Comfort and Joy: Readings and Practices for Advent

Slow down and truly connect to what matters this holiday season.
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In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season’s endless to-dos, it can be difficult to slow down and truly connect to what matters--to beloved traditions with family and friends, to being present in our communities, and to 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 connect with favorite traditions and creative impetus for forming 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 journey through Christmas.

Sherah-Leigh Gerber is a spiritual director and caregiver coach in northeastern Ohio. An ordained minister in Mennonite Church USA, Sherah-Leigh has served as a pastor in addition to working in other nonprofit leadership roles. She lives with her husband and two middle school-age children on a fifth-generation farm, which provides many opportunities to find the sacred in the ordinary. You can learn more about her work at SherGerber.com.

Gwen Lantz holds several part-time jobs, including bookkeeper, elementary school librarian, and writer. She also has a master’s in education with a specialty in school library science. Gwen lives with her husband and two children in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and is a lifelong member of the Mennonite Church. She enjoys engaging with her church community and pursuing personal spiritual growth amid everyday life. You can see more of her writing at BakeBookItBe.WordPress.com.