off this week on Hope is special guest Melissa Kachin. A repeat guest and one of the co-leaders of Hickory Creek’s Advent study, Melissa gives us a great overview of what Advent is and how Hope can be our anchor, not just during the holiday season but in every season.

Names of God 

1) Yahweh (The LORD)

This name highlights a powerful, eternal presence and a personal relationship. In Exodus 3:15, we read, “God also said to Moses, ‘...This is My name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.’” Whenever you see “the LORD” in Scripture, it’s a reminder that God is not distant or detached but actively engaged with His people.

2) Elohim (God, Creator)

Right from the start of Scripture, God is introduced as Elohim, the supreme Creator. Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This title conveys both power and creativity, reminding us that all things spring from the hand of the One who shaped the universe.

3) Adonai (Lord, Master)

Adonai demonstrates God’s rightful place of authority. In passages like Psalm 86:5, we see the kindness and lordship of Adonai. It’s a name that calls us to respect His sovereignty and trust in His goodness as we navigate daily life, looking to Him as our Master and guide.

4) El Shaddai (God Almighty)

When life feels overwhelming, the name El Shaddai offers hope and strength. In Genesis 17:1, God says to Abram, “‘I am God Almighty; walk before Me and be blameless.’” This name points to His all-sufficient power, assuring us that no challenge is too big for the Almighty One who carries us through.

5) Jehovah Jireh (The LORD Will Provide)

In the dramatic account of Abraham and Isaac, God revealed Himself as the Provider. Genesis 22:14 says, “And Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide.” This name offers assurance that the same God who provided then is still at work in our circumstances today, meeting us right where we need Him most.

6) Jehovah Rapha (The LORD Who Heals)

Whether broken in body, mind, or spirit, God’s name as Healer invites us to seek restoration. In Exodus 15:26, He declares, “For I am the LORD who heals you.” Knowing Him as Jehovah Rapha kindles hope that there is no wound too deep for His healing touch.

7) Jehovah Nissi (The LORD Is My Banner)

The name Jehovah Nissi paints a picture of marching under God’s victory flag. Exodus 17:15 records Moses building an altar and naming it The LORD Is My Banner after a triumph in battle. It is an inspiring reminder that every victory is a testament to His might.

8) Jehovah Shalom (The LORD Is Peace)

In a world hungry for calm, Jehovah Shalom offers true peace. Judges 6:24 highlights Gideon building an altar to the LORD and calling it “The LORD Is Peace.” Even when life feels chaotic, we can rest in the assurance that real peace comes from walking close to Him.

9) Jehovah Tsidkenu (The LORD Our Righteousness)

This title underscores God’s unshakable goodness. Jeremiah 23:6 proclaims, “And this is the name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.” It shows that the One who is perfectly just extends His righteousness to those who seek forgiveness and new life in Him.

10) Jehovah Rohi (The LORD My Shepherd)

Picture a shepherd guiding and protecting his flock, and you have a glimpse of this tender name. Psalm 23:1 opens, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” It captures the comfort of belonging to a God who not only leads us but also cares for our every need with gentleness and grace.

Isaiah 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel. (God with us)

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

List from: https://biblehub.com/top10/names_of_god_and_their_meanings.htm

Links:

The Advent Book:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/170831012/the-advent-book-by-jack-kathy-stockman?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_ps-a-books_movies_and_music&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAiAuIDJBhBoEiwAxhgyFjEpIn341sWqIcFXH4bXdxUgZlxvc06x56xzxvfkBkggV0OC-0101RoCoIoQAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_21791667339_169566883678_716586690630_pla-314262775427_c__170831012_12768591&utm_custom2=21791667339&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21791667339&gbraid=0AAAAADtcfRKIabbMSUbmE_WsIEG_6Xi19&gclid=CjwKCAiAuIDJBhBoEiwAxhgyFjEpIn341sWqIcFXH4bXdxUgZlxvc06x56xzxvfkBkggV0OC-0101RoCoIoQAvD_BwE

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:05

Hello, and welcome to the Pur Salad Brown podcast. I'm Lisa Banama, and today we are kicking off our advent series with a very special guest. Let's get started.

