Sherah-Leigh Gerber – författare

Connect with what truly matters this holiday season   In the hustle and bustle of the season’s endless to-dos, it can be difficult to truly connect with what matters—honoring beloved traditions with family and friends, being present in our communities, and experiencing God in the celebration of Jesus’ birth. In Comfort and Joy, authors Sherah-Leigh Gerber and Gwen Lantz offer a unique blend of thoughtful reflections and inspiring spiritual practices grounded in noticing the sacred amid the ordinary. Two friends who forged a friendship and a blog through a shared love of writing, together they bring fresh insight, warmth, and opportunities for spiritual nurture and growth. In these pages, you’ll find ways to engage more deeply with favorite traditions and cultivate creative space for new ones.   With readings to walk through the Advent and Christmas season, the weekly offerings include a variety of devotional meditations and invitations. Scripture texts drawn from A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church by Wilda C. Gafney accompany reflections, journal prompts, and spiritual practices to help us slow down and savor this meaningful and holy Advent journey.

How can we hope when not all is merry and bright? We often think of the Christmas season as a time of good cheer, festive parties, and thoughtful gifts. But what happens when the reality of life stands in stark contrast to these expectations? Cancer diagnoses, divorce proceedings, and natural disasters do not care about calendar time. Smaller hardships create their own stresstravel woes, custody arrangements, money struggles, and political differences can strain our closest relationships. How do we live into the spirit of Christmas when things feel bleak? From the coauthor of Comfort and Joy comes a gentle companion for a season that may not always feel like the most wonderful time of the year. Spiritual director Sherah-Leigh Gerber offers readers ways of noticing how God shows up in daily life amid our heartache, grief, and loss. With thoughtful reflections and compassionate blessings drawn from the familiar biblical texts of Advent, Unhappy Holidays invites readers to recover a sense of hope as we prepare to celebrate the incarnation. Includes resources for small groups and use in worship settings as well as at home.