Advent
Waiting in the Dark: Advent Resources to Continue the Journey
Advent Resources
These resources are designed to help you continue the journey through the four weeks leading to Christmas. Whether you’re looking for daily reflections, something hands-on, something contemplative, or something you can do with your kids, we’ve created guides to meet you where you are.
Even here, in the dark, the Light is coming.
Daily Email Devotional
24 Days of Advent Reflections
For anyone wanting a simple daily rhythm
December 1-24 | Delivered to your inbox each morning
Start each day with a short Scripture, reflection, prayer, and practice. No overwhelm. No catching up. Just one focused thought to carry with you.
Each week follows the same themes from the walk:
- Week 1: Hope Begins in the Dark
- Week 2: Peace Before Circumstances Change
- Week 3: Joy That Grows Slowly
- Week 4: Love That Comes Close
Best for: Anyone who wants a daily touchpoint without a big time commitment
Time commitment: 3-5 minutes per day
Waiting in the Dark – Weekly Devo
Weekly – Deep Dive Devotional
For individuals or couples seeking theological depth
Go deeper into the Scriptures and themes from the walk. Each week includes:
- Extended Scripture readings (Isaiah, Romans, Philippians, John)
- Theological reflections on silence, presence, wilderness, and incarnation
- Lectio Divina exercises
- Journaling prompts
- A “Watchman’s Prayer” for those waiting in the dark
This resource invites you into contemplative space—not just to learn about Advent, but to experience it.
Best for: Adults, small groups, anyone wanting to sit longer with Scripture
Time commitment: 30-45 minutes per week (or break into smaller daily readings)
Waiting in the Dark – Family Devo
Family Story Night Guide
For families with younger kids (ages 4-10)
Gather once a week for story, candles, and conversation. Each week includes:
- A family-friendly story that brings the theme to life
- Simple discussion questions
- Hands-on activities (Hope Chain, Joy Jar, Stone Release, Pass the Light)
- A short family prayer
Designed to be doable, even in the chaos of December.
Best for: Families with elementary-aged kids
Time commitment: 15-20 minutes per week
Bread for the Waiting
An Advent Baking Guide
For families who connect through hands-on activities
Bake together, one recipe per week, as you reflect on the themes you encountered during the walk:
- Week 1 (Hope): Simple Unleavened Bread
- Week 2 (Peace): Olive Oil Focaccia with Herbs
- Week 3 (Joy): Cinnamon Swirl Bread
- Week 4 (Love): Braided Challah Bread
Each recipe includes a devotion, conversation prompts, and an invitation to share your bread with others.
Best for: Families with kids of all ages, groups who love to gather around food
Time commitment: 1-2 hours per week (baking + conversation)
Advent Group Study
Small Group Study Guide
For groups who want to journey through Advent together
Gather weekly to explore the themes of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love through Scripture, honest conversation, and spiritual practices:
- Week 1 (Hope): Hope Begins in the Dark
- Week 2 (Peace): Peace Before Circumstances Change
- Week 3 (Joy): Joy That Grows Slowly
- Week 4 (Love): Love That Comes Close
Each session includes discussion questions, group activities, personal reflection, and a weekly practice to carry the themes into daily life.
Best for: Established small groups, newly forming groups, anyone wanting community during Advent
Waiting in the Dark – Advent Playlist
Music for the Wait
72 songs curated to accompany your Advent journey, music for contemplation, worship, and wonder as you wait for the Light.
This playlist weaves together songs of longing and celebration, lament and praise, silence and joy. From ancient hymns to modern worship, from quiet instrumentals to powerful anthems—each song invites you deeper into the themes of Advent: hope that begins in the dark, peace before circumstances change, joy that grows slowly, and love that comes close.
Listen while you drive, cook, walk, or sit in the quiet. Let the music do what words sometimes can’t.
Best for: Anyone who connects with God through music, commuters, and those seeking a contemplative soundtrack for December
Time commitment: Listen anytime—while living your everyday life
What is Advent
Advent is the four-week season before Christmas when Christians around the world prepare their hearts for the coming of Christ. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “arrival” or “coming.”
But Advent doesn’t begin with celebration. It begins with waiting—honest, patient, expectant waiting in the dark.
Why "Waiting in the Dark"?
Before the light breaks, there is longing.
For centuries, God’s people waited for the Messiah. Generation after generation lived with unfulfilled promises, prophetic silence, and the ache of hoping for something they couldn’t yet see. They learned to wait in the dark, trusting that God’s promises were true even when the night felt long.
Advent invites us into that same posture.
This season isn’t about pretending everything is fine or rushing past the hard parts of life to get to the warmth of Christmas morning. It’s about bringing our darkness with us—our questions, our weariness, our unresolved places—and trusting that God meets us there.
Even here, in the dark, the Light is coming.
The Four Themes of Advent
Each week of Advent focuses on a different theme, building toward the celebration of Christ’s birth:
Week 1: HOPE
Hope begins in the dark. Not after everything is resolved, but right in the middle of the waiting. We remember that God is faithful, even when we can’t see what He’s doing.
Week 2: PEACE
God’s peace doesn’t depend on our circumstances. It comes from His presence. We learn to release what we cannot control and rest in the One who holds us.
Week 3: JOY
Joy isn’t the same as happiness. It’s a deeper confidence that God is at work, even in hard seasons. Joy grows slowly, like dawn breaking over a long night.
Week 4: LOVE
God’s love didn’t stay distant. It came close—close enough to be born, close enough to touch, close enough to die and rise for us. Love entered our world, and nothing has been the same since.
Why These Resources?
The “Waiting in the Dark” Advent Walk on November 30th was designed as an immersive experience—a chance to step out of the rush and enter the sacred tension of Advent.
But one night isn’t enough.
These resources help you continue the journey through all four weeks leading to Christmas. Whether you need a daily rhythm (email devotional), a weekly hands-on activity (baking guide), deep theological reflection (deep dive devotional), or family-friendly storytelling (family guide), we’ve created something to meet you where you are.
Advent is not a sprint to December 25th. It’s a slow, steady preparation of the heart.