SPEAKER_03 0:21

Well, welcome in, listeners. It's officially December, which means most of us are fully immersed in all things Christmas. And as some of you may already know, this week also marks the beginning of the Advent series or Advent season, excuse me. And so we're going to actually celebrate that on the pod this year. We haven't done that in the past. So I thought, well, let's do it. So this was the first week of Advent, and we're going to focus on hope. But before we do that, I actually wanted to bring in our like resident, I think I called her our Advent Ambassador at Hickory Creek Church to kind of kick this off and to teach us a little bit about what Advent is and to really um zero in on this idea of hope for the week. So welcome to the podcast, Melissa Katchin.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Thank you. It's so wonderful to be here.

SPEAKER_03 1:10

And I have to say, this I should be saying like welcome back, because Melissa was actually on this podcast before around this time last year.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

I mean, she was, it was episode 41. If you want to go back and um listen, Melissa is a wife and a mom, but she's also a licensed therapist. And so we brought her on to help us um talk through kind of managing our Christmas expectations. So it's still super relevant. So go back and listen if you haven't listened, or even if you did listen again, because it's definitely worth listening as we try to manage our stress in the Christmas season. We wanted to utilize your many, many talents and skills, one of which is that Melissa leads Bible studies and specifically our Advent Bible study. Um I think you've been doing that for a couple years now, right? Melissa, tell us a little bit about that.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

Yeah. Um, I have been co-leading the study with Lara for about three years now. Her and I have been um bringing it all together and making sure that um that the Bible study kind of comes off. And it's usually for four or five weeks leading into the Advent season.

SPEAKER_03 2:13

And that's Laura Griman you're talking about. She's a good thing. She's kind of my girlfriend partner in crime there, right?

unknown 2:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:18

Can you, you know, I don't know that all of our listeners are maybe familiar with this because um Hickory Creek Church in general, I think we offer the study, but not like on in a service, we don't really talk about it a lot. So I just thought it would be really nice, even just to give a little background and even some history about what Advent is and why we even celebrate it as Christians.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Yeah, I would love that. Um and I I will say that it's not, it just depends on the denomination, how much the church calendar, I think, kind of comes into the services. Um, but I think um, yeah, the calendar, the church calendar is really fascinating. Um, as I have studied Advent, I've gotten kind of more into it, understanding how it all works.

SPEAKER_03 3:01

Okay, so the fact is, I don't know, maybe people don't even know that there is a church calendar.

SPEAKER_01 3:05

Yeah, I think a lot of people don't. Um, I think I kind of knew before I started to really study this. Um, like it was somewhere on the periphery. Um, but I really didn't understand the intent behind the calendar until I had started to study it on my own.

SPEAKER_03 3:24

So tell us a little bit about it. Explain what the calendar is. And you know what I'll do? I'll also link um maybe in a picture of it or I'll link to a picture of it. Because you would, at the study that you led um a couple weeks ago, you would put printed out this this calendar so people could get a visual. So I'll make sure I'll link that in the in the notes. Tell us a little bit about it.

SPEAKER_01 3:43

Okay. Um, so every year, um, actually the the Christian calendar is designed to have us remember the story of Jesus. We're to remember his birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, and his reign. And all of this fits in in a in a story or kind of in a rhythm where every year we go through these seasons where we're meant to remember these things. And so it's kind of the calendar itself is kind of broken into three seasons overall, or three big parts. It's the season of the incarnation, which is um God coming in the flesh, right? Then there's the season of the resurrection, which is uh Lent and Easter, and then there's the season of um the seasons of ordinary time. And so where we're kind of just again living out ordinary time. And these three parts kind of cycle every year. And um Advent is the beginning of the season of the incarnation.

SPEAKER_03 4:55

So it starts the calendar.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

It starts the calendar, yeah. So just like when we think when we normally think about a new year, right, we think about new years. We think about staying up until midnight on December 31st. Right. And January 1st. January 1st is the new year, and that starts the news cycle. Advent is actually the beginning of the new cycle, and because it kicks off the incarnation or the birth.

