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    Simply Wait: Cultivating Stillness in the Season of Advent
    Simply Wait: Cultivating Stillness in the Season of Advent
    Simply Wait: Cultivating Stillness in the Season of Advent
    Ebook117 pages3 hours

    Simply Wait: Cultivating Stillness in the Season of Advent

    By Pamela C. Hawkins

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    About this ebook

    What if it really wasn't that hard to find more peace, more quiet, more room in your heart for the Christ child to be born? Hawkins will guide you—calmly and simply—through the busy season of Advent, and you'll come out of the four weeks more centered, rested, and spiritually renewed.

    "The idea for this book arose from my own experience of contemplative prayer, prayer that finds its home, not in busy doing or speaking, but in becoming, in being," writes Hawkins.

    Some Advent titles promise reflective simplicity but actually require a lot of time or reading; Simply Wait is the exception. The exercises are very doable and focus on anticipation, hope, patience, and obedience. Questions and journal space are provided to help you contemplate more fully. This is an ideal individual or small-group study; a guide for groups is included.

    Instead of doing more and moving faster, find a way to reflect more, worry less, and connect authentically to the season with the grace-filled wisdom of Simply Wait.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherUpper Room Books
    Release dateJul 1, 2017
    ISBN9780835817578
    Simply Wait: Cultivating Stillness in the Season of Advent
    Author

    Pamela C. Hawkins

    Associate Pastor, Belmont United Methodist Church, Nashville, TN

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      Book preview

      Simply Wait - Pamela C. Hawkins

      SIMPLY WAIT

      Cultivating Stillness in the Season of Advent

      Copyright © 2007 by Pamela C. Hawkins

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher except in brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address Upper Room Books, 1908 Grand Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37212.

      The Upper Room® Web site: books.upperroom.org

      UPPER ROOM®, UPPER ROOM BOOKS®, and design logos are trademarks owned by The Upper Room®, A Ministry of GBOD®, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.

      Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      Lyrics for People, Look East copyright David Higham Associates, Ltd., 5-8 Lower John Street, Golden Square, London W1F 9HA. Used by permission.

      Lyrics for I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light by Kathleen Thomerson copyright © 1970, 1975 Celebration, P.O. Box 309, 809 Franklin Ave., Aliquippa, PA 15001. Used by permission.

      At the time of publication all Web sites referenced in this book were valid. However, due to the fluid nature of the Internet some addresses may have changed or the content may no longer be relevant.

      Cover and interior design: Studio Haus, Nashville, TN

      Cover and interior images: Getty Images

      ISBN 978-0-8358-9917-8 | mobi ISBN: 978-0-8358-1756-1 | epub ISBN: 978-0-8358-1757-8

      To my mother,

      Jean Swingle Cunningham,

      who has taught me to wait in God’s time.

      CONTENTS

      INTRODUCTION

      ANTICIPATION FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT

      Day One: Responding to the Word

      Days Two through Six: Readings

      Day Seven: Praying in Anticipation—Vigils

      HOPE SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT

      Day One: Responding to the Word

      Days Two through Six: Readings

      Day Seven: Praying in Hope—Daily Examen

      PATIENCE THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT

      Day One: Responding to the Word

      Days Two through Six: Readings

      Day Seven: Praying Patiently—The Jesus Prayer

      OBEDIENCE FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT

      Day One: Responding to the Word

      Days Two through Six: Readings

      Day Seven: Praying in Obedience—A Daily Office

      CHRISTMAS EVE INVOCATION

      GUIDE FOR SMALL GROUPS

      RESOURCES

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      INTRODUCTION

      THE IDEA FOR this book arose from my own experience of contemplative prayer, prayer that finds its home not in busy doing or speaking but in becoming, in being. Several years ago a friend suggested that we attend a one-day Advent retreat in which contemplative prayer was to be a part. I really did not have time to do this—especially during the busy season before Christmas. After all, there were gifts to wrap, school plays to attend, and more church activities than I could fit into my calendar, but my friend persisted and signed us up.

      From the moment we arrived, the room set aside for our retreat was bathed in a spirit of quiet and calm. The meeting space was not overdecorated in reds, greens, and golds; Christmas music did not greet us at the door. Instead, in the center of the room stood a small table draped with a plain purple cloth and adorned with a single burning candle. We were welcomed into a hospitable and generous silence. I can still remember the stark impact of that space and silence. I had arrived out of breath from details of a Christmas that had not yet taken place.

      In the course of that one day our small group was led through simple prayers, reading of Advent scriptures, and plenty of quiet time in which to imagine how our life with God was being drawn toward Immanuel, God-With-Us. One of the most memorable activities that stirred my imagination was a spiritual exercise of simplicity—the simplicity of a single word.

      As we sat in a circle, a basket filled with small pieces of folded paper was passed around. Each piece, we were told, had one word on it. Nothing more. And we were instructed to take one, go to a quiet place in the building, and to sit with that word. We were to let

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