Advent 2022: Peace for Outcasts
Listen to the voiceover recording of this post here.
Peace might be a people.
A people who can look at you and say, “I see you.” Peace may be the hands and feet of others who are willing to hold you up after you’ve barely kept it together.
Peace is what blanketed my anxious heart when new friends said, “I believe you.” People of peace knew I didn’t want to tear anyone down—I simply wanted to tell my story. Peace relaxed my tense shoulders, kneading the knots in my back, as each word of my journey was held with care by compassionate others.
Peace kept me. It kept me from tail spinning. It kept me from ricocheting after hitting rock bottom. It kept faith alive in me despite having to walk away from it all.
People of peace mirroring the Prince of Peace are the ones who triaged my wounds. Their words didn’t dehumanize. Didn’t mock. Didn’t push me into places or spaces I wasn’t ready to tread. They made space for me so I could land as I sat in darkness. They entered the darkness with me.
I know many of us are sitting in darkness, longing for the light to come. We long for hope. We long to see the restoration of shalom that has been shattered. My dearest hope is that you find a people of peace. That you would know, with deep resonance, when you’ve found the peace of Christ in the heart of another.
Despite the darkness enveloping you as you prep for a week of parties and presents (or the lack of it all), may you know that Christ enters the darkness with you. May you find each word of your story kept and held as he keeps and holds you.
I’ll sign off with something I’d written on peace for Advent 2021:
Our Prince of Peace is coming. Our hemorrhaging bodies and broken lives are made whole in the shadow of his wings. Even the edges of his garment extend care to those on the fringes.
The Embodiment of Shalom, he comes.
And we go—from pieces to peace.
With you and for you,
Jenai 🌾
Visio Divina
If you’re familiar with Lectio Divina (Latin for Divine Reading), you’ll know the practice is centered around viewing Scripture as a living word. Each reading is contemplated and centered around the person of Christ.
Visio Divina (Diving Seeing) is much the same, but with images. I created a series of Advent drawings with Visio Divina in mind, hoping that as you reflect on each image, you could experience the presence of Christ and the greater communion of the saints in the lonely journeys we walk.
My hope with each image is that you take a moment to reflect and find an extension of peace and rest as well as resonance.
You’ll find my additional thoughts on experiencing Advent as an outcast and misfit on Instagram.
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