SPEAKER_03 5:24

Oh, that's so fascinating. Yeah. Because most of us would think that the new year comes after Christmas. Yeah. Not before. Yeah. So that would be and that starts always, it's always this not the same date, but it's always that first Sunday of December. Or how does how do you mark the beginning of Advent?

SPEAKER_01 5:43

Yeah, so um Advent you start with Christmas, is where I usually start. Okay. And just kind of slide back to Sunday, whatever that week is, and then you're gonna count back four Sundays. Okay. So Advent is always the four Sundays before Christmas. So this year, Advent is gonna start on November 30th.

SPEAKER_03 6:03

Right.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

Which is the Sunday right after Thanksgiving.

SPEAKER_03 6:06

Right.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

But it's always four Sundays.

SPEAKER_03 6:08

Gotcha, gotcha. Okay, so that's why we're like we're in the first week here. And so um this will air December 2nd. So we'll be officially in the Advent season. Yes. Okay, that's so interesting.

SPEAKER_01 6:20

Yeah. That's the whole idea, is that we're to be remembering him all the time, right? Remembering his life and and the different aspects of his life. And Advent, um, that Advent means coming, right? And so it's the four weeks or the four Sundays leading up to the birth. And so this season we are remembering and we're kind of remembering two things. We're looking back and we are remembering how the Israelites were waiting for their Messiah to come. But also now in this season now, we are remembering how we are waiting for Jesus to come back so that there will be another coming. And so um, I even like sort of this the overlap there, right? That it's like, yes, this is the beginning, like we're looking back at the beginning of the story, but also the beginning is also leading into the next chapter.

SPEAKER_03 7:18

Yeah, that's the already, not yet concept that that's often talked about in our Bible studies.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:24

That is um, that's it's a good way to kind of center yourself, I think, in the season and what it really is about. Like I love that idea of looking back, but also having, you know, hope for what's ahead. So I love that. Thank you for explaining that. Now, there's like also like people do advent calendars and advent candles, and then there's these themes. Tell us a little bit about how that all works.

SPEAKER_01 7:46

Yeah. Um, so there's all different ways of kind of, you know, you can bring different traditions into um into your own personal studies or understanding or family traditions. Um, but probably the one that people most are aware of is the Advent Wreath. Um, the Advent Wreath has four candles on it, and the four candles represent the four Sundays of the season, and they also coordinate with the four themes. So the first is hope, then peace, then joy, and then love.

SPEAKER_03 8:21

Okay. And I know that there's three purple candles and then joy is the pink candle. Yes. And that's it's interesting because it goes purple, purple, pink, purple traditionally. And then sometimes there's a fifth uh Christ candle in the center, right? It depends, right? Yeah. Again, there are no official rules, right?

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Right. I was gonna say, yeah, there's not, yeah, there's not. There's not a lot of official rules to it. Um, in fact, some people, the the candles are not colored at all. Sometimes they're just all white colored or red. Um, but normally when we think about the Advent candles, there are three purple and one pink. And then um, like you said, then there can be a white candle in the center, and that is the Christ candle for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day whenever you celebrate that that transition.

SPEAKER_03 9:06

Gotcha. Okay. So how did you first like come in contact with Abbott and decide that you wanted to start celebrating it? Like, how did it like invade your life?

