25 Devotional Readings for Advent and Christmas.In a world that's difficult to make sense of, and a season that's so often overtaken by consumerism, here you'll find heart-stirring illustrations and thought-provoking meditations designed to show you the raw, powerfully sacred story of Christmas in a new light.Has the joy of the holiday season become painfully dissonant with the hard edges of life? Do you feel weary from the way Christmas has become a polished, predictable brand? You aren't alone. For too many of us, Christmas has lost its wonder. What if we stopped treating the Christmas story as something that happened a long time ago and started believing that it's a story that's still happening today?From celebrated artist and storyteller Scott Erickson comes Honest Advent, 25 days of illustrations and meditations that will help you rekindle the wonder of this season. Honest Advent creates a space for you to encounter the Incarnate Christ in unexpected places: like a pregnancy announcement in an era of political unrest and empirical bloodshed, the morning sickness of a Middle Eastern teenager, and the shocking biology of birth that goes far beyond the sanitized brand of Christmas as we know it today.Within the pages of Honest Advent, Erickson teaches us the valuable lessons he's learned about:Finding hope and light in the darkest wintersWhat it means to embrace the unexpectedHow God uses everyday vulnerability to help us understand ourselves, and our faith, betterThrough powerful benedictions, prayers, and questions for honest reflection, you'll discover how the wonder of God-with-Us is still happening today: in your unexpected change of plans, your unaccomplished dreams, your overcrowded lodging, and your humble stories of new beginnings.Praise for Honest Advent:"Scott Erickson's beautifully crafted book helped me see God-with-Us with fresh eyes. Honest Advent is no shallow seasonal gift book; it's an invitation to explore the divine flourishes of everyday human vulnerabilities. A transformative read, regardless of the time of year."--Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch "Beautiful. Evocative. A wake-up call to the mystery of life."--John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

In a world that''s difficult to make sense of, and a season that''s so often overtaken by consumerism, here you''ll find heart-stirring illustrations and thought-provoking meditations designed to show you the raw, powerfully sacred story of Christmas in a new light.

Has the joy of the holiday season become painfully dissonant with the hard edges of life? Do you feel weary from the way Christmas has become a polished, predictable brand? You aren''t alone. For too many of us, Christmas has lost its wonder. What if we stopped treating the Christmas story as something that happened a long time ago and started believing that it''s a story that''s still happening today?

From celebrated artist and storyteller Scott Erickson comes Honest Advent, 25 days of illustrations and meditations that will help you rekindle the wonder of this season. Honest Advent creates a space for you to encounter the Incarnate Christ in unexpected places: like a pregnancy announcement in an era of political unrest and empirical bloodshed, the morning sickness of a Middle Eastern teenager, and the shocking biology of birth that goes far beyond the sanitized brand of Christmas as we know it today.

Within the pages of Honest Advent, Erickson teaches us the valuable lessons he''s learned about:

Finding hope and light in the darkest wintersWhat it means to embrace the unexpectedHow God uses everyday vulnerability to help us understand ourselves, and our faith, better

Through powerful benedictions, prayers, and questions for honest reflection, you''ll discover how the wonder of God-with-Us is still happening today: in your unexpected change of plans, your unaccomplished dreams, your overcrowded lodging, and your humble stories of new beginnings.

Praise for Honest Advent:

"Scott Erickson''s beautifully crafted book helped me see God-with-Us with fresh eyes. Honest Advent is no shallow seasonal gift book; it''s an invitation to explore the divine flourishes of everyday human vulnerabilities. A transformative read, regardless of the time of year."

--Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch

"Beautiful. Evocative. A wake-up call to the mystery of life."

--John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Say Yes gives you the mental and spiritual practices you need to enjoy your life again--and bring greater fullness than you could imagine before."My life doesn't look anything like I wanted it to. How do I even keep going?" When the dreams for our life die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That's when The Voice of Giving Up appears.Visual artist and spiritual director Scott Erickson has had long midnight conversations with The Voice of Giving Up, and he knows how anxiety and depression make The Voice especially loud. But he's discovered that our darkest moments are sometimes doorways to a deeper, more joy-filled journey of recovering who we are, why we're here, and why the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to life's brightest gifts.In Say Yes, Scott helps you learn how to reawaken your deepest desires, disempower your greatest fears, and identify the destructive narratives holding you back. Combined with Scott's beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, this is a profound exploration of beginning again after:Disappointment at how life is turning outSuspecting we are not prepared or smart enoughLosing hope that change is possible and that pain can have a purposeTake the first step to gain the gentle yet powerful tools you need, and say yes to what lies ahead today.

