some comfort and joy

Comfort & Joy

We are excited that so many of you have chosen Comfort & Joy as your guide for the Advent season. It is our hope and prayer that the words of reflection, invitations to practice, and tender blessings will nurture and inspire you this Christmastide.

Even with all of our literary knowledge and experience, the publishing journey has been a wild ride. While having our work traditionally published is a dream come true, it is also a very humbling and vulnerable experience. Our hard won wisdom, deeply personal stories, and theological wonderings are now in your hands.

We are so grateful for the many ways our Some Comfort and Joy community has supported us throughout the years. Each comment, like, share and pre-order means so much to us! We are honored by your interest, affirmation and trust.

As we near the start of Advent, we would welcome your continued support for our book. We are grateful for each pre-order, for those who bought multiple copies to gift and share, and for those who invited their church, Sunday school class, or small group to read the book together.

There are many ways to support our work, and we would be so grateful if you would consider some of the following actions:

Leave an Amazon review. While comments are welcome, you can also simply leave a star rating. Having a high number of reviews and comments encourages Amazon to move our book up the list when people search by topic or key words. You do not have to have purchased a copy from Amazon to rate the book.
Share a picture. If you have purchased or were gifted a copy of the book, snapping a selfie and posting it to your social media accounts helps get the word out about our book! Please tag us (@somecomfortandjoy, @lantzgwen, @shergerber) on instagram or Facebook.
Share a post. If there is a particular comfort, joy or blessing from one of our series that has connected with you, share it with a friend. You can post a link on social media, forward the email to family, or screenshot it and text it to a friend. Sharing the word about our (free) work in the world helps others connect to our content.
Request it from the library. Most libraries have a way for patrons to request books be added to their collection. Ask your library to acquire a copy, and if your library has it in their collection, check it out! Circulation helps.
Gift a book. If you know someone who would appreciate the warmth and encouragement we offer, considering gifting them Comfort & Joy this season. Perhaps your pastor, a colleague, your child’s teacher, or neighbor would find this a meaningful resource.

An invitation and practice for election day

“While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ” – Luke 24:15 (NRSV)

Dear Community,

Anxious or restless, passionate or unplugged, there are many intense feelings and concerns within our country, communities, families, and even within ourselves as today, the US election season culminates in a vote.

In the wake of the crucifixion, Luke’s gospel records the journey of two who walked together along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. A favorite passage for both us, we love the way that Jesus joins with these two in their conversation. In their worry and wondering, Jesus shows up and companions them.

And in our own times of worry and wonder, we too, can find comfort and companionship with God through the compassion and care of the Spirit. No matter how you are entering into this day, consider engaging in a kind practice of connection with God.

Spend some time in quiet meditation, placing both feet firmly on the floor and breathing in and out slowly.
Pray for your “enemies”.
Take a walk outside.
Use this breath prayer: Jesus, Prince of Peace (on the inhale breath), have mercy on us (when you exhale).
Picture Jesus walking beside you today.

On this fraught day, may you exercise kindness and compassion for yourself, and also extend that grace to others.

Love,
Sherah-Leigh & Gwen

Blessing from the road to Emmaus

May you notice the presence of the One who meets us in the midst of our wondering and confusion.

May you receive the grace of the One who is patient with us in our foolishness and slow heartedness

May you recognize the way of the One who is made known in the breaking and blessing.

May it be so

Thank you, Thank you!

We are grateful for each of you! Thank you for reading along with our latest series on beauty and its power to transform us and draw us closer to God and one another.

We are also grateful for the outpouring of support with the launch of our first book, Comfort & Joy: Readings & Practices for Advent.

Our next series here on our blog will start at the end of November and include invitations to engage with our book’s content and focus us on the wonder and gift of the Christmas season.

Hope to hear from you soon, here on the blog or out in our communities!

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Comfort & Joy: Readings and Practices for Advent is available now! With readings to walk through the Advent and Christmas season, the weekly offerings in Comfort and Joy include a variety of devotional meditations and invitations to spiritual practices that help us slow down and savor this sacred season.

Blessing

Just as every good and perfect gift comes from above

May the beauty of your life be an offering to the world

Just as a tree planted by a stream yields fruit in all seasons

May the beauty of your flourishing bring much joy

Just as the earth is full of God’s good creatures

May the beauty of your relationships bring meaningful connection

Just as the heavens declare the glory of God,

May the beauty of the sacred ordinary of your life speak

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Joy: Beauty is a Gift

“Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above.” -James 1:17

The crunch of leaves underfoot, the riot of color in waving petunias, overhearing a giggle shared between young siblings. There are many ways that beauty breaks into the ordinary of our lives.