SPEAKER_01 9:15

Oh, that's such a like such a sweet question. Um, so I was in a season um where I was about this time of year, um, maybe a little bit earlier, like Octoberish, and I was starting to look ahead to the holidays, like we all do. And I just felt um kind of a sadness and a disappointment. Um, because up until this point, honestly, so much of our holiday was just trying to squeeze in all the different activities. Yeah. Um, the traveling, the family, the cooking, the buying all the gifts, wrapping the gifts, you know, just all the kind of, I guess I would say the the traditional things that we do around the holidays. And I did not feel good, honestly, about the way that I had incorporated Jesus into our holidays. Like it felt like Jesus was kind of on the periphery and not at the center. And I just didn't like that. Um, and I just really kind of set in my mind that I wanted something different. And so about that time I found out that the church was doing this advent study. And so I thought, yeah, that might be a good way to kind of get my feet wet with understanding how I can bring Jesus to the center or more of the focus of this holiday because that's really what I want it to be about for my family. Um and so, yeah, so that's kind of where it got started. And I learned from so many women so many different ways of, you know, bringing Jesus into your family. And one of the most adored and treasured at our church I found is this Advent book. Um, and it's for those of you who don't know, it's called the Advent Book, and it's by um Jack and Kathy Stockman. And um, it's big and it's cardboard and it's heavy. I mean, this thing is sturdy, it's gonna live for generations. Um, but this the sweetness of it is that every every page is a door and you open it and it tells the story of the nativity. Um, and my daughter was still at this time just uh um at such a an age where she just really enjoyed that and she enjoyed opening each door, but also she was at an age where she could read the verses, or you know, we were getting to that point where she could really do it. And so um that first advent season, then I had got the book, and um, it's 25 um, 25 pages or 25 doors. And that year we sat down and we opened a door each night, and she read the story. And actually, the first year we would start from the beginning and we would read all the way through every night. Um, and so that was really that was fun and that was special. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:10

Yeah, we actually have this book too. I think that's so interesting. We both have it, and we didn't even like know each other at the time. Yeah, I had was at like a Christmas tea, and they came and shared um, you know, how that book started. It came to be. I think they originally created one just for their family using cards, like Christmas greeting cards, and um their kids loved it so much, and then family would come over, and then they thought they saw it that they thought it was so like awesome. And so they decided to make this almost like a flip book, right? Like it's basically and in it, but it's beautiful, and it's um I'm the same thing. I bought it when the two of my three girls were um little, Brooklyn wasn't born yet, and I I literally watched my children learn to read. Like, I mean, we went through the painful process of them reading when they were learning. But then eventually we're so fluent, and now they like have like favorite doors, and we have to every year we have to like switch up who starts starts first because every day like so it's become a really fun thing. And we've had to change it up a little bit as they've gotten older because doing it every night has been difficult. But um, but we try, and it is, and they then you basically learn the Christmas story, like you essentially memorize Luke 2, and you know, because now I watch my other kids mouth the words, even if they're not the one reading that door, because they've memorized it. So um, I'm with you on this book. It is getting harder and harder to find, and it is pretty pricey these days. I will put a link into it. I think I may have done that two years ago. I will put a link because I think I shared about this a couple years ago, but it is worth it, it's great. So I love that tradition. I'm all in. It's one of our traditions too. And yes, that book is um, it is sturdy.

SPEAKER_01 13:48

Yeah. Well, I was gonna say it it definitely is an investment. Yes like you said, it's not cheap.

SPEAKER_03 13:53

Yes, but it's it wasn't as expensive as it is now. I think it's just I don't know if they're making as many now.

SPEAKER_01 13:58

Yeah, I was gonna say, I um what I what I do appreciate about it is that it it's a book that feels like it's going to last.

SPEAKER_03 14:05

You can pass it on.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Yeah. But you know, I don't really have any doubts that my daughter will be able to use this book with her children if she should so desire.

SPEAKER_03 14:13

No, agreed. 100%. It's definitely like a family legacy kind of thing.

SPEAKER_01 14:17

Yeah, an earloom for sure.

SPEAKER_03 14:18

Yeah. So then you guys, that's what you guys do as a family. Um, do you guys do anything else? Is it the same every year? Is it just the advent book?