Say Yes gives you the mental and spiritual practices you need to enjoy your life again--and bring greater fullness than you could imagine before.

"My life doesn''t look anything like I wanted it to. How do I even keep going?" When the dreams for our life die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That''s when The Voice of Giving Up appears.

Visual artist and spiritual director Scott Erickson has had long midnight conversations with The Voice of Giving Up, and he knows how anxiety and depression make The Voice especially loud. But he''s discovered that our darkest moments are sometimes doorways to a deeper, more joy-filled journey of recovering who we are, why we''re here, and why the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to life''s brightest gifts.

In Say Yes, Scott helps you learn how to reawaken your deepest desires, disempower your greatest fears, and identify the destructive narratives holding you back. Combined with Scott''s beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, this is a profound exploration of beginning again after:

Disappointment at how life is turning outSuspecting we are not prepared or smart enoughLosing hope that change is possible and that pain can have a purpose

Take the first step to gain the gentle yet powerful tools you need, and say yes to what lies ahead today.

Say Yes gives you the mental and spiritual practices you need to enjoy your life again--and bring greater fullness than you could imagine before."My life doesn't look anything like I wanted it to. How do I even keep going?" When the dreams for our life die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That's when The Voice of Giving Up appears.Visual artist and spiritual director Scott Erickson has had long midnight conversations with The Voice of Giving Up, and he knows how anxiety and depression make The Voice especially loud. But he's discovered that our darkest moments are sometimes doorways to a deeper, more joy-filled journey of recovering who we are, why we're here, and why the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to life's brightest gifts.In Say Yes, Scott helps you learn how to reawaken your deepest desires, disempower your greatest fears, and identify the destructive narratives holding you back. Combined with Scott's beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, this is a profound exploration of beginning again after:Disappointment at how life is turning outSuspecting we are not prepared or smart enoughLosing hope that change is possible and that pain can have a purpose Take the first step to gain the gentle yet powerful tools you need, and say yes to what lies ahead today.

We spend time in the Low because we''re human, not because we''re broken.In the Low is a collection of contemplative words and images for seasons of depression. It is a book designed to meet you where you are and sit with you there the way God does: intentionally and without judgment.For many of us, the question isn''t whether or not we will enter into depression but how to be there when we do. In those low places, we experience disconnection from others, from a meaningful life, and from God, and it can be difficult to know what to think or pray. This is where art and the honest prayers of others can help us name what we''re experiencing so we know we''re not alone. In the Low is designed to meet you in the dark and linger there with you as you sit under the weight of depression or despair. Instead of shaming you for how you feel, minimizing your pain, or suggesting quick fixes, Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson offer you prayers in language and imagery that can help you be honest and vulnerable with yourself and with God. Featuring poetic prayers for deeper relationships, healing from trauma, a hopeful future, and more, In the Low meets you where you are in your journey and calls you deeper into the heart of God--who is not afraid of the dark."In the Low has a permanent spot on my bookshelf."--Emily P. Freeman, New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk into a Room"Here is a tender guide, not to answers but to the shared humanity of searching, waiting, and finding meaning in the in-between."--David Gungor, The Brilliance "I can offer no higher compliment than this: Someone I love dearly picked up this book during a stretch of pressing darkness, and it helped them."--Shauna Niequist, author of I Guess I Haven''t Learned That Yet"As someone who has wanted to end it all in her own season of depression, and who accompanies many others in theirs, In the Low is the gift I''ve longed for."--Tara Owens, executive director, Anam Cara Ministries, spiritual director, and author of Embracing the Body "In the Low gives voice to those struck speechless by despair, honoring the sacred truth that faith often speaks through the shadows."--Jonathan Merritt, columnist and author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch "This book resonates deeply within my angsty artist heart, and I''m so grateful it exists in the world."--Jess Janz, poet and founder of Dinner with Strangers "Scott and Justin created a hand to hold in the valley, and I''m grateful to the both of them for how warm it is."--Levi The Poet, spoken word artist "You will treasure this book, I predict, and come back to it again and again."--Brian D. McLaren, author of Faith After Doubt and Life After Doom"In the Low is accompaniment for the places inside that deserve to be known, the wordless places that need words, the dark and diffuse places that need form and shape."--Dr. Hillary L. McBride, psychologist, podcast host, author, and mother"A warm, tender, desperately needed book that doesn''t speak about the ache but from inside of it."--Jonathan Martin, author of How to Survive a Shipwreck and The Road Away from God "In the Low is both simple and subversive, inviting us not simply into peace but fuller personhood."--K.J. Ramsey, licensed therapist and author of The Book of Common Courage"Encounter this book on its own terms. Encounter this book at the necessarily slow pace of God. And above all, encounter this book and come to know the joy of the God of the Low."--Curt Thompson, MD, author of The Deepest Place and The Soul of Desire"Permission to name the ache in our hearts without rushing to fix it."--Kayla Craig, author of Every Season Sacred and To Light Their Way and creator of Liturgies for Parents"Justin and Scott offer us words, images, and their own selves in ways that gently dispel that piece of the darkness and give us a sense of companions who see us, know us, and care."--Donna Hatasaki, senior director of spiritual formation, Young Life

