FOR MANY YEARS I’ve followed Hannah Brencher, a questioner, a seeker, a believer who holds incredible wisdom for her (relative to me) young age. Among other things, she offers a beautiful Advent series to which I always subscribe, and this morning’s email touched me so deeply I want to share a thought in hopes her words might also serve you.

She’s telling the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah, the elderly couple who become the parents of John the Baptist. In part one yesterday (Day 04), Hannah focuses on the quiet despair Elizabeth must have felt all those years in not being able to conceive. Today she goes deeper, focusing on one tiny detail about Zechariah’s work in the temple that, for a couple of reasons, left me in awe.

Hannah then goes on to write:

Where we see random days, God sees hidden pockets of purpose. Where we see random lines in a story, God reads between those lines and fills our days with hidden meanings…and the best thing you and I can do to honor the planning is to pay close attention and lean in. Stay off your phone. Shelve the to-do list in your mind. Root yourself deep into the moment at hand. Dare to wonder, “Is there something waiting for me here?” A connection. A moment of peace. A God wink. An opportunity to be someone else’s answer to prayer.

from The Advent Story, Day 05: No Random Days, by Hannah Brencher

How I needed that today!

(If you’re interested in reading today’s Day 05 or receiving Hannah’s full Advent series, you can sign up here. It’s all free and it’s certainly not too late jump in or even to catch up, starting at the beginning. As you can tell, I highly recommend.)

If nothing else, I do hope her words remind you, as they’ve reminded me, to pay attention. To lean in. To honor every moment of this busy season—and to not just rush through to get to the “good” ones.

With so much love—

XXOO

30 Days of Joy

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