SPEAKER_01 14:26

Um, no, in fact, I was so um I appreciated how you had shared your like, well, we don't always get to do it every night. Yeah, because yeah, I I felt that. Um no, I mean, our advent looks different every year. Yeah. Um, because every year is different. And um, and frankly, I think my family, they just they need they we need to incorporate different things. We have to keep it interesting, it has to be new. Um, and so I have um leaned into kind of my the part of me that's an educator um and uh enjoys academics. That's you know, part of my own gifting, I guess you could say. So I kind of lean into that part. And um, we watch Bible project videos. Like um, I would say usually every year, um, at least one day during each week, we will watch the Bible project um under unpacking that word, right? Yeah. So hope, peace, joy, love. Um, the Bible project does such a great job of unpacking what those words really mean. And so one night we'll be we'll watch the video and we'll just talk about what would it really mean if um if our hope was like biblical hope or if our peace is biblical peace. And yeah. So sometimes that's what it looks like. Um, sometimes we are reading the advent book, sometimes I think one year I did um they had on the UVersion Bible app, they had an Advent devotional. And so we were doing the Advent devotional through the UVersion Bible app. Um, it always looks a little different. Yeah, I was gonna say it always looks a little different. This is me leaning into the ways that I just am kind of naturally oriented and gifted.

SPEAKER_00 16:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

Um, and it just kind of centers around what how I feel led for that season.

SPEAKER_03 16:18

Yeah, and I think that's the that's like it's not a you must do it this way, but I do think having even just like the wreath is just a visual reminder because our tendency, like all always, is to be distracted, and especially in a season that requires a lot of us activities and gift buying and rapping and so much preparation, we forget to prepare our hearts, and so you know, Avan is that intentionality that we can like bring into the season to remind us okay, this is about Jesus, yeah, because we just quickly forget. We know in our brains, but we don't always live that out, and so that just helps us practically make time for him in the season. So I love that. Yeah. So the first week is what we're also talking about today is um hope, which I love that word. It's Brooklyn's middle name. I just I I I love the idea of um, you know, that we just get to to celebrate the hope we have in Jesus. But you really did a great job at our advent study of unpacking, like defining it, what it is, what it isn't. So let's just start there. Why don't you like tell me how you defined hope and how you define it, how you differentiate it from, you know, um, maybe what like a secular definition of hope is.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

Yeah, well, I think that there are a lot of words that um that we use in just everyday conversation that we also see in the Bible. And I think a lot of times we assume that the words that we are reading in the Bible means the same thing as what we're talking about in everyday conversation. And I think there's usually overlap, right? But there are sometimes some fine points of distinction that I think are important to kind of note. And so one of the things that I wanted to underscore is that, you know, when we talk about hope every day, most of the time what we're really kind of talking about is optimism or wishful thinking. Right. So, you know, oh I'm I like the one that I always kind of refer to as, you know, I'm hoping for good weather. Um, oh, I'm hoping that my turkey turns out well this year. I'm hoping that, um, oh, I'm hoping that medical test comes back okay. I'm hoping um I'm hoping to get this gift. I'm hoping my kids will be excited for their gifts. I'm hoping that there won't be any fights, you know, like we're always hoping, hoping, hoping, hoping. But what we're really kind of saying is I'm trying to have optimistic thinking or or wishful thinking. And what it is really centered around is the outcome.

SPEAKER_03 18:52

Yeah, that is um that's powerful to think about. Yeah. Yeah, it is definitely attached to the outcome.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

Yeah, that's really what we're saying is like we're hoping for a particular outcome. But when we're talking about hope in the Bible, um, hope in the Bible is not attached to a particular outcome here on earth. And I think that's the the point of distinction that we sometimes we we take what we use in everyday language and we want to use that kind of definition for hope in the Bible, and that's not quite the same thing. The hope that it talks about in the Bible is in God's covenantal promises, right? And so even just as we think about Advent right now, that we're supposed to go back and remember the Israelites and how they lived for hundreds of years um in anticipation of a Messiah. And um, during this time, they went through oppression, slavery. Um, sometimes they did have some times where life was better. Um, but they they went through many seasons of hard times, hard circumstances. And and these were long seasons, right? Sometimes um a few decades, sometimes hundreds of years. So many people lived their entire lives in some of these seasons of hardship. And yet they had hope. Their hope was not in the circumstances that they were living in, their hope was in the redeeming power of God through a Messiah. And it even just to me, it feels different to think about our hope being grounded in God's promises rather than thinking about our hope in a particular outcome. It's like it feels different. Um, there's something very um settling, very calming about reflecting on the hope being in God and in his redeeming power, kind of having that zoomed out perspective is very grounding. Um I find that a lot of times when we're trying to have hope for a particular circumstance, um it it actually it's an eager anticipation, but a lot of times it comes with anxiety.