We spend time in the Low because we're human, not because we're broken.This collection of contemplative words and images is for anyone experiencing anxiety, depression, or a dark season. It is a book designed to meet you where you are and sit with you there the way God does: intentionally and without judgment.For many of us, the question isn't whether or not we will enter into depression but how to be there when we do. In those low places, we experience disconnection from others, from a meaningful life, and from God, and it can be difficult to know what to think or pray. This is where art and the honest prayers of others can help us name what we're experiencing so we know we're not alone. In the Low is designed to meet you in the dark and linger there with you as you sit under the weight of depression or despair. Instead of shaming you for how you feel, minimizing your pain, or suggesting quick fixes, Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson offer you prayers in language and imagery that can help you be honest and vulnerable with yourself and with God. Featuring poetic prayers for deeper relationships, healing from trauma, a hopeful future, and more, In the Low meets you where you are in your journey and calls you deeper into the heart of God--who is not afraid of the dark.

25 Devotional Readings for Advent and Christmas.In a world that's difficult to make sense of, and a season that's so often overtaken by consumerism, here you'll find heart-stirring illustrations and thought-provoking meditations designed to show you the raw, powerfully sacred story of Christmas in a new light.Has the joy of the holiday season become painfully dissonant with the hard edges of life? Do you feel weary from the way Christmas has become a polished, predictable brand? You aren't alone. For too many of us, Christmas has lost its wonder. What if we stopped treating the Christmas story as something that happened a long time ago and started believing that it's a story that's still happening today?From celebrated artist and storyteller Scott Erickson comes Honest Advent, 25 days of illustrations and meditations that will help you rekindle the wonder of this season. Honest Advent creates a space for you to encounter the Incarnate Christ in unexpected places: like a pregnancy announcement in an era of political unrest and empirical bloodshed, the morning sickness of a Middle Eastern teenager, and the shocking biology of birth that goes far beyond the sanitized brand of Christmas as we know it today.Within the pages of Honest Advent, Erickson teaches us the valuable lessons he's learned about:Finding hope and light in the darkest wintersWhat it means to embrace the unexpectedHow God uses everyday vulnerability to help us understand ourselves, and our faith, betterThrough powerful benedictions, prayers, and questions for honest reflection, you'll discover how the wonder of God-with-Us is still happening today: in your unexpected change of plans, your unaccomplished dreams, your overcrowded lodging, and your humble stories of new beginnings.Praise for Honest Advent:"Scott Erickson's beautifully crafted book helped me see God-with-Us with fresh eyes. Honest Advent is no shallow seasonal gift book; it's an invitation to explore the divine flourishes of everyday human vulnerabilities. A transformative read, regardless of the time of year."--Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch "Beautiful. Evocative. A wake-up call to the mystery of life."--John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

In a world that''s difficult to make sense of, and a season that''s so often overtaken by consumerism, here you''ll find heart-stirring illustrations and thought-provoking meditations designed to show you the raw, powerfully sacred story of Christmas in a new light.

Has the joy of the holiday season become painfully dissonant with the hard edges of life? Do you feel weary from the way Christmas has become a polished, predictable brand? You aren''t alone. For too many of us, Christmas has lost its wonder. What if we stopped treating the Christmas story as something that happened a long time ago and started believing that it''s a story that''s still happening today?

