This first week of Advent invites us into the quiet, holy work of waiting. Before celebration or proclamation, Scripture calls us to slow down and notice the God who forms us in the silence. In this week’s reflection, Dr. Keith Douds helps us see waiting not as wasted time but as the place where God renews our strength and prepares our hearts for Christ’s coming.

Gratitude is more than a feeling—it’s one of God’s gracious “emergency exits” when life feels heavy. This Thanksgiving week, we’re invited to pause, breathe, and remember the countless ways God has loved us, sustained us, and met us with kindness.

Your to-do list is long, the year is moving fast, and everything in you says, “Just keep pushing.” But Scripture invites us into something radically different: rest. Not once the work is done, but right in the middle of the unfinished. Rest is a sign of trust, a reminder that God is the One sustaining all things—including you. If you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or stretched thin, hear this clearly: you don’t need to earn rest. You are allowed to stop.