Advent Week 1 Reading: Hope
From "This Is How We Wait," an Advent devotional by Kristy Howard
She lights the first candle with a shaky breath.
Not because everything feels hopeful—but because hope is how she keeps showing up.
That’s the quiet truth of Advent:
Hope is not a feeling.
It’s a posture.
A sacred refusal to give up.
Advent reminds us that waiting is not wasted time.
It’s where the soul is remade.
It’s where grief and expectancy share the same breath.
It’s where the Spirit whispers, “You’re not forgotten.”
You, dear one, are not forgotten.
Even when your prayers feel unanswered.
Even when you’re so tired of waiting for something to change.
Even when you’re showing up while carrying disappointment you haven’t had time to name.
Hope says: I don’t know how this ends,
but I’m trusting the One who holds today.
This is how we wait.
Not with guilt.
Not with pressure to “do it right.”
But with open hands and permission to long for more.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace as you trust in him…”
—Romans 15:13
Reflection:
✨What are you still hoping for, even if it feels fragile or unspoken?
Write it down.
Whisper it back to God.
You don’t need a perfect prayer. Just a willing heart.
Scripture Reading:
📖 Luke 1:5–25—Zechariah and Elizabeth’s waiting and the promise of John the Baptist
Dear Friend,
Thank you for following along during this Advent series.
For full access to the devotional, This Is How We Wait, subscribe below and check your inbox.
Veritas et gratia,
Kristy 💐