From celebrated artist and storyteller Scott Erickson comes Honest Advent, 25 days of illustrations and meditations that will help you rekindle the wonder of this season. Honest Advent creates a space for you to encounter the Incarnate Christ in unexpected places: like a pregnancy announcement in an era of political unrest and empirical bloodshed, the morning sickness of a Middle Eastern teenager, and the shocking biology of birth that goes far beyond the sanitized brand of Christmas as we know it today.

Within the pages of Honest Advent, Erickson teaches us the valuable lessons he''s learned about:

Finding hope and light in the darkest wintersWhat it means to embrace the unexpectedHow God uses everyday vulnerability to help us understand ourselves, and our faith, better

Through powerful benedictions, prayers, and questions for honest reflection, you''ll discover how the wonder of God-with-Us is still happening today: in your unexpected change of plans, your unaccomplished dreams, your overcrowded lodging, and your humble stories of new beginnings.

Praise for Honest Advent:

"Scott Erickson''s beautifully crafted book helped me see God-with-Us with fresh eyes. Honest Advent is no shallow seasonal gift book; it''s an invitation to explore the divine flourishes of everyday human vulnerabilities. A transformative read, regardless of the time of year."

--Jonathan Merritt, author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch

"Beautiful. Evocative. A wake-up call to the mystery of life."

--John Mark Comer, author of The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Say Yes gives you the mental and spiritual practices you need to enjoy your life again--and bring greater fullness than you could imagine before."My life doesn't look anything like I wanted it to. How do I even keep going?" When the dreams for our life die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That's when The Voice of Giving Up appears.Visual artist and spiritual director Scott Erickson has had long midnight conversations with The Voice of Giving Up, and he knows how anxiety and depression make The Voice especially loud. But he's discovered that our darkest moments are sometimes doorways to a deeper, more joy-filled journey of recovering who we are, why we're here, and why the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to life's brightest gifts.In Say Yes, Scott helps you learn how to reawaken your deepest desires, disempower your greatest fears, and identify the destructive narratives holding you back. Combined with Scott's beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, this is a profound exploration of beginning again after:Disappointment at how life is turning outSuspecting we are not prepared or smart enoughLosing hope that change is possible and that pain can have a purposeTake the first step to gain the gentle yet powerful tools you need, and say yes to what lies ahead today.

Say Yes gives you the mental and spiritual practices you need to enjoy your life again--and bring greater fullness than you could imagine before.

"My life doesn''t look anything like I wanted it to. How do I even keep going?" When the dreams for our life die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That''s when The Voice of Giving Up appears.

Visual artist and spiritual director Scott Erickson has had long midnight conversations with The Voice of Giving Up, and he knows how anxiety and depression make The Voice especially loud. But he''s discovered that our darkest moments are sometimes doorways to a deeper, more joy-filled journey of recovering who we are, why we''re here, and why the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to life''s brightest gifts.

In Say Yes, Scott helps you learn how to reawaken your deepest desires, disempower your greatest fears, and identify the destructive narratives holding you back. Combined with Scott''s beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, this is a profound exploration of beginning again after:

Disappointment at how life is turning outSuspecting we are not prepared or smart enoughLosing hope that change is possible and that pain can have a purpose

Take the first step to gain the gentle yet powerful tools you need, and say yes to what lies ahead today.

Say Yes gives you the mental and spiritual practices you need to enjoy your life again--and bring greater fullness than you could imagine before."My life doesn't look anything like I wanted it to. How do I even keep going?" When the dreams for our life die, our vision of who we hoped to become often dies too. That's when The Voice of Giving Up appears.Visual artist and spiritual director Scott Erickson has had long midnight conversations with The Voice of Giving Up, and he knows how anxiety and depression make The Voice especially loud. But he's discovered that our darkest moments are sometimes doorways to a deeper, more joy-filled journey of recovering who we are, why we're here, and why the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to life's brightest gifts.In Say Yes, Scott helps you learn how to reawaken your deepest desires, disempower your greatest fears, and identify the destructive narratives holding you back. Combined with Scott's beautiful, thought-provoking illustrations, this is a profound exploration of beginning again after:Disappointment at how life is turning outSuspecting we are not prepared or smart enoughLosing hope that change is possible and that pain can have a purpose Take the first step to gain the gentle yet powerful tools you need, and say yes to what lies ahead today.

