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One Word Advent. Wander and Write with Me

By Bonnie Gray • November 30, 2015 • 15 Comments

(my images are goodies for you to share and pin.
soul goodness among kindreds)

I woke up with a spontaneous idea and I want you to do this with me.

#OneWordAdvent.

#OneWordAdvent is my invitation this month to do a Thursday weekly one word prompt writing challenge for you — and with you for Advent — using the words: hope, peace, joy love.

Will you join me?

Here are two ways to participate:

  1. I’ll have a Blog Link Up setup for this Thursday, 12/3.
    • At the end of my Thursday’s blog post, you’ll be able to click a button, type in your blog post url and submit it. Your blog post will show up pretty together.
    • Use the “Hope” #OneWordAdvent badge/image (found at the top of today’s blog post) and insert it into your blog post. It will let me know you’re participating & it will invite others to join too! (You can copy it onto your computer by right clicking it on your mouse and click “save image”)
    • Visit the blog post before yours to say hi and share a comment. Let’s savor each other’s journey.
  2. Capture moments that speak “hope” to you. Share your Advent art or photos using hashtag #OneWordAdvent on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

This week’s 12/3/15 #OneWordAdvent Writing Prompt: HOPE

Experience a more soulful Christmas. ✒️ Pick up your pen and share your Advent journey. ? Share today’s post to invite a friend to journey together.

Let’s Begin Again. Let Christmas come.

One Word Advent has actually been a seed that’s been dropped on my heart earlier in the year, as I give myself permission to wander… to let it be prompted — not by expectations or by what others would want me to do — or by what I think would be a good “plan”. It’s just something I would enjoy — and would enjoy sharing together with you.

But, is that enough to begin something. Simply because it brings our hearts pleasure? I believe yes, because Christmas is Emmanuel — God with us.

How can we give the gift of our hearts to God — if we place it to the side? How can we enjoy an intimate moment with God when we keep ourselves boxed in our fears, guilt or expectations?

God whispers —

I am your hope. 

I am Emmauel. 

I am with you.

Begin again. 

Let Christmas come to you again.

Let me be with you. New. Rebirthed once more.

It’s hard to start something new, when you’ve been quiet for awhile. Don’t a lot of God’s whispers and invitations happen this way? He touches things in us that we’ve put to the side, that we’ve let slip between our fingers. Or so we think.

God captures them all. He holds them all in his heart. Because those inspirations are ones He’s placed on our hearts.

I haven’t hosted our Thursday blog link up Beloved Brews in months. I’ve been taking a break, soul searching on what the write for my next book afterFinding Spiritual Whitespace.

But, I woke up this morning and on my walk, it just wouldn’t leave me. Because that is what we do here on Faith Barista. We share the our moments — during the times that are most important to our hearts.

And we all need Advent. We all long to experience Advent — not just do Advent.

Express Your Heart

So, if you express you heart by writing, photos or art — I’d like to invite you to join me to experience a more soulful Christmas.

Join #OneWordAdvent —

a Thursday weekly writing and art prompt challenge this month — using the words: hope, peace, joy and love.

Pick up your pen, your brush, your (phone) camera.

Share your Advent journey together in community.  Swap some stories. Share your reflections on the word {hope} is speaking to you this year.

I can’t wait.

Thanks for sharing a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with me. I think your comments, emails and notes of encouragement, might just be what the Holy Spirit used to water this seed of inspiration #OneWordAdvent to sprout today.

