Advent is about the light of the world breaking into the darkness – not after the darkness is gone, but right in the middle of it. The same is true today. Jesus comes to us in the reality of our lives, not to some idealized version of them. In waiting and disappointment, He offers hope. In chaos and anxiety, He brings peace. In sorrow and emptiness, Hesurprises us with joy. And, in all things, He is love.If you find yourself longing for the presence of Jesus in real life more than the sentimentality of the holiday season, we invite you to open the Scripturesand encounter afresh the light of the world.