SPEAKER_03 21:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:18

Because we're maybe a little bit afraid that it might not work out that way.

SPEAKER_03 21:22

Yeah, because it's admitting that we don't actually have control. Yeah. Right? It's it's hoping, and and somehow that hoping makes us feel like we have control over the outcome. When when I think when we we ground our hope in Jesus, we realize that the outcome is in his hands and that we can trust him.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:41

You know, and you know, I've always said like sometimes the only good in a situation is Jesus. And that's okay, and that's actually very freeing because when things work out the way they're supposed to, it feels great, right? Because our hope is always for something in what we define as good, right? Whereas that's not how things always work out. And so then what? You know, and that's why so many people I think can get lost um and maybe even fall away from the Lord because their hope was always in like a good outcome or the life that they wanted, as opposed to trusting Jesus for in the life that he gives you. And so um that's such an important reframing, not just right now, I think during the Advent season, but just always. It's a good heart check that we all need to stop and ask ourselves that question. So that is really powerful.

SPEAKER_01 22:30

Oh thank you.

SPEAKER_03 22:31

Now you had a great verse too. You had this great way of kind of framing and giving some amazing imagery that when you shared at um at the Advent study. So I'm gonna read the verses, but I would really love for you to kind of unpack um what you taught us because it was just it's still just ingrained in my brain. So we're gonna turn to Hebrews chapter six, and um Melissa's gonna zero in on just one of the verses, but I'm gonna, you know, read the surrounding verses as well just to give us a little bit of context. So we're gonna do Hebrews six. I'm gonna start at verse 17 and end it at verse 20, and this is from the ESV version. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. So verse 19 was kind of your theory, what you really focused on.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

Yeah, I did. I focused in on that. And um, verse 19 just to kind of bring that back into focus, says we have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure. And um, so I did. I focused on the imagery of anchor because I thought it's very um very distinct that the author of Hebrews chose to use that as the symbol or the image to represent this hope. Um, and I thought about it and I I encouraged the women to take a minute and visualize in your mind a ship um on the ocean with an anchor, and to really take a minute and visualize the anchor connected by a rope or a chain to a ship that's on the surface and you know, kind of out at sea. And so we took a minute and we kind of really visualize that. And I said, okay, now go and kind of reel in that anchor and um take a minute and once you get the anchor kind of onto the ship, I want you to kind of just stop and think about and notice what happens to the ship without the anchor. And all of the women started to articulate, um, it gets rocky, it's unsteady, um, and it's it's starting to drift. And and so that was where we kind of noticed, yeah, okay, without the anchor, the ship drifts. And it's sort of like, okay, where does it drift to? It drifts any way the wind blows it, right? Depending on which way the winds are blowing, depending on the waves. Um, and you know, that feels unsettling, even just to imagine, you know, being on a ship that's just being tossed about and drifting any which way that the wind is going to take it. Um, but then even to think that, you know, sometimes this could be really dangerous. And part of the purpose of the anchor was because there are sometimes shallow waters, rocks, um, big waves, that the ship could ultimately be destroyed if it was allowed to just completely go whichever way the wind took it. And so we kind of started with that imagery and the idea that without the anchor, that it would shift. And so, okay, so then pulling back to the anchor, that the anchor is what is keeping the ship steady and safe. And it it doesn't move about any which way that the wind is blowing, and that the author of Hebrews used that as the image of our hope in Jesus, that it's firm and secure, it's going to be what keeps you from drifting. And kind of pulling back to even just how we talked about the different ways that we use the word hope, that unanched hope will drift. Say it again. Unachored hope will drift. Yeah. Um, that wishful thinking, um, it it will drift. Now, does that mean that wishful thinking is bad? No, I I don't think so. Um, I think that it's it's okay to hope for good weather, to wish for good weather, even to pray for good weather. Of course, I don't I don't think there's anything wrong with that. But that's not really the question. The question is where are your hopes ultimately anchored?

