“My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.” -2 Samuel 22:3 (NRSV)

The wind is blowing hard as I write this. The leaves on the tree have turned brown and yellow; they’re struggling to hang on, but it’s hopeless. They may cling yet a little longer, but if the gusts don’t rip them off today, gravity will take care of them soon enough. Nature is in no hurry, and as it turns out, neither am I. During the early stages of the pandemic, I hunkered down, intending to ride out the storm. I washed my hands, kept my distance, wore my masks dutifully and properly whether they were mandated or not. I took my shots when they became available. I did it all without fear or loathing, because I know I am in the hands of God. God is my Rock. God is my Stronghold. I hear the bugler sounding the Assembly to gather. All in all, I don’t believe God rescues me from the external violence of a world gone mad, but from the internal violence of a soul that wants to hang on, when God has called that soul to let go. Let the leaf fall, for, in the end, it is returning home. I am on the homeward leg of my own Journey, my Advent adventure.

Gracious God, our time is in your hands, as are we. You hold on tight to us so that we don’t need to hang tight to things that pass away. Thank you so much for being with us always, as life with you is truly eternal. Amen.
– Fr. Keith Axberg

“The Lord is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” -Exodus 15:2 (NRSV)

This verse from Exodus is part of a longer hymn sung on the banks of the Red Sea to honor God for delivering the Israelites from the Egyptian army. Whatever doubts the Israelites had about God’s power to save, or Moses’ legitimacy as a leader, were washed away with their enemies. Today, COVID is a worldwide enemy, leading to last year’s shutdown. This event didn’t hit me as hard as it did many others, because I had already been isolated for a long time. A slow-to-heal broken foot and a life-threatening virus plus pneumonia had kept me either in the hospital or at home for about 16 months. So I segued right into the COVID isolation. The thing about being isolated is that it opens up the space and time an introvert like me craves. While regretting the loss of familiar routines and personal connections, I also welcomed the calm, the quiet, and the blank pages in my calendar. Time had slowed down, so I could too. I passed that time in much the same way through both periods: read books, watched old movies, made a baby sweater and two quilts, and did rehab exercises. When Zoom kicked in, I renewed connections. But what actually sustained and stabilized me, what gave a framework to each day and renewed my spirit was my spiritual practice. I re-kindled my former habit of morning prayer, spiritual reading, and meditation. Reading and reflecting on the way God works in the world, becoming more aware of that Holy Presence, became my real salvation. Sitting by the window I could watch the seasons change as my thoughts about “grit and grace” and God organized themselves, or just floated away like clouds, leaving a sense of peace and gratitude. When events set me back, I leaned on God, even more, relying on his strength and might where mine failed. God’s faithfulness saved me from the plague of darkness, weakness, frustration, and fear, and brought me to a brighter day.

Holy Presence, renew me each day. Be the light on my path, the fire in my soul, the hope in my heart. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
-Carol Treston

In her book, An Altar in the World, Barbara Brown Taylor describes an interesting preaching invitation she received.

Many years ago now, a wise old priest invited me to come speak at his church in Alabama. “What do you want me to talk about?” I asked him.

“Come tell us what is saving your life now,” he answered.

The idea for this devotional booklet’s theme came to me when Daniel had class canceled due to a potential COVID exposure. (Both of us tested negative, but he was still out of school for the week.) A friend of a dear friend had just passed away from COVID, and another friend had just lost her husband that day from cancer. I needed to get out of the house, so we went through the McDonald’s drive-thru to get French fries for him, and I was driving around to give him a chance to eat them. My iPod was set to my Praise & Worship playlist, and songs kept coming on that were speaking to me in a way that was sorely needed at that moment, and the story from An Altar in the World popped into my mind.

Life since COVID burst onto the scene has been difficult. According to the World Health Organization, there have been more than 255 million positive COVID cases worldwide and 5.1 million deaths. According to the CDC, there have been 47.4 million cases in the USA and deaths are approaching 800,000. The pandemic has contributed to an economic downturn, exacerbated supply chain shortages, and increased unemployment. In Skagit County, we can add flooding to the list of things adding to the stress level of people.

In this time when good news seems to be in short supply, the question of what is saving us and giving us the hope to persevere is an important one. I posed the question to various people at St. Paul’s, and their answers make up this booklet. Each day’s reflection has a Bible verse, a short meditation, and a prayer at the end.

There is also a playlist here for you to enjoy. It is music that has been saving me for the last 18 months.

May this booklet bless you and give you hope as we prepare again for the coming of our King this Advent.
-Jen McCabe