We spend time in the Low because we''re human, not because we''re broken.In the Low is a collection of contemplative words and images for seasons of depression. It is a book designed to meet you where you are and sit with you there the way God does: intentionally and without judgment.For many of us, the question isn''t whether or not we will enter into depression but how to be there when we do. In those low places, we experience disconnection from others, from a meaningful life, and from God, and it can be difficult to know what to think or pray. This is where art and the honest prayers of others can help us name what we''re experiencing so we know we''re not alone. In the Low is designed to meet you in the dark and linger there with you as you sit under the weight of depression or despair. Instead of shaming you for how you feel, minimizing your pain, or suggesting quick fixes, Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson offer you prayers in language and imagery that can help you be honest and vulnerable with yourself and with God. Featuring poetic prayers for deeper relationships, healing from trauma, a hopeful future, and more, In the Low meets you where you are in your journey and calls you deeper into the heart of God--who is not afraid of the dark."In the Low has a permanent spot on my bookshelf."--Emily P. Freeman, New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk into a Room"Here is a tender guide, not to answers but to the shared humanity of searching, waiting, and finding meaning in the in-between."--David Gungor, The Brilliance "I can offer no higher compliment than this: Someone I love dearly picked up this book during a stretch of pressing darkness, and it helped them."--Shauna Niequist, author of I Guess I Haven''t Learned That Yet"As someone who has wanted to end it all in her own season of depression, and who accompanies many others in theirs, In the Low is the gift I''ve longed for."--Tara Owens, executive director, Anam Cara Ministries, spiritual director, and author of Embracing the Body "In the Low gives voice to those struck speechless by despair, honoring the sacred truth that faith often speaks through the shadows."--Jonathan Merritt, columnist and author of Learning to Speak God from Scratch "This book resonates deeply within my angsty artist heart, and I''m so grateful it exists in the world."--Jess Janz, poet and founder of Dinner with Strangers "Scott and Justin created a hand to hold in the valley, and I''m grateful to the both of them for how warm it is."--Levi The Poet, spoken word artist "You will treasure this book, I predict, and come back to it again and again."--Brian D. McLaren, author of Faith After Doubt and Life After Doom"In the Low is accompaniment for the places inside that deserve to be known, the wordless places that need words, the dark and diffuse places that need form and shape."--Dr. Hillary L. McBride, psychologist, podcast host, author, and mother"A warm, tender, desperately needed book that doesn''t speak about the ache but from inside of it."--Jonathan Martin, author of How to Survive a Shipwreck and The Road Away from God "In the Low is both simple and subversive, inviting us not simply into peace but fuller personhood."--K.J. Ramsey, licensed therapist and author of The Book of Common Courage"Encounter this book on its own terms. Encounter this book at the necessarily slow pace of God. And above all, encounter this book and come to know the joy of the God of the Low."--Curt Thompson, MD, author of The Deepest Place and The Soul of Desire"Permission to name the ache in our hearts without rushing to fix it."--Kayla Craig, author of Every Season Sacred and To Light Their Way and creator of Liturgies for Parents"Justin and Scott offer us words, images, and their own selves in ways that gently dispel that piece of the darkness and give us a sense of companions who see us, know us, and care."--Donna Hatasaki, senior director of spiritual formation, Young Life

We spend time in the Low because we're human, not because we're broken.This collection of contemplative words and images is for anyone experiencing anxiety, depression, or a dark season. It is a book designed to meet you where you are and sit with you there the way God does: intentionally and without judgment.For many of us, the question isn't whether or not we will enter into depression but how to be there when we do. In those low places, we experience disconnection from others, from a meaningful life, and from God, and it can be difficult to know what to think or pray. This is where art and the honest prayers of others can help us name what we're experiencing so we know we're not alone. In the Low is designed to meet you in the dark and linger there with you as you sit under the weight of depression or despair. Instead of shaming you for how you feel, minimizing your pain, or suggesting quick fixes, Justin McRoberts and Scott Erickson offer you prayers in language and imagery that can help you be honest and vulnerable with yourself and with God. Featuring poetic prayers for deeper relationships, healing from trauma, a hopeful future, and more, In the Low meets you where you are in your journey and calls you deeper into the heart of God--who is not afraid of the dark.