SPEAKER_00 27:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:36

So if you're trying to anchor your hope in that good weather outcome, you might start to feel uncomfortable because somewhere deep down we all know that the weather is gonna be what it's gonna be. Yes. Right. And that um, but when we anchor ourselves to a particular outcome, we're not trusting in God's sovereignty, yeah, ultimately. Yeah. And um, so and I I think to myself too, you know, there's ways of kind of testing within your own heart, okay, what am I anchoring myself to right now? Um, and because I think when we are anchored to the outcome, like I said, I think you'll notice that you start to feel anxious and um distracted and maybe even start to fall into despair if it looks like the outcome isn't going to come, right? But when our hope is grounded in God and in his promises and in his story and his power to redeem and his faithfulness and his goodness and his sovereignty, when our hope is grounded in that, there is a steady calm that starts to come that kind of says, yes, like the winds are going to come, the it's going to blow, it might get rainy, it might get cold, right? We might get rocked a little bit, but we're going to stay grounded here. Yes. Right. And um that ultimately that anchor keeps us secure. It's what keeps us from getting lost. And I think to myself, okay, so when we start to feel tossed about by the winds of uncertainty, Advent is here to remind us that the anchor is already fastened because Jesus already came and he died for us and he's coming again. Right. And that's ultimately what our hope is in. Our hope is that God is is ultimately over all of it.

unknown 29:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:43

I that is so important to understand. Even as you're saying that, and I'm thinking about pulling up that anchor. And when you said anywhere the wind blows, you know, that is what happens to our hearts, you know. Like if we are not anchored in the hope of of Jesus and what he did for us, yeah. I mean, you are you are become easily hopeless, you know? Like you just go whatever circumstance takes you, wherever that circumstance takes you, that's where you end up. Yeah. As opposed to being, you know, that's that is a premise of this podcast. It's her solid ground. It's reminding us and bringing us back to the promise and the character of God. I mean, even these verses, that's how it started off. The, you know, unchangeable character of his purpose. He guaranteed it with an oath. You know, the Lord is a promise keeper. And so you had said, you know, it's we're not trusting in his sovereignty. I think a lot of time it's also we're not trusting in his goodness. We're not trusting like he is still good. What's happening is not good. But he is still good. And if that is the centering truth that we have to keep reminding ourselves. And um, I think that that's what our our we can always have that hope, no matter what's happening, no matter how the what winds or waves come, right? Because he is the one who can say, be still, you know, in any moment in time. And uh I just I thank you so much. That's such a powerful imagery for us every single day. You know, I think that's probably a really good word for someone right now. Jet, not just because of the Christmas season being so chaotic and stressful, but just because life still is hard, even at Christmas time. And so there could be a lot of other things going on right now that make it hard to feel that hope. Yeah. But what a great reminder.

SPEAKER_01 31:32

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Um, I think that our hope ultimately, um, like you said, it it can't be in what is happening around us right now. Um, God's story is so much bigger than any given moment or circumstance. And I think we we have to really keep our eyes and our hearts fastened to that or anchored to that because any given season can be really confusing.

SPEAKER_00 31:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

Right. But I think the the beauty of Advent is that we can keep our mind focused on the idea that this God loved us so much that he came into this world, he took on flesh to walk this earth to die for us. And um, that's what we're celebrating in this season. We're celebrating that he took on flesh, um, that he he was born, and what an amazing and um beautiful act for God to do for us while we are in the state of brokenness that we're in. It is a gift. Yeah, it's an absolute gift that he came and um that he loved us that much.

SPEAKER_03 32:46

I love that. So, Melissa, you had kind of a little challenge for our listeners, um, the teacher that you are. Yes. What have you uh I I loved the some of the questions that you had offered that are good for us to reflect on as we as we enter or continue this week on hope.

