In order to fully immerse ourselves in this season of Advent, we have to start at the very beginning and ask one simple question: Why?  Why do we celebrate Christmas? Why do we partake in Advent? I grew up in a Christian home with a lineage of pastors and a father who was also a […]

What happens when you walk into a pitch-dark room and flip the switch on the wall? Light instantly floods the space. Your eyes reflexively squint and shift away from the painful brightness. All of the room’s dusty, dirty little secrets are exposed as the hood of darkness is thrown back. Sometimes you even hear the […]

There’s a fantasy Christmas I’ve constructed in my mind. Maybe you have one too? During this fantasy Christmas season, I eat all of the most scrumptious treats without gaining a pound. I watch all of my favorite Christmas movies and listen to all of my favorite Christmas music. The lovely season is devoid of family […]

the most wonderful time of the year Hey sister, When I was a little girl I remember the thrill of waking up on Christmas morning and walking into the living room to see presents under the twinkling evergreen tree. Our family would eat breakfast, read the Christmas story in one of the gospels, and open […]

ASCENDING CALVARY Last fall we introduced a new study entitled He Is: Experiencing the Power of Jesus’ Name. This beautiful fictional narrative was written by Kara Holmes, Gretchen’s sister. It combined elements of a fictional story with truth from Scripture, and we spent the time leading up to Christmas digging into the names of God. […]