Hello Hope Church YYC Family!

A Message From Pastor Abe Brown...

Today is December 1, and I really felt stirred in my heart to do something different for us as a church as we prepare for Christmas 2025. So, I have been writing a 25-Day Advent Journey called “When Heaven Breaks In”. Please, let’s take this journey together…

Advent is one of the oldest and most beautiful traditions in the Christian church—a sacred season of expectation, preparation, and longing. For centuries, believers around the world have used the four weeks leading up to Christmas to remember that the story of Jesus is a story of waiting and welcoming. Advent teaches us to slow down, open our hearts, and prepare room for Christ just as God’s people waited for the Messiah to come.

The Meaning of the Four Weeks of Advent

In the historic Christian tradition, Advent is a four-week journey that helps prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. Each week carries a powerful theme that reflects a different facet of Jesus’ arrival—both His first coming in Bethlehem and His return still to come. These themes shape our worship, our prayers, and our focus as we move toward Christmas Day.

Week 1 — HOPE

Advent begins with the lighting of the Hope candle, often called the Prophet’s Candle. It reminds us of the prophets who spoke of a Messiah who would come…and of our own hope in Christ today. This week stirs our hearts to trust God’s promises even when we cannot yet see the outcome.

Week 2 — PEACE

The second candle, the Bethlehem Candle, symbolizes peace. It calls us to remember the peace Jesus brings—not just the absence of conflict, but the deep inner wholeness only Christ can give. During this week, we let the Prince of Peace calm our fears and settle our spirit.

Week 3 — JOY

The third candle is the Shepherd’s Candle—the only pink candle in the Advent wreath. It celebrates the joy announced to the shepherds: “Good news of great joy for all people.” This week reminds us that joy is not found in circumstances, but in Christ Himself.

Week 4 — LOVE

The fourth candle is the Angel’s Candle, symbolizing God’s love demonstrated in sending His Son. This week lifts our eyes to the unconditional, pursuing, sacrificial love of God displayed in Jesus—Love that stepped into our world, took on flesh, and brought salvation.

The Heart of Advent

The four weeks of Advent form a spiritual journey: Hope → Peace → Joy → Love → Christ. They help us pace our hearts, focus our attention, and turn our December into a season of worship rather than weariness.

In our culture, which moves so quickly and yet reflects so poorly, Advent invites us to pause, breathe, and return to the heart of Christmas. It reminds us that we are not only celebrating that Jesus came—we are leaning into the truth that He still comes, breaking into our lives with hope, peace, joy, and love.

These 25 devotionals are designed to guide you day by day into a Christ-centered journey from December 1–25. There are some Scriptures for you to look up and read, a devotional written from my heart to yours, and a prayer at the end for you to take and shape as your own.

We will be posting these each day into the church chat for 25 days, from December 1-25, on the HCYYC App, and on our website. Our focus is When Heaven Breaks In…

As you reflect, pray, and focus each day on Scripture and my short devotional writings, my prayer is that this Advent will reshape your December—not around busyness or pressure, but around Jesus Himself. May this be a season where heaven breaks in again, right where you need Him most.