SPEAKER_01 33:02

Yeah. Um, so kind of what I was reflecting on is that um what we are often hoping for, when we think about that, we're thinking about the outcomes, right? But what we are hoping in is God. And um, and so I had encouraged the women to take a minute and and just be honest and you know, be real about, you know, what are you hoping for in this holiday season? And it is okay to, you know, to be hopeful for outcomes this holiday season. But then ultimately, what are you hoping in? And um, I encourage them to choose a characteristic of God or one of his names to um to really kind of keep in their mind, in the forefront of their mind, that this is the God that their hope is ultimately in. And so similarly, um I I would encourage our listeners to think about okay, what are you hoping for? You know, the outcomes, but then also what are you hoping in and focus in on an aspect of God.

SPEAKER_03 34:13

That's so good. I will also link that that um document so people can take a look at all the different um names of God and his character traits because it's just so such a good reminder of who he is. Okay, so live it out. Um, I was trying to think of what I wanted to do. Um, I know we did the advent study. Um I am, you know, working on the podcast, so I am being it more intentional than typical, I think, this year. Um but in my own personal life, you know, I had mentioned that we did the Advent book as a family. And I I know we will still do that this year. Again, it's hard with two adult daughters and one um, you know, teenage daughter. I mean, I guess Kendall's an adult, she's 18, but she's still in high school. But I just trying to be official here. It's hard to get everyone's schedules, you know, so that we can sit around and read the book together. But it will happen, just maybe not as often as I'd like. But we do do Sunday dinners. I last year did invest in like a little advent situation. It's not a traditional wreath, um, but it's like little holders with the words uh the hope, peace, joy, and love and like little tea lights in there. So so what I would like to do is have like a little family devotion time, like when they were little. And so we'll just light the candle and I'll read some scripture. Um, I'll probably folk, you know, choose the ones that we cover here on the podcast and um kind of just take that time together as a family because um I do think that it's good for me to model that for them, especially as they're now more in charge of their own schedule, um, that they still make sure that they use this time, this season to be intentional about celebrating Jesus. So I love that. Yeah. So yay. Okay, what's your live it out?

SPEAKER_01 35:57

Um, my live it out is to um kind of similarly, I want to do the try to do the devotional as much as we can. Um obviously sometimes life permits a little bit more than others, but we do want to do our devotional and we do the we do the candles and the wreath. And um, and I I'm gonna try to really keep in the forefront of my mind. Um, I have the the name of God that I'm holding on to in the forefront of my mind. And I think my one of my goals is to keep that in the forefront of my mind this holiday season.

SPEAKER_03 36:30

Okay. Do you want to share or is it personal?

SPEAKER_01 36:32

Um, it is the um Jehovah Rapha.

SPEAKER_03 36:37

Okay, that's the God who heals. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:39

Oh, very good.

SPEAKER_03 36:41

Yeah, I passed. You did. I made the teacher in you, very happy just now.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

Yeah, and I'm just I'm holding on to that. Just that, you know, our God is a God who is always healing, he's always working things for good. And um that's the that's the name of God that I'm holding on to in the forefront of my mind.

SPEAKER_03 37:00

I love that. Melissa, would you mind thank you for first of all? Thank you so much for coming on and for teaching us so much. Of course, we're gonna have like so many links, but um I know that this is going to be um so encouraging to our women. Would you mind praying us out?

SPEAKER_01 37:13

Yeah, absolutely. Lord, I just thank you so much that you are a God who loved us enough to take on flesh and come here and dwell among us to save us. And that that is what we are celebrating this holiday season ultimately is that you took on flesh, you were born, and you came here and you walked among us. And I pray a blessing over all the women who listen to this podcast. I pray that um that you would bless them, their hearts, their souls, and their minds in this season. And um, I pray that you would just um be with them and be at the forefront of their mind, those character attributes that we know are unchangeable, steady, and secure, like an anchor, that you would keep them um keep them steady. And we say all these things in your son's name. Amen.

SPEAKER_03 38:09

Amen. Let's make sure we are anchoring our hope and trust in Jesus this week. He alone is up to my ground.