Advent Reflections: Staying Present
At The Well This Week
Here is a small piece of the third part our Advent Reflections series. Click here for the whole reflection, and read on below for the background information on this series.
Soul. The third week of Advent focuses on Mary and her joy. Listen to these opening lines from Mary’s song in Luke 1:
My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.Open yourself to the Spirit and ask: How does my soul glorify the Lord right now? How does my spirit rejoice in my savior? Where have I noticed the way “he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” in my life?
This year, as we’ve been talking with women in academia, we’ve heard one thing loud and clear: taking time for reflection is the first step in crafting a life that is satisfying, sustainable, and focused on the work God has called us to do.
To that end, we’re exploring a practice of short, manageable reflections together this Advent which you can enjoy in audio or written form, receiving them in the way that works best for your life. Each guided reflection walks through questions connected to heart, soul, mind, and strength.
We’ve intentionally created this set of reflections with a sort of “choose your own adventure” path. All five installments of our Advent 2022 series were released during the first week of Advent. You can find them in print form at The Well, if you prefer to read or write your way through, or in podcast form at The Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast, if you prefer to listen and think your way through. Note: if you listen to the podcast version, you’ll get to hear special Advent and Christmas music performed by Tobias Guzmán (son of our Director, Karen Guzmán)!
You can choose to work through one guided reflection each week through Advent and into the weeks of Christmas and Epiphany, or you could work through them over the course of a week – or even set aside a bigger chunk of a day. There’s not a right or wrong way to go about this.
You’re Invited
Would you consider giving to Women Scholars and Professionals before the end of the year? The Well, The Women Scholars and Professionals Podcast, the book club, and prayer gatherings are all made possible by the generosity of donors. Click the button below to support our work!
Join us for Weekly Prayer. Our last gathering for the year will be on December 16. We’ll resume on January 13. Click here for more information.
We’ll be at Urbana 22 — will you? There will be opportunities to gather with other graduate and professional students and faculty, including a gathering hosted by our team! To learn more about the conference, including how to register, visit urbana.org.
Join us for this ESN conversation — click here to register.
Save the date for our book club. We’re reading and discussing Your Calling Here and Now: Making Sense of Vocation by Gordon Smith beginning February 1. Sign up here and receive a discount code.