Advent Devotional by Laura Rodgers

Jeremiah 33:14-16

     He will set things right. (Jeremiah 33:15, The Message)

For almost two years now, things have not felt right for any of us. Trudging through these days with things not feeling right hasn’t been easy.

In my experience, December and Advent has been a time for things to be set right, for calm to be restored. In college, it was the end of the semester and a chance to take a big breath and recover for a few weeks, enjoying home with family and friends. As a single adult, I would take time from my workday or busy evenings to attend a Christmas concert like City Come Again. Hearing the words of a classic or new song, I rest my mind by letting fond holiday memories that are prompted play. Now as a wife and mom, in the quiet morning before other family members wake, I sip coffee and take a few minutes to pet the dog and look out at the changing winter landscape. We take our kids out for a drive to look at light displays and enjoy hearing the occasional oohs and ahhs, or laughter now that they’re older and some decorations make them chuckle for random reasons.

These simple moments are what can hopefully make things right for us. A famous Julian of Norwich quote, “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well,” comes to mind. After I read the scripture assigned to me for my devotional inspiration, this quote has been running through my mind when I go for a walk or in other brief, quiet moments.  

I pray that all shall be well -- for me and mine, and you and yours, this Christmas.

Laura Rodgers