Together 4 Good: Making Sense of Life and Faith

Advent Week 3: Joy Reflection | Bonus Spoken-Word Episode

This Advent, I’ve been sharing a short spoken-word piece each week—little moments to help us breathe, pay attention, and remember what God is growing in us during this season.Today, we’re talking about Joy and not the thin, glittery version December tries to sell us, but the deeper kind. The kind that actually holds. Because if you’re anything like me, joy can feel a little buried this time of year. The lists get long. The lights get loud. And somewhere between “too much” and “to-do”… joy gets jammed. But Scripture reminds us: joy isn’t about pretending everything’s fine. Joy is what happens when grace finally gets our attention. In this reflection, I explore the connection between the Greek words for joy and grace, why John the Baptist is such a surprising teacher of joy, and how stepping out of the spotlight might actually be the place where joy grows deepest. My hope is that this simple poem gives you permission to stand where grace has placed you, breathe a little deeper, and recognize the light that God is already shining through you. Make a plan and join us this Advent: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver 00:00 — Welcome & Advent mini-episode introduction00:37 — When joy gets buried under December01:15 — Joy vs. momentary happiness01:40 — The Greek roots of joy & grace02:08 — John the Baptist and the joy of knowing who you’re not03:05 — Why we chase titles—and why grace tells the truth03:40 — Joy as standing where grace has placed you04:10 — The good news of who you are (and who you’re not)04:40 — Blessing & Amen

Why Advent Teaches Us to Wait

Have you ever felt like the anticipation of Christmas is better than the arrival?  My kids said that to me recently and honestly…they’re onto something.  There’s something about the lead up. The lights going up, the music (I bet your favorite Christmas songs are actually hymns, looking at you “Joy to the World,”) the catalogs arriving, that stirs more excitement in us than the day itself. And believe it or not Advent has always been focused on the magic of waiting.   Today I’m talking about why waiting isn’t wasted time, and how Advent invites us to slow down, breathe a bit deeper, and resist the cultural pressure to hurry, buy, and cram every moment full.  If the pace of this season feels more frantic than hopeful, consider this an invitation to step back for a moment and listen again for the quieter story Advent is trying to tell. Make a plan to join us this season in-person or online: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver [https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver] 00:00 — A very Advent greeting (and a nod to John the Baptist) 01:00 — Why Advent hymns might just be the best hymns 01:40 — Advent as a season of holy anticipation 02:10 — The “almost” feeling we love more than arrival 03:05 — Why we’re wired to enjoy the build-up 04:00 — Packaging, Oreos, and the psychology of wanting 06:10 — Is Advent playing into this? A surprising “yes and no” 07:20 — How Advent helps us unlearn the hurry 08:30 — Centering prayer and the gift of slowing down 10:10 — What surfaces when we finally get quiet 11:10 — Wilderness stories and the importance of in-between time 12:35 — Why we need space before we’re ready for Christmas 13:40 — Advent vs. cultural Christmas: two different rhythms 14:45 — Letting Advent reshape our pace 15:15 — A blessing for slowing down

Advent Week 2: Peace Reflection | Bonus Spoken-Word Episode

This Advent season, we’re taking a few minutes each week to reflect on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. And to mix things up a bit, I’m sharing a short spoken-word piece every week.This week, I’m talking about Peace. Advent Peace isn’t the soft, candle-lit word we print on cards. It’s not the “if I could just get my life together…” kind of peace. And it’s definitely not the version we try to manufacture by control, comfort, or numbing. In the poem, I explore how real peace doesn’t show up in palaces or power structures — it shows up in the wilderness. In unexpected places. In unlikely people. And ultimately in Jesus, who brings peace not by force, but by presence. If you’re carrying worry, striving for calm, or trying to hold it all together during a season that promises “peace and quiet” but rarely delivers… this reflection is for you. Take a breath. Listen in. And let this be a reminder that peace isn’t something we achieve — it’s a gift already given. Watch, reflect, and share if someone in your life needs a small moment of peace today. Make a plan and join us this Advent: https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver 00:00 — Opening Reflection: What Do We Mean by Peace?00:32 — The Peace We Chase (and Can’t Quite Catch)01:13 — Peace in Jesus’ Day: Power vs. Promise01:50 — The Wilderness Word: John’s Message02:28 — Peace as Gift, Not Achievement03:05 — Peace in the Manger, Cross, and Resurrection03:48 — Closing Invitation: Stop Running, Receive Peace

Why Christians Start Advent by Talking About the End of the World

Every year, Advent shows up with candles, wreaths… and, strangely enough, apocalyptic readings. And if you’ve ever thought, “Wait—why are we talking about the end of the world when we’re gearing up for twinkle lights and baby Jesus?”—you’re in good company. In this episode, I’m talking about why the church calendar always begins with the end. Why Jesus keeps bringing up apocalyptic moments. And why “apocalypse” doesn’t really mean destruction—it's about transformation. I share a story about binge-watching House when my daughter Evelyn was a newborn (yes, really), and how a cliffhanger episode helped me understand what Advent is actually trying to teach us: We don’t know every detail of what’s ahead, but we do know how the story ends—with God gathering all things in love. And maybe that’s why Martin Luther could say, “If I knew the world was going to end tomorrow, I’d still plant my apple tree today.” Because faith in an apocalyptic God isn’t about fear—it’s about hope. It’s about trusting that God is already in the future, pulling us toward something good, something whole, something new. As we step into Bethany’s Advent theme, The Beginning of Everything, I pray this episode helps you hear those apocalyptic texts not as doom, but as a promise: Something new is beginning. Something hopeful. Something God-shaped. Thanks for listening, and as always—stay in peace. Sunday School Remix is a new Together 4 Good series re-examining familiar Bible stories to uncover what they really tell us about faith, humanity, and grace today. 📍 Listen & Subscribe:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-conversations-on-faith-family-and/id1529196060https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-making-sense-of-life-and-faith/id1529196060 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/together-4-good-making-sense-of-life-and-faith/id1529196060]  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA [https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFHcs9xjcRK54uXJzUBbH?si=VwBUEjyQQnieXyKHdkcfvA] 🙏 Bethany Lutheran Church ELCA | Cherry Hills Village, CO https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver [https://linktr.ee/bethanydenver]

Advent Week 1: Hope Reflection | Bonus Spoken-Word Episode

This Advent season, we’re taking a few minutes each week to reflect on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. And to mix things up a bit, I’m sharing a short spoken-word piece every week. This week, I’m talking about Hope. Hope and fear can live in the same space inside us — same heartbeat, same tight shoulders — but they push us in very different directions. Fear shuts us down. Hope asks us to open up, even just a little. In this reflection, I’m naming that tension we all feel when life is unclear, and why Advent is the perfect time to lean toward hope while we wait for Jesus to show up. If you’re needing that shift toward hope this week, I’m right there with you. Join us this season https://bethany-denver.org [https://bethany-denver.org]