Finding Hope In the In-Between
An Invitation to Encounter Jesus
I woke this morning to a brisk 35 degrees. Everywhere I look, it's a feast for the eyes—trees dressed in their glory, leaves aflame in brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges. As summer yields to autumn, I'm reminded that Christmas is right around the corner.
For some, the mere mention of Christmas elicits a groan, an eye roll, or even a sense of dread. I get it. For others, the anticipation runs so deep that waiting to play Christmas music until after Thanksgiving feels like torture. Both reactions speak to a more profound truth about this season.
The Christmas season brims with beauty—the warm glow of lights, trees adorned with finery, and the cozy aromas of cinnamon, pine, and wood fires. Witnessing the wonder of Christmas through a child's eyes, reuniting with family and friends, and embracing cherished traditions can bring profound joy. Yet, sometimes, our experience isn't idyllic. Instead, the season becomes a painful reminder of what's broken in our lives: loneliness, strained relationships, financial pressures, fractured families, an empty seat at the table, or the first Christmas without a loved one.
The poet Mary Oliver captured this paradox perfectly:
"We shake with joy, we shake with grief.
What a time they have, these two
Housed as they are in the same body."
Her words highlight the tension of life in the "in-between"—that space between Christ's first coming, when He conquered sin and death, and His anticipated return when all broken things will be fully restored. It's here in the "in-between" that joy and sorrow are interwoven into the fabric of our daily lives.
I see this dynamic played out each year when my husband Ken and I attend our favorite Christmas concert. It's not a typical performance of joy-filled carols; instead, it's a beautiful retelling of the Old Testament leading to Jesus' birth—a narrative full of both groaning and great joy.
If ever a concert could personify us, this one does. Ken embodies pure joy and anticipation, rejoicing in God's present gifts, while I resonate deeply with the somber songs of Israel's longing for deliverance. Together, we mirror the "already" and "not yet" of God's kingdom—Ken celebrating God's glorious work in the present while I deeply yearn for His promised final restoration.
During Advent, we celebrate our Savior's first arrival, which pierced the darkness, even as we anticipate the light that will eventually cast out all darkness forever. We keep one eye on the past while eagerly scanning the horizon. Like ancient Israel, we, too, await our savior.
In this season of waiting, it's tempting to place our hope in shadows—pursuing security through success, comfort through food, or belonging through the approval of others. Yet our deepest longings for peace, belonging, security, and flourishing find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus:
He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world
He is the Good Shepherd who tends to His people
He is the Bread of Life who nourishes and sustains us
He is the Great High Priest who represents us before the Father
Jesus' arrival wasn't merely the sweet story of a helpless babe born to an unwed mother of little means. It's the story of the God of the universe entering into our suffering and bringing with Him the promise of:
Rest for the weary
Freedom for the captives
Healing for the broken-hearted
Hope for the hopeless
Recognizing how easily we can lose the substance of Christmas in its sentimentality, I created "Encountering Jesus in John," a four-week, self-paced Advent study. Through 12 teaching videos and a comprehensive 60-page workbook, this study is designed to clear away both festive distractions and painful rubble, creating space for a meaningful encounter with Jesus.
Whether you're approaching this season with excitement or dread, anticipation or anxiety, this study offers a path to a deeper engagement with Jesus. The good news of Christ’s arrival is that he doesn't just comprehend our suffering—he came specifically for it. He chose to enter into our pain to rescue us from it, becoming both the fulfillment of ancient promises and the bearer of future hope.
I invite you to slow down this Advent and intentionally reflect on God's provision in Christ. Together, let's discover how hope pierced the darkness on that first Christmas night and how it continues to light our way through the in-between.
Will you join me in this journey of encountering Jesus this Advent season?
To purchase a hard copy of the study from Amazon:
Or to purchase a PDF download:
Love you guys,
CC
P.S. Please read the request below and consider helping a friend with her research project if you can!
A Research Project on Purity Culture
For two decades, I've journeyed alongside women, navigating sexual brokenness and healing while wrestling with my own story of both personal sin and the painful impact of others' sins against me. This experience has fueled my passionate pursuit of understanding sex through a biblical lens over the past ten years.
Recently, new and important voices have emerged examining the lasting effects of purity culture. If you grew up within purity culture—whether your experience was positive, negative, or somewhere in between—your story matters. A colleague of mine is conducting doctoral research on this topic, and I'm helping her connect with individuals willing to share their experiences.
Would you consider participating in her research project? Your perspective could shape our understanding of this important issue and benefit others processing similar experiences.
See the below flyer if you are interested in participating or would like more information.
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