With kindred affection… Bonnie

~~~~~

How is God calling you to go, wander and experience with him?

Will you #OneWordAdvent with me?

Pull up a chair. Click to comment.

FindingSpiritualWhitespace_BookDaySpringFor Christmas gifts, order a copy of my book for your friends. I’d cherish the opportunity to share the message of finding rest with your loved ones: Finding Spiritual Whitespace: Awakening Your Soul to Rest.

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This is a quiet space for you and me. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Click to comment »

15 Comments

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15 Comments

  • Reply sue donaldson November 30, 2015 at 3:57 pm

    Yes, I will try. I love it that you said, experience Advent not just do Advent. Whew. I feel better already. Thanks for listening and acting – that’s experiencing. (and you know my friend Lisa Lewis – she used to live here and I miss her.)

    • Reply Bonnie Gray November 30, 2015 at 8:50 pm

      that would be wonderful, sue. hopefully, it will be a soul-enjoyable time as your pen/fingers express your heart. yes, Lisa is here now! i’ll say hello to her for you. 😉

  • Reply mary mccauley November 30, 2015 at 5:18 pm

    I don’t have a blog, can I simply share in comments? Hope reminds me of Cynthia Ruchti whose motto is hemmed in hope. Her hope filled writing is inspiring. I look forward to focusing on the words of Advent during this season. thank you for the idea.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray November 30, 2015 at 8:50 pm

      yes, Mary!! you can share your thoughts in the comments on Thursday. I think I’ll update the blog post to let everyone know. thank you!

  • Reply Judy H. November 30, 2015 at 6:08 pm

    I don’t have a blog, nor do I twitter, nor do I know how to tag items to facebook, I am essentially technologically illiterate. Oh, but I do love to write! Is there a way I can participate or a quick tutorial on how to write along with you?

    • Reply Bonnie Gray November 30, 2015 at 8:52 pm

      you can get a free account on WordPress.com — bite the bullet. create your blog, Judy. you can do it. then we can write together. ;)(you can set it up for this week. if not, next week.:) you can share your reflections in the comments section on Thursday’s post.

  • Reply Julie Lomascolo November 30, 2015 at 6:33 pm

    Bonnie Thank you for encouraging us to experience Advent. Yes I need Advent! I am excited to write on one of the words you presented. This is a gift from the Holy Spirit and I thank God for you my sweet beloved who guides us closer to mighty God. This will be a December to remember for sure In his peace, joy, and love Julie. 🙂

    • Reply Bonnie Gray November 30, 2015 at 8:52 pm

      i can’t wait, Julie. all of us in community, waiting and sharing the words… on this Advent journey as it unfolds. a week at a time!

  • Reply Linda McClellan November 30, 2015 at 7:45 pm

    I’m not an official blogger but I do like to write and I do some different kinds of art but my art room is being used for my grandsons until their apartment is ready in January so I’m kind of limited. This Christmas and Advent, and I love to spend Advent spending more time with the Lord. My husband and I found out the end of October that he has cancer of the throat, mainly his left tonsil, part of his tongue and several lymph nodes. He has had one surgery but they only managed to take out the tonsils and part of the base of his tongue. Then he developed pneumonia afterwards and spent two weeks in ICU. He has another surgery coming up in a couple of weeks to take out all the lymph nodes affected. So this Advent will be be one of depending on God and spending time studying the Bible and also I am reading your book “Finding Spiritual Whitespace”. I’m pretty busy with taking care of my husband’s trach and he has a feeding tube now too and that is the only way he can eat. I trust that the Lord will take care of him and myself and my daughter and four grandchildren that are staying with us. God is good and our life is in His hands. Thank you for your book, I’m really enjoying it but sometimes it’s hard to concentrate. God bless!

    • Reply Bonnie Gray November 30, 2015 at 8:55 pm

      dear Linda, i’m so glad to hear if my book can be a companion with you during this heart-vulnerable season, I hope the book can speak comfort and encoruagement to you. Dear Jesus, please help Linda – give her strength just at the moment she needs it. let her experience your presence in the details and in ways she needs to be carried through. I pray for your healing for her husband. Give this family your love and wisdom in all the decisions. And may Advent be experienced in their hearts in ways that maybe cannot be expressed but you know how to guide them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  • Reply Calista December 1, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    Love this! And so excited! I am stirred by the reminder that God, the One Who inspires us, captures and holds those inspirations safely in His heart. When I don’t respond right away to an inspiration it sometimes feels lost to me. But it isn’t lost. Safe in His heart. This makes me smile.

  • Reply Emily December 2, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    “It’s hard to start something new, when you’ve been quiet for awhile.”
    This is absolutely where I’ve been. I’m so grateful for soul friends who are helping me take steps forward, and for you, here, popping in with your graceful encouragement and creating a safe space for souls to listen and be.
    Starting to find words Instagram style and waiting with hope to enter the land of blogging again…maybe tomorrow…

  • Reply Emily December 2, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    “It’s hard to start something new, when you’ve been quiet for awhile.”
    This is absolutely where I’ve been. I’m so grateful for soul friends who are helping me take steps forward, and for you, here, popping in with your graceful encouragement and creating a safe space for souls to listen and be.
    Starting to find words Instagram style and waiting with hope to enter the land of blogging again…maybe tomorrow…

  • Reply Julie Lomascolo December 4, 2015 at 9:23 am

    Come a little bit closer to me this Christmas. I am your fountain of hope. Drink from my cup of abundance and thirst no more.

  • Reply One Word Advent Series By Faith Barista (Bonnie Gray) | December 15, 2015 at 2:37 am

    […] https://www.thebonniegray.com/2015/11/one-word-advent-wander-with-me/ […]

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