Canyon Hill Family,

I am really looking forward to the season of Advent that begins this Sunday! Advent is a season of waiting and a season of hoping, but it is also a season in which we are invited to join God's people through the centuries in giving voice to our laments, our grief, our pain and turmoil as we wait on God to act again. The book of Psalms is a book filled with the range of human emotions voiced to God in good seasons and bad seasons. In fact, the majority of the Psalms are laments, telling us how important it is for the faith of God's people to be able to voice the range of human emotions as life can be tough and disappointing. In other words, the book of Psalms gives us permission to voice our disappointments to God.

Our denomination put out a new advent resource this year to explore this aspect of Advent. This resource that will help guide our season of Advent is called "Joy of Every Longing Heart" by Dan Boone. Here is a brief description of this resource: "Advent is an emptying, quieting, anticipating space that God disrupts by meeting us at our most vulnerable. In a creative departure from the norm, "Joy of Every Longing Heart" spotlights the Psalms across the four Sundays of Advent, examining themes of light/hope, love, joy, and peace."

My hope for this journey through some of the Psalms this Advent is that we will learn part of the good news of God's coming to us in Christ is that God doesn't shy away from the world's messiness and brokenness, nor does he shy away from our disappointments, our pain, or even our anger. He meets us where we are and invites us to voice what we feel. As God's people we can offer hope filled laments to God as we wait for Him to act again on our behalf. 

We will begin this series taking a look at Psalm 80 if you would like to read ahead. 

I hope to see you on Sunday!

Pastor Tony

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