Something given voluntarily without payment in return.

Something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort by the recipient

These are a few of the ways the dictionary defines a gift. Consider how beauty is a gift in your life. When have you been moved by an unexpected gesture, experience or item that was beautiful in some way?

Receive the gift of beauty today by taking a few minutes to admire the sunrise, sunset (or change of sky if there is extensive cloud cover).

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Comfort: Beauty is a gift

“Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” – James 1:17

Beauty is a gift

The lumpy brown and red soil
Is silent.

The night closes in.

Death waits.

Time slowly rushes by.

A surprise cantaloupe emerges under a large leaf
Round, orange, and dripping connected to the once silent soil.

The deep, black sky is pin pricked with stars
Painted with gray drifting clouds a dome opening up to heaven.

Productivity pulls me through the days
Cooking beets from the garden and marinated chicken,

Washing my forgetful middle schooler’s soccer socks at 10pm,
Loving my husband’s gentle arm around my shoulders,

My man-child son walks out the door to college,
This present time captured in my memory.

Writing down the moments so they don’t drift away
Lost in my ever accumulating life.

Gifts of beauty

Perfectly placed

Among ordinary moments.

Days made exquisite.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Joy: Beauty as a counterweight to despair

In Monday’s reflection Sherah-Leigh reminded us of the powerful counterweight beauty can be in the face of despair. With intention choose an activity this week that activates a joyful response to the beauty you are experiencing.

Here are some ideas, but the possibilities are endless!

Take a slow walk in a favorite park or spot you love
Cook or bake a dish that is especially aromatic
Sit down and watch a sunset
Commit for a day to noticing the beautiful variety of people’s faces and expressions
Make something beautiful

May the beauty found in God’s creation renew your spirit!

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Comfort: Beauty is a Counterpoint to Despair

“God has made everything suitable for its time;” –Ecclesiastes 3:11

One of my morning rituals is to read through the newspaper. Of course there is no shortage of griefs. From droughts and famines, wars and rumors of war. On the days this practice proves more devastating than delightful, I remind myself it is important to be informed; necessary even.

What does it look like to keep going when the weight of the world is upon us? Whether overwhelmed by global events or hurting from devastations in our closest circles, how do we face another day?

Our internet friend, Shannan Martin, names counterweights as one of the ways we keep going. Practices, experiences and connections that invite us to joy and remind us of the good are necessary counter points to the hard things that surround us. Beauty is one way we can stave off despair. A gentle breeze on the face, the vibrant pinks and orange of the setting sun, the golden crust on a loaf of freshly baked bread are all glimpses of beauty. Noticing, naming and holding onto these signposts of good provide a ballast amidst the storms of life.

Open my eyes, O God, to the gifts of beauty that surround me this day. Amen.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Joy: Beauty Draws Us Closer to God

Spend time today with a form of sacred beauty. Perhaps it’s a beloved scripture passage, a song that makes your heart swell, or taking a walk in a place that brings peace to your soul.

Consider the places and spaces in which you feel the presence of God. In the face of limitations, whether that is time, mobility or accessibility, are there ways to connect with these holy touch points?

If it’s through music, perhaps you can stream a favorite song. If it is a specific view in another part of the world, perhaps you can use a photo of that place on your phone’s wallpaper. Snuggle a new baby or light a candle that’s scent that reminds you of a treasured place.

Today, with intention, engage in an act that reminds you of the goodness of God.

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.

Comfort: Beauty Draws Us Towards God

“The heavens are telling the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.” -Psalm 19:1-2

Have you ever noticed that we often find more of what we seek? So what if we set out to find beauty? Perhaps in the search for beauty we also find God. When I experience the flowers blooming and notice every petal or receive a hug from a friend after a long day, I inevitably feel grateful for the beauty extended my way. My gratefulness then directs me toward God.

Katherine May, a writer and thinker, notes that feelings of awe can crack us open, leaving us softer and more ready to engage. This window created by beauty and wonder opens our awareness of God as well. God created beautiful things – including us – people! It is all interconnected. We can name and experience beauty, and we can create beauty. The joy of a repeated pattern or the unique loveliness of another person’s face can spark our connection to and recognition of the divine. By engaging ourselves with this focus in life we can draw closer to our Creator. And how beautiful is that?

Beautiful God, what a marvel this world is! Draw us closer as we seek you. AMEN

Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.